tractor purchase

[gmt]

Hello to all.
First I would like to say how great and helpful this website is.
I recently purchased some property (greater Houston, TX) and will be needing a tractor to maintain it.

My question is (and I realize it is a loaded question) what type/size of tractor would suit me best?

I will be needing to maintain/mow approx. 20 acres of relatively flat meadows. I would like to be able to pull a bush hog (not sure what size yet) and equip it with a front end loader & maybe a disc.

I am not looking for a decked out "cadillac" -- just a good 'ole reliable general purpose tractor to use periodically to keep appearance up. I would prefer used due to the costs involved.

I have been given lots of free "advice" & I have no clue what direction to go. I have been told to not consider anything under 50-ish HP. Frankly, I think this may be overkill for my purposes. I am considering a tractor in the 25 - 30 HP range, but........

Any thoughts/opinions would be appreciated.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

If you go used, try and stick with one that already has the loader, rather than adding it later. A lot of times the 'good deal' is lost when adding major hydraulics.

Even with flat ground, safety needs to be a concern. Older machines are very serviceable, but what price you put on safety is your concern.

Don't overlook new, even though you say that budget suggests used. Sure, at list prices, used might look like a bargain, but often times new can be had for little more than a good used setup. Especially considering financing.

Another angle is looking at two machines. You might find a Ford 8n with a cutter for low enough, that you could also get a small tractor/loader to do landscaping and mowing near the house.

Finally, whwn you have some acres of your own to maintain, it's different than mowing as a business. Maintaining 20 acres is very doable with a 5' cutter pulled behind a 30ish Hp machine. Especially if you find something to graze it.

 

[hbaird]

If you can change your own oil and do other small maintenance tasks, at least consider a Jinma. I have a 200LE and love it. For what you would pay for a Jinma it can not be beat. The big three buyers don't mind and even seem proud to pay $600.00 for a fifty hour service, some of us are proud of doing it ourselves. If you are the least bit self sufficient with hand tools you would find a Jinma a fine worker. Many at this forum have horror storys to tell to justify spending a lot more money. I have had a few problems, none of witch required great skill or prior knowledge to fix. Tommys Affordable tractors is a little north and west of Houston. I suggest you at least talk to him before you buy. He and several others stock most if not all the parts for the Jinma.
A very satisfied Jinma owner,
Harold

 

[MikePA]

Welcome to TBN! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I have a New Holland TC25D (with a FEL) and it runs a 5 foot rotary mower (Woods Brush Bull Model BB60) just fine. I could probably run a BB72. I went with a BB60 since it's as wide as my tractor, so I know if the tractor fits through an opening, the mower will too. This was my own requirement and probably wouldn't apply to most people.

With the BB60, I can cut about an acre an hour of pasture grass. At 20 acres, you're looking at a lot of seat time. For the tasks you've identified, 50 hp is overkill in my opinion.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The big three buyers don't mind and even seem proud to pay $600.00 for a fifty hour service )</font>


HUH? I've never even heard of a price like that for any routine maintainence job. In fact, many Big 3 owners here on TBN report getting FREE 50 HOUR SERVICE. I had a regular serivce performed, that included chaning all fluids (hydraulic, engine oil, radiator) and it was under $200, including pick up & delivery of my tractor, and they filled the fuel tank up with diesel before they delivered it.

I think the prices of big 3 tractors are often far more competitive than most people say they are, especially true of the Kubotas which are often lower priced that some of the so-called value/second tier tractors. I'm not knocking any other brand, but I'm tired of hearing that Big 3 brands are not competitive. They account for over 90% of all compact tractor sales, if they were uncompetitive they could not hang on to their market share. In fact, Kubota now is reported to be at 60% in many areas, which means they are growing. They don't sell 6 out of every 10 tractors by being over priced. JMHO

 

[rockyridgefarm]

Just a side note, the 50 hr service usually means a major maintainence of the tractor's hydraulics. It has been drasticly reduced in the newest Deere machhines, and may well be in some of the others too.

Bob is right about pricing, right after I bought my JD tractor, I noticed I could have save almost $500 getting a Jinma. Wow, I blew it!

 

[SteveM]

This is a common post- the 'what to buy, I am new' post....but note that the poster preferred buying used, which means saving some money. I think it is hard for us contributors to offer advice without some idea of budget....there are cheaper ways to manage land, but with them come sacrifices, for sure. Most folks think that tractors are like cars - used machines running 40-60% off new prices. But that isnt the case, and often used machines dont represent much of a bargain.

