I really have no idea, suggestions please!

[almost canadian]

Please let me start by saying hi to everyone. I have been lurking for sometime and decided that it was time to meet you all!

My family and I bought an acreage in southern Alberta just over a year ago.

We have 20 acres which is divided into a single 9 acre pasture, an outdoor arena and a number of smaller pastures of approximately 2-3 acres. We have a number of horses and that was the reason for buying the acreage.

I believe that the previous owner used the 9 acre pasture for haying and, last summer, we did too (with the aid of a neighbour) and we obtained 400+ square bales from it, which our horses are currently working their way through.

We have a paved driveway that is approximately 400 yards long which is S shaped.

Last winter we managed to plow snow off the drive using a quad and a blade. This year has been a different story due to the amount of snow that has fallen. We ended up buying a snowblower which we used to clear the snow when the quad couldn't cope.

We thought about buying a tractor last year but decided that we would live her for an entire year to see if we really needed one.

We have decided that it would be best to get one and we are now looking into this.

We have a Kubota dealer and a John Deere dealer situated a stone's throw from our property. There is a Mahindra dealer some 3 hours away. I am no mechanic so I have no intention of attending auctions as I really have no idea what I should be looking for.

The plan is to purchase something new. At this time I anticipate that we will use the tractor for simple small acreage chores: moving stuff around, landscaping, snow removal. I anticipate that, once we have one, we will find many other uses for it. For this reason I wish to ensure that we purchase something with sufficient capacity so that we do not "outgrow" it too quickly.

I anticipate that I will purchase a FEL right off the bat but I am not looking to purchase something that is capable of lifting round bales to a great height.

I believe that something along the lines of a Kubota L4400 or a JD 3320 will fit the bill. Am I way off the mark or will one of these be sufficient as a "starter"?

Any guidance you could provide would be very much appreciated

 

[jeff9366]

I have no experience with the JD 3320 but the Kubota L4400, with FEL, sounds like it would be perfect for your expressed needs.

There are 260 threads containing "L4400" in the title, within the T-B-N archive. Here is a LINK:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/search.php?searchid=1089418


THIS THREAD IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTING:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/235676-l4400-vs-mx5100-whats-catch.html

 

[murphy1244]

Go to the Dealers and drive them. You will know which one is for you. How many other Dealers are within a hour from you?

 

[kcflhrc]

Kubota's and John Deere's are nice tractors, but a bit pricey for my taste. Mahindra's are relatively expensive too. Being in Canada I have no idea what is available to you but if you can check out Kioti, LS and TYM. I can buy a LS G3038H for $16,900 and a TYM 353 for $16,999, both hydrostat. The closest thing in the Kubota line is the 3200 or 3300 which is $18,300. The John Deere is well, lets just say higher than that. I would love to buy the Kubota because I have a dealer very close to me but I just cant justify the extra $$$$. Same with the Deere. I'm still trying to figure it all out. Way too many options, I tend to over think things though.

 

[Danny C]

Kubota and Mahindra are good tractors without question. You would do well with either. I would check out LS Tractor. I just bought a larger one and ther price/value is exceptional. LS is a subsidiary of LG (the electronics company) which is a spin-off of Hyundai. Anyway I digress...LS makes the New Holland and Case compact tractors now as well as their own line. Here's their website: LS Tractor Canada - Tractor Sales 1-888-825-6095

I just bought a LS 5020C (47hp w/cab) and am very happy.

It's hard to get one tractor to do everything. A nice small tractor with a FEL will get around, mow your pastures and lawns, will grade your rings and may be able to get into your barn(s). It may not however, be able to handle a bailer. A cab is noce in the winter for snow plowing. Here's a link on tractor sizing for bailers: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...s/244179-right-size-tractor-small-square.html

Hydrostatic drive is nice for detail work (and not having to push a clutch). I prefer gears, but that's a personal preference. Some with say that hydrostatic drives are unproven, rob to much power and are too expensive to maintain. I'll point out that they've been used in skid steer loaders (Bobcats) for decades without much issue, plus they're common place in compact tractors now.

I would get the biggest tractor that you can still do your most important and demanding chores (and that you can afford).

 

[Piston]

Do you think you'll ever hay your own fields, or continue to have the neighbor do it? I have no experience with haying anything, but the hp required. Is something to think about.

I feel that you would outgrow the JD 3x20 series.

You may get more bang for your buck if you step up to a utility sized tractor, more tractor, less luxuries, less or equal price, and less likely to grow out of it. However, if you are confident you'd never need the extra capability, then the Kubota L series and JD 4x20 series are a really great sized tractor. They are large compacts, and seem to have become the "sweet spot" for properties and tasks you describe.

I would budget for a cab

JD and Kubota can be more expensive than others, but if you. Really compare apples to apples, you'll find that real life prices are not at all far off. The MSRP prices aren't really a good way to compare prices, you need to go drive them, get a feel for what you like, and get quotes. I have a Kubota L series and really love it, but would like one bigger. I also love the Deeres, they're all great tractors and you really have to split hairs to say one is "better" than another.

 

[almost canadian]

I have no experience with the JD 3320 but the Kubota L4400, with FEL, sounds like it would be perfect for your expressed needs.

There are 260 threads containing "L4400" in the title, within the T-B-N archive. Here is a LINK:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/search.php?searchid=1089418



THIS THREAD IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTING:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/235676-l4400-vs-mx5100-whats-catch.html

Excellent. Many thanks.

 

[almost canadian]

Go to the Dealers and drive them. You will know which one is for you. How many other Dealers are within a hour from you?

I, really, have no idea. More effort required on my part I think.

Thanks for the response.

 

[almost canadian]

Kubota's and John Deere's are nice tractors, but a bit pricey for my taste. Mahindra's are relatively expensive too. Being in Canada I have no idea what is available to you but if you can check out Kioti, LS and TYM. I can buy a LS G3038H for $16,900 and a TYM 353 for $16,999, both hydrostat. The closest thing in the Kubota line is the 3200 or 3300 which is $18,300. The John Deere is well, lets just say higher than that. I would love to buy the Kubota because I have a dealer very close to me but I just cant justify the extra $$$$. Same with the Deere. I'm still trying to figure it all out. Way too many options, I tend to over think things though.

My main concern is access to dealers if something goes wrong, that was the reason for starting with what was available locally and was the main reason why I had taken Mahindra out of my thought process.

I will look to see what else is available within a reasonable distance.

Thank you.

 

[almost canadian]

Kubota's and John Deere's are nice tractors, but a bit pricey for my taste. Mahindra's are relatively expensive too. Being in Canada I have no idea what is available to you but if you can check out Kioti, LS and TYM. I can buy a LS G3038H for $16,900 and a TYM 353 for $16,999, both hydrostat. The closest thing in the Kubota line is the 3200 or 3300 which is $18,300. The John Deere is well, lets just say higher than that. I would love to buy the Kubota because I have a dealer very close to me but I just cant justify the extra $$$$. Same with the Deere. I'm still trying to figure it all out. Way too many options, I tend to over think things though.

I have just looked and it would appear that I have access to Kioti, LS and TYM dealers that are closer than the Mahindra dealer.

Time to start researching.

Many thanks.

 

[almost canadian]

Kubota and Mahindra are good tractors without question. You would do well with either. I would check out LS Tractor. I just bought a larger one and ther price/value is exceptional. LS is a subsidiary of LG (the electronics company) which is a spin-off of Hyundai. Anyway I digress...LS makes the New Holland and Case compact tractors now as well as their own line. Here's their website: LS Tractor Canada - Tractor Sales 1-888-825-6095

I just bought a LS 5020C (47hp w/cab) and am very happy.

It's hard to get one tractor to do everything. A nice small tractor with a FEL will get around, mow your pastures and lawns, will grade your rings and may be able to get into your barn(s). It may not however, be able to handle a bailer. A cab is noce in the winter for snow plowing. Here's a link on tractor sizing for bailers: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...s/244179-right-size-tractor-small-square.html

Hydrostatic drive is nice for detail work (and not having to push a clutch). I prefer gears, but that's a personal preference. Some with say that hydrostatic drives are unproven, rob to much power and are too expensive to maintain. I'll point out that they've been used in skid steer loaders (Bobcats) for decades without much issue, plus they're common place in compact tractors now.

I would get the biggest tractor that you can still do your most important and demanding chores (and that you can afford).

Thank you for your response.

We have a Quonset with 4 stalls, but the size and access to the Quonset is such that there is no way a tractor will ever get into it. That isn't a real issue as the stalls are relatively close to a door that opens into an area where we could easily get the bucket into. More work for the wife and kids!

I genuinely don't know if we will ever get to use a baler. We have neighbours that were competing to bale our field last year. However, it would be nice to keep that open as an option.

 

[almost canadian]

Do you think you'll ever hay your own fields, or continue to have the neighbor do it? I have no experience with haying anything, but the hp required. Is something to think about.

I feel that you would outgrow the JD 3x20 series.

You may get more bang for your buck if you step up to a utility sized tractor, more tractor, less luxuries, less or equal price, and less likely to grow out of it. However, if you are confident you'd never need the extra capability, then the Kubota L series and JD 4x20 series are a really great sized tractor. They are large compacts, and seem to have become the "sweet spot" for properties and tasks you describe.

I would budget for a cab

JD and Kubota can be more expensive than others, but if you. Really compare apples to apples, you'll find that real life prices are not at all far off. The MSRP prices aren't really a good way to compare prices, you need to go drive them, get a feel for what you like, and get quotes. I have a Kubota L series and really love it, but would like one bigger. I also love the Deeres, they're all great tractors and you really have to split hairs to say one is "better" than another.

I would like to keep an option for being able to hay our field ourselves open but, if we do, I doubt very much that we would use anything other than a square baler. For the size of land that we have, rounds seem too much of a pain.

We have a good sized Quonset that has plenty of room for machinery and storage of rounds and we have found that it is far easier on the back, and we suffer far less wastage, if squares are used.

From what you have said it sounds like I am looking at the appropriate size of tractor.

If I don't hay, what is the benefit of a cab, other than warmth in the winter? I appreciate that there is slight added protection from things being thrown.

Thank you for your response

 

[oldnslo]

Being in Canada is Massey Ferguson a option in your area?

 

[almost canadian]

Many thanks to all that have responded.

It would appear that I am looking at the appropriate size.

The real issue I am having is not realizing how useful they can be until I start using one and then realizing that it is underpowered.

We have a lawn tractor so I don't really need one to mow. I appreciate that mowing a lawn is different to mowing pastures but our livestock did a very good job of that last year.

I assume that, with the tractors I mentioned above, I won't encounter power issues if I decide at a later date to get a mower that is run off the PTO? Time is not a particular issue so I would not need a monster mower. Last year, our lawn tractor did an OK job when we used it to tidy up at the end of the year.

 

[almost canadian]

Being in Canada is Massey Ferguson a option in your area?

There is one about an hour away. I always assumed that they were for "farmers" rather than acreage owners.

 

[oldnslo]

There is one about an hour away. I always assumed that they were for "farmers" rather than acreage owners.

I am not familiar with Massey line but they also make tractors from the 20+ HP on up in all different frame sizes. The only reason I mentioned Massey is that I believe they are a Canadian based company that makes a quality product.

 

[GManBart]

There really aren't any bad choices in the brands that have been mentioned, and you can definitely find something that will do all you need done with any of them, it's just a matter of how they feel to you, and how much you want to spend. Not to be argumentative, but the folks suggesting Kubota and Deere don't cost significantly more, for the same basic size, weight, capability, than some other brands are ignoring the sales prices reported here very frequently.

