nybirdman
Super Member
LS is a tractor brand by itself,Korean and light blue.Kubota has BX,B,L,Grand L,MX,M ect.
Buying Advice Overwhelmed by options
- Thread starter akroeze
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varmint
Elite Member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2003
- Messages
- 2,572
- Location
- Northern Maryland
- Tractor
- Kubota B8200, then a Kubota L3130 HST, now a Kubota L3400 HST
Everybody has opinions, so I will toss mine into the mix. Keep in mind I am not experienced with larger machines, and only use a tractor for gravel road maintenance, moving heavy junk around, post hole auguring, and snow clearing, which is the one critical thing for us, situated up a hill with about 750' of lane to clear, sometimes 2-3' of snow, and no place to push it. I upgraded from a gear drive B8200, which worked fine, but I got tired of twisting around to see what the rear blade was doing, and my wife wouldn't operate a gear drive tractor, to a '96 Kubota L3130 HST. No rear remotes, but a 6' QA bucket in front (and a 84" plow for snow) telescoping 3 point arms, the usual Grand L features, all in all a very clean tractor, 1000 hours, no issues once I went thru it and cleaned it up, and $12500. My only concern is the weight- well over 5000 lbs with loaded rears, so I can't drive it over the yard unless the ground is real dry, or frozen. For snow, that weight will be great. For post holes, not so great. Sure, it could use more HP, but it has enough to do what I need, and is a big framed machine, very solidly built. I would expect it to last many years, with no more than regular service. The LA723 loader is more than I will ever need. I wouldn't rule out used machines, unless you plan on entering tractor concours de elegance... it will get dirty and bumped with use. I would love a cab in the winter, but wouldn't want one the rest of the year, plus it wouldn't fit in our little barn with a cab. Folded ROPS is fine.
GManBart
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2012
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- 4,976
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- Detroit, Michigan
- Tractor
- Massey Ferguson 241, Kubota SVL90-2
Unless you have a very specific size limitation (like a barn stall width, or garage/shed/barn overhead door height limit), it's hard to have too much tractor when you're talking about Compact, or even Utility machines. Something like the Kioti DK or NX series, LS R or XR series would handle most needs you're likely to encounter, have good warranties, and reasonable prices (under $25K is easily possible fully decked out).
So I see an ad for something like this:
Used Farming Equipment - Anderson Equipment, Picton, Ontario - Quinte
175hrs for $7500
I have no point of reference on if this is a good buy? Too good to be true so something must be wrong? Over priced?
Used Farming Equipment - Anderson Equipment, Picton, Ontario - Quinte
175hrs for $7500
I have no point of reference on if this is a good buy? Too good to be true so something must be wrong? Over priced?
grm61
Platinum Member
I can guarantee the hours are not correct in the ad, maybe 175 hours on the new meter.
Look at the wear on the bucket and tires, and grime around the engine compartment, and 2wd.
If it was 175 hours, you would see some paint fade, but otherwise the bucket and tread depth on tires would still be like new.
Just looking at the pic a would guess several thousand hours.
Look at the wear on the bucket and tires, and grime around the engine compartment, and 2wd.
If it was 175 hours, you would see some paint fade, but otherwise the bucket and tread depth on tires would still be like new.
Just looking at the pic a would guess several thousand hours.
MinnesotaEric
Super Member
Things can be shipped.
The biggest advantage of a late-model used tractor today, is it would be free of the "tier-4" diesel requirement. "Tier-4", which is required on all new diesels, robs hp, while costing more money. Unless you are a rich environmentalist, that does not make much sense for the small acreage, infrequent user. Unfortunately for you, this has driven up the cost of these "newer" used tractors, especially if they are 4wd with loaders. Personally, I would skip a step, and consider an older, gas tractor such as a Ford 2000 or 3000. For about $4000 today in Canada, these can be converted to Natural Gas fuel which would then also satisfy all of your "environmental" concerns 10 fold over a "tier-4" diesel. A diesel can not be converted to run on straight NG. I can't see it being too long until most all tractors sold will be powered by NG. I would just run that old Ford on the "petrol" gas for a few more years, until the NG conversion cost comes down a little. For the mechanically un-inclined, those old Fords are quite easy service and find parts for, and are extremely durable compared to today's tractors.
Your only drawback would be the lack of 4wd, which would hurt you most if you are looking at lots of front-loader operation, and/or disking. Not that big of deal for mowing and plowing however. A rear blower or blade on a 2wd tractor with loaded rears/chains works real good for clearing snow. Forget about a front blade however. Although a gas tractor is considerably less efficient than a diesel, on that small of size, it is hardly enough to make up for the greater cost/liter of the diesel.
Your only drawback would be the lack of 4wd, which would hurt you most if you are looking at lots of front-loader operation, and/or disking. Not that big of deal for mowing and plowing however. A rear blower or blade on a 2wd tractor with loaded rears/chains works real good for clearing snow. Forget about a front blade however. Although a gas tractor is considerably less efficient than a diesel, on that small of size, it is hardly enough to make up for the greater cost/liter of the diesel.
MinnesotaEric
Super Member
Robs hp? That's incorrect.
1985 Ford 2910 Tractor | farming equipment | Belleville | Kijiji
Is this the kind of tractor to which you are referring?
GManBart
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2012
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- 4,976
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- Detroit, Michigan
- Tractor
- Massey Ferguson 241, Kubota SVL90-2
People seem to think this, but reality has proven otherwise. Compare a Kubota MX5100 and the new Tier IV compliant MX5200. Both have 148.6 cubic inch engines with turbocharging. The MX5100 makes 52.2 gross HP, and the MX5200 makes 54.7 gross HP. More power, higher fuel efficiency, and less emissions.
As far as costing more, I'm not seeing a major difference in price (I'm shopping for a new cabbed 50hp tractor now). When I got numbers on a Kioti DK50SE and compared them to an NX5010 it was about $1000 more for the NX (configured identically), but the NX has new features such as auto-throttle, auto PTO, etc that the DK didn't have, so it's about a wash other than that the NX has slightly more power, and better fuel economy.
This is another theory that doesn't seem to hold true. I've bought a new tractor, and started shopping for another new tractor in the last 18 months, and the prices on used machines that I also considered haven't changed significantly. Quality, late model, 4wd compact tractors with FELs on them have held their value very well for more than just the last year or two.
If someone isn't mechanically inclined, or at least experienced, suggesting a 15-30 year old machine is just going to leave them stranded at some point. Many of the folks suggesting an old machine seem to own several, so if one goes down, they can use the other machine(s) until they get it fixed. That doesn't sound like the case here.