New tractor recomendation

[danielsumner]

Ok, I'm ready to my my first tractor. A little about me and what I'm needing. I'm 54, a little overweight (Why am I post this) and don't want to buy something that will be too hard to operate or hook up attachments. I have 28acres in southeast Ga. Three acres in lawn, about 8 to 10 in pastures and the rest is in woods. Have no hills at all, flat as can be. I have no need for a front loader that I realize at this time. Would like to keep the pastures mowed, maybe a belly mower for the yard and would like to be able to bush hog some of the overgrown wooded areas around the pecan trees. We have no snow to deal with. I'm concerned about being able to attach the bush hog, maybe plow ect, as I get older. I've never even been on a tractor before. The choices that I have in the area, seems to be a John Deere, Mahindra and a used Yamnar dealer. I'm not trying to make a living with the tractor. I'm retiring and will be living on my little hobby farm. Any advise and help will be greatly welcome.
Daniel

 

[gerard]

You'll get a lot of opinions here but I'll get it started.
1. Get an open platform. Getting on/off will be much easier.
2. 35 hp min up to 45 depending on your budget.
3. I'm a 'bota man so I'd say a grande L series in those hp, I'd go with the hst cause SOMEDAY you're going to kick yourself for not getting a loader and will get one.
4. Get Pat's easy change system (see ad on this board). You'll love it when hooking/unhooking. Doesn't matter how heavy the implement is, once you line up correctly you just raise the hitch and it clicks in, then you connect the top link.
5. I'm not a fan of mid mount mowers but it's a personal choice. Easier to cut finish grass, more maneuverable if you have a lot of obstructions, better if you have a "golf course" lawn. If you're not fanatical about your finish grass, a rear finish mower will make quick work of a couple of acres for a LOT less money, about 1/2 the cost of a mid mount. (Get a 6 footer. Much bigger and you can run into scalping unless your lands perfectly graded - see golf course comment).
6. Funds not too tight? Splurge and get at least one remote off the rear for the hydraulic top link. Later if you get into hydraulic adjustable blades, rakes, etc, you can always get a flow splitter and control both easy enough with the single remote.

oh - GA?? deep pockets?? enclosed cab and AC!!!!
That oughta start the thread..........

 

[danielsumner]

Gerard, thanks for the imput. No Golf Course grass for me. I live in Miami now, My retirement home is is Southeast Ga. I have just put is pasture grass for a lawn, Less upkeep. I'm going from the city to the country, so trying to figure all this out, don't want to buy too little, or way too much. I'm in a rual area and see a lot of used tractors parked in yards with for sale signs, kinda scared to buy used, I would never buy a used car, I alway trade in my problems, don't want someone elses. Used attactments are everywhere, thats a no brainer, some good deals that I see.


Thanks
Daniel

 

[kenstrac]

I would check with Lott's on 280 in Claxton new or used he is the one to talk to he handles Mahindra.

 

[danielsumner]

Kenstrac, I've been to Lotts in Claxton. Claxton is about 15 miles from my Ga homestead. Every time I've been there the sales people are out of the office. One time I talked to the secretary and got some plamplets.
Daniel

 

[kenstrac]

Where are you in Pembroke or Vidalia .

 

[danielsumner]

I'm located in Collins, which is near Reidsville.

Daniel

 

[gerard]

Some things don't depreciate quick enough to justify buying used. Tractors and pick up trucks are two of these IMHO. While that's not cut in stone and I wouldn't hesitate to buy used from someone I knew that didn't abuse their equipment, a tractor can easily last you 20-30 years if you're not using it commercially. (Bought mine new, it's now 10 years old, 950 hours and still runs like the day I bought it). I've seen tractors with 6-7000 hours on them so do the math! If you can swing it buy new. I'll stay brand neutral but advise you go through the boards here and read problems, fixes and complaints and see if you can figure out who has the least. I also would stay with the ones with abigger market share, there's probably a reason for it, AND again, for the couple of bucks you save by going to a less popular brand, it doesn't amount to a lot over the life of your tractor. At 54 this could be the last tractor you ever buy, might as well get a good one!

BTW - I would not get the mid mount then. Think they go for about $3K vs $1500 for a rear mower and I'd rather apply the difference to another implement. + You have that thing dangling below you which does NOT work well in that nice GA red mud!

