Buying Advice About to pull my hair out.......

[Sixty4nHalf]

Since you and your wife both liked the B26 so much, why take a chance on something else? The B26 is extremely popular for good reasons, so if you buy one you can always resell it if you decide to go bigger. In the meanwhile, you will have a tractor that is maintaining its value. If I were you, I'd change my search form the hair pulling form it's in now...into a search for a good low hour used B26. You still get the fun of the search, but it is a simpler search, and one where dealers can do most of the work, and it's for a machine that you already know something about Otherwise you are sort of searching in the dark. We don't know anything about those other tractors, but we do know what you used and liked.

Tractors are a pretty nifty investment. Yes, they are expensive....but think of it as an investment. Admittedly so far tractors haven't gone up in value, but there's always a chance . And the payback is awesome, you already experienced that. It's nice that the popular models do maintain value pretty well. And compared with cars, tractors don't have near the extra expenses. They are perfectly happy kept outdoors with a tarp over the seat, they don't need annual licenses or inspections, and they can be insured for a nominal fee or none at all under your homeowner's insurance policy.

IN summary, I'd go find a good used B26 and be done. It may not be what you end up with in a few years....but then again it might. And you already know that you both like that machine. That's a lot of advantages.
rScotty

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The main reason I am not going with the B26 is because it will run over $40k, finding used up in this area is hard to come by too, unless I just wait it out and see what pops up, in the mean time the stuff I need / want to get done won't happen by it's self (I know I have tried).

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Congrats! I'm sure the dealer was happy to get that shuttle shift off his lot.

 

[rScotty]

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The main reason I am not going with the B26 is because it will run over $40k, finding used up in this area is hard to come by too, unless I just wait it out and see what pops up, in the mean time the stuff I need / want to get done won't happen by it's self (I know I have tried).

I'm glad you considered the B26; I hoped you would. But your reasons to go otherwise do make sense and you've clearly thought it through. Congrats on your new machine. We've all had a good time following your search and now it will be equal fun to hear about the projects you tackle with it.
So.... a Mahindra is it? I didn't consider a Mahindra myself because it is rare around where I live - I've never actually seen one. But on the forum I've heard nothing but good about that brand. Looking forward to hearing what you think of it. I prefer the HST transmission now that I'm older, but my last 35hp tractor was shuttle shift and I loved it.

Most tractors today are excellent. As far as I can tell, brand doesn't matter as much as features do. And that makes sense for what we tend to use them for. I've found that the big advantages to a loader tractor for a suburban property owner are actually the small jobs - moving boards or pots of seedlings from one end of the property to the other. Placing rocks, carrying dirt, making a ditch, or just as a handy tool caddie. The loader bucket makes a great work bench! Actually, we do a lot more of that kind of work than of real tractor work.

Here's some real advice; I used a 3pt backhoe for 20 years. Frankly mine was too small and maybe that was why it was only about half as good as a rigidly mounted hoe, but it was still roughly a hundred times better than doing the same job with a shovel. With any 3pt hoe, just be sure to disable the auto-draft control (if your tractor has that feature) at all times while the hoe is mounted or in place. Draft control is the big danger with 3pt hoes, it happened to me and I remember it vividly, please be careful out there.
enjoy, rScotty

 

[Sixty4nHalf]

Congrats! I'm sure the dealer was happy to get that shuttle shift off his lot.

Not too sure if the dealer was happy to move it off his lot or not, but I know I can't wait to get it to my house. I have a VERY curious 4 year old who is infactuated with tractors and he would literally drive off with it if I had the HYT, (I had to hide the key for the rental that had) but I am sure he'll figure this one out soon enough.

