Budget Limit of 20K

Redgate West · Apr 10, 2011

I set my sights on a new tractor with a budget of $20,000 before tax. That price would need include the loader, brush mower and box blade. I have looked at JD, NH, Mahindra, Kubota and Kioti. All were in the 30 to 40 hp range.
I test drove a Kioti DK35SE last Saturday and really like it. The DK35SE I drove was the last one the dealer had on his lot that he could sell without the price increase. I noticed 5 hrs on the meter. It has shuttle shift and R1 tires. I initially wanted HST but I felt quite a home with the SS. I also was looking at R4s but now thinking about it, the extra traction may be my best choice. My land, whenever it decides to rain again, can get pretty gummy. The price quoted for that equipment (loader, 5' bush hog, 5' box blade, sun shade) was $19,090. This price is with the cash discount. But that fits under my 20K limit. I put down $500 for him to hold it for a couple of days while I slept on it.

So, I have several questions I would like to throw out to the group...
1. What do you guys think of the price quote I received?
2. Is this a really good bang for my buck?
3. Should I break my budget and step up to the DK40 because of the greater loader capacity? (I don't know how much more that would cost). I'll be calling him in the morning to find out.

MarkV · Apr 10, 2011

Welcome to the forum. It would help if you could outline what you are going to use the tractor for and what your setting is.

Sure you don't want to go with a 6' cutter on a 35 hp tractor? The general rule of thumb is 5 PTO hp per foot of mower. That tractor must be close to 30 PTO hp.

MarkV

Redgate West · Apr 10, 2011

Uses will include keeping almost 10 acres mowed, hauling firewood, cleaning up downed trees and grading a road. I also be replacing our fences around the property. Probably add a garden down the line. Our land is mostly flat terrain with just a few hills. We have a creek that I will be cleaning out (old downed trees etc) which normally has 3-4 inches of water flowing. That's why I'm thinking the Ag tires will be more useful in the creek bed.

carhartt56 · Apr 10, 2011

Go for the 40 and upgrade to 6' mower and blade . I mow about 10 acers Half with a finish mower and the other half with a rotary cutter. As far as the R4 tires you will have the 4 wheel drive to use if things get slick . I love my DK40SE SS . I just finished my 50 hr service . Check out my post in owner operator Cat.

VictorW · Apr 10, 2011

If I remember correctly, the DK35 engine is 38hp and the DK40 is 41 hp. The 40 does have a stronger loader if that would be a need and it's a little overall heavier tractor. The 35 will handle a 6ft brush hog. I have R4 tires on a CK30hst. If you're going to be in muddy situations, I'd go for the R1 tires. Mine will pack up in mud. 4wd and diff lock does make it go but they don't bite in like R1 tires. From what others have mentioned, the DK40, for just a few more dollars, is well worth it for what you're getting. Everyone who has one seems to love the 40. The bad part is unless he has one on the lot, prices have apparently jumped up on the new tractors coming in. Maybe look at a Bobcat. Same tractor but the prices members have posted seem to be lower. The fel is not a white painted Kioti fel. It's their own but the Bobcat owners say they are as strong if not a little more than the Kioti fel.

Redgate West · Apr 11, 2011

Any DK35 owners out there that can chime in? Are you happy with yours or do you wish you would have moved up to the 40? I'm really hoping to stay at the 20K level since I'm paying cash, but don't want to be in the "I should have" later. I'm calling the dealer today and I'll post on what he can sell me a DK40 and the larger 6' attachments.

duanekeys · Apr 11, 2011

New DK40SE owner here and I love the strength of the loader. I would be concerned that the loader on the 35 isn't enough (for my purpose of moving round bales).

Have you considered the DS series? Not as many features but it does drop the price for the HP.

bearhawk · Apr 11, 2011

Redgate West said:
Uses will include keeping almost 10 acres mowed, hauling firewood, cleaning up downed trees and grading a road. I also be replacing our fences around the property. Probably add a garden down the line. Our land is mostly flat terrain with just a few hills. We have a creek that I will be cleaning out (old downed trees etc) which normally has 3-4 inches of water flowing. That's why I'm thinking the Ag tires will be more useful in the creek bed.

Think about how often you are in the creek bed, and then how often you mow 10 acres.

I would go with R4's, they will be much softer on the fields.

Redgate West · Apr 11, 2011

I received the quote on the DK40 from the dealer. $4k more than the Dk35. I know what that would give me but it sure breaks my budget since I would also be adding 6' implements as well.
And on the tires, do the R4s really make that much of a difference? The current tractor I am using has the R1s so I may not know what I'm missing.

milkman636 · Apr 11, 2011

I picked up the white twin to the dk35se, the Bobcat ct335, last November.

Having a larger 53 hp geared tractor, I was in the position of wanting a smaller more maneuverable tractor. The ct335 has lived up to my expectation nicely. The one thing I would not buy again is r4 tires. My rears are loaded and still leave tracks anywhere I run, but they do not give near the traction of an r1. The price was right for me to try them though. I'm not tearing them off or nothing, but they do suck a little in the wet stuff or running up hill with a full loader on wet leaves in 2wd. The r4 rears just seem too wide for the weight of these smaller tractors, even with liquid and hitch ballast.

The ct335/dk35se are very maneuverable tractors with short wheelbases. Consequently there is a noticable choppyness to the ride if you get up near road speed in high gear. My larger tractor with the longer wheelbase is alot smoother. The HST is the ticket for work like snow removal and loader work, but I'll still hop on the big geared tractor to mow fields this summer. The ct335/dk35se are great little pacakges that will handle ten acres just fine. The DK40se would be a great package too if you have a need for the extra loader capacity. I personally don't think the extra couple of hp would offer much time savings on any of the rear end tasks you would be doing. That said, if I had got a similar deal on a dk40se or a ct440 I would have bought either one. Sale price and budget made my final decision for the ct335.

All that rambling just to say I didn't need the extra capacity so I didn't buy it. I'm happy with my ct335, and R1 tires are designed for tractors.