Help deciding on model tractor for my needs...

[catdiva6]

Hi everyone. I am in the market for a tractor and this is all new to me. We recently purchased 5 acres. The land is flat, however, does have quite a bit of stones/rocks. We have horses and will be building an arena. What models should I look at or stay away from? I know I want a hydrostatic transmission. Being female, not something too bulky but must get the job done and be able to lift things with out losing balance...enough power for my hubby to do other things with. I was told not to go under 30hp as when you try to lift something it kind of tips over. What would be the highest hp to go? Think B3200HSD harvest return for $16,700 with just front loader approx 50hrs. Is that any good? Do dealers negotiate on harvest returns and throw in any extras? Okay, why do you all like Kubota over John Deere? Thanks!

 

[magicheater]

Everyone has their favorite brand. Kubota and John Deere just happen to be on top for the moment. Over 30HP is a good choice. The bigger and heavier the tractor, the bigger the loader capacity. If you have a lot of use for the loader get as big a tractor as you can afford yet small enough to get where you need to go. Before you spend your money sit on them all, familiarize yourself with all the various controls and what they are for, and then see which one feels the best. I bought a Kubota w/o sitting on the others and got lucky in the fact that I like it. Could of done more homework. Hydraulic pump capacity and gpm at idle are important for attachments such as a backhoe. Tire selection, weighted tires, 3PH lift capacity.....Look at it all. If not, just buy the color you like.

 

[TripleR]

I now prefer Kubota over John Deere as my John Deere has had ongoing problems with the MMM and after only two years the starter needs replacing. No, I don't think all JD's are unreliable, but one is enough for me.

Your choice of tractor and logic seems good though I personally prefer the Grand L.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Hi everyone. I am in the market for a tractor and this is all new to me. We recently purchased 5 acres. The land is flat, however, does have quite a bit of stones/rocks. We have horses and will be building an arena. What models should I look at or stay away from? I know I want a hydrostatic transmission. Being female, not something too bulky but must get the job done and be able to lift things with out losing balance...enough power for my hubby to do other things with. I was told not to go under 30hp as when you try to lift something it kind of tips over. What would be the highest hp to go? Think B3200HSD harvest return for $16,700 with just front loader approx 50hrs. Is that any good? Do dealers negotiate on harvest returns and throw in any extras? Okay, why do you all like Kubota over John Deere? Thanks!

The Harvest Return "attachment?" really had me confused for quite awhile. I've finally decided you are referring to a tractor that was used by someone to harvest something then brought it back thus having the 50 hours? Is it being sold as a new tractor with the 0% financing? If not, then the price you quote is near the new price, contact Barlows. They also have a used B3200 FEL (Harvest return my trade in) with 34 hours. I like Kubota over JD because an equivilent JD was $3000 more than the Kubota and have bought ten Kubotas. I've had/have BX's a couple of B's, one B3200 and an L3240HST. I think more info of jobs is needed to determine which size tractor you need. The B's are compact utility tractors and then moving up to the L is a bigger and heavier tractor. The HP isn't the tippy factor, it's the weight on front and back that causes tippy. Balance the front with weight on the back with filled tires and some type of implement like a boxblade or something heavy when lifting with the FEL.

 

[bxowner]

A friend has property similar to what you describe. She bought a JD 3032. I used it a couple of times and my complaint with the model was that it lacked cruise control. I mention this because it was a great tractor for what she used it for half the time (i.e. clearing out the barn), as it has easy to use hydrostatic drive and a nice loader. But, for brushhogging (the other half of its intended use), on rough ground, it bounced all over the place. This caused my foot to bounce with the tractor and took a lot more effort than it should have to cut down the pastures. I think this is why there's still gear tractors offered. Or at least hydrostatic ones with cruise control - set it and then you can pay attention to just steering and adjusting the 3pt.

My point in writing is, there's a lot of value in John Deere's "e" series tractors that don't have removable loaders. Perhaps this style might work for you? It wouldn't for me because it makes the tractor less functional on my small property.

But, if you do have to improve the arena area yourself, a backhoe may well be a devise worth investing in. This means perhaps getting yourself into a more powerful tractor.

I'd suggest that if you don't have a need for a mid-mount mower, take a hard look at the L-series Kubotas. They're more cost effective than a B3030, with stronger capacities (shorter on luxuries, though). And, although they may look a little intimidating at first because they're bigger, my guess is after driving a few different tractors around, you'll come to appreciate their comfort and ease of use. Over rocky ground, the larger tires make for a better ride compared to a smaller tractor.

A lot of us aren't tied to one brand - some tend to stick with a certain color because they have a good relationship with their dealer. If you put in the time now to research and test drive several different brands and models, you'll save yourself a lot of money in the long run. Specifically, you won't be trading in next year. This effort will allow you also consider brands that don't appear popular at first, but perhaps have a lot better value for your application. I mentioned the "e" series from JD because they skimp on certain luxuries that make the tractor a lot more price competitive. But, New Holland, Kioti and Cub Cadet make perfectly fine tractors as well. If you're "lucky," perhaps dealers in your area sell multiple brands, so you can try out different manufacturer's approaches back-to-back.

