Buying Advice Advice Request: Kubota shopping this week...

[dhurley737]

Hi All~

Well the first piece of good news came down this AM - looks like Kubota extended the rebates / 0% financing offers until 3/31/2013. Huge sigh of relief! Now onto the question:

I'm a homeowner in Upstate NY w/ ~5 acres of land... a lot of this is wooded with small brush / 1" diameter shrubs / trees but it is ready to be cleared. The plan is to level an additional small piece of land that I already have had cleared (sloped but not even in pitch) and also to clear a parcel about 150' x 150' in size. Again, nothing major in terms of large trees but will def. need to dig up some stumps.

The long term plan is to level that out and build a lawn down there while also clearing out an additional 50' x 50' area and putting up a pole barn / additional driveway leading into it. The land is pretty ready to go - no major boulders / huge trees / issues... just need to do the hard work.

I've been looking into the BX25 (they have a 2012 leftover at the local dealer as well as (2) new 2013 BX25D's (70 series)). My issue is that I know I'm going to move into a larger home / bigger lot down the road 6-10 years from now and should I just get a bigger tractor now? I've always lived by the law "you'll always wish you went bigger" and have typically gone that route in years past.

Thinking I'll def. want the backhoe as I'll likely run power in-ground down from the house (approx 150') and while I'm digging I'll also put a few nice lights to line the current & future driveway. Also def. need the loader for obvious reasons... and then maybe add a brush-hog in the Spring once I'm ready to clear.

Would the BX-25 be strong enough? Should I be looking into a B series with implements? Looking for advice from the crowd who knows best.

Thanks!

DH

 

[TripleR]

JOHNTHOMAS has some threads on here about that sort of thing and recently traded his BX25 for a B2520 TLB. I personally would be looking at a B Series at a minimum andp prefer the B3030/3000, BUT I have never owned one only looked at them and decided t go even bigger, but we have a lot of land.

 

[Thomas]

They type of work lays ahead for you I to would lean towards the B..are you planing to remove snow?
BX25D I would give little time on the market..but thats me.

 

[crbr]

Hi All~

Well the first piece of good news came down this AM - looks like Kubota extended the rebates / 0% financing offers until 3/31/2013. Huge sigh of relief! DH

Kubota has been doing this for the past seven years, of which I am aware....

 

[bhh]

I started with a very similar debate as you about 6 months ago with a very similar list of tasks and just purchased an L3800 on Monday. I moved up to the B pretty quickly and finally ended up with an L after erring to the "larger and heavier" side. I also wanted a bit more PTO HP for a decent sized wood chipper.

BHs are very expensive and on a tractor that size, and even on the larger Bs and Ls, I personally just don't think they are powerful enough to justify the expense. Just rent a trencher and use all the leftover money for a bigger machine. That is IMHO of course but my dealer agreed and walked me through the numbers. Unless you have a specific task you will use the BH for on a regular basis, you'll probably do much better to just rent a larger BH when you need it.

 

[tractchores]

I have a b2920 with a bh. It would fit what your describing. I would want the extra clearance of the b over the bx. I use a wallenstein chipper, which is great for brush clearing. I actually find with small stuff that the fel is enough to rip it up and only go to the bh when its 8 or 10" in diameter. I would err on the side of bigger given your future plans.

 

[Notforhire]

Unless you have a specific task you will use the BH for on a regular basis, you'll probably do much better to just rent a larger BH when you need it.

I couldn't have said it better. For your clearing and trenching work you could rent a mini ex. or hire the job out. 10K buys a lot of rental time.

 

[newbury]

The type of jobs you mention are better done by pros in one day than homeowners with tractors in a month.
You don't indicate if you have a full time job but if you do you can waste a lot of seat time clearing land with an undersized tractor.

Make a list of the jobs you really will be doing in the future:
Upstate New York - maybe a little snow removal?
Maintaining driveways - box blade style?
Building and maintaining a garden?
Food plots for deer?
Forestry management?

Regardless of the typical TBN mindset bigger is NOT always better.

