Front end loaders can be infinately useful, but you can probably get by without one too. You can use them for digging, lifting, as a crane, a jack for changing tires on trucks/cars/trailers, a powered wheel barrow, an aerial work platform, plus many more uses. However...
there are tons of folks that have tracotrs without FEL and still get tons of work done. I grew up on a farm with 3 tractors, none with loaders. Could we have used one? Sure. Did we ever have to have one - no. A box blade, scraper blade, pond scoop and boom pole will to about 80 percent of the work that a FEL does. The other 20 percent is the high, heavy lifting chores, and really only a loader is up to the task.
Is it worth $3,000 or $4,000....that's tough. If money's tight, a loader can always be added later.
And on that subject, you mention about going with a straight gear transmission versus shuttle versus Hydrostatic. I've always been partial to gear transmissions, and I have a shuttle shift Kioti now and think it's pretty cool. I've used some HST tractors on rental time before (Kubota and John Deere) and they're fine, but I don't see the extra dollars. If you can save some money going with the straight tranny versus the shuttle or hydro, and money is tight, I'd say go for it. There are tons and tons and tons of tractors with straight gear trannies out there with loaders and they get plenty of work done, so I don't see that as being too big of an issue. I've used loaders on straight shifts (Belarus at that), shuttle shift (Kioti) and the rental HST units and I would say the difference is minor once you get used to whatever equipment you are using.
Good luck and happy hunting
Take it Easy
Tim Gray
