Buying Advice Newbie looking for serious assistance

[sccadriver]

Here is my dilemma........
I want to buy a tractor for several uses. My small lot in Charlotte has had 20 trees removed. The stumps have been ground and I am bringing in 40+ yards of topsoil. I need to rake the debris and rocks out and spread the new soil. I have another lot in SC that I want to build a retirement home. It will have a daylight basement and need some limited excavation. I do want to dig footers as well as the drain field and septic system so a backhoe is important. Post construction, the tractor will be used to maintain a 400+ ft drive and maintain the natural area (approx 1/2 acre) in front of the house. My dilemma.....I look at tractors like storage and any other vehicle.....you can't have enough hp! I have reined myself in and narrowed it down to 3 units. The Kioto CK2610, the Kubota B2650 and the Mahindra 1626 seem to be good alternatives. I am sold on hydrostatic drive. I know this is like Ford Vs Chevy Vs Ram but please share anyway. I can't afford to make a mistake as this is a big investment for me!!! Thank you!

 

[/pine]

Here is my dilemma........
I want to buy a tractor for several uses. My small lot in Charlotte has had 20 trees removed. The stumps have been ground and I am bringing in 40+ yards of topsoil. I need to rake the debris and rocks out and spread the new soil. I have another lot in SC that I want to build a retirement home. It will have a daylight basement and need some limited excavation. I do want to dig footers as well as the drain field and septic system so a backhoe is important. Post construction, the tractor will be used to maintain a 400+ ft drive and maintain the natural area (approx 1/2 acre) in front of the house. My dilemma.....I look at tractors like storage and any other vehicle.....you can't have enough hp! I have reined myself in and narrowed it down to 3 units. The Kioto CK2610, the Kubota B2650 and the Mahindra 1626 seem to be good alternatives. I am sold on hydrostatic drive. I know this is like Ford Vs Chevy Vs Ram but please share anyway. I can't afford to make a mistake as this is a big investment for me!!! Thank you!

Welcome to a great forum...
My first question is how available and important is your time and are you an experienced operator?

 

[sccadriver]

I am retired so time is not an issue ans I have no experience operating big equipment

 

[100 td]

After the dirt is spread and the footings are dug, what use do you have for the tractor? Maintaining a 400 ft drive, what/how/how often. I ask because it really comes down to available funds verses use. Meaning, if you have plenty of cash, buy what ever you want. If you don't, consider getting a contractor in to get the couple of jobs done. They would use a tracked-skidsteer, be very quick, excavator, dig the drains and footings, and pay a neighbor some cash and wine once a year to box-blade your drive, and buy a mower for the 1/2 acre? YMMV.

 

[4570Man]

I’m not sure how good of an idea it is for a first time backhoe operator to jumpstart into a project like that. If you continue I’d recommend a lot bigger backhoe.

 

[nrosario]

In terms of specifications the Mahindra 1626 and the Kioti ck2610 seems to trade blows when it comes to 3p Lift Capacity, Loader Specs, Weight, etc.
I have already tried the Kubota B2650 and the Kioti ck2610, both are nice but I favor the Kubota ergonomics and features. I also have two great Kubota dealers near my area.
I would recommend to check all three dealers and tractors and see which one you like the most.
Thank your time on evaluating every aspect.
Get all your quotes and make an informed decision based on everything you can gather.

 

[jeff9366]

I am retired so time is not an issue. I have no experience operating big equipment

This isn't big equipment. You are considering light tractor models.

My small lot in Charlotte has had 20 trees removed. The stumps have been ground. I am bringing in 40+ yards of topsoil. I need to rake the debris and rocks out and spread the new soil.

For a small lot and just 40 cubic yards of top soil your tractor FEL bucket is adequate to transport delivered top soil. A $330 Ratchet Rake bucket attachment is ample for raking debris of all types and leveling soil in a <two acre area. RR is much more maneuverable than a Landscape Rake mounted on the Three Point Hitch.

LINK: Ratchet Rake, LLC - Tractor attachment, Bucket attachment, Loader, Landscape rake, Brush remover
VIDEO: ratchet rake grading - YouTube

Tractors are theft prone. Do not leave your new tractor on either lot overnight. Easily taken; seldom recovered.


