Anyone have experience with Bulldog Tractors?

[dogfarm]

I'm in the market for a tractor for working my treefarm and have been talking to a local dealer about a 35hp Bulldog with FEL and backhoe. It comes with a 2 year parts and labor warranty, which seems better than a one-year parts only warranty on other Chinese tractors. The price is comparable to a 50hp Kama or Jinma, but I'm a little concerned about whether it might be underpowered for working 50 or 60 acres of woods, maintaining trails, clearing snow and mowing a small field. I've been told I should be looking in the 40-50hp range. Anyone have any advice you could share? Thanks!

 

[gunslinger101]

I looked at Bull Dogs, the problem I found is 1. to much money for what you get, 2. don't think that warranty is set in stone. The dealer by me doesn't know a tractor from a VW, didn't know the back wheels could be adjusted, or anything about the hydraulic's at all. A friend of mine bought a Bull Dog and it has sat 2 months waiting for parts, this has happened to him twice in 3 years.
Me personally, I wouldn't pay the extra money, it uses the same engine as Jinma and Kama.
I think you could do with a 35hp tractor, but I would buy a Kama, Jinma or if you want bigger ,a 40hp Foton (farm pro) or Kama.
I have 72 acres and 35 hp would do fine here and so would a 40hp, depends if you are going to run bottom plows or not, if you are going to run plows I would go with a 40hp, but a 28hp will pull 2 bottom plows, I have done it no problem.
The jump from 35 hp to 40 hp is a big jump is size and might be hard to move around clearing trails and such with a 40hp.
The bottom line is, no matter who makes it you will have to work on the tractor at one time or another, I would rather work on it myself then someone who doesn't know a tractor from a VW and just had enough money to become a dealer.

Check out Artrac.com
, Chip is a good dealer and deals more than one brand and has good prices. Ask Chip what he thinks he knows.

 

[KevinW]

Hey Dogfarm,

After my investigating, I'm going with the KAMA which has shuttle shift. For what you need to do, you should jump on the specials currently offered on the KM554.









ARTRAC Company LLC, Providing affordable equipment from Knoxville, Arkansas to you!



Specials...

 

[dogfarm]

Hi Gunslinger! Thanks for the info. I just wanted to do due diligence on a possibility locally. I was concerned that 35hp might be a little low on the hp. I was also thinking that a 2 year warranty with labor included was an advantage - unless the warranty support isn't there. I'm thinking that I'll be able to do a lot of the work myself, but I just don't know what kind of issues I'll run into with a tractor - hydraulics, diesel,... I've been working on cars and trucks most of my life, so I'm not afraid of a wrench.

Where are you in western PA? I get down to Pittsburgh several times a year.

 

[dogfarm]

Thanks Kevin. I think I'm leaning towards the KAMA also. I just didn't want to find out I missed out on a good local deal.

 

[gunslinger101]

I am 35 miles NW of Pittsburgh.
Kama is a good way to go, Artrac is a good dealer

The Bull Dog is a good tractor in itself, but the support isn't there from what I see and hear, the BD dealer by me knows nothing about the tractors he sells

 

[BT_Tractor]

Hello this is Brent from BT Tractor
I am a dealer for the Bulldog Tractors and also the new
Pioneer Tractors. I am Located in East Brady PA Which is in northwest PA I dont know of any other Dealers in My area
for the Bulldog Tractors But I dont have any Problems getting
parts or supporting My Tractors. I Have put My Tractors together and know them well and Yes the Warranty is 2-year
PARTS and LABOR on the Bulldog Tractors. I Just was browsing and thought I should write in and stand up for the
Bulldog Tractor and Let everyone know there are deadbeat
dealers for every brand that is sold in the US but not every dealer is this way.

 

[tat2z1969]

I am not here to kick the dog and I don't know where gunslinger is in Pa, but I have to agree with some of his points.
I talked to Brent at BT tractors and the price seemed high to me and went up between contacts with him and he did tell me the tractors he receives are already assembled by Bull Dog.
The reason I didn't buy a Bull dog is one, the price kept going up, two, 18,500.00 for a 35hp tractor with a Chinese backhoe is a bit high in my book. three, East wind (Bull dog) sells 35hp Kama's on ebay for $6000.00, so for $4000.00 less you have a FEL and a backhoe from the same company.four, Another Bull dog dealer in NY gave me a quote on the same tractor for $16,900.00.five, one has to take the tractor to the dealer for first service to keep warranty intact, more undo expence.
The 2 year 2000 hour warranty, what is it? it is listed on east winds page but the link to the warranty has been dead for months, so what does it cover?
Bull Dog seems like a good tractor, but prices vari and the models keep changing, They state it right on east winds site, "Models available for you today" maybe tomorrow we they will paint a Kama white?
Once they get their act together and realize people call around and compare prices within their structure they will do better, a few hundred bucks difference is one thing over 1500 is another.

 

[BT_Tractor]

Hello this is Brent from BT Tractor again as far as the price increase goes, every quarter I get a new Price sheet from my
Distributor If the Price gets raised on Me sooner or later I Must Pass it on. Im an easy Guy to deal with, I would have given You the Tractor at the afforementioned price of a few hundred dollars cheaper with a little haggling. Yes I admit
Bulldog has a few Issues to work out But the Tractors are
gaining a reputation as good strong units. As for the assembly Issue I have the option of having them assembled for Me at the Distributing Dealer [for a fee of course] or I can assemble them myself, out of the last 5 tractors I have sold I have assembled 3 of them, shipping costs to get the tractors to the
Dealers also vary a great deal It makes it Hard to stay competitive but Im gonna stick it out. as far as the tractos changing the only thing that has changed is the EPA regulated engines, that is why the new 1035 is rated 35HP instead of
38 HP in the Previous DF 354 Model . There are new Models in the works though Probably wont see them till 2006.