Price Check TC40 and TC45 Pricing Inquiry

GreenAcres · Mar 16, 2004

Hello. I'm a Newbie -- just moved out of the suburbs and onto a five acre place which my wife wants to use to grow organic vegetables and fruits.

She wants about one acre of orchard -- peach trees mostly, but a few plum and nectarine trees too, and maybe an apple or two (apples do not grow good in our area).

Another acre to two acres will be organic veggies -- lettuce, broccoli, and cabbage during the early months of the year; tomatoes, yellow squash, green and lima beans, and corn during the summer months.

She grew food in our back yard in the suburbs and learned how to do companion planting, herb plants, and other "tricks" to minimize problems with disease and pests, "tricks" that I am sure she will employ out here on the farm to keep from using the chemicals that she hates so much.

On the last two acres, we have a small home and field that she will continue to grow hay/grass on in order to cut and compost it. All grass/hay clipping will be gathered and composted to produce soil nutrient.

Our land is somewhat level, but it does have some gentle "hills" (that is, existing terracing left from when it was a larger farm years ago).

At present, we are looking primarily at two tractors: the TC40 and the TC45, though we did take a quick look at the TC35 today as well.

We got the following price quotes on the tractors we looked at, and we were wondering if these prices are good for new equipment:

TC45 4 Wheel Drive with Standard/Shuttle Transmission (2003 model): $17050

FEL 16LA (New Holland Brand): $3800

Canopy for Roll Bar: $300

5 foot Tiller: $1650

BH SQ600 Bush Hog: $895

For the TC40A with 4 wheel drive and shuttle/standard transmission: $16000 at the first dealer, $15,600 at the second dealer.

The second dealer said she sells Woods FEL's, not New Holland FELs, and it would cost "about $4000."

Also, the second dealer would sell us a 5 foot tiller for $1350 or $1495, depending on which model we wanted.

By the way, the price that the second dealer offered for the TC35 was $14000, for what it's worth.

Are these prices fair?

Also, I'm new at this. ANY SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME! I have alot to learn, but I'm not afraid of either learning new things or of working HARD, and neither is my wife.

This farm is my wife's lifelong dream. You might as well call her "Mrs. Oliver Wendell Douglas."

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

jinman · Mar 16, 2004

I think your tractor prices are about $1,500 high for a 2003 gear tractor. The prices you were quoted were within $1,200 of the price of a hydrostatic transmission. I don't know where you are located, but I think your dealer could do a little better, especially with your buying additional implements.

GreenAcres · Mar 16, 2004

Jimman,

I'm in west Tennessee. Forgot to mention that.

Cottonhawk · Mar 17, 2004

My TC40DA, 16LA FEL, 72" rotary cutter, 80 gal spray tank w/ 12' boom cost me 25.5k. I just added a tooth bar for 300.

Propertymaint · Mar 17, 2004

Green acres, I think Jinman may be right on as usual, I just put a down payment on a 2003 TC40D package with implements. The tractor is a hydro with mid pto and turfs. The break out price of the tractor was $18,000 and I'm in the northeast.
Good luck
Peter

DocHeb · Mar 17, 2004

A five foot tiller is small for a TC40 or TC45. There used to be a web page on the New Holland site that listed the proper sized implements for each Boomer series, but I can't find it since they reformatted their web site. I run my 6 foot tiller in clay using my TC40D without problems. If your wife develops her good soil, you'll only use a fraction of a 40's or 45's power to run the tiller. You will also spend your time tilling, only to have tire marks in the soil.

Also, a 5 foot brushhog is small for these tractors, a 6 foot is considered the usual size. If you don't have a lot of saplings and brush to cut down on an ongoing basis, consider hiring somebody with a brushhog to do the first rough cut. You can then get an 84" finish mower (proper size for the TC40 and TC45) to do the day-by-day cutting.

Both of these implements (the tiller and brushhog) are sized for the Class II Boomers.

If you've never hooked up a 3 point hitch implement, you should try it at the dealer using the standard lift arms. Then try it with the "Deluxe" lift arms on the "D" series. The adjustable deluxe lift arms make a world of difference, and in themselves may make the upgrade to the "D" series tractor.

This is just a matter of my obsessive/compulsive nature and personal taste, but I would never consider putting a Woods FEL on a Boomer - one look of the curved 16LA arms matching the curve of the Boomer hood and I was sold.

It is just my opinion, but the TC40 and TC45 are both a lot of tractor for 5 acres. You might consider looking at the Class II Boomers (such as a TC33D), and you could a nice PTO Chipper/Shredder with the price difference.

It sure is exciting, isn't it? I am getting my order from Miller Nurseries ready. I hope to have my asparagus, raspberries, apples, cherries and pear trees in this spring.

DanWainwright · Mar 17, 2004

GreenAcres,

Did you say you looked at a TC35 too?

You didn't give the price you were quoted on that one. But you might want to give another look at the TC35. The TC35 is a Class III tractor, so you get the power that goes along with that class tractor, however, it is smaller. And if you only have 5 acres to tend, you don't need a big tractor. I agree with the others -- the TC40 and TC45 are too big for your smaller acreage.

Remember, not only do larger tractors cost more money to buy, but they cost more money to operate as well. And right now, diesel prices are rising just like gasoline. How high diesel prices will rise, nobody knows. There seems to be no end in sight.

Save the money and buy the TC35. Then take the difference in price and buy more "toys" for your tractor. You won't miss the added size, expense and trouble of the bigger machine once your TC35 is on the job.

GreenAcres · Mar 18, 2004

DocHeb,

What is this "D" series you refer to?

Is that just the same tractor with the Quick Hitch feature on it, or is it something else?

markie61 · Mar 18, 2004

The difference between a TC35/40/45 and a TC30D/40D/45D is that the "D" package includes:

Hydrostatic Transmission
Deluxe 3 point hitch wiht extendable links(available as an option on the base tractor)
Wraparound headlights
Swivel seat
Better instruments
Toolbox with cupholder
Rubber floor mats
Tilt/telescoping steering wheel
The option of SuperSteer

I think that's it....

The extendable lower links ( not the same thing as the Quick Hitch ) make hooking up implements much easier - instead of wiggling and manhandling the implements, you can temporarily adjust the hitch to get the pins attached. If you get the base tractor, the optional deluxe hitch is advisable.

Mark

trkbldr · Mar 18, 2004

I am a little confused by your comment that the TC35 is a "smaller" tractor /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. The TC35 has less horsepower, but it is not a "smaller" tractor. The TC35 is a class III machine, the same as the TC40 and TC45. The frame sizes are the same. There is a slight difference in weight between the 3 with the 45 about 350 pounds heavier. Dimension wise, they are identical. Maybe my concept of "BIG" is different. To me, it means size, not HP /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif. And following that reasoning, I have to agree that a class III tractor is too large for Greenacres needs. I would be looking at a TC33DA, a class II tractor. Smaller size-wise, but the most HP available in its class /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. I just think the class II would be more suitable for his needs. And even more dollars saved for additional implements /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.