Buying Advice New Here and Looking for First Tractor

[Rondalw]

I have been using my Polaris Ranger with attachments since we started the Farm/Ranch last year. I realize it has taken a beating and I need to get something stronger.

We have a little over 11 acres level land in NW Nevada on which we have planted fruit and nut orchards as well as a lambing operation.

We need something that will help with cleaning barns and pens and hauling hay as well as clearing land of sage and other grasses. Plan to plant another 3 acres of vegetable crops for next year so tiller, plow and seeder would be in use as well as building various fences.

Any help on size, brand and model would be helpful. Budget is around $25-$26k.

Thanks in advance.

Ron

 

[AchingBack]

Ron, my first thought is you will be needing at least 35 hp at the PTO, especially when it comes to operating a quality rototiller. I believe you'd want a tractor in the neighborhood of 40-45 hp. Since you will be cleaning out stables, it is hard to beat a tractor with HST, (hydro static transmission).

Others on here have much more wisdom than I do, and you will be greatly helped by them. Once you have determined your required hp in a tractor, you can take a look at owners' reviews. Compact Tractor Reviews - TractorByNet.com

A big consideration will be your local dealer, and their proximity. If you need to buy used, due to price considerations, how able would you be to fix things when they need it? Just things to think about.

Welcome to TBN
Bob

 

[Rondalw]

Ron, my first thought is you will be needing at least 35 hp at the PTO, especially when it comes to operating a quality rototiller. I believe you'd want a tractor in the neighborhood of 40-45 hp. Since you will be cleaning out stables, it is hard to beat a tractor with HST, (hydro static transmission).

Others on here have much more wisdom than I do, and you will be greatly helped by them. Once you have determined your required hp in a tractor, you can take a look at owners' reviews. Compact Tractor Reviews - TractorByNet.com

A big consideration will be your local dealer, and their proximity. If you need to buy used, due to price considerations, how able would you be to fix things when they need it? Just things to think about.

Welcome to TBN
Bob

Good points Bob. No we don't have the tools to make major repairs. Dealers near us in 40 mile radius are Mahindra, Kioti and Kubota. I don't count John Deere as they are way out of price range.

Will need to have tractor by winter this year as my Ranger just can't handle that much snow.

Thanks Again
Ron

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Dealers near us in 40 mile radius are Mahindra, Kioti and Kubota.
Ron

Ron,

I'd bet you can find something PERFECT from one (or all three) of those dealers. That is a fabulous selection.

I just went through this for my 1st tractor myself, anf the gang here was amazingly helpful in giving me the data I needed to make a great choice for my needs.

I am VERY happy with mine.

Happy Tractor Shopping (make sure you test drive).

David

 

[RPW]

I wouldn't count Deere out completely as I've seen pricing to be comparable amonst the 3 major brands. Also when reading your post a couple of times you might want to look at a skidsteer to the majority of your cleaning tasks. They are a lot easier to manuver in a barn/pen situation. You can usually find a good used one with plenty of hours left on it for under $10k and that way you might be able to use a smaller machine for your other chores.

Good luck.

 

[Kyle241]

Ron,

Based on your budget, you should be able to get yourself a nice Kubota or Kioti (don't know anything about Mahindra). I would say you should be looking at:

Kioti - DK40SE, DK45SE
Kubota - L4400, MX4700/5100 or if the price is right a Grand L that has some extra fancy options like HST+ like the L3940, L4240...prices might start to be out of your budget from there on.

Are you looking for a cab or open? The cab will definitely raise the price some but they are nice to have.

 

[Rondalw]

Ron,

Based on your budget, you should be able to get yourself a nice Kubota or Kioti (don't know anything about Mahindra). I would say you should be looking at:

Kioti - DK40SE, DK45SE
Kubota - L4400, MX4700/5100 or if the price is right a Grand L that has some extra fancy options like HST+ like the L3940, L4240...prices might start to be out of your budget from there on.

Are you looking for a cab or open? The cab will definitely raise the price some but they are nice to have.

Yes, cab would be nice. We have hot dessert summers and cold winters, I am retired so comforts are appreciated. It will depend on costs,

 

[Grandad4]

Yes, cab would be nice. We have hot dessert summers and cold winters, I am retired so comforts are appreciated. It will depend on costs,

The cab will add $4-6k to the cost of the tractor, and that may force you to choose a smaller tractor or a used one to meet your budget. Don't know what kind of market you have for equipment in your area. If you've got several dealers, it may be that you'll find a decent selection of new and used to look at. Between the brands you've mentioned, you should be able to find a good selection and they all make decent equipment. We have a preference for Kubota based on our ownership experience, but that's a personal choice and you should look at all the brands and find one that fits your needs and budget.

As others have noted, find a good dealer... honest, fair, competent, well-established and interested in having you as a customer. If you end up buying used, be wary of a brand that lacks local support. Tractor brands come and go, and the departures are usually not because of bad equipment. You can sometimes find a bargain on such equipment, but you're kind of on your own to locate parts when needed. That said, if you're shopping for used, it's more important to find a tractor in decent condition than in finding a particular brand, as long as you stay with the major brands.

Don't forget to allow for the attachments in your budget. A good tiller will be $2k and up, the front end loader will add probably $3-4k on a new tractor, a snowblower will run $2-3k, etc. Depending on the size of tractor and how much snow you get, the blower may or may not be needed, of course.

I'd probably have second thoughts about investing in a skid-steer... they certainly are handy, but considering your limited acreage, your barn chores may not be extensive enough to justify having one just for those uses, and your budget is already going to be tight for the tractor + attachments.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Yes, cab would be nice. We have hot dessert summers and cold winters, I am retired so comforts are appreciated. It will depend on costs,

In my area, of the 3 Mahindra was lowest (not by much though) and Kubota highest (about 10-15% higher is all). But that was entirely dealer dependent I believe.

For me it was a Kioti with 6 hrs on it that I found a great deal on.

A cab is at LEAST $5,000 extra. I passed on the cab and went for the attachments.

Happy Tractor Shopping!
David

 

[flusher]

I have been using my Polaris Ranger with attachments since we started the Farm/Ranch last year. I realize it has taken a beating and I need to get something stronger.

We have a little over 11 acres level land in NW Nevada on which we have planted fruit and nut orchards as well as a lambing operation.

We need something that will help with cleaning barns and pens and hauling hay as well as clearing land of sage and other grasses. Plan to plant another 3 acres of vegetable crops for next year so tiller, plow and seeder would be in use as well as building various fences.

Any help on size, brand and model would be helpful. Budget is around $25-$26k.

Thanks in advance.

Ron

Something in the 35-40 hp pto with a hydrostatic (HST) tranny, 4WD and an FEL with 6-ft wide bucket would do. You can't beat an HST when using a tiller. And the FEL is the single most useful implement on a CUT and you can get a better price on the FEL when buying it with the tractor package rather than retrofitting the FEL later.

Plow, tiller, seeder--I'd budget $4K for these.

Brands: My good tractor is a 2008 Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, gear tranny 8F/2R, power steering) with a 6-ft wide FEL. Cost about $19K new. Mahindra's are stout, heavy tractors that are well built and easy to maintain.

My neighbor has a Kubota L4400 with a 6-ft wide FEL--a very nice tractor.

BTW: My first new tractor was a 2005 Kubota B7510HST (21 hp engine, 17 hp pto) that I traded in as part of the 5525 deal.