Suggestions for 40-50 hp class

[Spruce85]

I’m on year 6 of owning 20 acres. Ive relied on farmers to plant my food plots and I’d like to end my lease and start doing this myself. I also started a tree farm and will need a tractor for that part. FEL work and Disk ground work will be main functions. My options nearby are:

-John Deere and kubota both have good dealers but are significantly more expensive.

-Massey Ferguson dealer 30 min away

-KIOTI and New Holland dealer 20 min away.

-CaseIH 20 min away

Are any of these brands better than the others and why? Price is a factor. I don’t have unlimited funds, unfortunately.

 

[stoyan79]

TYM is currently most budget friendly.
55hp (2,700 loader lift) without a cab can be had sub $30k, with cab just a bit over $30K.

 

[scootr]

Kubota MX5200 was my choice. Not because there are 2 dealers close by but by reputation for longevity. If you shop by price you end up wishing you spent more.
I bought a 4 yr old tractor with 150 hrs on it. Glad I got a 'used' Kubota vs a new lesser make. Neighbor bought a new 50 hp Yanmar with cab that can't hold a candle to the MX but, hey it has air conditioning and radio.
Good luck in your search.

 

[stoyan79]

Kubota MX5200 was my choice. Not because there are 2 dealers close by but by reputation for longevity. If you shop by price you end up wishing you spent more.
I bought a 4 yr old tractor with 150 hrs on it. Glad I got a 'used' Kubota vs a new lesser make. Neighbor bought a new 50 hp Yanmar with cab that can't hold a candle to the MX but, hey it has air conditioning and radio.
Good luck in your search.

Kubota economy L and MX are my favorite tractors, but I needed a cab and didn't want to spend $50k+.

 

[scootr]

Kubota economy L and MX are my favorite tractors, but I needed a cab and didn't want to spend $50k+.

I would have liked a cab but not for the money. I saved $20k buying a like new, slightly used open station. I sold my old Terex for half the cost of the upgrade after 14 yrs of use. Paid the balance in cash, done deal. 2 yrs in and still happy.

 

[WM75Guy]

All of those manufacturers make a quality tractor. Each has it's own peculiarities, such as NH uses a 2-pedal design for HST and Kubota uses a treadle design. For me it boils down to finding a tractor that is comfortable to operate and price. All tractors need maintenance and occasionally break down so good dealer support and parts availability is also important. I would be visiting all of them, drinking lots of their coffee, and driving lots of models. I have 3 NH tractors and a Kubota ZTR for those reasons.

 

[IndyIan]

A Kioti NS is worth looking at, but go to all the dealers and see what they are like, what they have used, what their service department looks like.
The two dealers near me that cared about selling a compact tractor in my area were MF and Kioti, the other guys were too big to bother and wouldn't even discuss coming off MSRP. My Kioti guy had a huge price advantage due to the Canadian dollar at the time and was willing to "share the wealth" to get the sale, and also there is another good Kioti dealer within an hour, so that was reassuring.
There is probably a "best tractor" for you intended uses, but having a good dealer could be important too, if you have issues with the tractor.
My kioti was a lot less than the equivalent Kubota when outfitted with SSQA, 2 rear remotes, extendable 3pt arms and fast adjust sway bars, rear 3pt raise and lower lever, tow bar, rubber floor mat. It also has split rear brakes that you can actually use with the hst, which is handy in the snow or slippery barn yard. Why Kubota doesn't do that on some of their tractors, I don't know. It can be tricky to compare apples to apples, and all things being equal, I think a heavier tractor is better in the CUT class, as your not cutting golf courses with it. Also if you've got some slopes and clay mud like me, Ag tires are the way to go, and also usually have more spacing options than some industrial rims.

Also you aren't buying a brand of tractor, you are buying a specific model, and all the manufacturers have a few models that aren't great! So do your research by model. I would stay away from a NX kioti for example, its too complicated and electronics based for a CUT IMO.

 

[deserteagle71]

My options nearby are:

-John Deere and kubota both have good dealers but are significantly more expensive.

-Massey Ferguson dealer 30 min away

-KIOTI and New Holland dealer 20 min away.

-CaseIH 20 min away

It sure must be nice to have that many options. Where I live, there is a New Holland dealer 30 minutes away. Other than that, it is about 200 miles to the next dealerships of any make.

 

[drumminj]

Price being a factor, if you're looking at the Kubota MX also consider the L4802. Haven't priced 'em lately but should be a couple thousand dollar difference. Slightly smaller tractor, smaller front axle, less lift up front but still a very capable tractor.

 

[Spruce85]

Price being a factor, if you're looking at the Kubota MX also consider the L4802. Haven't priced 'em lately but should be a couple thousand dollar difference. Slightly smaller tractor, smaller front axle, less lift up front but still a very capable tractor.

The 4802 is the only tractor I’ve priced so far. I like the tractor but it was a little bit more than I wanted to spend. Cash price was $38k with FEL. I’m trying to stay closer to $30k