 

[GPintheMitten]

Hmm, Florida and Georgia huh? You're a big guy, maybe go with the Kubota B3030 with a Cab and get air conditioning. If it fits in your budget.

 

[windy acers]

GET A USED DISESEL 35 TO 45 HORSE WITH NO MORE THAN 1000 HRS. NO OLDER THAN 1990. YOU WILL NEED 4 WHEEL DRIVE FOR A LOADER. PERKINS DISESELS ARE USED IN MASSEY FERGESON.LOOK FOR A DUAL CLUTCH.

 

[flusher]

Ok, I'm ready to my my first tractor. A little about me and what I'm needing. I'm 54, a little overweight (Why am I post this) and don't want to buy something that will be too hard to operate or hook up attachments. I have 28acres in southeast Ga. Three acres in lawn, about 8 to 10 in pastures and the rest is in woods. Have no hills at all, flat as can be. I have no need for a front loader that I realize at this time. Would like to keep the pastures mowed, maybe a belly mower for the yard and would like to be able to bush hog some of the overgrown wooded areas around the pecan trees. We have no snow to deal with. I'm concerned about being able to attach the bush hog, maybe plow ect, as I get older. I've never even been on a tractor before. The choices that I have in the area, seems to be a John Deere, Mahindra and a used Yamnar dealer. I'm not trying to make a living with the tractor. I'm retiring and will be living on my little hobby farm. Any advise and help will be greatly welcome.
Daniel

I have a 2008 Mahindra 5525 (3 cyl diesel, 54 hp engine, 45 hp pto) that I use on my 10-acre spread (flat pasture, 6 acres in oat hay right now).

The 5525 pulling my restored Minneapolis Moline P3-6 grain drill



The 5525 pulling my Massey Ferguson 124 baler



I mow the weeds on my place with the 5525 and a 6-ft Hawkline rotary mower (aka brush hog, bush hog, shredder, slasher).



The 5525 price was $12.7K with rebate. The front end loader (FEL) added another $4.4K and the brush hog was $1150.

For your 3-acre lawn, I'd recommend a zero turn riding mower.

 

[danielsumner]

Flusher, thanks for the pics. Do you use the fel much, that can be added later? Theres a Mahindra dealer close, I will go back over to them on my next trip to Ga.

Dan

 

[Diamondpilot]

With the rates being what they are now days its a good time to buy. Get a FEL. I could not imagine not having one. My first tractor, a Ford 861 did not have one and within a week or two I realized I wanted one. My next tractor, a Jinma 284 had one and now I never use the Ford.

I am not a fan of belly mowers. If you want one of them get a lawn mower. A Bush Hog and a rear finish mower do everything I need. I could not imagine trying to run a Bush Hog with a belly mower hanging low under the tractor.

As for hooking up implements there is no easy way, just easier ways. Pats is a good system but still requires some on and off the machine and wrestling. Only way to hook up something easily is get a helper.


Chris

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Take a good look at both of your local dealers. Look at the 30-40 horse power machines. I would advise that you consider a front end loader. Even if you can not for any reason think of what you would use one for, believe me, once you have one, you will use it all the time. Oh, after you decide that you are going to get a loader, be sure that you get one with a skid steer quick attach bucket. You will understand later. Sit in as many seats as you possible can, get a feel for the tractor and it's control layout. All tractors are not the same, even within the same make, each model size is usually a little different than the other, check them all out. Start out by looking at the John Deere and Mahindra websites. Then go by the dealers and start looking at the tractors, get some brochures, ask the sales guys some questions, see what kind of answers you get and if you like what they tell you.

I'm a Mahindra guy, have 2 of them, both very comfortable for me. Comfort is the biggest issue in my mind, if you are on a tractor all day long, might as well be comfortable. That's not to say that I would want a comfortable tractor with a bunch of problems, but a good reliable machine that fits me good makes me happy.

One last thing, for ease of hooking up implements, the Delta Hitch would be hard to beat, pricey, but very good.

Good luck and have fun with your search.

I just thought of this, spend the 15 bucks and get the Compact tractor buying guide. It's on the Home page here and I think that it really can help out a new to tractor person.

