Green Horn

[Appygirl]

Z you have yesterday right! We also had about 5 minutes of rain,thunder and then hail late in the afternoon; then the sun came out for a bit. Yep we live in Michigan! When the weather cooperates that is a beautiful drive. Heck you were no more then a half hour from me!

Spiveyman I'll be sure to send you pictures this winter so you can cool off
I hear its suppose to be a good one! How much are tooth bars? I wouldn't think it would be too much for one.

I will be revisiting the MF and Kubota dealers this week. This is the first time I haven't been able to make up my mind on buying something!!

 

[Spiveyman]

I don't remember exactly what the toothbar cost, it was thrown in the deal when I got mine, I think about $390, but not sure. They are not cheap but I've been told they are well worth it.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I think everyone here has tortured themselves over the purchase of their tractor. It took me a year, and I went odd-ball at the last moment but do not regret it in the least for my application.

If you have limited seat time, I highly recommend that you spend some money and rent a tractor (preferably one you are considering) for a weekend. We rented a Kubota and borrowed a Deere for a week, and it really opened our eyes to the advantages and problems a normal tractor would have on our property. This will give you a chance to really get a feel for the limitations and handling and will help make you a much stronger decision maker when you go for your purchase. I found after we borrowed a Deere and rented a Kubota I would have gone with Deere just because I like the foot control design better. THIS IS TOTALLY PERSONAL for anyone who feels it was an attack. In no way am I endorsing either as I purchased something entirely different. But it was only after 8 hours on each tractor that I realized this difference meant something to me.

Also, in my opinion, all the major names will give you the same reliability. It really comes down to a small amount of luck and having a dealer who's service levels are great. Don't be afraid to ask him for a list of customers who have brought there tractors in for repair to find out how the shop does. The key is not in the sale but in the support.

Anyway, my .2

Carl

 

[Appygirl]

You have a good point Carl. I made a call to MF about wanting to demo their tractor, not just drive it but use it. I was suprizes when he offered to come out to my place for an hour or so with the tractor so I could get the feel and work with it a bit. I had not been offered this before and am excited.
I'm thinking about calling the Kubota dealer and see if they are willing as well.
I'm not convinced in just driving down a dirt road and manuver the bucket as I did with the Kubota. Could have used an experience person there coaching me a bit. I will also want an implement to use like a back blade to attach, use and unattach.

Have any of you heard of such an offer before? Maybe this is a good sign of service as well. It won't be next week as I'm am off for what might be my last trail ride for the year; so the following week is when I will schedule.

Thanks again
Laurie

 

[woodlandfarms]

Not uncommon. There is a hope by the dealer he will not have to return with the tractor on his trailer...

But even one hour may not be enough.... But it is better than 10 minutes in a paved parking lot (which is what I got initially).

Again, it is about the service, not the sale. Especially in your case when you are not as interested in getting greasy as some of the other people here.

Take a few pictures, let us know how it all goes.

Carl

 

[Z-Michigan]

Not uncommon. There is a hope by the dealer he will not have to return with the tractor on his trailer...

But even one hour may not be enough.... But it is better than 10 minutes in a paved parking lot (which is what I got initially).

Again, it is about the service, not the sale. Especially in your case when you are not as interested in getting greasy as some of the other people here.

+1

I only drove in dealer parking lots; in hindsight I would have liked to ask for on-property demo. I do think I got a reasonable idea of the differences from using on dealer lots, especially doing lots of FEL work moving snow piles around, but on property would have been better.

Dealer service is hugely important to me, and fortunately mine continued to be good after the sale. I would definitely give the Kubota dealer the same opportunity though.

 

[Appygirl]

Went out to dinner last night and hubby through a loop at me; something to think about he said.
Here's what he is thinking. Rent a tractor instead of buying. UGG! I will do the math Monday since everything is closed for rental info. I don't know if I can find a tractor here with right hp to rent plus attachments?
I know I'll need a tractor/bobcat to clean up in spring and I'll need at least 3 days. Then he's talking about a self propelled brush hog for the ATV. BLAH, blah, blah. Running out of time here posting. I will do the math for him and for myself to see what the outcome is. Has anyone previously to owning a tractor done this? Doing my best to keep an opening mind and not stomping my feet.....yet!

