Which tractor should I buy?

[irolmsted]

I'm looking at a few different tractors next week. Which one looks like the best deal? Obviously, a test ride and in-person look will play a critical role, but at face value, which one would you personally pick?

Ford 4000D, 5 hours since frame-out rebuild
Ford 4D

Ford 3910 with 3100 hours, cosmetically perfect
Ford 391 series 2 -Exc Condition

Ford 5000 with loader, hours currently unknown, but I've left a message and waiting to hear back
5 ford dissel with loader

I just sold my 4x4 branson 3510 with loader and have $8500 to spend. I was concerned about parts availability. I am focusing on fords, but not opposed to JD or other major brands with good part support. My thought is to either buy another tractor with loader and call it a day, or possibly forego the loader and spend the left-over money on some hay equipment. What's your vote? I have 10 flat acres that I bushhog twice a year, and am going for 40+ HP so I can mow at a decent speed through thick, green grass in the summer. The bucket has come in handy a few times clawing my way out of a muddy spot, so I'll have to be more careful about when I go out, but I figure I can get by without a loader for now and possibly add one later.

 

[boggen]

get the loader if getting stuck..
old tractor + adding FEL = very costly.
buying new + FEL, ya ok. large discount there. but adding FEL after bought tractor.

checkout TractorHouse.com | Used Tractors For Sale: John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, Kubota. beyond craiglist
checkout some local auctions. not sure for your state, here auctionzip and auction24 or something like website.

as far just going off of pictures. that is a NO deal. get out there and test drive each one. and check to see if they run and work as expected to. and any nocks, hissis, loud pitch sounds, and everything works.

hay equipment may predict larger tractor. pending on balers pulled and ground were ya bailing from.

 

[irolmsted]

as far just going off of pictures. that is a NO deal. get out there and test drive each one. and check to see if they run and work as expected to. and any nocks, hissis, loud pitch sounds, and everything works.

Thanks for the input. As I stated in my initial post, I'm going out to test drive all of these next week. I don't buy anything sight unseen. In your opinion, would it be better to buy a newly rebuilt tractor with only 5 hours on the rebuild, or a well-kept tractor with 3100 hours? Again, I'm only looking for theoretical opinions at this point - not gonna run out and buy solely on what is said here - but I know I would be hesitant to buy a classic car with a freshly rebuilt zero-mile engine on it because I've rebuilt engines and know that sometimes unforeseen issues arise and it's better to have the kinks worked out over a few thousand miles.

All that to say, what are the potential pitfalls of a frame-out restored tractor if it was professionally done by a reputable shop? I'm referring to the top link in the original post.

 

[Tigershark]

If you had to pick between the 2 I'd go with the 3910 if it runs good and checks out. they are several good tractor mechanics around Lawrenceburg if you get serious you might hire one and have them check it over with you you might call Henry Cty Supply up in New Castle and talk to them they are very knowledgeable.

 

[irolmsted]

Good info, thanks. Would you pick that over the 4000D because it's been rebuilt, or are there other reasons you'd avoid the 4000D?

 

[George2615]

If you got stuck and had to claw your way out of a muddy spot with a 4x4 tractor with a loader do you think a 2WD tractor without one will be any better not getting stuck.

 

[irolmsted]

If you got stuck and had to claw your way out of a muddy spot with a 4x4 tractor with a loader do you think a 2WD tractor without one will be any better not getting stuck.

I just won't be able to bush-hog the day after it rains. The two times I've gotten stuck in the 4x4 tractor, the tractor probably didn't have any business being where it was. One of the times, my wife was mowing along a pond bank with two wheels on the water's edge, and the other time was going back to till after plowing a small corn plot and the front tire sank in the trough so that the frame was laying on the high spot. Just gotta be smarter going forward.

I'm also hoping a larger tractor with full size tires (instead of my compact 4x4) will partially make up for it. Is that the case?

Are there other tractors I should be considering in the $8500 range? I don't want an oddball off-brand, and all the name brand stuff with 4x4 and a bucket seems out of my price range.

 

[JD15302155870]

If you had to pick between the 2 I'd go with the 3910 if it runs good and checks out. they are several good tractor mechanics around Lawrenceburg if you get serious you might hire one and have them check it over with you you might call Henry Cty Supply up in New Castle and talk to them they are very knowledgeable.

I agree, the 3910 is a very good tractor. My bil has had one for more than wt years. He is hard on a tractor but the only issue he has had was the power steering pump leaking. Other than that it's been perfect and God only knows how many hours is on it.

 

[Tigershark]

Don't limit yourself to what's on Craigslist, there are several dealers that sell good used equipment around the state. Henry, Shelby, Anderson County has places that I know of. I picked up a corn planter from a place in Auburn Ky near Bowling Green which was filled with equipment acres of it. TriState Equipment I think, Ken was the guys name, super nice guy to work with. Call around, a lot of these guys go to auctions just like car auctions and can find what you are looking for you just have to make some phone calls. The 3910 looks nice I would certainly go take a look at it. Good luck

 

[Grandad4]

Love those old Fords, but those tractors all look like they have had re-painting for sure, and all three probably had some mechanical work too. As you say, if the work is done well, you end up with a very nice tractor, but there are also many "paint job restorations" where the pretty paint covers up a tractor that is old and tired. So go and give each one a good workout to see what you've got. Some of those old school diesels tend to be cold-blooded and owners often resort to ether to get them going, particularly in winter, of course. Diesel mechanics have told me once you start using ether, you usually need to keep on using it, so make sure you get to do a cold start on those tractors to see what you've got.