Buying Advice New tractor purchase, need advice...

[jrm075]

Hi folks,

I'm on the edge of purchasing a new tractor, and have been overwhelmed with all of the makes, models, features, etc. and need a little unbiased advice. Thanks in advance for reading and contributing to my tractor knowledge.

I have a little over 20 acres that needs a few minor irrigation, leveling, and landscaping necessities. On this same property, I have a 1/4 mile drive that needs attention every-now-and-again. I'll need it to mow, mainly finish cut, but occasionally rough cut, occasional snow duties, loader work, etc. This property is hilly, but not too bad at all. I'll also use it for firewood work.

I have a Kubota / New Holland / Bobcat dealer 2 miles from me, and they've suggested numerous models, citing the Kubota as the best. My local Deere dealer swears if ain't green, it ain't worth buying (in so many words), and my own research has me leaning towards Mahindra. I know there is Kioti, etc. but I have limited knowledge about them, that's why I'm posting. On top of all the brands, each manufacturer seems to make about 20 units that fit the bill. Sales guys say I need 40+ hp, some say 30.

My head is spinning and I need some direction. Thanks again folks, I look forward to hearing from you!

James

 

[Bigfoot62]

:welcome: to TBN.

First of all, you will get about as many opinions as you get replies. Most of them will sound something like this:

"You need to buy a _________." simply fill in the blank with whatever the poster happens to own. :laughing:

There are many good tractors out there. I'm sure that you'll decide on a good one. Let me give you a few general rules of thumb:
1. Don't be confused by sales babble. Salesmen will lie, and many of them don't know squat about what they're selling. I once visited the sales lot of a large dealership in Arkansas. I was looking at a new 4x4 farm tractor, about a 90hp. He couldn't open the hood. :confused2:
2. Don't let anyone mislead you into believing that one color is any more "American" than the other. AFAIK, JD is the only tractor company that is based here in the US, but their compact tractors are not manufactured here either. I would stay away from the "gray market" tractors, but any major name brand with good dealer representation should be OK.
3. You don't want to buy a brand X tractor if the nearest brand X dealer is 100 miles away. Things will eventually break or wear out and you will need parts and/or service. (JD, NH, and Kubota are probably the best in product support)
4. Go to various dealers and sit on the machine, drive it around the parking lot, play with the controls. Can you see yourself working all day on this tractor? With 20 acres to mow, you probably will. So, is it comfortable? Can you reach all the controls, etc?
5. Try to determine the max HP requirement of the implements that you can even dream that you may one day have, then add a little extra. Seldom, if ever, do you hear someone complaining that they have more HP than they need.

 

[Martian]

Excellent post by big foot. Don't worry about brand, they are relatively equal in reliability and features, each has its plus and minuses, you have to determine which you want most. The USA factor is becoming irrelevant, my JD 3120 is assembled in the USA, not made, although it has a lot more skin in the USA than most tractor companies do.

Mahindra is an excellent value, problem most people have I'd the limited dealer network. If you have a good Mahindra dealer then it's an excellent option.

Take your time and try all your options and see what you like best though.

 

[namesray]

i will try not to sway you the kubota way, but that is what i own and what i know most about. i don't think you need much more then 30 hp for what you mentioned. i have 119 acres and i have done everything i need to do with my 30 hp kubota b7800. that list includes my small business (firewood and landscaping). i bush hog with it (5 ft land pride cutter) on really steep hills in north central pa, put up nurerous pastures, do over 200 face cord of firewood per year(fransgard 3ph winch), leveled areas for 4 sheds (some out of slight side hills), built a 100+ ft driveway cut out of a side hill, moved tons and tons of stone and dirt, plow multiple driveways each winter, and use bucket forks on it for multiple uses. if you do go the kubota route, i believe the b3200 would work great for you (about $18,000 plus or minus) it is the equilvelent of the b7800. it has a mid pto for belly mower/front snow blower, and can be fitted with a backhoe for your digging projects. if you are going the 3ph finishing mower route, then go with the b3300su. it doesn't have the mid pto and will save you about $1,000. these tractors have 32 hp and 33 hp respectivly. with the 30 hp of my b7800 i have never needed more hp and i have done a lot with it. with what ever brand and model you choose, i agree go with what one has good dealer support. you will eventually need parts and service. as far as john deere, new holland, and mahindra, i think they all would work good for you as well. test them all out and go with what one feels the best. i personally chose kubota because i have been around kubota equipment and engines all my short life. get a loader (they have tons of uses) and a hydrostat transmission (makes work real easy.) hope this bit of info helps and good luck with your decision. enjoy shopping around.

