What year is this tractor?

[ning]

12.5k sounds terrible to me tbh at that age and likely condition
but I prefer to pay a bit more up front to have less effort for a while.
I see on my craigslist the dealer that I bought my tractor from (very good dealer) has a 99 hour Mahindra Max26 for $21k with backhoe.

Depending on what you need the backhoe for, you may want to look around at the full-size hoe's

 

[ThatTractorGuy]

Duly noted. Appreciate the feedback. I figure I have negotiating power, wasn't going to pay his asking price that's for sure.

Looking for something around the property for landscaping and brush cleanup. Need to remove about 1,500 cement pavers too.

I've just started my search. Don't know much about Mahindra. Don't know much about Kubota either but their name precedes them.

 

[Williy]

Between 1993 - 1995

willy

 

[ning]

Duly noted. Appreciate the feedback. I figure I have negotiating power, wasn't going to pay his asking price that's for sure.

Looking for something around the property for landscaping and brush cleanup. Need to remove about 1,500 cement pavers too.

I've just started my search. Don't know much about Mahindra. Don't know much about Kubota either but their name precedes them.

A lot of people will tell you that a backhoe is a very expensive piece of kit that's rarely used - and they're generally right, particularly if you don't have multiple projects in mind that need one.

I did buy one with my tractor, because I relatively often (... 5-6 times a year?) have a decent size hole that needs digging and in our ground it takes forever by hand (which I did, before I had the tractor), plus the rental yard is an hour and a half round trip from here both to get a rental and to return it (or longer depending on how long it takes at the rental yard itself), and I found I almost never rented a backhoe when I needed one before because I'm not renting a piece of equipment with a 4 hour minimum and only going to use it for half an hour at most.

In my case, I was willing to spend the extra money for it - but I recognize that even six years later I'm probably barely at a break-even point vs renting, though time-wise I'm ahead because it takes me less time to put the backhoe on the tractor (if it wasn't already) than it takes to drive to the rental, let alone return with it, fuel it, etc.

If you don't anticipate a decent amount of digging and you're relatively close to a rental yard, strongly consider not getting a backhoe - they can easily add 25-30% to the cost of a tractor and if you're operating on any sort of budget that's huge.

About Mahindra - personally I'd rather get any current market tractor, whatever the brand, rather than a 30 year old questionable Kubota. Not to start off another 1000 replies, but IMO just about any current tractor maker is roughly equivalent in quality (dons nomex) - definitely look around on this site and you'll find plenty of threads about this brand vs that brand, which one should I buy, etc.

For the pavers, consider renting a mini skid to get them off the ground if it's going to take good visibility or dexterity. You can dump them into your tractor bucket to haul elsewhere, assuming there's a spot you're going to be dumping them.

 

[ThatTractorGuy]

A lot of people will tell you that a backhoe is a very expensive piece of kit that's rarely used - and they're generally right, particularly if you don't have multiple projects in mind that need one.

I did buy one with my tractor, because I relatively often (... 5-6 times a year?) have a decent size hole that needs digging and in our ground it takes forever by hand (which I did, before I had the tractor), plus the rental yard is an hour and a half round trip from here both to get a rental and to return it (or longer depending on how long it takes at the rental yard itself), and I found I almost never rented a backhoe when I needed one before because I'm not renting a piece of equipment with a 4 hour minimum and only going to use it for half an hour at most.

In my case, I was willing to spend the extra money for it - but I recognize that even six years later I'm probably barely at a break-even point vs renting, though time-wise I'm ahead because it takes me less time to put the backhoe on the tractor (if it wasn't already) than it takes to drive to the rental, let alone return with it, fuel it, etc.

If you don't anticipate a decent amount of digging and you're relatively close to a rental yard, strongly consider not getting a backhoe - they can easily add 25-30% to the cost of a tractor and if you're operating on any sort of budget that's huge.

About Mahindra - personally I'd rather get any current market tractor, whatever the brand, rather than a 30 year old questionable Kubota. Not to start off another 1000 replies, but IMO just about any current tractor maker is roughly equivalent in quality (dons nomex) - definitely look around on this site and you'll find plenty of threads about this brand vs that brand, which one should I buy, etc.