 

[EdC]

We compared rent vs own before we bought our little 2320. We estimated 250 hrs of use the first year and about 50 hours every year thereafter. It turned out that it made sense to buy the tractor even if we did not figure the convenience factor in. Rental was $280 per 8 hr day and a delivery pickup charge of $100.

The estimates are turning out to be conservative. We keep finding new uses for the tractor that we did not think about when we added up the original estimate. Our main use was to clear brush from our land and we were not even going to start until the winter rains get here. We already have 90 hrs or so on the tractor since March.

The convenience is a big plus. Instead of saving up tasks so that you can keep the tractor for a few days and then work yourself into a state of exhaustion so you can get your money's worth owning a tractor means you can spend an few hours here and there and get the job done in a week or two.

Good Luck

 

[Z-Michigan]

I don't think renting would make sense for your uses. Compare it to renting a horse trailer! I think the cost is one factor, and the big chance you won't be able to rent what you need when you need it is another factor. Also, I doubt that the ATV tow-behind mowers will work nearly as well as something pulled by a tractor, and they won't be that cheap either. I would much sooner look used or at a smaller size tractor before renting.

 

[Spiveyman]

Appygirl, you've read Dave Ramsey, right? Well, he says renting is a good short term solution to provide patience, but it is not a good long term plan. If you just couldn't decide what you wanted to buy, or couldn't find what you wanted buy, but HAD to get the seat time in because the fields needed it, then OK rent something and buy yourself some time to make a good decision or be able to find exactly what you want. However, I wouldn't recommend renting as a long term solution for all of the reasons already mentioned. To me the convenience factor would be huge! If you have the money, and you know what you want, and you can find it - then buy. If you are lacking on any of the three, rent once, then figure it out so you can buy.

As for finances, one great thing about a used tractor is that they hold their value (assuming you get a good one, decent brand, decent price). I've talked to several folks who've bought a decent tractor, used it for a year or two, cleaned it up better than it looked when they bought it and sold it for a profit. If you get a tractor that would be easy in turn to sell, then you can always get your money back out of it later if you want something else. Seems like this would be much better then renting.

Good luck.

 

[Keith_B]

The MF 1540 MIGHT handle 5X4 bales if the tires are loaded and it has some extra weight like a box blade on the rear. I don't think the smaller Kubota will handle the 5X4 bales.

I handled 5X5 bales with my Mahindra 4110 last winter. My 4110 tips the scales at nearly 4000 lbs, plus the loaded tires and the weight of the loader. It is a 41 hp tractor, with 33 to 34 PTO hp and it has a 6 foot bucket on the front end loader. I paid $19,300 for it in May 2005.

Many dealers will bring out machines for people to demo. This has been an age old practice in selling ag equipment.

 

[canoetrpr]

The problem I find with renting or borrowing stuff that I will use on some semi regular basis is the hassle, unpredictability and the extra time I spend getting stuff together to get the job done.

I like to to have the luxury of spending a couple hours bushhogging because I woke up that Saturday and decided I needed to bush hog the back pasture. For this reason, I own implements that financially it would make much more sense for me to borrow - like a cultivator - probably will use it once or twice a year to turn up the riding ring - but the convenience of not going to have to arrange to borrow, and not having to return it if I didn't get to using it why I own one.

I just don't like to be dependant on on others as much as I can avoid it.

Technically - yes it would be possible to be without a tractor on my farm. I could rent and be better off financially but it is a heck of a lot better not to have to arrange to rent one when I need it. Plus there are all sorts of things that pop up that you would normally never rent for and you just end up using a wheelbarrow for when you could have used a FEL.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Looks like you are going to purchase from all the advice you are getting here

I don't remember your full list of implements, but I would suggest budgeting for quick attaches for both the front and rear. My wife busted my hump for a week when we rented the Kubota, having to go outside and remove and attach implements because they were such a pain.

I bring it up now because QA's can get expensive quickly.