 

[CAgnoli]

All the replies here are spot on. You definitely don't need a 40+ horsepower tractor to do what you are asking.

I'd look at the Kubota B3200, John Deere 3320, and the Mahindra you like from your own research.

Don't just look at them, use them. Go to the dealers, drive them around the property, see how it feels, some don't like the Kubota Hydro pedal setup as an example. Once you've settled on what your comfortable on, get quotes on all three, and use the competing quotes for leverage against whatever you've decided you want for sure.

Make sure the tires are loaded, and make sure that there is a box blade matched to the tractor in the deal. You won't believe how much you can do with a loader and a box blade.

Have fun, and go for some test drives:thumbsup:

 

[Soundguy]

20ac? 30-50 hp ( leaning towards 40ish ), loader, hst tranny.

put yer bu in alot of seats for a test drive.. adn talk to the dealers. all the major players make good iron.. get comfortable with a set of ergonomics and op platform layout and a dealer... then start looking at $$ look at color last...

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Where to start with has a lot to do with what type of person you are. If you are more along the self reliant type, then look at the tractors first. Find what is comfortable for you. Your the guy in the seat for hours at a time, might as well be comfy. But if you are a person that wants-needs most of the maintenance done for them, doesn't have or want anyway of transporting the tractor when or if something happens to the tractor, then you should shop dealer first and then decide on a tractor that he happens to sell.

Most any tractor will get the work done, but how fast the work is able to be done is a whole other story. Some say small is all you need, while others will tell you bigger is better. This really depends on you and what your plans are. There are people that have a lot of ground and are happy with their smaller tractors. Then there are a few that have bigger tractors and only have a few acres.

I'm not really going to suggest a HP rating, just that if it were me with your amount of land that I would be looking at a tractor that will handle 6 foot wide implements and has a loader with a 6 foot wide bucket that will pick up 2,500+ lbs of material. It just so happens that to meet those requirements, it usually takes a 40HP or bigger tractor.

I hope that TBN will be able to help you with your search and decision.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

From what you have said you want to do with the tractor, when looking at the Mahindra I would suggest you look at the Mahindra 3616. It isn't as small as the Kubota mentioned a little earlier but a little smaller and more maneuverable than the 40 HP range of tractors.

 

[J Coop]

My advise is buy what you want the first time. You only lose money if you deside to trade. Found this out the hard way. Traded a bx25 TLB on a L3200 Kubota TLB. If I had to it again I would when L3800 a little more power in the same size machine. Buy something you are comfortible with,but not to small that your over working it all the time. My BX was strong for it's size,but that's why I traded it. Was showing the wear. It was'nt big enough to work at its limits all the time. And try to stay away from loaders that doesn't have the same brand name as the tractor. Also found this out the hard way. If the two have the same name they were designed to work together. Not adapted from one tractor brand to another. If you are thinking kubota the L series has less bells and whistles but tractor is built a little heavier than the B series. The B does have mid pto. The other things are, really just fluff.

 

[foreman Etexas]

Hi folks,

I'm on the edge of purchasing a new tractor, and have been overwhelmed with all of the makes, models, features, etc. and need a little unbiased advice. Thanks in advance for reading and contributing to my tractor knowledge.