My CIL has a 100 HP JD and a 120+ HP IH that are simply to big for me to imagine taking into the woods on small trails to maintain food plots or haul out a few trees. I need something in the 40 to 50HP range.

I know a lot of Kubota people think the BX's are great. But with a ground clearance of 9" to me they are a little low for any woods work. At least go up to a B series and get a foot.

As far as a BH goes - it's not cost effective if your the type that plans well ahead, will work in any weather with rental equipment and don't mind traveling to get it. I'm not. I'm retired. I work when I want and want to be able to hop on my tractor and dig a hole.

And running 150' of power in ground? You don't mention how deep. If you have to get it below frost line that's about 5 foot deep. Or the LIMIT of the BX25.

I'd recommend the biggest B you can afford.

 

[crazyal]

My first question is do you have a fixed budget or do you have some flexibility? There are plenty of different sized Kubota tractors that would work for you, anywhere from the BX line all the way up to maybe even an MX. Personally I like the idea of buying something you think will fit your needs down the road. Tractors can last decades with a little care. Like Newbury said make a list of what you know you will be doing and what you think you may do. Another use could be logging a couple of trees a year for firewood. I like the B and L sized tractors myself.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

The type of jobs you mention are better done by pros in one day than homeowners with tractors in a month.You don't indicate if you have a full time job but if you do you can waste a lot of seat time clearing land with an undersized tractor.

Make a list of the jobs you really will be doing in the future:
Upstate New York - maybe a little snow removal?
Maintaining driveways - box blade style?
Building and maintaining a garden?
Food plots for deer?
Forestry management?

Regardless of the typical TBN mindset bigger is NOT always better.

My CIL has a 100 HP JD and a 120+ HP IH that are simply to big for me to imagine taking into the woods on small trails to maintain food plots or haul out a few trees. I need something in the 40 to 50HP range.

I know a lot of Kubota people think the BX's are great. But with a ground clearance of 9" to me they are a little low for any woods work. At least go up to a B series and get a foot.

As far as a BH goes - it's not cost effective if your the type that plans well ahead, will work in any weather with rental equipment and don't mind traveling to get it. I'm not. I'm retired. I work when I want and want to be able to hop on my tractor and dig a hole.
And running 150' of power in ground? You don't mention how deep. If you have to get it below frost line that's about 5 foot deep. Or the LIMIT of the BX25.

I'd recommend the biggest B you can afford.

Not sure I can add much to this. I've had the smallest BX (BX1500) up to a L3240 and most of the models in between. I've also cleared some treed, gullied and rocky hillside and hired out the dangerous (steep hillside) and tree clearing areas over the years and still had plenty of work to do myself. The L was to big for me because of the fear on the hill side of being so high off of the ground but would love it on flat ground. The BX25 is my favorite all around Kubota but now have a B2620 FEL BH as my tractor on hand. Ground clearance is the biggest factor to decide between the BX and B. They both are work horses with the bigger bucket saving a bit of time. Trenching for water lines can best be accomplished with a trencher unless one has plenty of time and just wants to do it.

 

[dhurley737]

Some great advice here (sorry haven't replied - been on the road for nearly 2 weeks straight). I think I'm out of the BX already. Just the ground clearance comes up time and time again and seeing I do live on a sloped property and some ups and downs to the yard / future expanded yard / potential "plots" area - I'm going to need it. No doubt about it.

My father has a trencher (Electrical Contractor - retiring) so I'll likely use that to run the power lines. No, no need for 5' depth. 18" is more than enough for code to run from the house to the new pole barn & garage. Not 100% sure if I'll run water or not down there. As you know it's a big expense and I can likely get by without it. I do have a friend in drilling and water isn't too deep here - sounds crazy but for the way my setup is I'd likely drill a new well if I went that far. It'll likely be 300ft from the house where I need the water - and septic will be 25' above the new build - not ideal.

