Buying Advice Starting from scratch (both land and equipment) - 5 acres

[AJ197816134]

I know with LS machines if you are financing, with the exception of 0% down then FEL is free. Get it, you can mount blades, quick attach and move snow to some degree with it. They are 100% right on rear finish mower, we bought a used 8N to mow our firehall with rear mount finish mower, very easy to use, very easy to service. I would stray away from a MMM if possible, we looked at it, but I want to be able to have ground clearance if necessary. If you are using a lot of 3 pt attachments, look into a quick hitch.

 

[Gary Fowler]

There are probably reasons to get an atv and try to make it do the work of a tractor. Other than speed I just can't think of any. I suspect attachments will be easiest to get if the tractor has a cat1 3pt hitch and I'd want a loader with a skid steer quick attach for the bucket, forks, etc. Again, attachments for SSQA are easier to find and usually less expensive.
Good luck. You're off on a great adventure.

I wouldn't expect an ATV to work as a tractor, BUT some form of transport is sure nice to have on acreage. I use my RTV900 daily as a taxi and dump truck even use it to pull up saplings a time or two before I got my B26 TLB. I never really thought it would be worth the money but I don't find walking to be a pleasant experience any longer. For the OP's distance to the highway and mail pickup, a Kubota RTV or other side by side UTV would sure be handy. I use mine more than my tractors and it stays parked in the garage rather than the shop since it is a great leg saver, hauler, dump truck and many other uses around an acreage.
I bought my RTV used 1 year old with 60 hours and got a great deal at about $4K off new price and it looked like new. All I had to do was the 50 hour service which was past due.
I also bought my B26 used 2 years with only 68 hours and recently serviced at a bargain price of only $20,500 with new selling for over $30K. Nothing wrong with buying used when you can get nearly new with a big discount. The problem with used is most folks want to recoup all of their investment so much of the time it is just as cheap to buy new, sometimes cheaper if you don't have ready cash due to 0% financing.

 

[AJ197816134]

Think the OP has some great advice to really start considering.
Great comment on people selling almost new but used but trying to recoup full price, we would all love that, but....

 

[varmint]

Jajiu, you are right about needing a cab! Sadly, my barn (which came with the property) won't allow me to install a door high enough for most cabbed tractors- close, but no real clearance. In fact, I have to fold the ROPS to get it in. Most of my work is on the flat, and I mind loader height, so I just leave it folded. It can go up quickly, when needed. And, a cab would be un-wanted for going in the woods or using my post hole auger, so it's a compromise. I have looked at small cabbed tractors, just not seriously. Stuck with the L3400, for now.

 

[jajiu]

I know what you mean, with my cab I have less than 1" clearance getting into my barn. I wanted a L4060, but it was just too high to make it into my barn. I didn't think about the AC when I bought it for the heat in the winter, but the glass works like a greenhouse and boy does it heat up in the summer. The heat is great and I actually have to turn it down, it gets too hot and the AC keeps me cool and NO BUGS!

 

[AxleHub]

MMM reduces your tractor ground clearance dramatically. To do the smoothing you have specified as a primary task, you will have to remove the MMM. MMMs are much more awkward to mount and dismount than a Finish Mower.

MMMs are proprietary to each tractor brand. . . . . .

. . . . . .


Get the FEL with your tractor order. Buying it later will cost you 50% additional over buying it as part of your tractor package. If you ever sell used, potential buyers will discount the price of your tractor to the amount required to add an FEL, so you pay whether or not an FEL is on your tractor. You are building a home. An FEL is a powered, flexible wheelbarrow. You will use it plenty for landscaping. Its also "prime" for moving snow.
. . . . . . . . . . . .

SSQA required to attach a front snow plow or front snow blower.

While a mmm does take up some ground clearance . . A mmm also does some things that a 3pt finish mower does not do:

1. Tighter manueverability. A mmm turns in the tractor footprint so cutting closer and tighter to gardens and lawns and shrubs is much closer.

2. Less scalping, and much easier on side hill cutting.

3. A rear finish mower doesn't mulch

Regarding the idea that ssqa is required to attach a front plow blade or blower . . Huh?
Every front plow blade or blower I've seen attaches to a hitch that is made by the manufacturer. Those hitches mount to the frame and are proprietary or are built by 3rd parties to fit the brand of tractor. The same is true for snowblowers that connect to lawn mowers.

The only exception I'm aware of is if you attach a plow blade to a fel and there aren't alot of those unless you're talking big tractors.

 

[varmint]

Well, I don't consider a L3400 a "big" tractor, but it handles a SSQA 78" Horst snow plow just fine, thank you. (see my avatar) And a lot less trouble than pulling off the loader and attaching a plow to the chassis of the tractor.

 

[TheMan419]

Tractor Loader Bucket Attachment | The Edge Tamer

The folks above have a good attachment to help plowing on gravel drive. Also an attachment for moving your trash can.