Buying Advice My experience buying a tractor

stevenjspencer · Jun 28, 2010

I searched these forums for years before buying a tractor and am appreciative of the good advice I found here. I am happy with my purchase and wanted to share another opinion that might help others.

I have 2.5 flat acres with house, barn in back with long drive and the balance in half lawn and half field/garden. I had wanted something more than my riding mower, tiller, and half baked self made ATV drag behind implements.

I wanted a well known/established brand. I also wanted a relatively lightweight tractor that could work on a lawn and possibly be used to mow. I looked long and hard at the BX series and the JD 2305. I probably would have purchased one of these but I was showing them to my wife and as I sat on a BX25 she had the nerve to ask what the difference was between it and the riding mowers at Sears.

Well, my pride hurt I started looking at JD 2520/2720, Kubota 2920/3030 and various other New Holland, Kioti, Montana, Mahindra, Jinma, Bobcat. They were all far heavier and more powerful than I needed, but if we are talking pure need then I still had my lawn mower and tiller.

I ended up buying the Kubota 3030 TLB thinking what a Tim the Toolman "more power" mistake I was making. I could not be happier with the size and would go bigger before smaller. The following is a list of things that I agonized over and how I feel now two months and 25hours later.

1. Should I get the backhoe? - $7k is a chunk of change. It is well spent however on a backhoe. I had no specific task for the backhoe prior to purchase, but it now is one of my most useful attachments. I specifically requested the BH-76 which has the separate seat. I love the dual seat setup. I goes on and come off easily. I've sometimes removed and attached it several times in a day without it being a big deal. I like the reach and the full 180 degree swing (bigger deal than I thought). Mid mount mower can attach WITHOUT

stevenjspencer · Jun 28, 2010

I searched these forums for years before buying a tractor and am appreciative of the good advice I found here. I am happy with my purchase and wanted to share another opinion that might help others.

I have 2.5 flat acres with house, barn in back with long drive and the balance in half lawn and half field/garden. I had wanted something more than my riding mower, tiller, and half baked self made ATV drag behind implements.

I wanted a well known/established brand. I also wanted a relatively lightweight tractor that could work on a lawn and possibly be used to mow. I looked long and hard at the BX series and the JD 2305. I probably would have purchased one of these but I was showing them to my wife and as I sat on a BX25 she had the nerve to ask what the difference was between it and the riding mowers at Sears.

Well, my pride hurt I started looking at JD 2520/2720, Kubota 2920/3030 and various other New Holland, Kioti, Montana, Mahindra, Jinma, Bobcat. They were all far heavier and more powerful than I needed, but if we are talking pure need then I still had my lawn mower and tiller.

I ended up buying the Kubota 3030 TLB thinking what a Tim the Toolman "more power" mistake I was making. I could not be happier with the size and would go bigger before smaller. The following is a list of things that I agonized over and how I feel now two months and 25hours later.

1. Should I get the backhoe? - $7k is a chunk of change. It is well spent however on a backhoe. I had no specific task for the backhoe prior to purchase, but it now is one of my most useful attachments. I specifically requested the BH-76 which has the separate seat. I love the dual seat setup. I goes on and come off easily. I've sometimes removed and attached it several times in a day without it being a big deal. I like the reach and the full 180 degree swing (bigger deal than I thought). Mid mount mower can attach WITHOUT having to remove the subframe.

2. Is it too big? - NO. I've wondered if it is too small when plowing and when subsoiling some hardpacked ground. I've also wished for more power/weight when I'm using the FEL. In some of the harder unbroken field it struggled with a 14" single bottom plow. (I've heard folks pull a two bottom with a 3030? must be soft ground)

3. Is it too small? - I don't think so. It's done what I've asked of it. It marks up the grass (without backhoe) with the R4's if damp at all. Would rip grass apart if any heavier.

4. Is the three speed important? YES! I didn't think much of this argument when deciding green or orange. I now use the mid speed a ton. High is too fast for uneven surface and too little power. Low is painfully slow unless the work is heavy. Mid is just right.

5. Are the pricey extras of the 3030 worth the money over 3200? I think so. I love position control (didn't understand how great it is till using plow on a shorter field up-down-up-down right to the same height!) Soft seat, cruise, independent PTO, hydrostatic power steering

Bottom line - As long as your not using it as your primary lawn mower go with the larger tractor, get the back hoe, buy as many shiney new implements as the budget allows, and work for the next ??? year to pay it off. I couldn't be happier, and I know I'd have been happy with the 2920 as well.

montyhp · Jun 28, 2010

Stevenj,

Your story sounds a lot like mine. I have just short of 3 acres and I had just intended to replace the rider with a small tractor with a FEL. Then I started thinking about getting round bales for the goats (rather than 10 square bales at a time) and I ended up with a 33 horse Mahindra. I mow with a rear finish mower and I am very happy with the way the lawn looks. I also have a lot of trees to maintain and some dirtwork left over from the original owner of the house. I keep coming up with new things to do with the tractor that would have been impossible before.

Montyhp