Help with purchase of Kubota M6800, KX161-3

[Dario_G]

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Greetings folks.

My family and I recently purchased 160 acres in Putnam Valley NY (50 mi north of the big apple). We are business people and a close-knit family who wish to live in a close and private setting. We got our wish. My wife and I as well as my Mom and Dad recently move up into two homes already on the property.

While we are not farmers we intend (with God’s help) on making our land into a wonderful place to live and as such we are now seriously considering buying a tractor and other equipment to help in the process. The problem is that while we are ingenious by nature the only tractors we have ever seen have been in pictures /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif. Dad, who comes from a small farming town in Sicily, is somewhat experienced with donkeys and mules, not motorized stuff /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. I thought that some of you good folks could give me some suggestions or guidance that will undoubtedly be more dispassionate than our local Kubota dealer.

These are the areas we intend to work on (not necessarily in this order): 1. Improve the existing homes; 2. Improve driveways and logging trails; 3. Excavate ponds; 4. Foundation work for 2 new homes; 5. Clear out wooded areas to farm (exactly what we do not yet know); 6. Build a barn for family use (chickens, pigs, horses, cows, etc.); 7. Landscape and improve the land in a variety of ways.

In this regard I have been pricing a M6800 4x4 tractor with a cab (it must have one of we are going to have any use of it in winter) and a loader, box scraper, blade and spreader (for snow removal), and a brush hog. The dealer told me that since a strong enough backhoe could not be installed on the M6800 with the cab option he recommended for me to consider purchasing a KX 161-3 excavator with a hammer attachment (we have lots of rock around here) to complete the package.

The local dealer quoted me $45,500 for a M6800 HDC with cab and loader and $54,000 for the KX 161-3 rubber pads excavator. The above mentioned attachments are extra off course. These prices seem a bit high to me and I would like to hear back from anyone who has had some experience in purchasing this equipment.

Additionally I would greatly appreciate any input on the issue of the tractor-excavator combination.

I thank you in advance for any helpful guidance and suggestions.

Sincerely,

Dario Gristina. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[froggy]

That price is high. Go to the following website for MSRP pricing on the M6800 HD cab:

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/equipment/contracts/tr_cpt_utl/45a.pdf

Should be able to get a 15-20% discount depending the area of the country and competition.

 

[froggy]

This will get you to the loader pricing at same web site:
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/equipment/contracts/tr_cpt_utl/45d.pdf

 

[froggy]

Here are some similar excavators and prices:

http://www.dot.state.mn.us/equipment/contracts/excavator/index.html

 

[Dario_G]

Thanks a lot froggy. I see what you mean.

Any indication on the KX 161-3 pricing?

Thanks again,

Dario. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[froggy]

No, but you might want to checkout Carver Equipment or Messick under the dealers section, they might be able to give you some information.

 

[art]

How would the tractor be set up? ag tires or industrial? With the mechanical self leveling loader? QT? Tooth bar?

 

[Dario_G]

Art,

The quote shows industrial tires and the self leveleing loader. Actually the quote does not even show the model # for the loader. As far as QT and tooth bar I am not sure what they are nor are they listed in the quote. I will ask the dealer to break out the quote in its details and get back to you.

Thanks a lot

Dario. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RedDog]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">(

The local dealer quoted me $45,500 for a M6800 HDC with cab and loader )</font>



Wow, that seems high!! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I'm no dealer, but I believe you could easily get a Kioti DK65 with cab, loader, and new Kioti backhoe that from what I am hearing will be available very soon, for under your quote!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

In my opinion the Kioti DK65 is much more tractor than the Kubota M6800, and would do the tasks that you mentioned better.

I would also look at perhaps a New Holland TN75, or John Deere equivilant.


RedDog

 

[btolle]

Whoa! You are talking about $100K here. I would not advise spending that kind of money until you learn a lot more about what you are going to be doing with the equipment and what you really want, not what we tell you that you want.

Are you aware that you can rent tractors, backhoes, and implements? That would give you a chance to try out some equipment before committing that large amount of money.

Beyond that, you are talking some serious seat time to fully utilize the equipment and get all the work done. Unless you are retired and willing to spend many hours in the saddle you may be frustrated with the slow progress.

You might want to consider talking to some people who do dirt work in the area about what it would cost you to have a pond dug, the foundations dug and/or leveled, etc. If you are talking about using the backhoe for just a few items it may be a lot cheaper to hire the big stuff out.

About backhoes: I am the world's slowest backhoe operator so I don't own one. I used one years ago and found that I just don't have the coordination to operate it smoothly.

I have a local person who has a big backhoe/FEL and charges me $45 an hour (3 hour minimum) for backhoe work. He can do more in 3 hours than I could probably do in 3 days. At that rate I could hire him for 1,200 hours (30 weeks at 40 hours a week) for the $54K you are talking about spending. And that is not counting the fact that he provides operator, fuel, and maintenance of the hoe in his price. Add 1,200 hours of fuel, maintenance, and your time to the $54K and see where that gets you.

You can also hire a bulldozer and operator for the really big stuff and he can get more done in an hour than a big backhoe can do in several hours when it comes to digging a pond and moving lots of dirt from here to there.

There is also one huge advantage to hiring it done: You get the operators expertise. That alone can save you a lot of work. The operator has done lots of jobs and can advise you on HOW to do it. Just tell him what you want the end result to be and let him determine how to get there. He may also be able to save you from digging a pond in the wrong place, remember you have to put it where it will collect and hold water and also drain properly in a flood. Unless you are familiar with soil types and such he is a better judge of where to put the pond than you are.

Not trying to dampen your enthusiasm, but I have paid lots of money for my education (and I'm not talking about school tuition).

Bill Tolle