Same old GreenHorn Question!

[Passionfortrees]

I am an owner operator of small Tree Service and I am very sick and tired of lifting wood by hand , It is Time for a tractor loader to do the job. In my search I have been warned about buying kioti, ironhorse, farmall, Montana and lesser value tractors? I know how value comes into play for resale,to be honest I dont care about resale , I want to get a good tractor to do the job and not by junk! I looked at Montana 2740 and Case dx29farmall, NewHollandtc35 and John Deere all kinds, seems to be obvious about price range on namebrand tractors! I would like some professional experianced advise on this one. If I get lesser name brand tractor am I going to regret it? Favoring the Montana 2740, Should I spend the extra 2-4 thousand and just do it or up the model to more horse,and lifting capacity? Going crazy looking at all reveiws and used prices versus new machine with financing options! Some advise anyone!

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Well, if you're purchasing for a buisness, although it's to some extent true for personal use as well, I'd take a long hard look at the dealer and the tractor. Determine exactly which features you need in both.

Do you need a dealer that is happy to send a guy out to the site to fix something, or are you happy with them telling you to bring it in? How long can you wait for parts -- that is, is the dealer very well stocked and how fast can they get parts if they have to order. These kind of questions can make or break a business because you're going to start relying on that tractor and when it's not working, you may be losing customers.

What brand of tractor are other businesses in your area using? This may say something about the tractor and something about the dealer who supports them.

There can be terrific arguments about tractor quality and cost on this board. Is this brand worth the extra money or not, etc. But if you're saying you have no plans to ever trade this tractor in, then you're going to have it for the rest of your life. Think about that. You also want the dealer to be there for the whole time too.

On the other hand, if you've got good mechanics working for you, or you are one yourself, there are some very good deals out there on China imports and the like. And they are pretty good tractors once you get the bugs out. You just have to worry about a little more downtime.

I am a little confused about Farmall (which is really New Holland) being included in the list you gave of tractors you've been warned against. If you were warned by locals, this list may be dealer issues rather than tractor quality issues.

I have never set eyes on a Kioti, Iron Horse, or a Montana as there are no dealers in my area for any of them, so I can't say from personal experience, but there are a lot of vocal Kioti owners on this board who I am sure will be glad to help you with whatever you'd like to know about them.


Cliff

 

[Passionfortrees]

My mistake on lesser name brand tractors not farmall, but farmtrac, I appreciate your input, thanks. There is a Montana dealer near me about 25 minutes and they seem to be nice machines on the rise and maybe more popular in next year or two to come. Knowing all the name brand tractors already are proven in performance and reliability and price. There is the statement you get what you pay for! anyone else I am all ears.

 

[IslandTractor]

I can address one issue you have raised: Kiotis are fine tractors, don't think you'll hear too much bad stuff about them at all but they do tend to have lower resale than a JD/Kubota in the first few years. Pricing is quite variable with Kiotis, some dealers discount a lot more than others. That is, I think, a function simply of not being as well established as the big three (yet) and also that fact that there are not as many dealers. I bought a used Kioti which was a great value. That is one way around the resale problem.

From what I could tell by reading and inspecting myself, they are as well built as the other orange tractors (I never looked at JD or NH or Montana etc). Do your research but don't be put off by the bigger "off brand" names. Many of those companies build tractors for the likes of JD and other respected brands. Focus more on whether you can find a good dealer to support whichever tractor you decide is best.

 

[daTeacha]

You're going to use the tractor in your business, moving what I presume will be tree branches, maybe some plantings, etc. What all will you ask it to do?

I ask this because you will also need implements like a loader, grapple, maybe eventually a backhoe. All of these will need service, and all will have to work in harmony with the tractor itself. I would tend toward getting a pretty good base tractor from a well established dealer in your area and thing about the implements you might need later. As nearly everyone here will say, pick a good trustworthy established dealership, and then let them guide you in your tractor purchase. If you were in this area, I'd be suggesting JD, Kubota, Case as the top pick, with Agco and NH second tier. Massey would be out of consideration simply because there is no dealer for the compacts. Case and NH are the same tractor, but not the same dealer.

Where are you? Folks here might be nearby and able to suggest a good dealer or two.

 

[DrewL]

I would also take a second look at the advice given to you about certain tractors to stay away from. For example, you were told to stay away from Kioti (for example purposes /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif).............why? Then examine the reason why for accuracy. I dare say,short of grey market machines, it is pretty hard today to buy a "bad" tractor today. There many good machines available

 

[Passionfortrees]

You guys have been great with responding and your inputs help alot. I am in Southington, CT . Lifting wood primarily, Yes I should think of uses later like the backhoe,Grapple etc. I am all ears. Thanks again. Rich

 

[BamaRob]

Along with most of the other members here, I'd rcommend that you find a dealer that you're comfortable with before deciding on brand/model of tractor. Don't be afraid of "lesser known" brands. There are many manufacturers producing quaily units today. Test drive lots of different brands/models to get a feel for them.

With all that said, I'd suggest you take a look at the Mahindra 2615 or 3015 (probably the 3015 for your intended uses). When I bought my 2615 4WD, I didn't give any consideration to resale value. I wanted a quality unit that would last me a long time. Whether a long time is 10, 15, or 20 years, the resale value after that time isn't going to amount to much in relation to the original purchase price anyway.

Good luck!

BR

 

[FarmGeek]

Ok, I'm gonna take some heat for this post but I just gotta say it....

Will your use be mainly for your business of picking up trees or will you use it for other activities as well? If it is primarily for your business activities, then may I suggest a non-tractor tractor? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If you want maneuverability, power and quick-change attachments, consider a skid-steer loader of some sort. One with tracks won’t tear up the ground and is a darn sight easier to turn around in tight spaces. The down side is they tend to cost more than a tractor tractor. You can even enter a contest at popularmechanics.com to win an ASV loader (with tracks) for free! BUT if you need to plow, mow, drag or scrape something, 3-point attachments are much cheaper.

Tinfoil hat is on and thermal underwear cinched up tight. Ready to receive feedback!
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[daTeacha]

??? A skid steer on tracks won't tear things up?? Suppose you were looking for someone to take down a damaged tree on your golf course lawn in upper class suburbia. Would you really want a tracked skid steer doing doughnuts on it?

I'm sorry, but I have seen what a skid steer did to the woods when used to bring some logs within reach of a boom truck. That guy did more damage in half a day than the logging team did in 2 weeks with horses and drag carts, and he only had to move them a hundred yards or so. Also, my FIL rents out his barn for storage of large square bales of straw -- the basement only since the skid steer that handles the bales would tear up the wooden hay floor above.

Maybe you have a deft touch with a skid steer and can use one with less damage to the land than a tractor, but I've never seen one driven by anyone with that level of patience, talent, and control. My hat is off to you, sir, if you are that good with your machine.