Price Check Master price comparison chart by brand and model?

[ajanders]

I realize that this question is complicated as not all tractors come with the same items included or have the same quality, however it would be helpful to find a price comparison chart for base tractors by brand and model. Has anyone encountered such a chart? I recently acquired a home on 11.5 acres and am leaning towards a compact Kubota (B2650 or 3350) but I'd like to explore my options. I hear Korean models are improving in quality yet providing a bang for your buck. I plan to get mower, rotary cutter, front-end loader, post hole digger, and blade for plowing to start.

 

[jeff9366]

I believe the new tractor owners most satisfied with their model, research the weight and features their tractor should have first, within whatever budget there is. Opinions offered here will vary widely, but you sort through them by asking questions and more questions. Once the optimal features are decided upon a few tractor brands will suggest themselves as appropriate. Then, you visit dealers to sit on the tractors to be sure the operating station is comfortable and negotiate on price.

Most inexperienced tractor buyers think they want a tractor which is too light.

Many inexperienced tractor buyers think they want a $7,000 Backhoe as part of their tractor package but have almost no use for a Backhoe and do not understand, initially, how important a tractor's Three Point Hitch is. Backhoe has to be taken off before the Three Point Hitch is available.

Kubota has about 45% market share in tractors most often discussed here. B2650 and B3350 are models well suited to 11.5 acres. I recommend considering Kubota's L2501/HST and L3301/HST too.

Off a small base, Korean tractors led by Kioti and LS are growing fast but have thin dealer representation away from the coasts. TYM and Branson from Korea are holding but not dynamic.

I rate having my Kubota dealer six miles from my property as a continual tractor asset. Others buy from hundreds of miles away.


Consider tractor storage on your property early. New tractors are prone to theft.

 

[jeff9366]

Is your 11.5 acres entirely "open"? Or do you have trees, a pond, a road, etc to consider?

Will you build a home, shop or barn on the property?

Traditional tractors are inherently unstable on slopes. Is your property flat or will you operate your tractor on sloped ground? Options and set up for tractors used on slopes varies from options and set up for tractors used exclusively on flat land.

Do you have prior experience operating a traditional tractor? Will other family members operate the tractor?

 

[ericm979]

You have to make your own chart. I did a spreadsheet when I was shopping earlier this year. It included price quotes and a bunch of features and measurements important to me so I could compare tractors without having to constantly look up spec sheets. Actual street prices vary quite a bit depending on location. The Branson I ended up with cost a lot less than the equivalent Kubota, leaving more $$ for implements. So far it's been very good.

 

[frugalangler]

I also made my own spreadsheet. I first made a list of what tasks I needed it to perform, then identified the attributes of a tractor that best fit the tasks. I then compiled a spreadsheet that had every available specification tabulated, so I could rank that particular tractor against my tasks requirements. Also, for each tractor that hit the 'top 3 list' of units that appeared to meet my requirements, then I went to dealers and tested each one for ergonomics and driveability/operateability. I then ranked those 3 in order of preference. Next, I acquired quotes for each unit from the closest dealer and others nearby. What I found was that I could beat the price by going out of state, but what is a couple hundred $$ when a warranty claim is needed, as warranty service on tractors is quite different than cars, something I learned HERE at TBN. Ultimately, I didn't buy the lowest price brand, even though the one I bought and the lowest price one were virtually the same in specifications, it boiled down at that point to the dealer experience - my selected dealer made sure I was totally knowledgeable in his product, his dealership services, and the manufacturer's services. My best words of advice are, make sure you know what you NEED the tractor to do, vs. passion. I call this the NEED to have, NICE to have list. I would surely have LIKED to have a bigger tractor, my requirements due to the 'forest' I have to navigate, a bigger tractor didn't meet my requirements! Bigger is NOT always better,

Start with requirements, then availability of platform that meets your requirements, then dealer and price.

 

[ajanders]

Is your 11.5 acres entirely "open"? Or do you have trees, a pond, a road, etc to consider?

Will you build a home, shop or barn on the property?

Traditional tractors are inherently unstable on slopes. Is you property flat or will you operate your tractor on sloped ground? Options and set up for tractors used on slopes varies from options and set up for tractors used exclusively on flat land.

Do you have prior experience operating a traditional tractor? Will other family members operate the tractor?

Thank you for the thoughtful reply. There is certainly a lot to consider!

My 11.5 acres has a house and 2 outbuildings - both are 30x30 open barns with a dirt floor. I will need to research methods for protecting a new tractor.
My property is 60% pasture/grass, 30% feild with large brush, and 10% lawn. I hope to convert 1-2 more acres into yard and I looking into the process of the pasture --> lawn conversion!
Other details:
I am hoping to use the tractor for lawn mowing but had read large tractors will tear up / create deep treads in a lawn.
I live in Michigan and will need to plow a .25 mile gravel driveway.
I will need to occasionally resurface that same driveway.
I will need to move firewood, soil, and mulch around the property.
I will want to till a small garden area and maybe create some "paths" around the property for 4-wheelers.
I will want to be able to dig post holes occasionally.

 

[jeff9366]

Traditional tractors are inherently unstable on slopes. Is your property flat, or will you operate your tractor on sloped ground? Options and set up for tractors used on slopes varies from options and set up for tractors used exclusively on flat land.

Do you have prior experience operating a traditional tractor?

Will other family members operate the tractor?


Larger tractors have larger tires, distributing the load. R1/ag tires, sometimes called "bar" tires, can be tough on turf.

My 5,400 pound Kubota equipped with R4/industrial tires crosses lawns in a residential community without marking them on a routine basis, WHEN OPERATED IN TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MODE.

