Suggestions to narrow the hunt - 25hp, 4x4, HST - Branson, Mahindra, Kioti, JD, Ford?

Olympus · Feb 4, 2015

Poopdeck Pappy said:
Olympus, I can't tell whether the J2023 is closer to the size of a Kubota BX or a B series. Or is it somewhere in between? Maybe the size of a small B series Kubota? The tractor looks about the same size as my BX23, but the tires look somewhat bigger, so I'm assuming it's about the size of a small B series.

The J Series is an actual CUT size so it will be similar to the Kubota B. The BX is a SCUT and will look like a garden tractor next to the J Series. The J does have bigger tires and wheels than the BX. Also considerably more lift capacity and larger hydro pumps. It's just an overall bigger machine but can look smaller without something next to it for reference.

Poopdeck Pappy · Feb 4, 2015

Cool beans. Thanks for the clarification.

Looks like a really nice little tractor. I know my little BX23 can do a lot more work than it's size would lead you to believe, and I assume your J2023 is even "more better." :thumbsup:

MtnViewRanch · Feb 4, 2015

Go over to the Tulare World AG Expo next week. Look at all of them at once in the same place, then decide. They are not all the same and what fits some does not fit others. It would be well worth your time and money just to look and be able to see all models that you would be considering in the same day.

Just my :2cents:

Scrambler82 · Feb 4, 2015

My thoughts...
My Mahindra Max 28 is nice, still getting used to it but I miss my Yanmar SC2450.
The Mahindra feels better lifting larger rocks, pushes better.
Don't overlook the Yanmar, the 24 hp unit ran well, started in 10 degree weather, pushed snow with the front bucket like it was water... frozen water, move 3/4" stone and gravel and sod and road base without any trouble except the lifting with the FEL was slightly limited, but it got better fuel usage.
Yanmar has new models, a little larger tractors with the same and larger hp figures.

DavesTractor · Feb 5, 2015

Most of us like the brands we own or sell. LS guys say they are best, I like Mahindra, Kioti fans are loyal, etc. The fact of the matter is that all of these brands are good machines, and of course Kubota is the leader in sales in the USA in smaller tractors and they are quality.

With a budget of $12k, you can get into a new SCUT or close to it, like a Mahindra eMax22. But I suspect you might prefer a size up, like the Max26XL or even better the 3016. But then we are over $15k or maybe over $17.5k depending on options and which tractor you pick. I'm being a little vague on pricing as there are a lot of variables, I'm just trying to give you a ball park idea. You will want to check with your local dealer for actual pricing.

Used tractors are certainly less money, but they aren't always a better value. Resale is strong, so prices tend to stay up. Much more so than a car or pickup. But if you buy a used tractor from a private party you pay no tax, and you allow that first buyer to take the bulk of the depreciation hit. It's worth considering and you can get a pretty decent used CUT for $10k.

Olympus · Feb 5, 2015

LS and Kioti are the only two brands I found where you can get into a CUT size for $12-$13k brand new. Most other brands SCUTs were beyond that price point.

I think just about every brand makes a dependable machine. The factor for me was where can I find the best specs and performance for my money. I don't even know if I could have bought any other brand in a smaller SCUT size for $12,200, let alone something in the bigger CUT category for that price. I looked at Bota and JD SCUTs and they were in the $14-$16k range, which was more than I could spend. But looking at the size of machine you could buy for $15-$16k from LS or Kioti against the Bota and JD SCUT was laughable even, more machine than I woul ever need and big enough to make a SCUT look like a lawn mower. Dollar for dollar, LS and Kioti will give you more machine for your money than any brand I looked at in my search.

On a side note, I forgot to mention Bobcat tractors. They are made by the same company that makes Kioti tractors. Almost completely interchangeable parts. Bobcat dropped their tractor line, but there are still some places where you can buy one new that hasn't sold. I looked at them also. You might find one for a good price since they are no longer produced. Just make sure you can find a dealer who will service them because not all Bobcat dealers will service the tractors. I found a place locally that had 2 new Bobcats for $14k, but they were also larger than my LS, probably too big for my 6 acres, but i found the closest servicing dealership was 3 hours away. There is a guy in the Bobcat section who bought one of those tractors from the same place and he really likes his. Goes by the name MOpop or something with MO since we both live in MO.

ChrisintheMojave · Feb 5, 2015

I'm reading everything guys.
Traveling and on my phone so one quick addtitional question
What about TYM?
A Low time used one popped up that hits all my requirements
Thanks

Olympus · Feb 5, 2015

I don't know a lot about them. Never seen one in my part of the country and never seen a dealer for one. My first response would be to see where the closest dealer was to me and then look into the brands history since it's something I've never seen.

If something breaks or you have problems, you're going to want a good dealer reasonable close. That's no matter what brand you pick.

DavesTractor · Feb 5, 2015

My thoughts on TYM? Most TYM's sold in the USA are sold via Mahindra as Mahindra products. 10 series, eMax, the 105HP Mahindra and the new 2500 series are all TYM built. And they are good tractors. TYM has been trying to make inroads into the USA market as TYM (TYM USA) for years and it appears that to date they are better at making tractors than selling them in the USA. Dealers have come and gone. I know TYM has hired a new territory manager out west and they are determined to fire things up again and get dealers setup, get better parts support, etc. We are not a TYM dealer, but when we need parts for a TYM we generally get them via Mahindra if the part happens to be the same between the TYM model and the Mahindra model.

The other place you will see TYM's is Cabela's. That is who builds the tractor for them.

Good tractors, but spotty at best dealer network at the moment. I'm sure they still have some strong dealers, but I think they are far and few between. It seems like this brand has a ton of potential.

That being said, you only need one good dealer contact and a couple days later UPS delivers the part, even if the dealer is some distance away. If you are the type that does not like to tinker and do your own maintenance work, then dealer location becomes more important or even critical.

TSO · Feb 5, 2015

How close is the Mahindra dealership that is near you? I ask because, if it is substantially close than the other brands that are 150 miles away, it might make sense to go with Mahindra, whether you like it best or not.

Most of us can fix little issues here and there. However, when a big warranty issue arises, it's good to have a dealer readily available for the repair.

I used to have a Kioti that I bought new in '12. After a few hours it developed a leak in the steering assembly. Dealership had to replace the entire assembly.

Another example, my buddy bought a brand new Bota. A small part broke internally, which turned into a 3 week dealership visit that involved splitting the tractor in half.

So ... While I don't necessarily preach that you need to buy from your local dealer just because they're local, it's still important to have dealership support if/when needed.