I have a little over 20 acres that needs a few minor irrigation, leveling, and landscaping necessities. On this same property, I have a 1/4 mile drive that needs attention every-now-and-again. I'll need it to mow, mainly finish cut, but occasionally rough cut, occasional snow duties, loader work, etc. This property is hilly, but not too bad at all. I'll also use it for firewood work.

I have a Kubota / New Holland / Bobcat dealer 2 miles from me, and they've suggested numerous models, citing the Kubota as the best. My local Deere dealer swears if ain't green, it ain't worth buying (in so many words), and my own research has me leaning towards Mahindra. I know there is Kioti, etc. but I have limited knowledge about them, that's why I'm posting. On top of all the brands, each manufacturer seems to make about 20 units that fit the bill. Sales guys say I need 40+ hp, some say 30.

My head is spinning and I need some direction. Thanks again folks, I look forward to hearing from you!

James

Do you have an idea in the price range you would like to stay in?

 

[wmonroe]

Will your wife be operating the tractor also? Go spend lots of time operating all the models you are considering and one or two might drop out because they don't "fit". There are a lot of good tractors out there so I won't try to sway you to a certain brand. Talk to some local farmers and see which dealer has the best reputation, a good dealer is priceless.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

If you are thinking kubota the L series has less bells and whistles but tractor is built a little heavier than the B series. The B does have mid pto. The other things are, really just fluff.

Are you are talking about the "standard" L series or the grand L series???

 

[J Coop]

Standard. Grand L is larger machines

 

[Martian]

Standard. Grand L is larger machines

I think your confused. The B series is much smaller than the L or Grand L. The 3x40 and 4x40 are very similar to the std. L with more accessories, the 4x40 and 5x40 are more similar to the MX line. The B's are much smaller than either though.

 

[jrm075]

Hi folks,

Thanks so much for the feedback. I should have mentioned, I own an older; however, very nice MF 175. This unit handles much of the heavy work, such as rough cut mowing, etc. The new tractor will get much more use, but will also be responsible for some landscaping, driveway tune-ups, irrigation duties, etc. I like the idea of the mid-mount PTO for a belly mower, but also for a front blower attachment. I believe 30 hp will handle all that I want, and them some. If I need more, I'll have to fire up the 175.

I've all but ruled out the JD. I like the idea of removing the loader easily, even though it will be on it most of the time. I'm planning on riding the Kubota, Mahindra, New Holland, Bobcat, and JD this week. I'll relay what I come up with. Thanks again for the knowledge, it's greatly appreciated! :thumbsup:

 

[Soundguy]

a 175 is a nice tractor!

 

[jrm075]

Will your wife be operating the tractor also? Go spend lots of time operating all the models you are considering and one or two might drop out because they don't "fit". There are a lot of good tractors out there so I won't try to sway you to a certain brand. Talk to some local farmers and see which dealer has the best reputation, a good dealer is priceless.

I will be the primary user, if my wife ends up on it, surely a homeowners claim will follow. :confused2: She has no interest, and I have no interest for her to be on it.

This is a good point, I had not considered the comfort and ergos. I'm typically glad to be off my 175 at the end of the day; I'd like to believe the new tractor will be accomodating. Thanks for the tips!

-James

 

[CJONE]

JRM, I know in my case I learned everything I could about the tractors then started talking to the dealers. You will know real quick wich ones are lying to you. I do sales and design for a living and you get a feeling real quick with most sales people. I really liked the JD but at 13k more it was not realistic. My 2 final picks were the Kubota and the Kioti. Look at the features and the specs. Then ask opinions of people that own the units you are looking at. Filter out the garbage and the brand loyalty crap and make a decision. If a dealer blatantly knocks another brand without proof I walk out the door. I am going to be using my FEL hard and the Kioti, Kubota and Deere were some of the best. The Bobcat loader was very good also and I know the tractor is a Kioti but they were also 10K higher in price. If you can find one at a good price keep that option open also. CJ