Buying Advice How many hours is acceptable

[rlyddane]

I am looking at buying a compact or sub-compact tractor used. I am not too worried about age, as long as the hours are reasonable for its age. I don't know if MFG really matters, but I am leaning toward a Kubota B7100 series or a BX series, between 18-25 HP. I'd rather have power steering, but I have been told, for that small a tractor, PS is not that critical. However, I will have a loader, MMM, tiller, BH, Box scrapper, etc. eventually, and I have projects to use all of these attachments frequently.

So, back to my question, how many hours are considered acceptable? Thanks for your help....................Rich

 

[crbr]

I am looking at buying a compact or sub-compact tractor used. I am not too worried about age, as long as the hours are reasonable for its age. I don't know if MFG really matters, but I am leaning toward a Kubota B7100 series or a BX series. I'd rather have power steering, but I have been told, for that small a tractor, PS is not that critical. However, I will have a loader, MMM, tiller, BH, Box scrapper, etc. eventually, and I have projects to use all of these attachments frequently.

So, back to my question, how many hours are considered acceptable? Thanks for your help....................Rich

For me (relative to your implements and usage) I'd find a unit with a bit more HP (the 7100 has 16 gross HP) and power steering. Each to their own.

As for hours, if the price was right and hopefully good maintenance records, I'd not shy away from upwards of 1500 - 2000 hours. I'd certainly expect that many more from the machine, but that is a lot of (future) hours with manual steering.

$0.02

.

 

[TripleR]

Pretty much what crbr said, many if most put 100 hours or less per year on their machines and even with 2000, for the right price, a tractor is going to last you a very long time.

 

[Bigfoot62]

. . . I'd rather have power steering, but I have been told, for that small a tractor, PS is not that critical. However, I will have a loader, . . .
So, back to my question, how many hours are considered acceptable? Thanks for your help....................Rich

Whoever told you that probably doesn't have a loader!
P/S is very much critical, actually invaluble, if you are going to be doing loader work, as is MFWD.

Pretty much what the others have said. 1000-2000 is not too much, if the machine has been cared for.

JMHO

 

[dntfxr]

I'd not rule out the b7100 for lack of PS and HP. Mine is only 17 gross HP but I've pulled a 6' disc with over 1000lbs added on top. I don't have a loader but I added a substantial weight rack on the front and honestly haven't wanted for PS. Obviously a loader will add more weight and I could see it being a bit more of an issue then. They really are excellent little tractors and I'd not trade it for one of the smaller BXs. The larger BXs maybe so...

 

[crazyal]

The more hours the more you'll be turning wrenches on it. So it really comes down to can you do your own repair work and do you mind doing it. I personally like to turn wrenches so as long as the tractor was not performing something critical, like snow removal, and if it broke and I was without it for a few weeks I would be screwed I'd buy a 5000 hour tractor if the price was right. I've seen tractors with 10,000 hour that still run well with lots of life in them.

Besides there's something kind of fun about running an older tractor. A new tractor should do everything you expect but when an old tractor steps up and gets the job done just as well there's that woohoo feeling.

 

[kuboman]

Power steering and hydro traany are a must for loader work in my opinion. And more HP is always desirable. You can not use the power you do have but you can never use the power you don't have. As for hours, 2000 hrs would be tops for a well maintained machine. I would look for something under a 1000 hrs.

 

[thetooth]

I purchased a used b7500 last year it fits the bill for me . Its a touch bigger than the Bx models but not to big to mow the lawn with . It has all the creature comforts with hydro and power steering .

I bought it from a dealer for $8500 it came with a loader and 54" belly mower 440 hours and the dealer did a full service of all the fluids and filters .


good luck with your search

 

[art]

On the B-7100 series the power steering was optional. Hours don't bother me on a well made tractor like a Kubota as we have seen there engines go well past 10.000 hours without major work.

 

[rlyddane]

Thank you all for your responses. They will definitely help in my hours decision. The PS will be a little more difficult, since you all have mixed emotions. I will be using a loader alot, so I am leaning toward PS.

Thanks again. I will let you know what I decided when I buy it......Rich

 

[whistlepig]

Buying used I wouldn't go over 1,500 hours. Better would be 1,000 to 1,500 hours. Tractors with these kind of hours are very hard to find. And when I tried looking for used with these kind of hours I found out that buying new was only a couple of hundred dollars more. I ended up buying new.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Thank you all for your responses. They will definitely help in my hours decision. The PS will be a little more difficult, since you all have mixed emotions. I will be using a loader alot, so I am leaning toward PS.

