Newbie Learning and Buying...

StoneyFF · Mar 9, 2004

Folks,

Been reading my little old eyes out the last few days after finding this place... cutting and pasting all the 'little' and not so 'little' things to watch out for.

So, got a lead from a neighbor who'd done a lot of looking and he steered me to what appears to be a great dealer over in PA (I'm in NY State, a little northeast of where NY/NJ/PA come together) that's only an hour away, delivers, and services in this area. He's a lot more interested in my business than the local NH dealer seems to be.

Anyway, here's the deal I've been offered and it seems pretty good... but what do I know <grin>...

This is a trade-in that they sold originally, but didn't do the service on, however the owner purchased the filters and such from the dealer on a regular basis, so there's some evidence of upkeep. And the Dealer will go over it and address anything I have concerns about (taking Jinman's list and the expansion others did to it, I feel pretty well armed!)

TC35D (delivered June 2001) with approx 1300+ hours
Hydrostatic (so reading the 'sticky pedal' thread carefully)
R4 Tires
NH FEL (don't know the model) with bucket and ATI Grapples
NH Back Hoe (again, don't know the model, but came std).
Comes with a couple of months of Power Train Warranty, but no overall warranty left (so I'm concerned about the gray vs. black running gear in the TPH (see, learning the acronym lingo really quick, huh? <grin>... guess all the acronymns in the computer field were good training <lol>)
>>> He's asking $17K
I've asked him for prices to add:
PHD w/Auger - $690
6' BushHog - $1160
>>> comes to $18,870
Minus a $2500 trade in for an old, bastardized Ford 4000 and $1K cash down for a financed $15,370

Also asked about some other accessories...
6' Box Scraper (his term for a Box Blade) - $624
6' Chain Harrow - $365
Though I may buy these myself as I can get the Box Blade at a much better price from Northern Tool and a few other places, and I may want the more versitile 'Multi-Purpose Harrow' with the flexible tongs, etc. in the Loyal-Roth catalog or similar... and didn't ask him about this yet, but looking seriously at a TPH Log Splitter since it's close to a grand less than an equivalent stand alone (again from Northern Tools)... might burn more fuel, but $1000 buys a lot of fuel... OK, not as much as it used to <sigh>...

OK, what am I going to do with this unit... I just bought a place (take a look... Finally Farms ) with 30 some acres (town says 31, survey said 34, I'll let them tax me on 31 <grin>)... about 3-4 acres in pasture with a small 30x15 barn with a tractor shed on the side, and a sawmill out back (about 1/8th of a mile back from the house). The rest is in woods, and there's a lot of wooded acreage around me that I'll have access to for deadfalls and such. Now, I have horses and will be bringing them home as soon as I can get the fence and shelter in, if the snow ever stops <sigh>... Will bushhog the fields some, as well as some areas that I want to turn into pasture and will bushhog after clearing some trees. Also will have to do some ditching, and some grading and misc. other chores including snow removal next year.

Oh, and in addition to some riding horses (my Tennessee Walker and some others we're adding), we bought a Belgian that drives and rides and that I'll use to snake logs out of the wooded area to minimize the damage that pulling the logs out with the tractor might inflict, but who may do some trail breaking with the tractor in some areas...

So what do you think of the deal, and what else should I be looking at/for in the way of implements and accessories?

 Stoney 
{who's been doing the online communication thing since the early 80's, but only got back into horses a few years ago and who's got a LOT to learn about running a farm and using a tractor properly, but who loves to learn and isn't afraid of some hard work... and who can't believe his good fortune in finding this place... starting to feel like I know some of you guys already <smile>...}

jinman · Mar 10, 2004

Hi Stoney, welcome to TBN! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I think your deal sounds pretty good on that tractor, especially with the backhoe. With 1300 hours, you can be pretty sure all the bugs have been worked out of the tractor, but you still want to check it over closely. I would not worry about the grey running gear on that tractor either. The TC35D has less 3PH lift than the 40 or 45 and I don't think you will have to worry about bent arms, even if you put them under stress. You might check, but there is a good chance your tractor is not included in the ones with weak arms. You also want to check the serial numbers of the early tractors with a hydrostatic tranny recall (might pop out of gear going downhill). Other than that consideration and the little irritants we've all talked about, you will find the tractor to be perfect for your work around that beautiful farm you've bought.

I do think you are going to find yourself in the same situation many of us are in. We have too many implements for one tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Removing a backhoe to put on a PHD or rotary cutter gets to be a hassle if you do it often. If you leave your backhoe off most of the time, you have to have a place to store it. One way or the other, the more implements you have, the more you wish you could afford multiple tractors. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I'd certainly take that tractor deal based on your description. I'm looking forward to seeing you around the forums and hearing about your projects and progress. After all, it's what we do with our tractors that makes them so useful, even if it is fun while we are doing it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon · Mar 10, 2004

Nice:

Egon

jonboy · Mar 10, 2004

Welcome, Stoney. Sounds like a good deal to me, especially in our area.

You have a beautiful place there - even a sawmill! Nice. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

PineRidge · Mar 10, 2004

Hi Stoney, glad you took the first step and joined TBN.

I agree with Jim that the price on the TC-35D and other implements seems like a pretty fair deal. I think that the New Holland will come in real handy for your needs around the Finally Farms. The only problem that I can see right off is where to store all those implements? I filled up a 25 X 35 pole barn with tractor, backhoe, RFM mower, corn planter, spreader, and the like real quick. Plus there's still a lot out in the yard with tarps on because I ran out of space inside. I'm confident that you'll work through those issues though.

You have a terrific looking place thanks for sharing the pictures and info with us.

DAP · Mar 10, 2004

Stoney, they all will be wanting pictures sooner rather than later, just an FYI!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Soundguy · Mar 10, 2004

The NH implements are -no doubt- hd and high quality. I used to mow with a 591 series rotary cutte rthat was 15 years old.. no leaks.. and only maintenance was blade sharpening...

However.. if you have an implement store local.. like TSC.. that 6' mower is about 650 if you go with KK.. similar savings percentage on the other implements too.

Tractors sounds like a good deal.

Soundguy

crown · Mar 10, 2004

Stoney,
First off Welcome to TBN. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif That is sure one beautiful piece of property you have, that is exactly what I would one day like to own and call home. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif The tractor deal sound good to me, have fun and enjoy, /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

StoneyFF · Mar 12, 2004

Thanks for the welcome folks... this feels like my kinda place <smile>...

Jinman,

Good thoughts... I did ask him about the gray vs. black running gear on the TPH, and he said that he'd check into it and that if I was concerned, he'd swap out the black on another one for the gray on this one (if they were gray and hadn't been replaced) which I thought was good... and I'll be sure to check on the Tranny Recall.

And yea, I was wondering about where to keep all the attachments when not in use. I've got a nice 'tractor shed' overhang off the small barn where he kept a couple of his tractors (he had 4 or 5 <grin>) that I will probably keep some stuff in and will keep the tractor under for cover, and between the garage, the 'hay barn' (what I call the little shop/barn that's too low ceilinged for the horses), and the sawmill with it's covered/open walled sheds, I think I can find enough places to store them...

Must say, that after walking the pasture today trying to lay out fence and seeing how deep the ground water is, I suspect that I'll be using the back hoe a lot, just to ditch out for drainage!

Jonboy, PineRidge, Egon, Doug, and Crown,

Thanks for the welcome and the compliments on the place... we're very lucky to have found it, it's a dream come true!

Soundguy,

The attachments are a different brand, but supposed to be a high end brand. I don't have a TSC nearby (sadly the closest is about 2 hours away), but between Northern Tools, TSC, and other sites, I've been pricing a lot of the attachments and will probably only buy a couple from the dealer (depending on how quickly I need it, and whether I can afford to buy it or need to roll it into the financed price) and get the rest separately. Going to have to play around a little with it and then see how much the dealer is willing to deal.

I am getting two remotes on the back installed for under $500 though... he's installing them for about the price I've seen quoted on here by folks who just bought them and installed them themselves. Dealer said that he'd never seen anyone need three remotes, and suggested only getting two, and the third would be easy to install after the fact anyway, so I think I'll go with two. Will need them for some of the attachments I'm looking at... like a TPH log splitter... Northern Tools has a really good deal on them that's about a third of what an equivalent stand alone log splitter would be.

So, I'll be going over to the dealer on Saturday morning. The new tractor comes in on Friday morning, so the trade in that I'm buying will be on the lot by Saturday morning. The dealer was hesitant about me coming to see it before he had a chance to get it in the shop and cleaned up and checked out. I told him that I used to be a mechanic in the Marines a few lifetimes ago, and that I could tell the difference between something that looked bad and something that really was bad, and that it wouldn't be a problem, so he said cool. I was actually kinda impressed that he was concerned about that, since the other more local dealer wasn't concerened at all about how things looked with his used stuff.

And this guy sees this area as a fertile 'word of mouth advertising' area, as I'll be the third person here to buy from him in the last 6-8 months, and we all know each other. So I'm hoping that will help him feel the value of doing right by me. <hope springs eternal grin>... Anyway, presuming that all is well, I'll give him a deposit on Saturday and fill out the finance papers... then he'll clean her up, tighten her up, install the remotes, and then deliver it to me and pick up my trade-in by Tue/Wed of next week. Course, if everything we agree on isn't done and the tractor isn't cleaned up and tightened up, at that point he can take it back to the shop and redo it... I won't let his delivering it like that pressure me into taking less than what it should be... but I don't think that'll be a problem. This guy is very forthcoming, and they've been in business there for over 50 years, so they can't be 'too' bad. <famous last words grin>...

But with a little luck, I'll have the tractor in less than a week, and I'll be in BUSINESS and digging ditches, post holes, and such in no time!!!

 Stoney 
 who can't wait!!! I LOVE THIS FARM <sung to the tune of "I Love This Bar"...

kozak · Mar 12, 2004

Congratulations on you DREAM haven home from up in Canada Land & welcome to TBN. My GOD is that a beautiful place you got. Needless to say I'm envious. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I just bought a 2001 TC35D with FEL & supersteer. Has 80 hours on it. Roughly speaking I paid approximately the equivalent of 17.5 US for it. Much less hours than yours but with that backhoe on yours I think that more than makes up for it. Go for it, sounds like a good deal to me also. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

StoneyFF · Mar 14, 2004

Well, Folks...

I did it... Gave him a deposit and have to call him on Monday (though might have to wait till Tuesday, since I've got some kind of stomach flu <sigh>)... have to call him to tell him which attachments to include. Oh, and it already has one remote on it for the Grapple bolted onto the bucket, so I'm having him add the other two. Now, calling him on Monday (or soon as I can) brings me to a need for more advice...

Not so much for which attachments, though I do have a question or two about that in a minute... but more importantly, the only kind of attachments he sells is Land Pride. He is one of their biggest dealers in the entire Northeast. Says that the only New Holland attachments he typically sells are the FEL and BH, and that he finds the Land Pride stuff heavier and better quality.

Certainly, for most of the, they are a bit more expensive than what I can get things for from Northern Tools (including freight) or from other places. So, what I'm wondering is what kind of experience does anyone have with Land Pride, good or bad.

The upside to getting them from the dealer is that they get thrown in on the financing, and right now, cash is limited.

To refresh everyone's memory, I'm looking at the following.

1. 6' Rough Rotary Cutter (RCR1672) - $1180
2. Post Hole Digger w/9" Auger (PD15) - $725 or (PD25) - $845 (and with somewhat rocky soil, I'm inclined to go heavy duty... any advice here would be welcome)
3. 7' Rear Blade (RB2584 - 9 forward, 5 reverse positions 5/16 Moldboard) - $560
4. 7' Landscape Rake (LP1584 5 forward, 7 reverse positions) - $590
5. 6' Box Blade (Scraper) (BB1572 2 Welded Braces) - $625 or (BB2572 4x4 Tubing Main Frame) - $710

Also, I want to get a chain harrow (Multi-Use)... he has one from Delta that's all one piece, while the one from Loyal Roth (or others) has multiple pieces that hook together letting you do different things like raise with the front half and smooth with the back half, and more importantly, with 4' or 6' by 4' long, they would be easier to handle by one person. Also, what size should I be looking for? 8' or 12'? Will mostly be dragging the pastures to break up and spread manure and to dethatch and all that stuff... I think this one will get a LOT of use. They also make a 3 point lift for it (though it's a little pricey)... how valuable is it? How hard would it be to make one? Don't think it should be that hard or expensive to make.

Now, as for what I think I need and what I just want... I suspect that I'll just get the Rough Rotary Cutter, the Harrow, the PHD and either the box blade (scraper) or the rear blade... but here's what I have to do, so give me some advice...

I have some leveling and some ditching to do on the pasture to improve the drainage in the fields, though that's not as big an issue when we don't have the wettest year in history, and I'd either use the rear blade, or the box blade, or the rake to do some of this... what do you all recommend. Remember, I do have a backhoe for more serious ditching.

Secondly, I'll be doing a lot of fencing and clearing of land for more pasture, so the Auger is an important immediate purchase, and the clearing will use the rough mower to bush hog, as well as the bucket, grappler, and back hoe to clear out stumps and such.