Fill us in a little more on your expectations, and we will be happy to spill our two cents /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[rockyridgefarm]

<font color="purple"> But that isnt the case, and often used machines dont represent much of a bargain</font>

Exactly!!

 

[slowrev]

I would think you would want to run about a 6 ft or so cutter on the tractor this puts you up about 35 hp or so.

You will want a diesel I would think because they are cheaper to operate. You will also want a live or independant PTO.
A MF135 sounds ok for you, maybe a 4000 series Ford, or one of the number series IH tractors such as a diesel 444.

Look around and take your time and you should be able to find a good used machine that fills your needs for a lot less than a new one.

I bought a used IH2444 about 3 years ago, it is now worth about 2k more than I paid for it.

Happy tractor shopping.
Ben

 

[Keith_B]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I have been given lots of free "advice" & I have no clue what direction to go. I have been told to not consider anything under 50-ish HP. Frankly, I think this may be overkill for my purposes. I am considering a tractor in the 25 - 30 HP range, but........

Any thoughts/opinions would be appreciated. )</font>

A 50 hp machine would likely be a bit big for your use. For the difference in price I would opt for the 35-40hp range over the 25-30HP range.

Since you are dealing with relatively flat meadows you can opt for a value priced 2wd utility and come out better than getting a 4wd CUT

You should definitely consider buying new, especially since some of the best new tractor prices I have seen come out of Texas.

What you need a tractor for indicates you should look for specific options. You need powersteering (a must for a loader), live/independent PTO, and category 1 three-point hitch.

Different people are going to recommend different tractors based on what they prefer. I recommend going out and looking at a lot of different options then making your choice from those options. I looked at tractors from Mahindra, John Deere, New Holland, Massey Fergusen, Kubota, McCormick, Long (Farmtrac), LG Montana, Cub Cadet (which was a rebadged Kioti DK40). I wanted to check out the Kioti but there is not a dealer within an hour of me. I found that they are all good machines and all would likely be dependable.

I have also found that the typical TBNer is happy with their tractor, no matter what brand they chose. The most common complaint I have seen is people wishing they had purchased more HP initially.

I chose my Mahindra 4110 because it gave me the most value for my money, based upon the features I was looking for in a tractor. If I were making the purchase today I wouldn't choose a different machine.

 

[gmsssi]

Hard to believe you could buy a comparable Jimna for $500 less than a JD! You must have a GREAT dealer......... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Greg, there was a guy last year who compared a Jinma to a NH TC30 and factoring in options on the Jinma like switching to R4 tires and several other things, it actually turned out the TC30 was slightly less expensive (but not much), he bought it from Tarheel Tractor in NC and documented the entire process here on TBN. When he started looking at all the different tractors, he had no idea what brand he was going to get. There are enough of us who have been around long enough to have seen this same thing repeated too many times with too many brands to believe that Big 3 tractors are over priced. I think some people can't get the dealer's price down, and end up walking away and buying another brand, but then someone else gets a killer price to prove it not only can be done, but is done on a regular basis at Big 3 dealers all across the country.

Right now I am amazed at how competitive Kubota is, NH and Deere seem to be higher than Kubota, and I've got a bunch of PMs from people who priced Kubota against minor brands where Kubota is at or below the minor brands for roughly similar machines. NH needs to get its costs in line, they make machines with greater capacity per pound than any brand I know of, but their costs have crept up to the point that they are simply more expensive than most brands. The main reason to buy a NH now is for features that can't be had on other brands. It is odd, but every year the pricing seems to change in favor of one brand or another. 2 years ago, NH was offering very very hot prices in my area, now Kubota is growing marketshare with great machines at great prices.

 

[Mavrik02]

GMT...with 20 acres of flat land to cut you may want to figure out how much time you want to spend in the hot Texas sun cutting the field. If it was me I would buy the mower first and then size the tractor around it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

RE Pricing: One thing I've learned here on TBN is that prices are very area specific. During my just concluded search here in Western PA the Kubota B3030 was $4300 more than the Kioti CK30HST (lowest bid to lowest bid). With that big of a price difference the decision was not very difficult. I wish it wasn't so because I grew up a Kubota fan and the local dealer is only 3 miles away.

As Bob points out this may not be the case in other areas.