For the pavers, consider renting a mini skid to get them off the ground if it's going to take good visibility or dexterity. You can dump them into your tractor bucket to haul elsewhere, assuming there's a spot you're going to be dumping them.

You make some good points. I think my main reason is...I just want a backhoe. I grew up on a Ford 1600 with dual rear tires, front loader and multiple attachments. There wasn't much I couldn't do with it, minus dig a hole with a backhoe. As for projects for this backhoe, I have several in mind. Probably 3 weeks worth if I were to rent it.

I'm not too concerned about the budget because I feel that after a year or two, I'll be able to get at least the majority of my money back when I sell it, if not all of it. That's my plan, do all of my work and sell it vs renting for several weeks. I'm sure I'll fall in love with it and not want to sell it, but I'll cross that bridge later!

When you say "current market", are you suggesting I buy something new-ish? Say, 5 years old or less? I'm basically thinking I want the most bang for my buck at the $20k mark. I was considering this old B20 because I can get it with the backhoe and fix it up for around 1/2 of that price, give or take a couple thousand. Currently looking at a 1997 L35 with 2k hours on it for 20k. It's a lot of tractor. Should I be that scared of the age/hours? I suppose it comes down to the condition/use more than anything.

I'll continue to read the "this brand vs this brand" threads. Still not quite sure what I want. I like smaller because some of our property is kinda tight, but for everything else I don't see the disadvantage of going bigger.

Anyway, thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.

 

[ning]

Definitely condition/use is more important than hours for the most part. B20 vs L35 would depend a ton on what you need it for and sizing, big physical size difference there with the little B getting in tighter places if that matters. I have only 8 acres; my tractor (Kubota grand-L size frame) gets into 95% of what I'd like it to get to though some spots I drive really slow and make sure I don't hit anything fragile.

Was the L35 a rental unit at some point? Sight unseen I like the sound of a decently kept L35 better than the pics of the B20, that's as you said a lot of tractor, assuming it seems cared for.

When I bought my tractor in 2017, I had been looking for years for a somewhat used (like, nicely used) tractor, because I figured like a car, don't buy new, buy a year or two with maybe 20k miles at a big discount right? something like that.
Well, the only used tractors I could find were 20-30 years old and looked it, or 1-4 year old Kubotas with 40 hours on them (perfect!) whose owners thought they could ask new price for (not perfect).
In the end I figured if I was paying new price, I may as well get a full warranty with it and not worry about what oil someone put in it. (As it turns out, I didn't make use of the warranty; 800 hours with no trouble that wasn't self-induced and even that was easily fixed).

 

[Ricn]

I would pass on this trctor. You have the money for a much newer unit, money you would pour into this older model and still have an older model. Sounds like it has been abused as well so for my money I'd buy up closer to new.

 

[ThatTractorGuy]

I think you're right. I've come to the same conclusion myself. Thanks everyone, really appreciate the input!

 

[California]

That thing isn't worth anywhere near what he's asking. For far less, if it seems to run ok, it would be a bargain for someone willing to put a month of tinkering and a few hundred dollars into it.

I did just that with the ym240 in my sig, below. Couldn't improve it's badly neglected appearance, but by now I've had 20 years of trouble free use out of it since then. Still runs like new, looks like hell.

The appearance of that Kubota doesn't tell much, aside from being priced too high looking like that.

 

[ThatTractorGuy]

That thing isn't worth anywhere near what he's asking. For far less, if it seems to run ok, it would be a bargain for someone willing to put a month of tinkering and a few hundred dollars into it.

I did just that with the ym240 in my sig, below. Couldn't improve it's badly neglected appearance, but by now I've had 20 years of trouble free use out of it since then. Still runs like new, looks like hell.

The appearance of that Kubota doesn't tell much, aside from being priced too high looking like that.

Good job on the ym240. Thanks for the advice. I'm still looking. May consider a very low offer on this and perhaps a deeper dive into the condition.