 

[Sixty4nHalf]

I'm glad you considered the B26; I hoped you would. But your reasons to go otherwise do make sense and you've clearly thought it through. Congrats on your new machine. We've all had a good time following your search and now it will be equal fun to hear about the projects you tackle with it.
So.... a Mahindra is it? I didn't consider a Mahindra myself because it is rare around where I live - I've never actually seen one. But on the forum I've heard nothing but good about that brand. Looking forward to hearing what you think of it. I prefer the HST transmission now that I'm older, but my last 35hp tractor was shuttle shift and I loved it.

Most tractors today are excellent. As far as I can tell, brand doesn't matter as much as features do. And that makes sense for what we tend to use them for. I've found that the big advantages to a loader tractor for a suburban property owner are actually the small jobs - moving boards or pots of seedlings from one end of the property to the other. Placing rocks, carrying dirt, making a ditch, or just as a handy tool caddie. The loader bucket makes a great work bench! Actually, we do a lot more of that kind of work than of real tractor work.

Here's some real advice; I used a 3pt backhoe for 20 years. Frankly mine was too small and maybe that was why it was only about half as good as a rigidly mounted hoe, but it was still roughly a hundred times better than doing the same job with a shovel. With any 3pt hoe, just be sure to disable the auto-draft control (if your tractor has that feature) at all times while the hoe is mounted or in place. Draft control is the big danger with 3pt hoes, it happened to me and I remember it vividly, please be careful out there.
enjoy, rScotty

The hoe on this does not attach to the 3-point system (if I am reading your post right). This sits in a cradle on the frame and is pinned through both side up above. I did have the dealer put a bucket on the hoe and I played around with it for some time. It is by far NOT a dedicated back-hoe but for what I will be using it for will work just fine (won't be digging a foundation or a basement for a house yet ;-) )

 

[oldpilgrim]

Correct, it is not a 3pt hoe. You will be very happy with your choice.

 

[CincyFlyer]

ONE good thing about living in NH is there is NO SALES TAX....... so that right there will save me a crap ton of money, yes in my area there are not many dealerships in the area and the average distance is about a 45 min drive, besides the JD dealership, which didn't even let me test ride one. I showed up in a mini-van with my family and then a gentleman and his wife showed up in a red convertible Ferrari California T, so after that he basically threw some information booklets in my hand, stapled his card to the cover and said when you are ready to buy let me know and then you can test ride one, and then proceeded to his "new" customers with-out a hand shake or a goodbye. (mind you my mini-van is a $50,000 2017 model, but i guess it's not a Ferrari........ ) LOL!!!

A test ride isn't worth the time, as far as I'm concerned unless they drop it at your property for a day or two! (The place that I bought my tractor does that for mowing equipment, but not for tractors.)

 

[rScotty]

The hoe on this does not attach to the 3-point system (if I am reading your post right). This sits in a cradle on the frame and is pinned through both side up above. I did have the dealer put a bucket on the hoe and I played around with it for some time. It is by far NOT a dedicated back-hoe but for what I will be using it for will work just fine (won't be digging a foundation or a basement for a house yet ;-) )

Good... That 3pt BH thing had me worried, and I didn't even think about kids and HST. But luckily any tractor has several safety start features - switches on the clutch or under the seat are common. Those are very accessible and make it easy to add as many more starter defeating switches in series with those as you can dream up. Imagination really is the only limit. Saying ahead of your kid will be good exercise for you - both. It would be nice if the loader control levers could be locked up when using it as a work table. Hmm....Does anyone offer that feature?

As for digging a foundation, well shucks....I so have a full size backhoe and when I wanted a foundation dug I hired a pro with an excavator. Like I was saying, I find that I use our tractor mostly for small everyday chores and landscaping.
Yourn choice sounds like a great tractor. Please keep us posted
luck, rScotty

 

[oldpilgrim]

Loader control lock? My Mahindra has a disk that slides up the control lever shaft and fits into t hole which prevents the lever from moving. Not a lock but prevents accidentally bumping the lever or someone from intentionally moving the lever if they don't press the disk down first.

 

[Sixty4nHalf]

I Don't know if this worked or not but she came in this morning.