 

[Keith_B]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Right now I am amazed at how competitive Kubota is, NH and Deere seem to be higher than Kubota, and I've got a bunch of PMs from people who priced Kubota against minor brands where Kubota is at or below the minor brands for roughly similar machines. NH needs to get its costs in line, they make machines with greater capacity per pound than any brand I know of, but their costs have crept up to the point that they are simply more expensive than most brands. The main reason to buy a NH now is for features that can't be had on other brands. It is odd, but every year the pricing seems to change in favor of one brand or another. 2 years ago, NH was offering very very hot prices in my area, now Kubota is growing marketshare with great machines at great prices. )</font>

The Kubota prices are competitive, until one starts adding on the standard features the "minor brands" include in their prices. At that point the "minor brands" and the Kubota value priced tractors part company quickly.

A lot of the pricing comes down to what one wants out of the tractor. If you do not want some of the features that are included in the Mahindra, Kiotis, etc., then you can likely get a very comparably priced big three machine. If you want some of the extras the big three machine will likely run a couple of thousand more, or in the case of some brands $5,000+ more.

 

[JINMA224XR]

<font color="blue"> Greg, there was a guy last year who compared a Jinma to a NH TC30 and factoring in options on the Jinma like switching to R4 tires and several other things, it actually turned out the TC30 was slightly less expensive (but not much), he bought it from Tarheel Tractor in NC and documented the entire process here on TBN. </font>

Hey Bob,

Would you be so kind, as to direct me to that post. I would like to see the comparison for myself.

Before I purchased my Jinma, I looked at all of the other brands, and I mean all of them. JD, NH, MF, Mahindra, Kioti, Long, FarmTrac, New and Used, and I couldn't find anything to compare to the prices of the Brand New Jinma Tractors. But I'm probably one of those, that just doesn't know how to apply the "Horse Trading Technique" correctly.

Get your tractors running &
Have a nice day,
Joe /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> The Kubota prices are competitive, until one starts adding on the standard features the "minor brands" include in their prices. At that point the "minor brands" and the Kubota value priced tractors part company quickly. </font>
While this might be true in your area, it is not true everywhere. It's blanket statements like this that can start a flame war.

There are people on TBN, Dargo being one example, who purchased a Kubota tractor "...for quite a bit less than the 2nd tier Kioti and for about the same price as JD."

 

[BillG_in_TX]

<font color="red">Would you be so kind, as to direct me to that post. </font>

"I didn't see the big savings????"

 

[gippolit]

These are facts from my tractor search. I purchased a CK30hst for 20500 with loader, 8.5 foot Rhino backhoe, canopy, grillgard, rear work lights and all filters. I comparied Kubota, JD and NH. The Kioti gave me many more features for a lot less money. The average was about 3000. What most people don't do is add the price for all the extra features your getting with a Kioti. So those blanket statements there the same money is just not true. Add in all those features. I do think my ck30 with perform with the best of them.
Regards;
Glen

 

[JINMA224XR]

<font color="blue">
Would you be so kind, as to direct me to that post.

I didn't see the big savings????
</font>

Hey Bill,

Thanks for directing me to the Post that Bob was referring to.

I don't think that the prices, that was quoted for the Jinma Tractors are very accurate. As I could have gotten a 25HP 4wd, ps, canopy, rear wheel weights, front suitcase weights, ag tires, for $5800, out the door. Loader and other equipment is on top of that and also the R4 tires on top of that as well.

However in my case, my budget was even more restricted, and got a 20-22HP Jinma 224, 4wd, ps, canopy, rear wheel wts., front suitcase weights, Ag tires, Adjustable Suspension Seat for $4850, out the door. I priced all of the other brands, and they were much more than I paid. Most were about twice as much.

Believe me, if I could have gotten a more well know brand or any other tractor, I would have, but the savings when I purchased my tractor was with the Jinma. I may have slipped up, but I just haven't seen my purchaseing error yet. I talked with them all and when I told them, what I could get a Jinma for, they said that they just couldn't compete with the Chinese Prices. I was paying cash though, with no financing involved.

Get your tractors Running &
Have a nice day,
Joe /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> So those blanket statements...</font>
Who is making blanket statements? Most, if not all, people on this thread, and every other thread when this comes up have said that pricing is regional.

<font color="blue">...there the same money is just not true. </font>
The logical conclusion of this statement is that any TBNer who say they priced out one, or more, of the big 3 and found them less expensive than a second tier tractor are;

(1) Stupid - They can't see the tractors aren't equipped the same
(2) Lieing
(3) Stupid and Lieing

<font color="blue">I do think my ck30 with perform with the best of them. </font>
Who said it couldn't?

Why can't people simply say why they are happy with the tractor they bought instead of thinking they have to defend the honor of their tractor/brand at the slightest real, or imagined, criticism. It's not becoming of the TBN spirit and drags TBN down to the online culture of almost every other discussion forum on the Internet.