Girl needs sub compact tractor purchasing advice

[outfox]

OK guys, I know NOTHING.

I have 6+ acres in Florida with horses on the property. Also starting a small tree nursery, 30Gallon size or less. I want to buy a small tractor I can handle myself to do the "big" jobs.

Mowing pastures (must mow at 6" minimum)
Moving dirt/manure/hay
Grading
Possible auger for post installation (fencing)

I'm considering the Cub Cadet/Yanmar SC2400

main concerns:
fair price
dependability
service availability
operator comfort

Help! Didn't want to post in Cub Cadet section because I want to know what other manufacturers offer, my Dad is a John Deere diehard but I want to be an informed consumer and happy tractor owner.

 

[Egon]

my Dad is a John Deere diehard

With this in mind do the wise thing and have free labour!

 

[Jimbrown]

With the tree farm I would suggest kubota BX 25,24,23, with backhoe. It sure makes diggin the holes for the trees real easy. It is small enough to use around the stables. I use mine every day to move horse poop.

 

[outfox]

Tree farm will probably be container based, so would use FEL to prepare beds and move trees for pot ups and shipping purposes.

My budget is tight, don't want to over buy, but don't want to have to upgrade right away either.

What is the resale value like on any of these units?

I'm sure my Dad would find any tractor attractive regardless of brand.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

The Cub/Yanmar machines are new to the market. Not much out there on what parts/service will be like long term. There are some great deals out there if you have cash to pay for a newer used machine, lots of good 0% terms as well. I'd personly want little larger tractor for what your doing. Like a B-series Kubota, 2320+ Deere, etc. I'd checkout the Kubota B2320, or the older version the B7510.

 

[outfox]

OK, dealer just offered me a 2007 Cub Cadet 5264DE with 60" mover, FEL, 26HP brand new, never used for $8975, the catch is, no warranty offered. Engine is a Daihaitsu??

Was initially attracted to the SC2400 for the Yanmar partnership, this model doesn't offer that but then the price is attractive.....

Bring on the comments!!

 

[LBrown59]

OK, dealer just offered me a 2007 Cub Cadet 5264DE with 60" mover, FEL, 26HP brand new, never used for $8975, the catch is, no warranty offered. Engine is a Daihaitsu??

Was initially attracted to the SC2400 for the Yanmar partnership, this model doesn't offer that but then the price is attractive.....

Bring on the comments!!

must be something wrong with it is why no warranty.

 

[Egon]

Bring on the comments!!

Can't help on the Cub Cadet offer but over the course of years I noted that the initial outlay should be carefully considered especially in a tight budget situation as I've always been. Many times one tries to economize initially only to have to anty up more later on when deficiencies become apparent.

 

[Reg]

OK, dealer just offered me a 2007 Cub Cadet 5264DE with 60" mover, FEL, 26HP brand new, never used for $8975, the catch is, no warranty offered. Engine is a Daihaitsu??

Was initially attracted to the SC2400 for the Yanmar partnership, this model doesn't offer that but then the price is attractive.....

Bring on the comments!!

Is the warranty "unbundled" ?
i.e. Is this a pricing trick to get it under $9K, followed by an add-on sale of a warranty (defects insurance policy) when you go to sign ?
You probably don't know this yet, but do ASK before you settle.

Like;
Is warranty available ?
How Much ?
....pause, other questions
Can't you add the warranty back in for free to seal the deal ?

DAIHATSU
They make a LOT of small cars in Japan and all over the Pacific rim, Europe too.
Also marine and industrial small diesel engines.
Not sure of this, but I think New Holland has used their 3 cylinder diesels in some of their models, maybe still does.

 

[Gizmo2]

What is the resale value like on any of these units?

Traded my 1988 JD 650/FEL/BH in this year for my new JD 2320. Paid $14,500.00 for the 650 new, the dealer allowed me $10,500.00 on trade in.

 

[IH3444]

I think you should read the Cub Cadet forum here at TBN very carefully, before deciding. John Deeres, and Kubotas are excellent machines, and have a good dealer network. A new CC tractor offered with no warrenty is a very strange offer.......

 

[EastTexFrank]

I think you should read the Cub Cadet forum here at TBN very carefully, before deciding. John Deeres, and Kubotas are excellent machines, and have a good dealer network. A new CC tractor offered with no warrenty is a very strange offer.......