Oh, and I have to dress and re-stone (gravel) the driveway (not a long one by most standards, but more than I cold do by hand!) and, so we can turn around, extend the stone portion into an L shape, into what was grass and what's now a horrendous mud pit! I'll be getting at least one large and possibly two large loads of gravel to spread, so is the blade or box blade or rake better for this? Some, like the existing driveway will be light recovering existing stone, but the L shaped portion will be laying down a LOT of stone to build it up and then level it off.

So, thoughts???

And Kozak, thanks for the extremely generous compliment! <smile>... Though I'll confess, we feel the same way about it <proud smile>...

Stoney
Decisions, decisions... but I bought a TRACTOR!!!!!!!!!! Yeeee Haaaaaaaaa <grin>...

Rip · Mar 15, 2004

Just a quickie... I have a NH TC-30 with a 60" LandPride box scraper (model BB1560) and a 72" LandPride rear blade with tilt (model RBT1572). The tilt feature works very well for making and clearing roadside ditches. Both are very well built and sturdy high-end attachments with very good paint jobs that will last you forever.

The Howse brand that Northern sells are definitely a step down in overall quality, not that they may not do the job for you for quite a while.

StoneyFF · Mar 15, 2004

Rip,

This is just what I needed to know... Thanks! I think that I'll get the LandPride for most of it, but maybe the cheaper stuff for the things I don't see myself using much... and I can wait on those to see if I really will want to use them more. Thanks.

Stoney 

It was 45 today and tomorrow we're getting 6-12" of snow... gotta love March...

Inspector507 · Mar 15, 2004

StoneyFF,
That stomach flu really got to you........made all your posts blue /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

StoneyFF · Mar 15, 2004

I'm just a colorful kinda guy <grin>...

Stoney

"Blue on blue, heartache on heartache, blue on blue... I'm as blue as I can be... Oh, wait... that's the color of my new (to me) Tractor... <New Holland Grin /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif>

StoneyFF · Mar 17, 2004

Well, Folks...

Done deal... got the LandPride attachments... got the heavier PTH (the 25 not the 15), got the 72" Rough Cut Mower, and decided to get the rear blade now and get a box blade later if I needed it... And the dealer had a Heavier Duty, larger model (RB3584) that he gave me a good price on cause he said he'd rather I went heavier cause it'd work better (which seems to be the mantra for Tractors and Attachments... the heavier the better <grin>)...

So the 3rd Remote came in today and is being installed Thursday, and the tractor will be delivered to me on Friday afternoon... assuming that Mother Nature doesn't do too much damage with the snow they're now predicting, yet again, for Friday (got half a foot yesterday and this morning)... But the weekend is supposed to be warm and I can't wait to get to work!!! <grin> 

Stoney

The Bad News is that I got a lot of work to do... The good news is I got a lot of work to do and now I'm getting a great tractor to do it with!!! Wonder if I can put my Colorado Saddlery A-Fork Slick Seat Saddle where the Tractor Seat is <evil grin>... Then ride my 'Tennesee Walking Tractor" when my "Tennessee Walking Horse" is resting <lol>...

AndyMA · Mar 17, 2004

Well Stoney

Have fun with all your new toys. The Landpride attachments will serve you well. I have several and mine have stood up fine. I'm jelious of that heavy duty scraper. I think it would work better on my TN. I've got a 1952 Dearborne blade I'll trade /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Andy

StoneyFF · Mar 18, 2004

Andy,

Thanks... as for your need for the heavy rear blade... don't think I want to trade, but you're not all that far from me over in CT, so if you need to borrow it, just holler <grin>


Stoney

Out here in the 'country' I have neighbors... when I lived back in the 'burbs', we had 'people who lived near us'... I like neighbors better <smile>

brad_oatley · Mar 19, 2004

There is a Tractor Supply Co. Store in Amenia, shouldn't be far from you. I haven't been there yet so I don't know how well it's stocked.

StoneyFF · Mar 19, 2004

Brad,

The cost of gas is starting to figure into things these days... Amenia is almost 90 miles and over an hour and a half drive... So I'm paying a $25 "tax" to start with, and a three hour round trip, not including how long I'd wander around and shop <grin>... so I'm not sure that fits the definition of "shouldn't be far" <grin>... Gotta talk them into building a store over on this side of the river!

Stoney

Of course, the further away it is and the more a 'special' trip it is, the less often I'll go and the less money I'll spend... so... <grin>