Trying to find a good used Tractor

[Paul Campanis]

What advice do you have for choosing one of these two tractors I am considering buying?

We have 16 acres and do a lot of mowing, box blading and tilling.

We would also use it to assist in our sawmill and moving siltation from wet weather pond (dry in the summer but muddy).


1999 JOHN DEERE 790 $12,250
https://www.tractortown.com/invento...&accountcrmid=12741707&settingscrmid=12741709

2003 JOHN DEERE 990 $22,900
https://www.tractortown.com/invento...&accountcrmid=12741707&settingscrmid=12741709

Would I be better off with a newer one like this?
2021 John Deere 3043D $25,000
Used 2021 John Deere 3043D

I like working on the older machines and doing TLC along with light mechanical work.

Do you think the prices are fair?

Please tell me what I maybe don’t know.

Ideally, I would like something that could mature into a collectible in the future as well as be usable in the near term.

This is all fairly new to me.
Please just say what hits you and comes to mind.
Much Appreciated.

 

[dodge man]

If I’m spending your money, I’d get the 990. It’s low hours and looks like a solid tractor.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Unless you're stuck on green? How about a Branson 2515h, good heavy stout and simple tractor with good lift capacities for the money. And an old fashion IDI diesel engine with no frills.

2515H – Branson Tractors

bransontractors.com

 

[oldnslo]

The 3043 would be the better decision financially since 18 years newer for $2000 more. What I don’t know about 3043 is what it has for emissions equipment, electronics, etc. Vs the 990.

Prices today are insane so very hard to say what is fair..

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

The 3043 would be the better decision financially since 18 years newer for $2000 more. What I don’t know about 3043 is what it has for emissions equipment, electronics, etc. Vs the 990.

Prices today are insane so very hard to say what is fair..

He doesn't want the 3043D. That tractor has a transmission driven PTO.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Poster, JD has fallen out of favor with the majority of folks around here including myself due to bad dealers and the general way that JD does business these days. JD is not the company it used to be. The compact tractor market is like a side hustle to them and it seems they couldn't care less about it. Unless you want to be railroaded by the parts and service department when it comes time to fix something, I would advise you to stay away from JD. That's just my 2 cents.

 

[jeff9366]

Unless you're stuck on green? How about a Branson 2515h, good heavy stout and simple tractor with good lift capacities for the money. And an old fashion IDI diesel engine with no frills.

2515H – Branson Tractors

bransontractors.com

We have 16 acres and do a lot of mowing, box blading and tilling.

In my opinion Branson 2515h is a little short on horsepower for mowing a property of 16 acres.

Branson, of course, makes models with 35 horsepower (42 horsepower optimal), which would be ample for powering a 60" Rotary Cutter through high, thick grass or light brush at a mowing rate of 2 to 2-1/2 acres per hour.

Mowing Calcuator | How many acres can I mow in an hour

www.landscapecalculator.com

Branson Web Site: 3015h – Branson Tractors

The up and coming compact tractor brands are Korean: Kioti, LS and Branson. There are other Korean brands. You have to critically assess dealer stability while shopping minor brands.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR​

 

[dieselscout80]

We have 16 acres and do a lot of mowing, box blading and tilling.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR​

We have 14 acres and lots of mowing and I would highly recommend more HP.

Also, consider a transmission that can be shifted on the move.

I went from a IH 424 to a NH TC45 with a hydrostatic drive and mowing is much nicer.

 

[dodge man]

Poster, JD has fallen out of favor with the majority of folks around here including myself due to bad dealers and the general way that JD does business these days. JD is not the company it used to be. The compact tractor market is like a side hustle to them and it seems they couldn't care less about it. Unless you want to be railroaded by the parts and service department when it comes time to fix something, I would advise you to stay away from JD. That's just my 2 cents.

Says you. Plenty of happy JD owners in the world with good dealers. I have no idea where your statement “side hustle” comes from.

 

[Hay Dude]

I think Deere builds really good tractors. I don’t know if they are “ripping people off” since people do buy them in droves and if they hold their value, the buyer is “repaid” when he sells for ”overpaying” when he buys.

The Deere 990 is an excellent small tractor-almost a collectors tractor.

Here’s a few small examples I have personal experience with:

1. When I first got married, my FIL gave me a “Murray” brand lawn tractor to cut my little lawn at my first time home back in the 90’s. It ran ok for about 2 years, then began to fall apart.
I replaced it with a John Deere GT245. I owned that tractor for the next 10 years. It never broke and I sold it for more than I paid for it. Paint & plastics and mechanicals were still all good when sold. I actually felt good selling it to the next guy.

2. I currently have a Deere CX-15 rotary mower. It replaced a Woods 15’ rotary mower. The Wood mower started losing paint and looking bad after just a few years. I’[ve had the Deere CX-15 for about 10 years and it’s still fully painted and looking good despite being used to cut down saplings and stickers that would rip your skin off.

My feelings about Deere is they make their machines at or somewhat above the level of competitors, but they go the extra step of painting them so they will look better than the competition years down the road.

 

[jyoutz]

I would buy the 990 out of the 3 choices you are considering. It’s a solid no frills tractor of proven reliability. Built by Yanmar.

 

[dodge man]

This is a friends 5310. It’s a little over 20 years old and roughly 2000 hours. It’s roughly the same age just a slightly larger version of the 990. It’s been a very solid tractor for him.

 

[Hay Dude]

Something else worth noting:

I see a lot of comments about Yanmar building tractors FOR Deere.
Yes, that is true, but Deere specifies certain quality standards for those tractors. They may be built better, with better components or finishes than Yanmars own tractors. Then again, they also might not.
My gut tells me Deere specifies higher standards to their trusted subcontractors in other countries.

 

[Hay Dude]

This is a friends 5310. It’s a little over 20 years old and roughly 2000 hours. It’s roughly the same age just a slightly larger version of the 990. It’s been a very solid tractor for him.
View attachment 774142

Looks great after 20 years!

Heres my CX-15 after 10 years. Knowing what it’s been through, I think it still looks excellent.

 

[jaydee325]

I'm a hydrostatic fan so none of those choices would make it on my list.

If owning a non-hydro tractor is your thing (I'm not criticizing!) then the 990 would be the top contender.

That price was a surprise. I certainly am not up on current used tractor pricing so that very well might be the market in your area, but north of $20K for a ten year old 40 hp gear tractor? Yikes!

 

[dodge man]

It’s a pre emission tractor plus the low hours is what drove up the price.

 

[Hay Dude]

I remember seeing 990’s for 12-15k.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I remember seeing 990’s for 12-15k.

Actually they aren't more expensive. It is just your money buys less, so it takes more of it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Actually they aren't more expensive. It is just your money buys less, so it takes more of it.

Well the ask prices are now in the 20’s. They were in the low teens

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Well the ask prices are now in the 20’s. They were in the low teens

Remember this. Gold is not worth any more than it was. It just takes more of your money to buy it. My papaw traded his 20 dollar gold piece for a 20 dollar bill. Now, it takes over 70 of those 20 dollar bills to buy that very same 20 dollar gold piece, the 20 $ piece was one ounce.