Wide, soft turf tires are an order option even for heavy tractors but are, perhaps, 6% of the tractor tire market.


Most tractors sold with Front End Loaders are equipped with R4/industrial tires, probably 75%+ of the tractor tire market.

For mowing 1 - 3 acres of SMOOTH lawn most here will recommend a Zero Turn mower over a tractor. However, you can pull a Finish Mower behind a tractor but the combination is much less maneuverable than a Zero Turn mower around trees and flower beds.

For field mowing, where ground is not smooth and the grass may be 36" to 48" long when cut, a Rotary Cutter, Bush Hog being a well known brand of Rotary Cutter, is the usual choice. A minority select a Flail Mower for this task.
A wide mower completes the job faster than a narrow mower. A wide mower requires a tractor with more horsepower to operate it than a narrow mower.



I will need to occasionally resurface my gravel driveway. Land Plane Grading Scraper. LPGS "recovers" gravel.
VIDEO: tractor Land Plane Grading Scraper - YouTube

I will need to move firewood, soil, and mulch around the property. Front End Loader.
Almost all new tractors discussed on this site are sold equipped with Front End Loaders and R4/industrial tires.

I will want to till a small garden area and maybe create some "paths" around the property for 4-wheelers. What is a SMALL garden to you? LENGTH of potential paths?

I will want to be able to dig post holes occasionally. Twenty-five horsepower tractor will operate a Post Hole auger.

 

[ajanders]

Traditional tractors are inherently unstable on slopes. Is your property flat, or will you operate your tractor on sloped ground? Options and set up for tractors used on slopes varies from options and set up for tractors used exclusively on flat land.

Do you have prior experience operating a traditional tractor?

Will other family members operate the tractor?


Larger tractors have larger tires, distributing the load. R1/ag tires, sometimes called "bar" tires, can be tough on turf.

My 5,400 pound Kubota equipped with R4/industrial tires crosses lawns in a residential community without marking them on a routine basis, WHEN OPERATED IN TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MODE.

Wide, soft turf tires are an order option even for heavy tractors but are, perhaps, 6% of the tractor tire market.


Most tractors sold with Front End Loaders are equipped with R4/industrial tires, probably 75%+ of the tractor tire market.

For mowing 1 - 3 acres of SMOOTH lawn most here will recommend a Zero Turn mower over a tractor. However, you can pull a Finish Mower behind a tractor but the combination is much less maneuverable than a Zero Turn mower around trees and flower beds.

For field mowing, where ground is not smooth and the grass may be 36" to 48" long when cut, a Rotary Cutter, Bush Hog being a well known brand of Rotary Cutter, is the usual choice. A minority select a Flail Mower for this task.
A wide mower completes the job faster than a narrow mower. A wide mower requires a tractor with more horsepower to operate it than a narrow mower.



I will need to occasionally resurface my gravel driveway. Land Plane Grading Scraper. LPGS "recovers" gravel.
VIDEO: tractor Land Plane Grading Scraper - YouTube

I will need to move firewood, soil, and mulch around the property. Front End Loader.
Almost all new tractors discussed on this site are sold equipped with Front End Loaders and R4/industrial tires.

I will want to till a small garden area and maybe create some "paths" around the property for 4-wheelers. What is a SMALL garden to you? LENGTH of potential paths?

I will want to be able to dig post holes occasionally. Twenty-five horsepower tractor will operate a Post Hole auger.

Hi Jeff- thank you for the follow up. My land is very flat, just somewhat "lumpy" as pasture tends to be. I was hoping (maybe ignorantly) to avoid buying a tractor and zero turn mower, but as I look further into it the cost of a new pull-behind finishing mower implement appears between $1000-$1500, and a new (non-commercial) zero turn price appears similar while offering me more maneuverability across my planned 2 acres. My plan was to hit a 2 acre section of flat grassy pasture with the rotary cutter followed by a few mows to see how smooth it is before deciding if harrow / tilling was needed to convert to a useable lawn space.

Thank you for the tips on other implements! I am leaning towards the industrial tires (over turf) to give me better grip in the field and for winter plowing, especially if I end up also acquiring a zero turn mower. In terms of the garden we're probably looking at a 40x20 ft space. And the paths I was looking into creating would likely run along the perimeter of the property (about a mile long potentially)

 

[jeff9366]

As a Floridian, I cannot address tractor tire issues and snow with first hand experience, so here is a T-B-N archive LINK:

ARCHIVE LINIK: tractor tires and snow site:tractorbynet.com - Google Search


In terms of smoothing two acres of pasture to convert to turf: I suggest either scalp the lumpy area with a Rotary Cutter, or kill the grass with Roundup/Glycophosphate, then roto-till to loosen when ground is soft, finally, smooth with Land Plane Grading Scraper. Land Plane works best for pasture smoothing when the grass is mostly gone and the area you work is dirt. Then reseed in Fall or Spring.

Rather a lengthy smoothing project but you should be pleased in the end.

Same implement combination should create your trails over time and your garden. You may not need to roto-till for your trails, except in hard places. The four wheelers are going to create their own path environment.

 

[tdbrph]

Hey Frugalangler,

I appreciate your evaluation on the SCUT I am in the process of deciding between the 1025r, then new 2025r and the GC1720. Which dealer did you work with on your Massey? Smaller foot print, ground clearance, loader work, and back hoe performance are my most important factors I am evaluating. I really hadn't put a lot of stock in the GC1720 until reading your post. Where in MID MO are you located? Any other points you would make for the GC1720 over the 1025r and 2025r.

Best regards,

Triston

Columbia MO