Double+ Newbie looking at JD650

DesertDIY · Jan 16, 2006

We've just gotten 10 acres in W.TX and the last owner has a ~'85 4wd JD 650 diesel with 481hrs and a bush hog 5' (not turf tires); he's asking 6k. It looks to be in really good shape, runs good and seems to have made short work of half the overgrown back 5 and the front 5 is gorgeous seems to have no problem manuevering around the yard (trees). I'm having a pretty tough time rationalizing that much for a lawn mower especially when the plan is to soil test and amend for vermiculture (1/4 acre-ish) and a large garden (1 acre-ish over a few years). The wife keeps talking about a sunken greenhouse, root cellar, and I have an idea that one septic sytem will need to be redone (might as well make it big enough for more than one rental while I'm at it) and potentially the leech on the other. The little I know seems to indicate that the digging shoud be done by an industrial BH and I should focus on a bush hog, loader, tiller, auger. I'm guessing that adding a loader and tiller will run another 4-5k if I can even find it for a 20 year old tractor. I also supect the wife will make me re-fence some, plant more trees with irrigation(it's all above ground right now) and build some other smallish structures like a two stall barn...chicken coop...something I'm sure. I can wrench although my diesel knowledge is rather limited. I'm wondering if I can find something newer with the implements (and quality) in that 10-15 price range instead of driving all over creation (we're 200 miles to El Paso and 70 miles to a Wal-mart) trying to turn this 650 into a versitile tractor. On my way to the kubota dealer just to feel them out. Thanks for any advice in advance.

billbill1 · Jan 16, 2006

How many hp is a JD 650? That doesn't sound like a bad price for a JD, especially if it's in good condition. You can buy a Koyker loader for around $3,000 and pick up a used tiller for around $500 then you'd be good to go for under $10,000.

DesertDIY · Jan 16, 2006

I believe it's an 18 hp. He said 14.5 at 26rpm but I assumed that this was a pto rating as I looked at comperables on ebay/iron search etc. I'm afraid there aren't hydraulics up front, the JD dealers I just called estimated 5k for a loader and a tiller maybe 6k with hydraulics if they could even find it for this machine (yikes). I like that kohler idea though, thanks.

RickS · Jan 16, 2006

Where is your land? I grew up around the San Angelo area. 200 miles from El Paso would put you near Ft. Stockton?

Back on topic, I just purchased a brand-new JD 4010 (rated at 18.5 HP w/ 14 HP pto) with a FEL and box blade for $13,032. The tractor has a $800 rebate on it right now. Not a bad deal. The 4010 is being discontinued and replaced by the 2305 I believe.

DesertDIY · Jan 16, 2006

Close, that's (Ft. Stockton) the Walley world location, actually Alpine. I've spent the last few hours trying to figure out if the investment in a tractor is worth it right now. If I could mow the front 5 acres in 3-4 hours in the 2k-3k $ range, the balance would cover quite a bit of rental time. I've a call into the nearest koytia dealer (not kohler). I think it's just that we'd like to get settled before we take on another note: 6k cash would eat up most of our "oh my gosh, they took the window treatments" padding. It's sad though that tractor is easily three times the equipment of anything craftsman makes at 1/3 the price...

BloomingtonMike · Jan 16, 2006

I am a recent owner of 6 acres here in the midwest. Mowing time before the JD was 6+ hours. Now it is at 3.5. May not be an issue for you. Also I have snow and a pond to deal with. The one thing I learned was that I had a lot of city luxuries that went away and I needed some equipment to work with. I can see your needs even outgrowing the JD650. If you could possibly tie the 6K into the purchase price then the interest write off on it might make it worth your time. Enjoy the new homestead.

AKfish · Jan 20, 2006

Well, it ain't got a lot of hours on it... that's a plus. No hydraulics for a loader; that ain't a plus. Does it have power steering? Should you ever put a loader on it -- you'll wish it had power steering. Sounds like the brush hog is in good shape. That's a $500 dollar plus. I've been lurking on Ebay for several years looking at this an that --- and there's always some pretty good looking CUT's that come up in your part of the country. Just this past couple of weeks there were two 750's with FEL and one had a backhoe (JD #7) there in Texas. I think the one with the BH went for around $7,500. There was also a pretty decent looking 870 with FEL and BH that went for a bit more than $9,000. I'd think by the time you add the hydraulics and the FEL your gonna be in the neighborhood of the cost of some of the larger CUT's. IMHO, I'd try to get the guy down to $4,500 at least or hold out for a little bigger unit to work your 10 acres and all those projects your wife is likely to come up with. My 3 cents. Good luck. AKfish /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

AKfish · Jan 20, 2006

I went to my Ebay account and looked over some of the tractors I've been following -- just to ensure that my memory wasn't too far off the mark! Well, there was a JD 750 and a 770 up for bid in your neck of the woods in the past week or two. They both looked like pretty clean and straight tractors. The 750 was a beaut with FEL and BH. It went for $12.2K. The 770 had a FEL and a MMM. Started at $7.9K and no-saled with no bids. Just up the power curve a bit, there was a low hour 870 with FEL and BH that was pulled early for a local sale. It had some rough body spots but the FEL and BH looked to be very good. These tractors were all 4x4. There was also a real sharp 970 2wd with MMM and low hours that only attracted $5,600 and did not meet the reserve. Good lookin' tractor! I guess the long and short of this is --- there are more capable tractors out there that would likely better meet your future plans than the 650. By the time you get it all set up; you'll have an 18hp tractor that costs as much as these 25-30hp models. Best of luck with your new ranch endeavors and happy tractorin'. AKfish