Planning to buy soon

[Mtsoxfan]

Looking at $25k to $30k Kioti tractors. Cash price was $300 on the 3520se - $500 on the 4020se

 

[MJZ]

Perhaps you should buy a tractor to do what you know you'll need a tractor for - which is most of that list - and one for what is "maybe later" like the ground engaging (more farming type stuff).

I think these are likely two different tractors; the first is a medium-ish tractor like the Kioti or something else in the 35-50hp range (size will affect use in woods, and the weight may affect squishy ground) that you buy now, and the second you'd buy if and when you decide to do proper farming could be a much more utilitarian "just for farming" tractor, quite possibly a used one, cab optional (idk what your summers are like, and I doubt you'd need the farm tractor for winter).

Yes to this. Sounds like the groundwork and property management requires a different machine.

We picked up some land adjacent to ours. The former owner had a 25hp Kubota. He used it to cut trails through dense trees and ground cover. The trails are great!

I have a yanmar ym342 with no cab. I can't drive the trails he cut. Tractor is too big. Furthermore, I couldn't imagine using a tractor with a cab of any size to cut trails where I live.

 

[mulitweed]

That is an absolute load of horse chit. TYM has no separate problems from other diesel tractors. Good battery charge, keep fluids and filters

 

[lennypoulin]

Hi all,
New here. Last year we moved to our 80 acres and built a house. I am going on 50 years old. On the docket this spring is a tractor to help make the work easier.

Uses for tractor would be land management, gardening, wood cutting, food plots, field clearing, animal care (goats, chickens, etc.), snow removal, two track/trail maintenance, and eventually maybe even some crop work down the road or a hay field and cutting/bailing. I could have about 30-35 acres of tillable on our land with some work, the rest is wooded/swampy. 4x4, cab, and loader is a must. I am not sure what else to add but I'll try to answer any questions asap.

I don't intend to make a living doing anything of these things. More of retirement hobby.

I do NOT want to buy a tractor that is too small or one that is too large to get into the woods when needed.

I talked to a local Kioti dealer and his recommendation was a NS4710HB w/ cab w/ loader at a price of $40.5K.

I guess I am also interested in Mahindra but not sure on a specific tractor. There is also a Kubota and Massey Furgeson dealer nearby, but I think I've ruled on Kubota and JD just because of the premium price.

What brands (Kioti, Mahindra, TYM, Branson, Massey, Case IH, New Holland, Yanmar etc.) would you recommend or definitely avoid and if you have specific models that would be great as well.

I think I just want to go new to take advantage of 0% financing and I don't want an old tractor that constantly needs tinkering to keep it operational.

Thanks. Look forward to the conversation

 

[lennypoulin]

Hi all,
New here. Last year we moved to our 80 acres and built a house. I am going on 50 years old. On the docket this spring is a tractor to help make the work easier.

Uses for tractor would be land management, gardening, wood cutting, food plots, field clearing, animal care (goats, chickens, etc.), snow removal, two track/trail maintenance, and eventually maybe even some crop work down the road or a hay field and cutting/bailing. I could have about 30-35 acres of tillable on our land with some work, the rest is wooded/swampy. 4x4, cab, and loader is a must. I am not sure what else to add but I'll try to answer any questions asap.

I don't intend to make a living doing anything of these things. More of retirement hobby.

I do NOT want to buy a tractor that is too small or one that is too large to get into the woods when needed.

I talked to a local Kioti dealer and his recommendation was a NS4710HB w/ cab w/ loader at a price of $40.5K.

I guess I am also interested in Mahindra but not sure on a specific tractor. There is also a Kubota and Massey Furgeson dealer nearby, but I think I've ruled on Kubota and JD just because of the premium price.

What brands (Kioti, Mahindra, TYM, Branson, Massey, Case IH, New Holland, Yanmar etc.) would you recommend or definitely avoid and if you have specific models that would be great as well.

I think I just want to go new to take advantage of 0% financing and I don't want an old tractor that constantly needs tinkering to keep it operational.