Thanks again. I will let you know what I decided when I buy it......Rich

Only one of these responses mentioned PS not an issue and even that one said maybe with a loader it would maybe be important. Some never mentioned it period and the others said it will be important with a loader which you want. A loaded loader will not be pleasant after several hours of work without PS. If you plan on keping it for use and for awhile, get what will make it usable without hating to use it or even being unpleasant to use. Or subscribe to my theory of buy what seems about right then a year later get the one that comes closer to meeting your actual needs at that time. First purchase is just a test purchase.

 

[dntfxr]

Yeah if you are doing a lot of loader work the PS is definitely nice, I didn't mean to imply that it's not. And the bigger the loader capacity the more you'll miss it!

 

[kuboman]

Yeah if you are doing a lot of loader work the PS is definitely nice, I didn't mean to imply that it's not. And the bigger the loader capacity the more you'll miss it!

Nice hardly descibes PS. I had a B4200 pint size with no PS and gear tranny. It was a cute little tractor and capable for it's small size but I hated the arm strong steering and the clutch and gears for loader work. If you don't get PS you will learn to hate the tractor. But like JT says, the first is just a test.:laughing:

 

[OrangeRidge]

There's ALOT of secondhand BX out there. You don't have to
put up with high hours in any particular age/price range really.
You'll find some will have three to five times the use for 80%
of the price . Look well and you'll get a good one somewhere.
Just ONE major problem with a purchase will lose you anything
you saved with an older machine . For BX , look for less than
250 to 400 hrs . There're heaps of 'em . If it's got the options
that you want ( folk hate splitting up a unit ) then bargain
hard . The economy is stuffed and cash is king .

 

[silvertramp]

Thank you all for your responses. They will definitely help in my hours decision. The PS will be a little more difficult, since you all have mixed emotions. I will be using a loader alot, so I am leaning toward PS.

Thanks again. I will let you know what I decided when I buy it......Rich

I have a Yanmar 276D with a loader, no ps. There is a kit available, but I guess I just don't care enough. What I wouldn't want to do without is 4wd, 12f speeds, and the powershift tranny. If something comes up with ps that meets your criteria, grab it. I wouldn't consider no ps to be a deal breaker tho.
I'm 64 years old, but put on less than 100 hours/year. Much of it tight work.

 

[MMH]

Nice hardly descibes PS. I had a B4200 pint size with no PS and gear tranny. It was a cute little tractor and capable for it's small size but I hated the arm strong steering and the clutch and gears for loader work. If you don't get PS you will learn to hate the tractor. But like JT says, the first is just a test.:laughing:

Kuboman, you have a L5740 & B3200 & the original poster is looking at a B7100. Even w/o a loader you need PS w/ a 5740. PS on a B7100 w/ a loader may be nice, but definitely not a must have. I have a B9200 w/ a loader & no PS and a gear tranny. Over 90% of my work is loader work. My loader (a BF350) can lift 1000 lbs. & curl 1200 lbs. When I lift that much PS would be nice. However, most of the time I am lifting 500 lbs. or less. The armstrong PS works just fine. As to a gear vs. hydro, to each his own - the more I run my gear tractor, the more I like it.[/QUOTE]

 

[kuboman]

Kuboman, you have a L5740 & B3200 & the original poster is looking at a B7100. Even w/o a loader you need PS w/ a 5740. PS on a B7100 w/ a loader may be nice, but definitely not a must have. I have a B9200 w/ a loader & no PS and a gear tranny. Over 90% of my work is loader work. My loader (a BF350) can lift 1000 lbs. & curl 1200 lbs. When I lift that much PS would be nice. However, most of the time I am lifting 500 lbs. or less. The armstrong PS works just fine. As to a gear vs. hydro, to each his own - the more I run my gear tractor, the more I like it.

[/QUOTE]

Some people enjoy the exercise, I don't.

 

[Ductape]

Some people enjoy the exercise, I don't.[/quote]


That's why MMH's biceps are huge, and yours look like wet noodles !

 

[jonyyuma]

Test Tractor???HA...Ps and 4 wheel drive are needed for effective loader work. Go ahead a fight the wheel...at least you have read it here...beforehand?