Buying Advice Need new or newer compact loader/backhoe buying advice-what brand?

[boggen]

basic sites, so you can look around see what is out there, (research tools per say)
-- TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors = it may not be awesome as far as complete specs on things, but a good tool to compare general features of tractors.
-- www.tractorhouse.com = a lot of used stuff, but some new stuff gets sold as well.
-- Construction Equipment For Sale at MachineryTrader.com: Dozers, Scrapers, Wheel Loaders, Excavators, Motor Graders, Caterpillar, Komatsu, Case, John Deere, Volvo = TLB (tractor loader backhoes) but for commercial work most like rather large units that a city or township might have. but ya might find something.
-- www.craigslist.org = use www.searchingtempest.com to search multi cities at one time.
-- most of your major brand tractor companies have some sort of "build it yourself" thing you go through on there website. encourge you to go through them
-- there are 3rd party backhoes out there, example woods that can fit a variety of tractors pending on make/model.

a backhoe it is normally suggested to get a tractor with a "sub frame" for use with a backhoe, no sub frame, and you risk splitting the tractor in half per say, due to tractors really don't have a physical frame from front to back, but rather a frame for engine, then transmission, then final drive/pto housing. the sub frame, connects everything together.

you have...
riding lawn mowers
then garden tractors (a bit beefer riding lawn mower, that can get into gardens for example)
then you have SCUT (sub compact utility tractors), over size riding lawn mower / garden tractor
then you have CUT (compact utility tractors).

some were between SCUT, and CUT, you get away from the riding lawn mower frame, to a bigger heavier frame, and generally more ground clearance under the unit.

there are some garden tractors out there that may have a FEL (front end loaders), and a snow blade.
SCUTs, you get into FEL's, and backhoes.

the larger you get, generally the more default features you get that makes a tractor nicer and easier to use. SCUT's may be small and powerful little units, but corners do get cut. other words, to much crud to fit onto a small size unit. example larger tractors you will find, specific make/models that allow you todo a 180 in the seat and operate backhoe vs getting off tractor and getting on the backhoe seat. perhaps differential lock for rear tires, left/right rear steering brake pedals, that are opposite of foot you use for the go/gas/fuel pedal

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parts, parts, parts, and more so a good nearby dealer can make or break many deals. tractors, ya don't have a car/truck repair shop in every town. tractor repair places / dealers are spread out.

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budget wise, getting a small tractor with many of the add on options vs larger size tractor, many of the small little options, say TNT (top and tilt) for 3pt hitch, to larger alternator to run more lights or electrical winch, to using a 12v to 110v converter to run a small power tool. to having higher up lights (front and rear) to see what ya doing. to, 2 to 3 rear hyd (hydraulic) remotes. to 3rd function valve for FEL (front end loader). to telescopic lower arms for 3pt hitch, to some sort of quick hitch or pats easy hitch setup for lower lift arms.

the old man pull, ya getting up there in age... and many of above things, reduces physical labor / muscle to hook/unhook things and get things done, and less frequent on/off of tractor doings.

your big ticket items generally are the tractor, FEL, and backhoe, and if buying and not that mechanically inclined, getting dealer installed options noted above done before your receive the unit. one additional big ticket item is a "cab" the more ya spend up front the more chance you are more likely to get a better overall deal from some dealer.

if you have a specific size truck and trailer and able to haul X amount of weight, for some folks that can be a detouring factor that seems major. but your more likely to get told, get tractor first, and then if need be up size trailer / pulling vehicle if need be. it more about dollars of a new tractor, vs selling old trailer and getting a bigger trailer if need be. at least it would be fore me.

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extra info from you, and should help others point ya better in a given direction...
acreage ya plan to use tractor on...

what type of jobs ya need to do? putting in new fence, grading rock and/or dirt driveways / paths, putting in new gas,electrical, etc.. lines, dealing with snow, how long is your main driveway? building anything? mowing yard around home, or needing something like a rotatory cutter to deal with tall weeds out in the woods / pastures for example.

 

[bsinhc50]

Be sure to check out the newYanmar SCUT models. The price should be lower than any of the competitors and the tractor is well built. I used to own a CC/Yanmar SC2400 with a FEL and it was one heck of a tractor. Had I not had 50 acres to take care of I'd probably still have it.

One thing to note, prior to buying the SC2400 I was looking at either a JD or a New Holland until I met a Kubota dealer who was attending the Mid Atlantic Kubota dealer's conference. He said the main topic at the Kubota conference was Yanmar teaming up with Cub Cadet which would allow Yanmar to get a foot hold in the US market. He said all of the dealers were told if the CC/Yanmar tractors were successful the Kubota dealer profits would drop from what they were used to getting because they'd have to compete with Yanmar's pricing.

That said, if I were you, I'd check out a 2015 Yanmar SCUT.

 

[TJP89]

Be sure to check out the newYanmar SCUT models. The price should be lower than any of the competitors and the tractor is well built. I used to own a CC/Yanmar SC2400 with a FEL and it was one heck of a tractor. Had I not had 50 acres to take care of I'd probably still have it.

One thing to note, prior to buying the SC2400 I was looking at either a JD or a New Holland until I met a Kubota dealer who was attending the Mid Atlantic Kubota dealer's conference. He said the main topic at the Kubota conference was Yanmar teaming up with Cub Cadet which would allow Yanmar to get a foot hold in the US market. He said all of the dealers were told if the CC/Yanmar tractors were successful the Kubota dealer profits would drop from what they were used to getting because they'd have to compete with Yanmar's pricing.

That said, if I were you, I'd check out a 2015 Yanmar SCUT.

I agree. I ended up going bigger, but I was very impressed by Yanmar's SC2450, which is their SCUT factory TLB. The price, if I remember correctly was about 20K, but you could find one cheaper used. If not that, I think Kubota makes a dedicated line of small TLB, but I don't know anything about them.