Carl

 

[Appygirl]

Good Morning all,
Called the rental place this morning.
32 hp -didn't ask the brand
Quote is: 258 daily 25 for trailer, didn't ask about delivery.
836 wk 75 for trailer -911 That number is just bad luck!
I would need one full week in late spring and one week in fall, then would need 2 days in June,July,Sept.
This includes a back blade, they had no brush hog.
Comes out to 3520 for 1/2 a year. 15 hours of travel and not all attachment needed. I would need to borrow, which I don't like at all!
Needless to say I'm not liking the idea of busting my ***** if I had any with the time constraints of renting and I'm not getting any younger. I know how woren out I was using the bobcat for 2 days this spring and I did not complete the task of cleaning up! Towards the end that bobcat was bouncing around alot!!
OH, you'll like this one and since its Monday why not have a good laugh! I raised the bucket a little to high one time dumped 1/2 a bucket (dry) manure on top of myself, YES, it got inside the cab with me. THANK GOODNESS the guys didn't see it and I got to laugh all by myself after I said OH S***. That calmed me down a bit! Things like that only happen once!! Right?

Anyways, I'll get this sorted out. Thank you all for your comments.
Enjoy the day!

 

[Spiveyman]

Nice story on the manure. I had a great big steer run me into a wheelbarrow full of manure one time while we were trying to get him loaded up, as I went over it the wheelbarrow turned over on me. My wife kept asking the whole way home what that smell was. I blamed it on our then 2 year old daughter!!!!

It sounds like you aren't that keen on renting anyway. I hope you find the deal you are looking for and can just buy.

 

[3RRL]

Appygirl,
I have to agree with most (especially Spivy) that renting is a temporary solution. When I first got my tractor, I wasn't even sure what I would do with it other than an immediate use of road maintenance. Once I got it plus attachments, I found a multitude of things to do with it, including some that I would never have done had I not owned the tractor. On top of that, there were several "emergencies" like road repairs that I didn't even figure on. To make a long story short, I've had the tractor for just over 2 years now and put over 400 hours on it. Figure that out at rental rates and don't forget to include travel time, trailering and just the time needed to make arrangements for each rental. The numbers get enormous and the time ... well ... is irreplaceable.

Figure also some of the work I did was dirtwork normally done by much more expensive machines not as cheap as renting a 35hp tractor. My road guy charges a minimum of $87.50 per hour for road work or pad grading. My tractor has easily paid for itself by now, if not double. Even counting insurance, maintenance and minor repairs. The convenience alone is worth it IMHO. Plus I have it for years and years of other stuff to do that I've not even thought of yet and the small emergencies that will surely pop up.
Who is going to do the pick up and delivery and arranging of rentals ... hubby or you? Then count in lost time from work or whatever in order to do that every time. How valuable is your time?

 

[Spiveyman]

Hey Appygirl, Check out this thread.

This is exactly what I'm talking about, bought it, used it 2.5 years, sold it for the same price. Great tractor, easy to re-sell. That's a whole lot better than renting for sure.

Happy trails, literally.

 

[Appygirl]

I took a look at the Craig's list, close but no cigars. I did see a nice NH there on there, but its not HST. I also seen a Kioti in the paper not to long ago that seemed to fit the bill; I unfortunately threw the paper out. It was in a small county paper so I don't know if I'll be able to retrieve it. There are no Kioti dealers with 100 miles of me either.
I also have a question about dealerships. I realize their expertise will be of the brand they sell, but will they work on other brands?
I'll keep looking....after my trail ride! I do have my priorities ya know

 

[Z-Michigan]

I don't remember exactly where you are but I thought Traverse City had a Kioti dealership. There's also one somewhere by Mt. Pleasant or Saginaw. That's probably a fair drive. Finally, McCormick Intl in Ionia has Kioti; that's a really long drive, but they assured me they will deliver and pick up anywhere in the state, and since half or more of their business is big construction equipment (not much used in Ionia!) I believe them (I think that was for service too, but better ask!).

You might pick up a copy of the "Farmer's Advance" newspaper, available at TSC and feed stores. It usually has a lot of tractor ads, both dealer and private party.

I believe most dealers will work on other brands, but there also exist independent (non-dealer) machinery repair places that may be a better value if you can't go to a dealer of the brand you have.

 

[Appygirl]

Gosh, I was just there too and should have thought of it! Around here Z there is Kubota, MF, NH, and JD
I should be able to find something with in those 4. I did grap one those Auto Swap magazine for tractors and not a thing in it. Hopefully better luck at TSC. Thanks