Trying to Make a Good Tractor Choice

Bob_Skurka · Jun 14, 2005

I honestly would have never guessed that Mahindra made the venerable WWII era Willy's Jeep! 

Sticking with the off topic part of the thread, please realize that M&M only had a contract for SOME of the Jeeps. I believe Kaiser and a couple other companies had contracts too. So now the real question is how much totally useless & trivial knoweldge is stored in the collective brain trust here at TBN???

Kyle_in_Tex · Jun 14, 2005

( I want to purchase a tractor to cut the 5 acres I currently pay someone to do and maintain or make the woods usable (ie cut trails, install food plots and some minor clearing). )
This can be done with a 25-35 HP CUT.

( I also know that I will placing cattle in the woods and will have to unload and move round bales in the near future.)
Round bales weigh about 2000 lbs for which I recommend the bigger heavier JD.

( me and the Boss have agreed upon a $19K budget to purchase a new tractor with loader and mower. We don't want to go used because we want something with a warrenty because of bad luck buying used automobiles and other stuff and we only want to by 1 tractor for the next 10 to 15 years from a company who will definately be around during that time frame.

I have narrowed my choices down to a Kubota L3130 / 3330 (4wd) and JD 5103 (2wd), both are within budget based on local dealer quotes. I guess I'm trying to dicide which will better suit my long term needs.

What are your suggestions any and all will be useful.

Thanks )

After reading and re-reading your "parameters", I feel you have painted yourself into a corner. Let me explain, with the bale lifting and size of your land, I would recommend you upgrade to the 4wd JD. Otherwise, for only 19K, you will relegate yourself to a used big 3 tractor. As much as the dealership needs to make money and stay in business, the manufacturer also needs to be strong. There are good lesser known tractors that might fit into your budget. Don't be terrified of used tractors, they usually last longer than cars with good maintenance.

rockyridgefarm · Jun 14, 2005

WOA!!! Not everyone has Texas Round Bales!!

Round Bales come in all shapes and sizes. Ok Some different sizes, they all are round. I can get bales that are around 800 Lbs. I can get 1000Lb bales. I can get 1500 pounders.

I can move a 1500 pound bale without any touble. Carry it on my 3 point. Works great. Now lifting a bale with the loader is a different story. I can only use the sub 1000 pounders.

I really worried about unloading bales when they were delivered. I figured I could push them off somehow. It never happened. Anyone that ever delivers hay has a cool round bale trailer. Flip a lever, and plop the bales are on the ground. real easy.

But if I am gonna recommend a bale movin' tractor, I would suggest a Deere 4x20. A Kub Grand L, or a utility tractor. I am sure Kioti and Mahindra have offerings in that range.

WOW, I gotta see those Texas bales...

Varmintmist · Jun 15, 2005

Everything you want to do you can with a 35hp 4wd, unless you are buying the one ton round bales. Then you are pushing it even if you just stick with a 3pt bale spear. Even if the specs say it can lift 2200 lb, that doesnt include transporting the bale and manuvering it.

Find out what size of roundbales you can get. If you cannot get anything but 1 ton or bigger then you HAVE to go with a bigger tractor. If you can get 1500 or less lb round bales, you can start lookng smaller.

Just a thought, but with less than 50 ac and mostly woods, how many cattle are you planning on running? You wont feed many on trees so you will be feeding hay 12 months out of the year. That can be a lot of hay and that means a lot of bale moving.
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So, Mahindra likes the "more meat" approach.... Thats probably why I liked the tractor so much. I dont do finesse real well /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Akebalan · Jun 15, 2005

I will be lifting round bales that weigh between 1200 to 1500 lbs each. I only plan to feed the maximum of 12 head of cows which run on 48 AC to maintain an ag tax exemption. So feeding them will consist of about 1 to 2 round bales per week. I will only have to unload the round bales and haul them a maximum of 800 ft.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

rockyridgefarm · Jun 15, 2005

I can do all that with my 2900Lb Deere 4310. As I said, the delivery guy unloads them. I spear them with a 3 point bale spear.

GabelFarms · Jun 21, 2005

I currently have 3 acres, my son has 2 next to mine. I have grapes & blueberries to transplant and I have several ditches to dig for power, irrigation and I will move dirt to put in a foundation for a new house. I have been looking at the Kubota BX23, Mahindra 2015, John Deere and New Holland. I want the tractor with front end loader, backhoe and rototiller. The Mahindra seems to be the stoutist tractor , but I know little about them, except the glowing claims in their literature. Would anyone that owns one of these tractors give me the good and bad features. Thank you

GabelFarms · Jun 21, 2005

Red Rocker: I have had dealers here in Oregon tell me that they will not carry Chinese or Korean tractors because of the shoody manufacturing of them. Please elaborate.

LBrown59 · Jun 21, 2005

( Red Rocker: I have had dealers here in Oregon tell me that they will not carry Chinese or Korean tractors because of the shoody manufacturing of them. Please elaborate. )
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This matter has been posted many times over in several threads .
Do a search on the subject.

RedRocker · Jun 21, 2005

( Red Rocker: I have had dealers here in Oregon tell me that they will not carry Chinese or Korean tractors because of the shoddy manufacturing of them. Please elaborate. )

I'm guessing they sell another brand, LOL. They're not going to tell you their competition builds a fine product.
Here's the deal with me. I'm a machinist/fabricator, new to tractors but not mechanical equipment. I can tell a POS from something that's built well. I was dead set on buying a NH or Kubota, just couldn't quite afford 20K + attachments. At the urging of another board member I took a look at Kioti, I knew absolutely nothing about them at the time. What I found is a very nice looking, well built, and heavy piece of equipment that sells for 5K less than the other brands. Since just about all CUT's are built overseas I don't see the "buy American" slogan as being relevant. I've got about 40 hours on mine and it has exceeded my expectations for my needs. You may or may not like it, but it's worth a look. I think it's the best bang for the buck out there. I remember when Kubota first came out, it was that foreign tractor that the big boys laughed at. Well, they're not laughing anymore, I see Kioti in that spot in the coming years. Just MHO /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif