What will you buy for $15,000.00

[Kodiak]

Well I'll stand by my original post as well (within the $15,000 range). Although those prices do not include any implements it does give you a basic idea of where to start. Many of your implements will be purchased on a job specific basis, then adapted for future needs as they come along. I've always found it rather amusing how many of us can rationalize spending $15,000 to $20,000 on a new tractor then balk at spending $500 to $600 on a new implement.

 

[omegaman]

Kodiak,

Could you elaborate for us on why you think the 30 hp class is indeed ideal? We hear so many times the mantra "more power" - why not 40 or 45 hp? Also, there can be a significant difference in frame size/weight class. For example today I test drove a Kubota 2710 w/ FEL/BH (used w/ 235 hrs for $15,500, all Kubota implements) and a new L3000 w/ GST for $19, 175 w/ Kubota FEL. While there is a HP difference there, the 2710 and 2910 (both w/ HST) share the same smaller frame. Isn't the greater weight of the L3000 a great advantage?

Omegaman

 

[Kodiak]

Omegaman:

Yes for the small acreage owner (less than 6 acres),and those who may do the occasional extra paying job. I do recomend the slighyly heavier 30 hp range. Kubota L3000/3010, the B2710/2901's are several hundred #s lighter and have a narrower stance for less stability. The New Holland Class II's seem ideal in size, weight and power. As is the John Deere 4310/4410's. And I'm sure there are other mid size 30 hp models out there that make for a good combo of the above specs.

Lets start with size. Most of the tractors in this group are still small enough to maneauver in and around a small acreage dotted with landscaping, out buildings, corrals, etc. you can drive most thru a 5' gate or between two buidings with 6' spacing. And yet still have a fairly tight turning radius. This is a real plus, especially when mowing and maneauvering on a small acreage. Even with most implements attached and a loader you can still store these within a 20'x6' area. speaking of loaders, most have the capability to handle a loader with an @ 1200# max weight lift capability. And can lift high enough to reach over the side of a small dump truck or flatbed. With a 60" or even a 66" HD loader bucket your talking about some decent productivity out of a compact utility tractor. These are also the smallest size of loaders that I would consider for 4n1 bucket operation. They will handle 7' rear blades or landscape rakes and still be just outside the width of the rear wheels while angled. And have enough PTO power and 3pt lift capacity to handle a 6' rear finish mower or 5' brush hog and tiller easily. Then their is the backhoe factor. My New holland TC29 weighs @ 2500#s, add @ 1000 for the loader and @ 6 to 700#s for filled rear tires, this is @ 4200#s. anything much lighter than that and my 7.5' backhoe would bounce the tractor around more than I could be productive. Oh yes thats if you factor in the @ 1000#s for the backhoe itself. And then there is the traction issue. Take a 1800 to 2000# tractor and try and push into a pile of dirt, sand or other dense material with your loader. Your going to see alot of wheel spin versus half full loader bucket. Now try the same thing adding another 1000#s. Its also the same thing when dragging a full 5' boxblade or even 600#s of mower or hog up a hill. Big difference.

On the other hand You can go to the bigger 35 hp + size tractors. Yes you can pull and power bigger implements. But unless you have lots of room do you need to, and do you want to pay more for those bigger implements and that bigger tractor. There are also the size of area it takes to store one. As well as the size and weight to think about if you want to trailer one very often.

I for one just downsized from a larger 36.5 hp L345DT Kubota, to my New Holland TC29 basicly do to its ability to maneauver in tight places and still handle decent size implements. And we are talking about a tractor that is currently getting @25 hours per week of commercial time on it.

 

[Calpyro]

Well, here is my opinion.
I would buy a Grey Market Yanmar 20-24 HP 4WD with loader and tiller $7,000
Box scraper $400
Mower $750
Pallet forks $175
Total $8375
Take the rest and spend it on the projects that you want to do.
Cameron

 

[omegaman]

Kodiak,

Very well thought-out rationale, obviously worked out in all that seat time you must get! My situation is slightly different from SethO's. I am buying an 18 acre part of a former dairy farm with a 100' of "po' man's" waterfront on Lake Ontatio - (a bit shallow and weedy but you can launch a boat). I am fortunate in having a well-maintained classic post & beam dairy barn, 36' x 60' that will provide garaging for vehicles and tractor, as well as workshop. I may have to add a pole barn ell or machine shed for implements. My wife tells people we're buying a great barn on 18 acres that also has a house . . .

The land is mostly scrub and open pasture on clay - the 18 acres were the barn-yard and pasture for the cows; hay and crops were brought in from nearby. So to do anything with the land some renovation is in order. My wife is talking a large pumpkin patch and maybe Christmas tees - both pick/cut your own, on a small scale. Maybe a couple of acres of pumpkins and 500 Xmas trees. I will use our Simplicity 12.5 LTH lawn tractor for finish mowing and snowblowing walkways if I can find a snowblower to mount. So tractor uses will include some field work, landscaping/rock work, snow removal for 100'+ drive with fully adjustable back blade, spraying, brush-hogging trails for planned dogsledding with Chinooks (hybrid pulling breed - great dogs!), putting in/pulling out a seasonal dock, and future lakeside cabin construction. The emerging philosophy I am seeing here is - get real! Buy appropriate size for most common and needed tasks, rent/beg/borrow/?steal? for one-time or unusual projects. In my case that could include initial plowing/disking of pumpkin field (I grew up on a northern Wisconsin dairy farm on clay; that can be unforgiving soil) and excavating for cabin construx etc. And even though my wife is saying "You want a backhoe, right?" I still have to pay for it sooner or later! I do not at this time see a reason to trailer anywhere; my current road rig is a Toyota Tundra 4WD V8 rated to pull about 5K lbs.

BTW Kodiak, I am new to NH. Is the TC33D in the same class you are describing? Do you think it would be a good fit for what I am describing?

 

[Kodiak]

Welcome to TBN Brad:

I think your well on your way to an intelligent decision here. You already know what you have and what your uses will be. And yes I am still going to recomend the @ 30 hp size as mentioned earlier. I to utilize the philosophy that if I need somethong bigger or job specific, it is available through rental. Although I do have have an alternate option that we utilize occasionally. We are heavy into antique tractors, so there is always some old iron here that can be used for heavy jobs. I can see you are already familar with the old farm tractors, you might also pick one up fairly cheap, as a second unit. They are also fun to restore.

To answer your question Yes the New Holland TC33D is in the same class as I was describing. The TC29's, TC30's and the TC33D's are all Class II's. And the TC35's, TC40's and the TC45's are all Class III's.

Good luck on future purchase, and let us know how it goes.

 

[jyoutz]

For this price, you could get a new JD 790 4 wd with 70 loader (about 14,000), 60" finish mower 3 PH mower (used $ 1000) and 60" rototiller (new King Kutter brand $1100). Oops I went $1100 over your purchase price. But for this price range I would still stay with this recommendation. Heck, I would even recommend spending another $600 for a box blade and $350 for a single bottom plow. Then you would have a sweet package that's only about $2100 over budget. (Spending other people's money is easy for me). The JD 4110, Kubota 7500 and New Holland TC21 would also be good machines for your needs, but I doubt that you could get them with the attachments that I listed for around $15,000, unless you went used. Used would be fine, but they're hard to find at a price differential great enough to justify going used instead of new.

 

[Rus91]

I have 5 acres of fairly flat land in rural Illinois. I recently purchased a JD 4010 with 60" MMM FEL and ballast box with Imatch for just under 15,000. The only issue I have is that the tractor seems a little light sometimes. I tend to spin the wheels when working with the FEL. Overall it is a great little tractor. I only have 25 hours on it but I am sure I will be putting a lot more on it.

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

I agree with Rozette. I will be the first person to step forward and tell you that green, orange and blue all make very nice machines. In fact, I own some. However, if you were to look around, you could find a nice 30+HP Cub with a loader and a hoe for ALOT less than you would expect to pay for the above mentioned colors. My little Cub has started evry time, hot or cold, rain or shine, has over 200 hours and has never given me a lick of trouble. It has also done everything I have asked of it.

 

[rozett]

With a wife and three daughter, I don't think ANYONE has ever agreed with me before. Thanks! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif