About to buy a MT373D - value? Implements?

[Equipoize]

Hello gentlemen
I am a southern California horsewoman with a 5 acre ranch. I have friends moving to Idaho and they are willing to sell their MT373D tractor with Blackhawk Front end loader, gannon, 2 tier harrow, and a couple other small implements for $4000. Is this a reasonable price? Tractor has 700 hrs on the meter - they say this is original. They are the 2nd owners. It starts easily, but had a leak at the fuel filter. Hydrolics work well. I used to own an old 9N ford - but sold it a couple years ago when I thought I was moving to Germany. Anyway, life on the farm without a tractor is generally a pain!!! Will this much smaller little tractor do the work of dragging arenas, shifting dirt into corrals, and clearing dirt that builds up on the fence lines?

Future husband keeps saying he wants a mower attachment - I am all for it - any suggestions on make & model? FH Also thinks he wants a backhoe attachment - I think he is asking a bit much from a compact - and I don't think we will use it enough to justify, but maybe he is right and I am wrong? Again, any suggestions on this would be appreciated.

I do want to thank everyone here - I have learned more about this specific model on this forum than anywhere else on the net! So thanks in advance for any assistance and information. Monica

 

[oliver28472]

I have the grey market version of this tractor. I use it for mowing only cause I have it's bigger brother the S-470 Buck for other things. I don't have a loader or backhoe. I have a 48" Woods finish mower, a 48" tiller, a 5' disk, cultivator and a 5' scrape blade. The little tractor will handle all these attachments with no problem. Front weights are needed for the disk. Yours has a loader and the gannon (box blade?) should be a good counter weight. If the tractor is in good shape the price is right. I think I paid $3,500 for mine in 97 with 325 hrs and no attachments. It has been a good tractor and parts are available. Just keep all the fluids changed on schedule and this tractor will treat you right. I have dealt with two of the dealers who post here, Valley Power and Schaefer Equipment. Was satisfied with both. Hope I spelled that right Len.

 

[Equipoize]

Hi Len
Thanks for the info - I really didn't know what was fair price wise, and since this is friends selling it - I know they want to be fair as well. Glad to hear that parts are readily available. Is your mower undermount or back towed. Oh and yes, a Gannon is what the seller was calling the back box blade.

 

[oliver28472]

Actually Len is one of the parts vendors. My name is Ed. My mower is rear mounted 3 point hitch.

 

[Equipoize]

OOps, sorry about that Ed. What width and make is your mower? I know that is going to be the first and most important item we get. Will a mower handle heavy weeds - like 3 foot tall mustard - or will we need a bush hog if we let things get out of hand like this year? My hand lawn mower can whack these things down - so I am hoping a tractor mower can do the same. Do they have a blade or the spinning chains? Is there much maintainance or are the mowers pretty hardy. Thanks in advance for all advice - I suspect we are going to be getting this tractor over the weekend! m

 

[SteveM]

I have a 4 foot cheapo brush mower on my 370 (older version, same tractor) and it works great, covers the width of the tractor well, and plenty of power for field grass taller than the hood.

 

[oliver28472]

There you go. Mine is a 48" finish mower for mowing my lawn. It has 3 spindles with a blade on each one. What you probably need is something like SteveM has, a 48" brush mower, also called a bush hog and several other names. Generally they have one spindle in the center. It is more suited to pasture mowing and is probably cheaper than what I have. They are also rear mounted. For the 373, a 48" is probably the maximum size you could use.

 

[BillRodgers]

The price is just about right based on my recent sales of similar sized Satoh/Mitsubishi's with loaders. All the advice you've recieved is good. Regarding the backhoe, the tractor can handle a small one since the tractor is primarily used as a mount and transport vehicle. The PTO drives the pump that powers the loader hydraulics. The big problem here is to find an affordable one. A new loader is more than the price of the tractor and used ones are scarce. Should you need parts or manuals, we can provide them. Bill, 1-800-609-510, Valley Power Products (satohparts.com)

 

[thegreatrandini]

u should tell the future hubby if he needs a backhoe u could rent one for a weekend. 5 acres and few horses won't keep a back hoe working and for the rental price of small backhoe or excavator ud be money ahead to just rent one if need to run a water line etc.... Just my opinion.... Front end loader and manure spreader is what u need for horses.......that and a rotary mower and a chain harrow.......a tiller if you have an arena/garden.

 

[plowboy952]

I am from Illinois and I have been pricing some tractors and I can't find much under the 5000.00 range with out any attachments. As for what mower to use I have a satoh buck 18 h.p. and I use a 54" mid mount, a 60" rear mounted, and a 48" bush hog. Sometimes in real heavy grass i wish the bush hog was a 40 inch.