 

[flusher]

Flusher, thanks for the pics. Do you use the fel much, that can be added later? Theres a Mahindra dealer close, I will go back over to them on my next trip to Ga.

Dan

Yep, the FEL is indispensible in my case since I move a lot of dirt, sand, gravel, mulch, etc around my place. It's handy for toting 50 lb sacks of seed 6 or 7 at a time when I'm using the grain drill in the hayfield.

You can add the FEL later, but dealers usually give a price break if you get the FEL when you buy the tractor.

 

[mjncad]

Welcome Daniel:

You're just a little older than me, and I gather you're used to the heat and humidity of the south. However, if it were me, I'd have a cab with AC and heat (I wish I had one). A cab will also keep the bugs and dust at bay.

Even if you think you don't need a loader...GET ONE as it will probably be the most used implement you will own. I know it is for me and many others. Get 4WD too, even if your land is flat as a loader equipped tractor is happier with 4WD.

A hydrostatic (HST) tranny is easy to learn, is easy to be precise when doing loader work. I like manual transmissions in my road vehicles; but don't equate a manual car with a manual tractor.

A Quick-Hitch like Land-Pride's QH-15 makes hooking up implements easy. I've never used Pat's, so I can't comment on it.

I was thinking of getting a belly mower (a.k.a. Mid Mount Mower, MMM) until I saw the price and the hassle in the 2001 Deere video of putting it on and taking it off. If I wanted a MMM, I would look at Deere's drive-on system.

Get the hydraulic outlets and Power Beyond up front when you buy it. It's cheaper that way. I installed mine after a number of years and wish I had done it sooner.

Get at least a hydraulic top-link for your three-point hitch. A hydraulic side-link is on my to do list. Again, this is something I wish I had done years earlier. Hydraulic Top-n-Tilt will make your life easier with implements.

How else can we spend your money?

 

[arrabil]

DEFINITELY get a loader. If you're worried about doing things easily, you will find HUNDREDS of uses to make your life simpler with the loader. And we're not exaggerating.

I would buy one big tractor and one little one. One for mowing, and one for everything else. My neighbor says he got a Kubota utility tractor and dedicated Kubota riding mower for the same price as the utility JD he was looking at. Personally that wouldn't sway me from JD but it does give you something to think about.

 

[jenkinsph]

I would suggest a Deere 3520 or 3720 with 300CX fel, rear finish mower and a rotary cutter or bushhog. I would suggest a cab also, much more pleasant with the ac and heater, and if you have ever stirred up some yellow jackets while mowing you can see the added benefit with a cab. From there you can add some other implements, such as a boxblade, rear blade and ground engaging tools.

You need to go to Deere dealer and get a good IMatch demonstration to see just how well these things work. I can change rear 3pt implements without leavig the seat. Read up on this on the Deere website and then get a demo. This makes changing implements by yourself very easy.

I agree with some of the other posters to consider a separate lawnmower to use for the yard, if you do then skip the rear finish mower.

 

[mrfreeh]

I am also a 1st time buyer living in rural Maine on the side
of a mountain with a steep( 7/12 pitch) driveway , 700 feet long.
I have serveal needs that include accessing firewood on the land that is steep, with gullies and boulders. I also need to plow the driveway where we average 4- 6 feet of snow annually. I want to trench the culverts,
crown the driveway, remove stumps and clear some land for a 1-2 acre
garden. I also want to put a dug well and pond near the house.
I am currently snowblowing the driveway with a 10hp MTD.
If anyone has similar terrain to work on I would appreciate any suggestions.I am on a limited budget.

 

[jenkinsph]

I am also a 1st time buyer living in rural Maine on the side
of a mountain with a steep( 7/12 pitch) driveway , 700 feet long.
I have serveal needs that include accessing firewood on the land that is steep, with gullies and boulders. I also need to plow the driveway where we average 4- 6 feet of snow annually. I want to trench the culverts,
crown the driveway, remove stumps and clear some land for a 1-2 acre
garden. I also want to put a dug well and pond near the house.
I am currently snowblowing the driveway with a 10hp MTD.
If anyone has similar terrain to work on I would appreciate any suggestions.I am on a limited budget.

Welcome to TBN, your needs may vary with this OP, I suggest you start your own thread.