Thinking the biggest B I can afford will be the route to go. I did look @ the JD 2520 yesterday - looked like a nice size for what I was looking to do. Guy gave me a quote of $24,350 on that loaded up w/ TLB. I've also seen the MF 1532 for $24,900... problem is MF isn't 0% when Kubota and JD are. Free money goes a long way in terms of lending.

Reason for the BH: have a few other "projects" I plan on tackling in the next few years. Have a GREAT fire-pit I have already begun and plan on using the BH also for digging out some stumps on the property. Yes, renting would likely save me some loot but even on the JD the price was $7k. Never know what the future may hold (also looking at some Northern property now - could come into play down the road).

With that said - is the B series TLB the way to go? B3300SU w/ backhoe?

 

[crazyangel]

I couldn't have said it better. For your clearing and trenching work you could rent a mini ex. or hire the job out. 10K buys a lot of rental time.

Couldn't have said it better. Totally agree.

 

[wcampbell47]

The B3300SU would be a great tractor if I can judge from my B3200. The B3300 does not have a mid PTO. Don't you live in snow country? What about a cab or front mounted snow blower? The L has a much stronger rear end and frame, maybe a little more width which might be comforting on slopes. Just saying ...

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have a B26 TLB and it has plenty of power for digging out stumps and small trees. While I am not saying that you should go buy a $38K B26 for your work, I would think that a B series 2920 with backhoe would do what you want with plenty of power. My B26 weighs 4001# which is much more than a B 2920 but it has some extra under belly armor that wouldnt be on the B 2xxx series. I would think that they would be similar in digging although I havent checked the specs. My son in law has a B2920 with belly mower that my daughter mows their 2.5 acre lot with and it is a nice tractor.

AS FOR BUYING A BACKHOE: I have to agree with others here that $$$$ wise it isnt smart money to buy a backhoe for occassional chores, BUT, I love being able to do what I want when I want with mine and to me that justified the cost. I have owned it for about 7 months now and put about 100 hours on it, by comparison I have had my LS P7010 for 27 months and it has 71 hours on it so the little tractor gets way more hourly use than the large one because it is more nimble and the back hoe is fun to use so I have done a lot of projects that I wouldnt have done if I had to rent a TLB.
A trencher for a water line would be the tool to rent if you were renting, but if you have a backhoe setting on your property already, that will get the job done. NOT as fast but way more enjoyable to run than a trencher.
SO, my advice is if you can afford to spend the money go for a TLB. They sure are handy around the place. Also if you do decide to get a backhoe, get the hydraulic thumb on it. It increases the versatility of the backhoe by 100%. I can take mine into a thicket of trees, dig them up, then use the bucket with the hydraulic thumb to pick them up and move them out of the way to one side and just keep digging up the trees. I also use it to stack them like cord wood so I can then use the FEL to push them into piles. I worked out a large thicket in a half a day thinning and removing all the trees with the backhoe that I had been working for a year in spare time trying to remove them by pulling them out with tractor and chain.

 

[PAPPASMURF]

Gonna throw my 2 cents in....A lot of good advice given here, But I had a similar question when I purchsed my L3200 in 2011. I have 6 acres (mostly wooded) and I went back and forth for months until I made what I consider to be a VERY smart choice. I got the larger more powerful L3200 w/ BH77 backhoe. I absolutely love it. It has surpassed what I expected, and I too only had few jobs I THOUGHT I would be using the back hoe for. To my suprise (especially in the woods) I use the backhoe probably just as much if not more than the FEL!! When you consider stumps, water lines, trenching, and rough terrain, you'd be suprised how costly renting a trencher would end up being. Yes the backhoe was a $7200 attachment, but just this year it has paid for itself at least 2 times over. When I get into tough earth, I turn around and loosen things up a bit and then continue on with the FEL. I could go on and on, but I wouldnt buy a tractor again without the backhoe. Its a big investment, but well worth it if you can afford it in the financing which is what I did. Only advice beyond that is definately get the Thumb. I didnt and I regret it. So many times I could have used it to move a tree, rock, etc. and its only a $589 add on. Anyway, good luck with whatever you get. If its Orange.....you cant really go wrong, but keep that "clearance" issue in mind. :smurf:

