Need help choosing new CUT

RedRocker · Sep 28, 2005

[quote
As a new user, I would have found this forum much LESS useful if posters had not discussed many different brands of tractors even if uninvited. Having people point out specific differences in tractor features or capabilities or ownership considerations is not nearly as useful if examples are limited by this proposed self censorship rule. In particular this non brand specific buying/pricing/comparisons section should not have such a limitation. Limited cross pollination on brand specific forums can also be useful. On the other hand, I can see that regularly posting about Kubotas in the JD forum etc is annoying and impolite.

Some people are frustrated by what Dargo calls trolls but that specific practice (buy my tractor brand!) can be discouraged without limiting discussion. Even the "buy my tractor" statements can be useful to newbies. Rather than baiting the troller, it would be better to post a link to a prior discussion of the topic. Experienced users may well get bored with repeated posts exclaiming the virtues of a particular tractor but for new users these same posts are exactly what gets you thinking about what features and other considerations should go into making a choice. )

I agree, had someone not mentioned other brands to me for my consideration, I probably wouldn't even own a tractor.
If by definition the act of suggesting a specific brand of tractor makes you a troll, then I'd have to say we change the name of this board to trollbynet. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif I rarely post in this forum because of this silly BS, heaven forbid somebody mention a "lesser" known brand to somebody. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Bob_Skurka · Sep 28, 2005

I rarely post in this forum because of this silly BS 

And you will notice that many experienced members don't post here anymore either. What is actually fairly common are the newbies with less than a year on a seat, on their first tractor (or perhaps their first modern tractor) who post here with all their sage advice. There are only a few folks with real experience, Chris and Roy are two exceptionally helpful folks who stuck with it, that still post in the "buying/pricing/comparision" threads.

But you are very confused if you think this is an issue of major brands versus minor brands. It would be just as bad if someone asked about a Kioti and 3 or 4 folks jumped in and said "you should look at my brand, I got it a few months ago and its the best thing since sliced bread was invented . . . "

New owner enthusiasm should be tempered and taken for what it is. Sorry, but when people post things like "I've got 40 hours on my tractor and I'm still smiling . . . " Then there really is no real experience there, I don't give a crap what brand they have.

Soundguy · Sep 28, 2005

( a Ford 850 is early 90's vintage? )

Closer to 1955-1958 ( XX1 series being 58-62 )

Soundguy

Soundguy · Sep 28, 2005

( I didn't remember Chris (soundguy) participating in those )

Ditto... I stayed out. Besides.. It's hard to convince people of the virtues of the 50 year old iron after they have seen some o fthe new iron /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ( no matter what weight, or grade, or where it came from /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif ) /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Soundguy

BamaRob · Sep 28, 2005

Bob,

As one of those new, enthusiastic owners with very few hours of seat time on my new tractor, and as a relatively new member of TBN, I understand where you are coming from and your point(s) are well taken. I certainly didn't intend any harm with my suggestion that Ford850 check out the Mahindra. But, in this particular case, I think your points may be misplaced. The original poster, Ford850 said (my emphasis added),

( I did say I was partial to NH and open to Kubota and JD, but I also appreciate the gentle nudges to check out other brands that might fill my needs. I haven't looked into those others, but will now.
As far as the trollers and unwanted suggestions... who cares? I'm new to this site, but it seems like I see more wasted space discussing why others shouldn't be wasting space. I don't care if someone adds something I didn't ask for... I just ignore it and read the next reply. I do appreciate the concern to keep the board clean, but it might be better to ignore the unwanted remarks. Just my thoughts.)

In any public forum, you often have to sort through the cruft to get to the valuable information. That's the nature of the beast in a board that is either not moderated or very loosely moderated. If a strictly moderated forum where only "appropriate" pre-approved content is allowed is desired, there are solutions out there. Thankfully, TBN isn't managed that way. If I'm not interesed in a reply after a quick scan, I don't read it. It's not that big of a deal to me.

Later,

BR

Bob_Skurka · Sep 28, 2005

Bama, no question he said those things, but only have we all started pissing on each other about trolling.

