Gentlemen I need your help on Tractor Purchase

[BarryinMN]

If you have a good dealer handy, might pay to take a look at the brand I bought last year. 55PTO, 10K lbs, cab heat & air, passenger seat, mfg is vertically integrated, next day parts, axles good enough for mother Deere, etc. Price was mid $20's last year.

www.zetor.com

Whichever tractor, get a grapple for the loader, makes clean up fast & furious without ropes, chains, climbing on & off /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[n4807g]

Competition is good.

 

[SkyPup]

Whatever 50+ HP, 4WD, AG1 Tire, machine you finally decide on, be sure to incorporate all the implements onto it that you will be needing, that includes installing front and rear hydraulic remtoes (make sure GPM of hydraulic pump is >20GPM).

You'll need lots of stuff, large disc harrow, large bush hog, large back blade and/or box, fence post digger, backhoe, heavy duty FEL bucket, etc. etc. A stong FEL and BH would be my primary concern too.

We moved out to our property and cleared it out similar to what you are planning over 20 years ago, the equipment which I purchased in the early 1980's is still here in operation on the property! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Although I have had to upgrade as I acquired more property over time, everything still works and is used, even the old stuff.

Get what you want now, with all the implements and the means to power them. In fact, you may want to think about two machines, a TLB and another general purpose AG tractor to complement the TLB -> that is what we evolved into in the end. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[BIG_R_Jr_3]

SkyPup
Thank you for all of your suggestions. All of the dealers that I have spoken to have quoted me Package Prices, Tractor + Implements. Only listed Tractors here seeing it's my hardest decision to make & it seems like everyone carries the other equipment. Except I was hoping NOT to have to buy a backhoe, although if I get the right Tractor with the right set up, I could add BH later on as needed, right ?

I have now learned the Importance of Hydraulic Remotes need to be installed and that I think I will need atleast 4 sets ? Two Mid & Two Rear or some kind of combination there of, in addition to the FEL.

I'm not certain what all hooks up to what, but I feel that I will be getting FEL with some form of bucket with teeth and grapple or thumb or some kind of combination on loader. Also

6' HD rotary cutter w/ slip clutch
6' HD box blade/scraper
9" Post hole auger w/ attachment
Trailer to carry all equipment safely

This will be my starting line up...

Now I think my game plan is going to look something like this.

Buy Used '95 Massey Fergusion 240 40HP/4WD /manual shift trans/ w/loader & bucket/ 1300 hrs

----AND---

Buy Newer Larger Tractor to compliment

I started out thinking one tractor for all the needs, then saw the need for larger bigger tractor if I want to complete work loads quicker and more confortable. Now I think I need 2 Tractors in the stable; one small enough to get in and around tight places ( trees, fence lines, etc. ) and one Big Work Horse that will have a enough muscle to play Herceles.

I like yours & anyone elses thought on my game plan. As well as anyone feel uncomfortable about buying Tractor out of state. I'm buying used tractor in state but have not yet decided on where Big Tractor will be purchased. Dealer Prices all over the place and I could buy tractor out state and have shipped here far less than what some are charger near me. I know the importance of relationships that I want to build with dealer but if I buy New won't any like kind tractor dealers be able to service me.

The used tractor I'm getting from dealer mostly deals w/ golf course related machines not big tractors, so won't be buying from him.

Thanks I look forward to anyones suggestions....

 

[SkyPup]

I've ended up utilizing two tractors, a Kubota L-3130 GST 32HP with LA723 FEL (1,800 pounds of lift) and a Kubota L-39 GST TLB 39 HP with TL1000 FEL (2,700 pounds of lift) and BT1000 Backhoe with 18" bucket- the FEL really comes in handly, so does a toothbar on the FEL as well as a separate hydraulically operated Grappler for the FEL, not to mention the BH.....

You will be really limited in what you can do on your property with the purchase of your tractor. The reason being is your expeience working your land with your machine so far only exists in your mind, once you get out there, your plan of attack will evolve and change as you see things differently.

Then, when you get another implement or an entire new machine, as well as have some experience first hand managing everything, you will have a completely different mindset of how to attack.