 

[dhurley737]

I have a B26 TLB and it has plenty of power for digging out stumps and small trees. While I am not saying that you should go buy a $38K B26 for your work, I would think that a B series 2920 with backhoe would do what you want with plenty of power. My B26 weighs 4001# which is much more than a B 2920 but it has some extra under belly armor that wouldnt be on the B 2xxx series. I would think that they would be similar in digging although I havent checked the specs. My son in law has a B2920 with belly mower that my daughter mows their 2.5 acre lot with and it is a nice tractor.

You know something: I went over to the dealer yesterday (they're closed on Sunday's) and REALLY looked at options. They had most everything from a BX right into the M series. What did I come up with? Well, the L is def. too big for my needs. It just is. I know people are already suggesting going from a BX25 to an L, but it's not realistic. Additionally, even the B3200 seems almost too large for what I'm looking to do. The quote above from Gary was hilarious. As I spent 30 minutes looking and analyzing that lot... I kept going to the B2920. It just felt "right", from the size of the FEL to the assumed size of the BH (didn't have one on but I can visualize from images on the web / TBN).

Even funnier - I almost traded a guy months ago my CanAm Commander (new) for a 1,000hr used B2920 with a few attachments. He was ecstatic about his B2920. Showed me all sorts of projects and chores he had done around his property, including clearing his yard, building Snowmobile / ATV trails & track for his kids, and driveway work including large retaining walls. How had I not thought of this guy several times - him saying "BX24 was too small - got this B2920 and I'm amazed all it has done".

Going to call the dealer today. I'm pretty sure given the right price I'll take delivery of a new B2920 this week.

Thanks guys!

DH

 

[Notforhire]

You know something: I know people are already suggesting going from a BX25 to an L, but it's not realistic. Additionally, even the B3200 seems almost too large for what I'm looking to do.

They do shrink with use.
Not that I would suggest a full size TLB (decent used units run 15k and up) I would suggest getting something a little bigger than you think you need.
Have you thought about renting something for a while, and seeing what the limitations of the machines are?
I have the smallest L, a 3240. If I could have afforded it, I would have gone up several sizes, in order to get more FEL capacity.
My tractor will do most everything I need to do, but then again I used to get along OK with a shovel and a wheelbarrow.:laughing:

Happy hunting, Bill

 

[Rope Tow]

Hi -
I live in the next town over from you, and also have 5 acres of land to fix up. I build a house a couple years ago and put the landscaping on the back burner. The future holds lots of rock walls, tree and stump removal, gardens, and general upkeep. 500' driveway. I just bought a next-to-new B3030 from a local dealer. After lots of shopping, and renting TLBs and excavators over the years, I was pretty sure about the B3xxx being the right size. Don't know about you, but my soil is very rocky with good size rocks everywhere. I swear, they grow in my soil. the B3030 was as light as I would want to go.

Good luck with you decision!

 

[tractchores]

The B2920 seems to just barely fit in the tight spots I need to use it in (woods, around structures) and is big enough to tackle the other stuff. One suggestion - if you have rocky soil opt for a slightly smaller bucket. My soil is all boulders and I'd prefer an 8" to a 12" bucket so that I could dig around the rocks easier. Rocks aren't that big of a deal until they get as big as the tractor, but it gets annoying to hit them with every single scoop.

 

[dodge man]

Its always a tough call on what size to get. I've owned a BX2350 for something like 5 years. I own a little over 3 acres, about 1/2 of which is sloped and covered with small to medimum sized trees. I cleared an area of around a 1/2 acre using the BX and a chain saw, and hired someone to come in with a stump grinder. If the BX is going to be used for mowing and a lot of yard work, its a good choice. If its going to be used in the woods and for heavier work, a B would be a good choice. The backhoe, I've always wished I had one, but they aren't cheap. Bigger isn't always better, I'd say a B or a Bx would both be good choices.