Thanks. Look forward to the conversation.

I have a similar story when I was 50 yrs old, buying 55 acres. I first bought a 1986, 24hp JD 855 in 2020 for $13,500. It's all hydrostatic. Then in 2004, I bought a used 1991 JD 870, 28 hp, all manual gears, for $17,500, with a backhoe and large rear turf tires. I like the big turf tires, they don't easily sink in mud, or ruin your lawn. They both live outdoors 24/7, in central MA. I'm now 75 years old and these machines have always started for me, in warm or cold weather, never once breaking down. I might be the lucky one? The frame mount backhoe is very handy, but harder to take off than a 3 point hitch mount backhoe, so I never take it off. Besides, big tires make the 3-point hitch a bit too high for all the category 1 implements I already bought for the smaller tractor. The 870 is my go to for pushing dirt around or carrying bigger loads, turning compost piles, and of course, digging. The low and powerful gears make it easy for scooping dirt from a pile, and finer landscape grading with the bucket. The 855 is smaller nimble, quick, has a smaller bucket, and enough horsepower to run a brush cutter ("bushhog"), York rake, and rototiller. Two tractors aren't too many for 80 acres. Nothing wrong with a good used machine or two, with low hours. That's been my experience. Enjoy your homestead.

 

[Hunter8282]

Another question for the OP: do you plan on towing the tractor for remote work or service?

If so, weight may be a factor. Most compacts are light enough to tow with a 1/2 ton truck, with a utility tractor you’ll need a bigger truck.

No, I don't really plan on towing it. Once it gets here, it will likely stay here.

 

[Hunter8282]

Closest YANMAR dealer is 1hr 20min away from my property.

Kioti, Case IH, Kubota, and Massey Furgeson dealers are about 30min away.

 

[rScotty]

Closest YANMAR dealer is 1hr 20min away from my property.

Kioti, Case IH, Kubota, and Massey Furgeson dealers are about 30min away.

In that case I'd look first at Yanmar and then at Kubota... Those would go to the head of my list as we have had several of each and they are excellent. The Yanmar is first partly because it is farthest, and because Yanmar's attention to detail is so good it is nice to compare with.
Then Kubota - they are number 1 for a reason.

But I would also go look at the other makes. All of those are quite nice. Nice selection.

Don't ignore low hour used. We have twice bought "Demo" and low hour tractors with less than 100 hours on them. We got nice extra features, the knowledge that the dealership already done anything needing put right, and of course a reduction in price over brand new.

Sit on everything and drive what you can..., tractors really do vary in comfort and position of controls. Ease of getting on and off cannot be overemphasized. Working a tractor means you end up getting on and off more often than you would ever believe.

To me, there seems to be a definite change that happens somewhere between 40 and 50 hp.
Below 40 hp they are large versions of smaller tractors, and above 50 hp they are smaller versions of larger tractors...if that makes sense.
That said, the big difference between the small and large is not so much HP as it is weight and stability. Larger means the ability to work a wider swath and handle more weight in implement and in the bucket. That translates to how much time it takes to do a job. As for being able to do the job at all, even the smallest hp tractors can do most jobs, they just take longer.
luck,
rScotty

 

[2manyrocks]

Yanmar and Kubota make reliable tractors. I own both brands. Kubota tends to have more dealers than Yanmar. Although Kubota has 0 interest financing, the nearby Yanmar dealer told me they offer 0 percent as well. I'd suggest that you carefully evaluate the dealers in your decision making process as you consider all your options.

 

[rScotty]

Yanmar and Kubota make reliable tractors. I own both brands. Kubota tends to have more dealers than Yanmar. Although Kubota has 0 interest financing, the nearby Yanmar dealer told me they offer 0 percent as well. I'd suggest that you carefully evaluate the dealers in your decision making process as you consider all your options.

One thing I forgot to mention about my own first time tractor buying in post #68 above... is that looking back on our first tractor buying experience I was trying too hard to save and really should have bought a slightly larger tractor. Not very much larger and definitely not more HP, but the next slightly larger frame size.