I agree. Somethings not right here. I think I'd stay away from it.

I don't know anything about Cub Cadets except that my Kubota dealer also handles them so I can't give any advice on that score but I think I'd be looking for a major brand, used, in the 24 to 30 horsepower range. I'd be careful not to under buy, get something too small, but you also don't want anything too big. A little tractor can do almost everything a big tractor can do, it just takes longer, and a big tractor will outperform a little one but it's a lot less maneuverable and thirsty. It's a trade-off. You have to decide what's important to you and go with it. You'll find times that you wished that you had a bigger one and other times you'll think that you could get by with something smaller and cheaper. Personally, I have a Kubota B2400 (24hp) and for most of what I do it is an ideal size. It's probably a little big for the 4-acre yard and a little small for use in the pasture but for one machine doing both things, it can "gitterdone" and has for about 8 years.

Be careful with some of those tractor dealers, they can be a lot like car salesmen. Good luck and glad you stopped by.

 

[Bousez]

have you considered taking a look at the CK20 from Kioti ?

 

[tractorman99]

Go for a kubota they are good reliable machine as cub cadet are nothing but a junk yard ordainment.


Junk Yard ordainment owner

 

[zzvyb6]

I did much of the same thing with a 22 hp tractor. I don't think you need the backhoe, because its too awkward to put on and off. A post hole digger is a must. You can dig holes for the trees with a 9-12" auger and use the same rig for posts. And, you can easily shoehorn it on and off. A front end loader is a great help for horse operators, for manure handling and riding ring maintenance. I see that there are tree spade add-ons you can get when its time to move them. An automatic (nee hydrostatic) transmission is perfect for your use and will be handy when helpers try to use it. A landscape rake is better than a blade for path maintenance. Think about the mower width in terms of the gate sizes you plan on (get the equipment thru the gates). Down the road think about a generator if your electric power is flakey. Horses need a dependable water supply. The loader will also serve other purposes, pulling out broken fence posts, unloading hay bales, pulling fence wire, moving gravel and digging graves when the time comes.

As long as you are not running heavy pto attachments, you don't need a lot of power IMHO. My recommendation also includes the dealer population, their hours of operation, and likelyhood of survival in the current anti-industrial domestic political climate... Better hurry up, too. All new motors will soon need emission and carbon tax controls.

Been there, done it ....

 

[Gittyup]

I second the CK20 or a TYM T273. These have a little more beef to them compared to subcuts, but are only slightly bigger. They use standard CAT1 implements too. Not all subcuts can do this.

Not sure if you'll need/want a tree spade, but if you do make sure you get a tractor that can handle it. Get a QA loader too.

The advantage of the T273 is that you get enough horse power to run a good size mower. QA loader is standard on this tractor.

The CK20 has the weight to handle the heavy jobs and digging better than the lighter machines.

If you really want to save money, buy used.

 

[wallace]

That model Cub is a MTD not a yanmar/cub
The Daihaitsu engine is Briggs and Stratton's diesel.
Me I wouldn't buy it, it's just a large garden tractor.
Look real hard at the Kioti CK20S, Mahindra 2216 or even the Massie Ferguson GC2410

 

[EFC]

Go for a kubota they are good reliable machine as cub cadet are nothing but a junk yard ordainment.


Junk Yard ordainment owner

If you ordain a tractor does that make it holier than others? if it is holier does that mean it has lots of leaks?

Buck

 

[groundcover]

Would be well worth your time to check out a Kubota dealer if there is one in your area,will hold it's value when you go to trade up too.

 

[LBrown59]

I still say they know there is something wrong with it don't want to get stuck with the cost of paying for it so there is no warranty.

Is the warranty "unbundled" ?
i.e. Is this a pricing trick to get it under $9K, followed by an add-on sale of a warranty (defects insurance policy) when you go to sign ?
You probably don't know this yet, but do ASK before you settle.

Like;
Is warranty available ?
How Much ?
....pause, other questions
Can't you add the warranty back in for free to seal the deal ?

DAIHATSU
They make a LOT of small cars in Japan and all over the Pacific rim, Europe too.
Also marine and industrial small diesel engines.
Not sure of this, but I think New Holland has used their 3 cylinder diesels in some of their models, maybe still does.