Fact of the matter is that many very experienced long time users have either quit or dramatically reduced their postings here on TBN. Most complain about the very same thing, that is being shouted down or overrun by newbies who have very little real world experience.

The reality is most of the real helpful stuff on TBN no longer exists in the general threads, it is mostly confined to the brand threads because very few folks have the guts to leave their respective brands. And handful of us are either blunt jerks (like me) or currently multi-brand owners (like me) or are statistics geeks (like me) or love antiques (like me) and we venture out into all the forums. But it really wears thin sometimes. Heck I still consider myself a 'newbie' compared to guy like Chris (soundguy) and would never presume to step on his posts, he has far more knoweldge than I will ever hold, but still people run around and proclaim all sorts of stuff without taking into account things like soil conditions, climate zone, intended uses, etc.

BamaRob · Sep 28, 2005

I value the opinions of those more experienced than me and certainly appreciate the input from experienced long time TBNers.

The problem you describe isn't unique to TBN. With most online forums, no matter the subject discussed, newbies (like me) need a little time to settle in. It gets old, but most long-time users tolerate the newbies. It's when you have an influx of lots of newbies that the long-time users get frustrated and may stop posting for a while.

Hopefully, they'll get back to sharing their knowledge. With a site as popular as TBN, you're going to have a continuous stream of newbies joining the site. I appreciate input from users like yourself to help direct us newbies in proper/acceptable etiquette (sp?). I really didn't see anything wrong with suggesting brands other than those listed in Ford850's original post. But, I can certainly see where a constant barage of "unsolicited" brand-specific input isn't healthy for TBN.

NOTE: I don't think we're helping the situation much by hijacking this topic. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Later,

BR

hunterridgefarm · Sep 28, 2005

I currently have an L3130 that I plow a 3-4 acre bottom with and use a 6' disc. And do small garden plots. I use a 5' bush hog on 8 acres every month or two. If I had it to do over I would go with 40 hp or more in a CUT and would trade up if I wasn't in the market for a utility size 50hp+.

Like Bob Skurka I like the JD 4120 and several others in the 4000 series. I like the TC40 and TC48. Kubota, the L3830, L4330, or economy L4400 should also work.

The front mount blade I have seen on a FEL. Kubota also shows a front mount blade on an LXX30 in their brochure but I am not sure how high it would lift for clearance. I would also think you could get this option on JD or NH. I use the bucket on the FEL and a rear blade for small amount of snow we have gotten the last few years.

Go look and drive all three brands and get the one that fits you. I don't think you would go wrong with any of these three, all of them are a good fit for the needs you listed.

You did not mention a need for a FEL. I did not get one when I first bought but soon realized I needed one and now don't see how I ever made it without one. Comes in handy to remove fallen trees out of the edge of the fields and keep trails open on the 50 acres, plus use the bucket to hall seed and fertilizer.

Soundguy · Sep 28, 2005

Checks in the mail Bob! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

In reality.. we do have a very dynamic userbase. I have a feeling that it is something like a bell curve.. where 20% of the users make 80% of the posts ( I have no data to back this up.. this is just a WAG )

I'd also wager.. to go along with that.. that the newer users make more of the posts.. this based on.. that the newer users may be new tractor owners.. or owners to be.. and they are asking 'how to' questions.. or what to get.. etc.

The next large block of the messages are probably composed of 'usage' items.. like what I did today.. or built.. or am going to build.

Fortunately it is a controlled environment and we do have a decent mod staff to keep the rowdy ones (me) in line from time to time!

Soundguy

Ford850 · Sep 28, 2005

Thanks Hunterridgefarm,
I will try to swing the loader too if I can afford it. Like you said I might need it to add the adjustable snow blade anyway. I like the geared tractors better than hydrostat, so I can use that money saved to go towards the loader.
Maybe our profiles should have a required set of data that we set up. Number of hours on the tractor and acres could equate to a different level user, not how many posts we've done. Then we could weigh the comments based on field experience of the poster. I'm new to this site so I apologize if this is already how it works. I need to dig in some more to understand the details - but I like it so far.