So, I definitely recommend test driving a bunch. Then go back home while things are fresh and look at the specs - lift capacity at the loader and the 3-point hitch. Also, wheelbase and length/height overall. Then go back and test drive those couple of models that fit you and your husband's demands to see if you're comfortable on one specific size (both HP and physical) tractor. Enjoy!!

 

[MarkV]

Catdiva6 welcome to the forum and congratulation on the new property. As said, brand is a personal choice and most all the manufacture make some good equipment. Look at as many as you can and see what feels right for you.

I personally don't feel that you have to go to 30 hp to avoid a "tippy" feel when using a loader. It is more about proper use and proper counter balance on the tractor. The more important question is what do you intend to be moving. If you feed round bales then a larger framed tractor is an advantage due to the weight of the bales. Of course a larger frame tractor is harder to use in a barn for cleaning stalls. The more you can share about the uses you want to accomplish the more we can narrow down things you should look for.

MarkV

 

[radioman]

Lift things ? what are you planning to lift? round hay bales ?
harvest return ? what do you mean by that?

As for a tractor, what do you mean by bulky? The B series is nice since its not too wide/high like other tractors but lifting heavy things like hay bales, you may find you would prefer a larger loaded tires tractor like L at least.

 

[MarkV]

As far as harvest return, in areas like Florida where there are annual harvest of citrus products, harvesters will do short term leases of new tractors for the harvest season and then return them to the dealers to sell. The tractors are often used for nothing more than pulling wagons out of the groves. They can be a good deal.

MarkV

 

[catdiva6]

Thank you all so much for responding. This is all so new to me. I drove my friends kubota 30hp this weekend and it was easy to handle. I think it was a b7800. Gentleman who delivered our horse shelters has 3 Kubotas and said don't go below 30hp. So, I want something easy to maneuver and on some sites I read bigger isn't always better and I have not had an L series to compare with. As far as lifting, I really have no idea what we will be lifting. We will have the rectangular bales, possibly some tree limbs. I will use it to spead manuer and shavings around track area and to make an arena and keep it groomed. We live in a river bottom area. No boulders but stones and rocks. I was told to get a rock rake implement and slowly keep going over the arena area to get rocks out, then start building the arena. My friend did a great job with an arena implent she uses to groom her arena. My daughter seems to think we need higher hp to carry a heavier discing implement than what our friends have. Oh and the 32hp Harvest return is being sold as new with the 0% financing and 3yr warranty. I think Massey Ferguson is selling with a 5yr warranty and 0% but I have not heard a lot about this brand. We just built 6 horse pens i don't think any tractor will fit in. Hubby kept insisting on permanent rail fence. So we have 3 pens and a 12ft walk way and then 3 more pens (all are 48ft by 60ft). They have 10ft gates. Seriously...will any tractor fit in there especially with a rear implement? So, I want an arena tractor that is not too cumbersome but will easily get the job done.

 

[TripleR]

Thank you all so much for responding. This is all so new to me. I drove my friends kubota 30hp this weekend and it was easy to handle. I think it was a b7800. Gentleman who delivered our horse shelters has 3 Kubotas and said don't go below 30hp. So, I want something easy to maneuver and on some sites I read bigger isn't always better and I have not had an L series to compare with. As far as lifting, I really have no idea what we will be lifting. We will have the rectangular bales, possibly some tree limbs. I will use it to spead manuer and shavings around track area and to make an arena and keep it groomed. We live in a river bottom area. No boulders but stones and rocks. I was told to get a rock rake implement and slowly keep going over the arena area to get rocks out, then start building the arena. My friend did a great job with an arena implent she uses to groom her arena. My daughter seems to think we need higher hp to carry a heavier discing implement than what our friends have. Oh and the 32hp Harvest return is being sold as new with the 0% financing and 3yr warranty. I think Massey Ferguson is selling with a 5yr warranty and 0% but I have not heard a lot about this brand. We just built 6 horse pens i don't think any tractor will fit in. Hubby kept insisting on permanent rail fence. So we have 3 pens and a 12ft walk way and then 3 more pens (all are 48ft by 60ft). They have 10ft gates. Seriously...will any tractor fit in there especially with a rear implement? So, I want an arena tractor that is not too cumbersome but will easily get the job done.

My preference after looking at and owning several different brands is Kubota, but I second what bxowner says and would not advise anyone buying a tractor of any size without looking at Kubota, JD, Kioti, Mahindra, Massey Ferguson, Bobcat or anything else you can think of. What one person hates, another person loves. I HATE left foot brakes, but many prefer them for use with HST and split brakes. You will want "independent/live PTO" and position control on your 3-point and QA on your FEL if available and suspension seats are available on some, some have a reclining back and some don't, arm rests and so on. Take your time and do LOTS if research.