In the size range you're talking, if there isn't a Kioti, or LS dealer within a reasonable drive, the best bang for your buck is probably going to be a Kubota MX4700. It would have enough power to do anything you're talking about, run a nice sized finish mower, or rotary cutter, and have plenty of 3pt lift, and FEL capacity. I would definitely get it with two hydraulic remotes, because you may decide to run a top and tilt setup, or something like a rear mount snow thrower.

For novice tractor users, HST will ease the transition, and make things go smoother. It does rob a bit of power at the PTO, but if you buy enough tractor to start with, you won't have to worry about that.

You'll absolutely want an FEL....the single most useful thing you can add to a tractor, bar none!

If you do have a Kioti, or LS dealer reasonably close, I'd take a look at the DK45SE (Kioti), or the R4047 or the XR4046 from LS (R4047 is being replaced by the XR, but some are still available).

I wouldn't bother with Case or New Holland, as you can buy the same machine, with different paint, from LS, for thousands less.

The MF 1600 series, and new 1700 series are really nice machines as well, but will cost more than a Kioti, LS, or Mahindra.

I've been slowly working on finishing up a brand-neutral, fairly short, tractor buyer's guide if you're interested...it's not totally done, but has the big parts pretty well sorted out....e-mail me if you'd like a copy.

 

[alia176]

Canadian,

I'm new to this arena as well so my suggestions are not technical, LOL!!

- go to the dealerships and have a knowledgeable staff teach you about their tractors. Yes, their tractor is the "best" in the whole world - you'll keep hearing that.
- start them up, operate the loaders, back hoes, bump up the rpm to the PTO rpm range and "feel" it out. See if you like the vibrations, sounds
- get in/out of each tractor
- see how you fit inside each unit, adjust the seat, tilt the steering wheel, etc
- try out a HST vs a Glide shift vs gear *****.
- tell the sales guy to leave you alone so that you can absorb what you learned and just loiter in the lot.
- make a spreadsheet (my answer to everything!). When you can see numbers side by side, it's easier to get a feel for the capabilities of each unit.
- compare the PTO power (vs engine power) of each unit. Then find out what your PTO driven implement HP requirements are.

You'll develop a sense of the size and capacity of your future as you visit the dealerships.

Good luck, it's a fun ride!!

 

[OldMcDonald]

We thought about buying a tractor last year but decided that we would live her for an entire year to see if we really needed one.

That one sentence proves you are a sensible fellow. You should have a feel now for what equipment you will need/want. Unless you can pick up a used baler cheaply it may be best to let the neighbours do it. It sounds like they have spare capacity.

There are a lot of very informed replies and test driving as many different brands as possible is probably the best single piece of advice that several posters have given you.

 

[almost canadian]

I had a look at our local Kioti/LS dealer on Saturday and tried out the LS XR3037, LSR4047, LS XU5065 and the Kioti DK45SE.

I was surprised at the price of them as, unless I am getting something very wrong, the price of each was very near the price of the equivalent Kubota. The price of the 3037 was almost identical to the price of the L4400 that I had been looking at.

However, I was amazed at how large the capacities of the FELs of the LS were when compared to the capacities of the FELs of the Kubotas (comparing tractor to tractor, rather than specific FELs as I don't really understand how interchangeable these are).

My local Kubota dealer called this morning to indicate that they have a L4400 with all the implements that I require that has recently been traded with 400 hrs for a third less than the cost of just a base tractor L4400 would be new. From speaking to neighbours, the dealer appears to have a great reputation and so this has lessened my concerned about buying used.

I am very tempted to get this but I am concerned about the fact that I may grow out of it too quickly. All things being as I anticipate, the main issue I believe I will have with being underpowered is the capacity of the FEL. I don't need to be able to life round bales on the FEL at this time but I would hate to purchase something and then find that I wanted to.

How accurate are the brochures when they indicate capacities of FELs and, if, for example, one wished to be able to lift 1500 what capacity of FEL would you look for (1500, 1750, 2000, 2000+)?