Have your General Contractor contract your excavating in South Carolina. The tractors you are considering are too light for serious dirt moving, you do not have tractor experience and you will probably bang up a new tractor attempting foundation work, possibly putting the GC behind schedule. Light tractor will be fine for maintenance work once construction in SC is completed.

Post construction, the tractor will be used to maintain a 400+ ft drive and maintain the natural area (approx 1/2 acre) in front of the house.

A tractor Backhoe is $7,000. You will not save any money on construction relative to spending an incremental $7,000 up front. You should not need a Backhoe after SC home is built.

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Heavier tractor chassis weight is more important for most tractor operations than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, bare tractor weight must increase 50% before you notice a significant tractor capability increase. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

Kioto CK2610 = 2,700 pounds bare tractor weight

Kubota B2650 = 1,800 pounds bare tractor weight (Adequate for SC maintenance after construction.)
Kubota L2501 = 2,700 pounds bare tractor weight
VIDEO: Kubota B-Series vs Standard L1 Series - YouTube

Mahindra 1626 = 2,450 pounds bare tractor weight

A quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important for tractor neophytes. Almost every new tractor is delivered with a glitch or two requiring correction. My kubota dealer is six miles away. I feel my local dealer continues to add value to my equipment. Dealer proximity is less important to those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.

Plan your SC garage door tall enough so you can move your tractor in and out WITHOUT FOLDING THE ROPS.

MORE: https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...sons/400539-tractor-buying-advice-1-acre.html

 

[4570Man]

Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, bare tractor weight must increase 50% before you notice a significant tractor capability increase. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

Imagine my satisfaction trading my L3240 for a JD310 which is about 4 times as strong. My L3240 was a good but bigger than what he’s considering and with an experienced operator it would still take forever to dig a basement or do any amount of earth moving. Spreading dirt hauled in on trucks is pretty easy, but digging it up and moving it is a job for big equipment.

 

[sccadriver]

I am very appreciative of all the information and suggestions. Let me expound on my plans a bit more and on my thought processes. If I am crazy, you all are welcome to tell me. My NC project will be a one time thing. I am finally going to get some grass to grow where only shaded bare ground existed previously. I could rent a CUT or hire it out, but there are lots of other landscaping chores that would be nice. I need to put in a low retaining wall and a gravel drive back to my shed......put in a lot of shrubbery etc. to get the NC house sold in the next few years. The SC project is a new build on a lake lot in SC. That is where I plan to use it the most. I am the GC on the project and am not under any time constraints. The first part of the build will be a 32x48 outbuilding. I will need to level (very minor grade) and prep for the pad as well as trench for electrical and water. The DHEC plan for septic calls for 8 trenches 70' long with a max depth of 27". I was hoping to do these myself. In addition, I was planning to trench for power to the dock and prep walkways etc. The house plan is a daylight basement but the lot has only about 6 degrees of slope. So the basement back wall will be only about 5' below ground. My original intent was to use the CUT and slowly dig that out with the backhoe and move the dirt with the bucket for side fill. Speed is not a concern as I plan the whole project as a 18-24 month project. I know that I could hire this out and get it done much more efficiently but considering the timing of the different phases it will mean multiple contracts. Ultimately, I will pay out a good bit and have nothing of value to show for it. I was hoping that the asset value of the unit would be a benefit (at least I told my wife that......I'll probably love the thing and keep it for many other chores like maintaining the drive!!!)

So am I being ridiculous and trying to justify the purchase?

 

[jeff9366]

So am I being ridiculous trying to justify the purchase?

YES, you are being ridiculous.

Contract your excavating in South Carolina. The tractors you are considering are too light for dirt moving you foresee. You do not have tractor experience so you will probably bang up a new tractor attempting foundation work. Tractor parts/repairs are VERY expensive. Light tractor will be fine for maintenance work once construction in SC is completed.

You do not have tractor skills. Too hazardous for a tractor neophyte to excavate five feet deep. OK after 1,000 engine hours. Average residential tractor clocks eighty engine hours per year.


I plan to trench for power to the dock and prep walkways etc.

OK

VIDEO: TRACTOR MIDDLEBUSTER USES - YouTube