gladehound
Veteran Member
I gave my thoughts on tractors in the 20-60 hp range. I indicated that if it were me, I'd go with the 40-60hp range. I did not recommend that the OP do this. I just said, if it were me. I said this because I have 1 acre of lawn and 1 acre of woods and I went with a 45hp large frame CUT after owning a 20hp for 9 years and pushing it to max every time I used it. Snow removal took way to long and wore me out. The hydraulics were far to weak in the woods. There were several landscaping tasks that I simply could not do with that tractor due to the size of the rocks I was running into. 40 hp and 60hp CUTs are often on the same size, just a bigger engine. If I had HST, I wouldn't want any less than 60hp. I drove a 40hp HST and hated it because it was so sluggish compared to gear. I completely skipped the 25-35hp tractor range because being familiar with my cousin's JD4300, I thought there was a high probability that I would regret getting something in that range and that the step up needed to be bigger.
While my tractor size is good for my uses, I still wouldn't mind more hp. I guess I'm whacko. I've been called worse.
I never suggested that the OP spend $40K instead of $20K. Just over a year ago, I purchased a leftover 45hp tractor at a dealer with full 4yr warrantee, loader, rear remote and hydraulic reverser for $19.5K ($20.6K out the door) plus free delivery from over an hour away. The reason I laid out my thoughts on the different size tractors that might be considered is because there isn't much price difference. And now that the OP indicated that he has no aversion to gear, and a 20K budget, and is value minded... Well, he is exactly where I was a year ago.
$40K... for $40K you can get a Kioti RX7320 w FEL AND Cab without even negotiating. No sure why you went to $40K?
With New Hampshire snow, if you want a snow removal set up that can actually get you out your driveway on a heavy 3 ft snow, you are either going to need a blower or something big enough to walk through that snow. I have found no better way to remove deep heavy snow on gravel than with a high volume skid steer bucket (42" deep x 30+ inches high) with 3 edge tamers bolted on. But nothing smaller than a large frame CUT can handle that size bucket well.
My point is, if you plan to spend near $20K on a SCUT and instead you could get a 40-60HP tractor (maybe a left over) for similar money, to me it's a no brainer.
Great point. 100% agree. For the cost of a mower for a tractor, you can nearly buy a separate zero turn.
When I bought property, I bought a zero turn and waited a year to buy a loader just because I didn't have the money. The loader I bought was 20hp but even at that time I knew I wanted something twice that size. So I bought the smaller tractor used knowing I could always sell it for close to what I paid. 9 years later, I sold it for $1,200 (15%) less than I paid for it.
However, it sounds like the OP is using lawn mowing as a justification for a tractor to the wife. I think the OP needs to find better justification than lawn mowing.
How about wood gathering for the fire place, driveway maintenance, spreading gravel, snow removal (think mega storm), storm clean up, putting in a garden, digging out a foundation, putting in footers, lifting materials up to the roof, landscaping, putting in a ninja warrior course for the future kids, pulling the cable tight on that giant zip line project (also for the future kids), fixing future water drainage problems, putting in that fence she wants, unloading materials from trucks, bending a car door back so that it will close, moving large boulders that are inconveniently placed, expanding the driveway for more parking, clearing a little more woods for whatever reason - I am not just making things up... These are all things I've done with my tractors on my little 2 acre property. Most of which I did not foresee when purchasing my first tractor. Many of which fell into the "I wish I had more tractor" category when I had the 20hp and some still fall in the category with the 45hp (mostly the stubborn boulders).
You have a flat yard and given the time of year, the first real work you need to do is keep that lawn under control. What I really think you should do is buy a used commercial zero turn (since your yard is flat) and wait on the tractor / FEL until after you get into the place and have a better idea of everything you might want to do. You may even be able to save up some addition funds. Wait until a mega snow storm and ask your wife to help you shovel. When she looks like she's about to collapse in the snow, suggest to her that you buy a tractor so that you and her don't have to deal with this crap anymore - I'm betting that budget will go up. :thumbsup:
HST vs gear: Like most here I recommended HST before I knew your budget and that you had no aversion to gear. HST is truly much easier for new operators to get good on. That being said, you are young and have no issue with clutch work at this time. You are on a budget and looking for value. Slightly used (as in almost brand new) gear tractors is where the value is. Certain brands tend to give you more for your money and still have great reliability (Kioti and LS come to mind). You have time, so use it. You're not going to find a great deal over night. I looked for nearly a year before stumbling on what I thought was a good deal locally. So take you time. Most will insist on HST for loader work, what they don't tell you is that you can get a much stronger gear tractor for the same price. If you ever get a knee problem, you sell it and buy something else. No big deal. Trying to buy now, once for all time is a fools hope - none of us know what life will throw at us.
