Used L3000DT vs. New B7800

[canoetrpr]

I found out a local dealer just had a couple of trade ins. I stopped by today.

He's got a used 3000DT with a FEL with under 500 hours. Seems to be in decent shape. Stored indoors. About 5-7 years old. He will let it go at $15000 cdn.

Or I can have a new B7800 for $16900 cdn. No FEL.

After adding a aftermarket rear snowbower and a bush hog to either of these (both implements that I will absolutely need), my budget will be more than used up. I could add a FEL at some later time on the new B7800. In reality it would be nice to have it but I don't have any current plans for using it. Might help with some light landscaping I want to do in the spring but I could always hire the help for it.

Basically the way I look at it is that I can go with the used machine and save $2K and get a free FEL with it - which I may or may not use. Or I go with the new machine, get hydro which I would prefer, a warranty, 0% financing for the amount I need to borrow and add a FEL at some later time when I have the money and can justify the cost.

Would appreciate the thoughts of those of you that have done this before.

Background:

I've got 16 acres of pasture to keep up, 150 to 200 ft driveway to clear snow from.

I have no current plans on getting farm animals but I do have plans to clean up around the property. Found that the previous owner left a large pile of junk (old doors, windows, etc.) at the back end of the property. Would be nice to be able to haul firewood from rear of the property.

 

[Bird]

Of course I realize your needs and uses might be different, but in my opinion (and my opinion only) you will be making a mistake if you don't get a FEL to start with. Even if you buy a new machine, it will probably be cheaper to get it originally than to add it later, and I think for most people the FEL is the most used implement or attachment you can get.

The old rancher I worked with a lot had 4 tractors; no FEL on any of them, said he'd never really needed one. But then he bought an old International that had a FEL on it. Within a month, he told me he wished he'd gotten one 15 years sooner; didn't know how he'd done without one for so long.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

I agree with Bird the FEL is a great attachment.

I did not have an FEL for years...then after I purchased one I don't see how I ever made it with out one. The FEL will come in handy cleaning up your property and hauling the firewood.

You did state that you would like to have the Hydro. If you prefer Hydro then buy the 7800 and get the FEL later(you may not miss what you never had). The 3000DT is not shift-on-the-go so you will have to stop each time you change grears(I could be wrong on this).

See if the dealer will bring the 3000 out to your property to try out, then try the 7800. If he will not do this drive each one several times at the dealership and compare the gear and hydro.

(My opinion only)... I would rather have the tractor I wanted, less an FEL than to have a tractor I wasn't really satisfied with just because it had an FEL.

If you like the 3000 gear, you will love the FEL. If you don't like the gear go for the Hydro.

 

[Youare]

I have a L3000DT about that same age as the one you are looking at with a FEL. It does not have HST. I think one of the differences between the two machines is the wheel base on the L3000 is a bit wider than the B7800. I don't know if this makes the L3000 a little more stable or if the center of gravity is lower on the B7800 making them both equal.

As others have said get the FEL on what ever machine you purchase, you will be so glad you did especially when it comes to moving snow no matter if you have a snow blower or not. It is one thing that you will use more often than you think.

Randy

 

[canoetrpr]

You guys don't make it any easier for me Thanks for the input so far. I sincerly appreciate it. This will be a first tractor for me so I can use all the opinions I can get.

To try to keep the price down I've already eliminated a MMM. Decided it was too much money with the hydraulics et. al. I can use the bush hog regularly on the area of pasture I was planning to mow and turn into a dog training field. I don't care about getting that finished look - I just need to keep the grass down so that I can train the dogs there. Figured I could find a used riding mower for around the house for a lot cheaper than a MMM.

Unfortunately the next item on the list is the FEL. I know that it will be useful and wouldn't care if I had the cash upfront for it but seeing that I might take on debt for about half this tractor I want to keep the debt to a minimum.

I suppose I might want to think about nixing the snow blower and trying to get by with a rear blade and FEL instead. I know thats what the previous owner did on this property. Now a snowblower does not cost nearly as much as a FEL but it might be something to consider.

What do you think?

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What do you think? )</font>

I think I don't live where snow removal is any consideration. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif As for the MMM, they're very popular, but personally, I preferred a rear mower on the 3-point anyway.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

(" I might take on debt for about half this tractor I want to keep the debt to a minimum.")


Since the dept on the 3000DT will most likely need to be financed somewhere other than Kubota what will be the finance rate? Compare that payment with the 0% Kubota offers and the payments may be almost the same.

The rear blade and FEL is used by many for snow removal so it should work good for you unless you get 1-2' at a time...but even then it would work just may be a little slower then a blower(but then again I have never used a snow blower).

A rear finish mower is cheaper than a MMM and I use one except around the house because of trees and landscaping and the fact I have Ag tires on my 3130.

I use the rear finish mower on a couple of acres of my pasture and several lots I have in a residential development.

 

[canoetrpr]

The catch with Kubota's 0% is that I can get a cash back of $750 if I don't take it. Which means its not 0% at all . When I worked out the numbers the difference in the interest rate doesn't make much of a difference once I take this into account

 

[plaindave]

I've got a 7800 with loader and rear blade that I use for removing snow here on about 300' of gravel driveway. Never been a problem moving up to about 12" of snow. I never priced snowblowers, but I'd think that the price of a good snowblower and a front end loader are about equal.

I grew up using a collar shift Massey and never thought about buying anything other than hydrostatic, you'll get lots of opinions, all of them correct, but I just like pushing that pedal to make it move, to me it's much easier when using the loader.

One more things to think of - if you ever have to sell your tractor it will be much easier to sell with the loader. Never want to think that will happen, but you never know.

 

[canoetrpr]

Dave:

Whats a collar shift? Is that the same thing that is referred to as a shuttle shift? I've heard the terms but never known what they were. Are they different from what I would be getting in the 3000DT?

I understand hydrostatic and it would be my preference.