So, I would recommend getting one thing to get started with, and then as you progress, getting another to suit your needs. I can guarantee you one thing though, in the end, your FEL and Backhoe will be what gets the majority of business taken care of! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="blue"> 1*I started out thinking one tractor for all the needs,
2*then I saw the need for larger bigger tractor if I want to complete work loads quicker and more comfortable
3*Now I think I need 2 Tractors in the stable; *one small enough to get in and around tight places
4*and one Big Work Horse that will have enough muscle to play Hercules
5*but if I buy New won't any like kind tractor dealers be able to service me.
****************** </font>
1*There is no 1 tractor for all needs.
I think get a tractor that will handle most of the small to medium jobs and hire somebody for the bigger stuff that may come along if it's not to frequent.
2*Some times you need more not bigger. At times 2 tractors teamed up together will get more done quicker with less fuss than one big tractor. Just one example-there are others.
The last time we mowed my wife drove the MTD with a 4 foot mower and I followed her with the BX23 5 foot mower. this gave us a 9 foot swath compared to using a bigger tractor with a 6 or 7 foot mower..
3*I've been covering up a 15 inch by 110 foot culvert with my BX23 sure did take a lot of buckets of dirt and many many trips back and forth between the culvert and the piles of dirt. I didn't need a bigger tractor but it would have been nice for someone to come along with another Sub compact or compact tractor. and pitched in hauling the dirt. * I filled in the floor with dirt to raise it in a stall in my pole barn. Good thing my tractor is a BX23 as I
couldn't have done it with a bigger tractor - just barley had room to maneuver the BX23 around inside the 16 x 22 foot stall.
4*This would depend on how big and how frequent are those big projects and is it a one time deal or a recurring thing. It may just be better cheeper and less of a headache to go with a smaller tractor and hire those projects done. Hiring is definitely a time saver as you can be working your tractor doing the other stuff while they work on the bigger things,
5*If you don't mind being put on the back burner while they take care of their customers that bought tractors from then first before they ever get to starting on yours.
This could turn a 3 day down time into 3 weeks.
I don't blame a dealer for that.

 

[BarryinMN]

Have you considered a Bobcat/Tractor combo? A bobcat may be quicker around your horses.

Skypups advise is right on start with something & begin working, your perspective will change by next year /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

In our case went from Allis Chalmers C 20hp > JD A 38hp > Allis Chalmers TLB 60hp 18" bucket > JD350 dozerBH 36" cemetery bucket > cabbed tractor: mow in air conditioned comfort, plow snow with heat /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Everything is still around except the AC C.

Since your starting with a clean slate, try to get quick tach loader attachments that will swap to both tractors.

Attachment accumulate: my favorite is a 4 yard snow bucket, took 3 hours out of cleanup time /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[BIG_R_Jr_3]

OK GUYS THANKS

I think my picture is starting to become a little clearer. I will start off with one tractor, the used Massey Fergusion + implements I mentioned before, total costs $8,968.75 + trailer.

Get it out there on property and she what she can do and become more familiar with the land. Continue shopping for big Tractor and see what developes in upcoming months. Newer models will be arriving and I should gain a little more knowledge of uses of tractor. SkyPup your right about the game plan mindset, thanks.

The other suggestion that member ( LBrown59 ) brought up is something I too considered, hire someone to do the work that I don't want to fool with. Possible things I thought that would require Extra heavy equipment. But wait till I get out there working to decide.

I do and don't understand the dealers position of putting me last for service. Let's say I buy a new $35,000 Brand name tractor with warranty that he sells and sevices from someone else out of state. And "I choose him" to go to for service of my tractors, why should I have to wait any longer than anyone else. That just doesn't make $ and cents to me. Isn't he in business to Sell and Sevice the customer, not just the customer who buys tractors from him ?

Now I could understand why a dealer chooses to only work on one specific kind of tractor exclusively. Someone please explain what I'm missing here ? He's in business to make money, right ?

Here's a different spin on what I'm trying to say. Let's say I live in New York and I also own property in Florida. I bought my tractors from a dealer in NY but have since moved permantly to Fla. year round. Time comes for service work on tractor, I assure you I'm not going back NY to dealer for service that I can get just 10 miles away. I would think That dealer would be happy to have my businees now and for the future. To him I'm a new $$ customer that he didn't have yesterday.

If all Dealers Prices were the same on Tractors regardless what state you bought it from, who then would care ?

I happen to like this democracy world we live in and if one person wants to charge different than another more power to him. Doesn't mean you have buy from him.

Thanks

 

[Soundguy]

Now that's a great idea. Just get the good quality used one.. and get out ont he property and get working. You will soon get the feel of what size/hp does what. if you later need the bigger tractor, you havn't 'wasted' money on the use done, as it sounds like a great deal.. you could easilly re-sell it if you needed to. Also.. in the mean time.. you may fall into a deal on a big tractor.. slightly used.. for a better than new price.. with like-new features.

Soundguy

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="blue"> I do and don't understand the dealers position of putting me last for service.
</font>
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Let's say I bought a tractor from dealer A and you bought yours from dealer B
Both of us take our tractors to dealer A for service.
Do you think I'd be happy with dealer A if he serviced your tractor before he did mine?