New DK35 or used DK45?

[Karst_Hills]

I live on some steeply sloping pasture and mountain land with a few acres flat enough to till, and maybe 25 safe to mow. Have a 0.4 mi gravel drive with a pretty steep section, Need to tend the drive year round, and move several snows during the winter (snow is not too deep, but enough to be dangerous and to stop a 4 wheel drive pickup from making it more than halfway up the hill). Looking at the options have about settled on a Kioti but happened across two options with the nearly the same price. I can get a new DK 35 with FEL or a used DK 45 (about 300 hr) and FEL w/ quick release bucket. Will be mowing 10 acres routinely, 15 more occasionally, tilling 2 acres, cutting firewood, etc. Do not really want to get into haying, but may have to (in small way) at some point. Again, some pretty good slopes to deal with. May want a BH (8 1/2') at some point (a lot of rocks and stumps). Is the 35 all I need or should I take the plunge for a bigger, but used 45. Suggestions? Considerations?

 

[Donnyj]

If taking care of, 300 hrs is almost new. For the same price I would buy the 45. Both of the tractors would more than likely do everything you need. Hay making might push the 35 depending on what you are going to use as far as attachments. I looked at both and decided on the 45 simply beacause it was not much more money, but just seemed like alot more tractor for my needs. You can't lose with either one.

 

[Golfgar4]

I tend to agree with Donny's comments. You should check the maintenance records on the DK45 to make sure that it's been maintained properly. You don't mention if the FEL on the DK35 has the QA bucket like the DK45 has. That's a nice feature to have! I think either tractor would work fine for your stated needs, but the comment about the possibility of haying would make me lean more towards the DK45.

And besides, you don't often hear people complain about having too much HP, do you? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Good luck on your decision, and make sure you post some pics of your selection. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[gippolit]

I also agree with Donny comments, but I would look at a new dk45s. Maybe the price difference is not that much.

 

[Karst_Hills]

The 35 does not have the QA bucket. Other than that, they are essentially equipped the same (single remote, fluid in the tires) except for standard differences between the two models.

The 45 has some wear (a bit of rust and a crack in the grill) but the dealer says he sold it new, took it back as a trade-up from a local hayfarmer, and will guarantee if for a year. (Less worry about that first scratch I guess)

Folks around here like to talk, and I haven't heard anything bad about this dealer. His first offer was not the best quote out there, but good enough to keep in play, based on the prices posted here for western PA and NC. I did not get a quote on a new DK45 from him (yet), but the consensus seems to be here that maybe $2-3000 more than the new 35 would not be out of line (Comments?). We are already pushing well beyond our budget trying to get the tractor, loader, mower (King?), and a good blade. The extra for a new 45 would mean deferring tools for jobs I needed to do weeks ago.

I know that bigger is always assumed to be better, but, do I need the bulk and power of the 45, or is the 35 up to the task? I don't know - my last tractor (13yr ago) was an Oliver 55, and it sure would not do the job. What will I need to do that I don't anticipate? My neighbors all have tractors (30 to 70HP) and have been cutting hay off my land. They say 30+HP is absolutely essential, but beyond that....? Even they admit that the steep road (they maintainded for me this past winter) was tricky enough with a 70HP JD 4WD. Can the 35 handle snow and ice management on that safely?

Then the dealer quite honestly, sticks a wrench in this, and says for his money, he would go with the new DK35, all the while admitting he would absolutely love to sell me the used 45. He drives by my place on the way to his farm, but again, he may be thinking mowing and pushing snow on a level road. I am thinking road and ditch maintenance and rock moving on top of that. He is also adding the 0% interest to his thinking.

If I had all the money in the world, I probably would have bought another orange tractor months ago, and never even known about the Kioti. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

There ought'a be a proverb for that somewhere. (A fool and his money....?) Thanks for the input!

 

[gmsssi]

I second that and QA is really, really nice!

 

[VictorW]

A friend of mine has a DK45. He plows a driveway the same as yours. Here in NW Penna., a snow fall could dump a foot. Hays about 7 acres and mows about 5 acreas. He wouldn't want to go smaller. He had his hay wagon loaded, maybe to much, and the tractor pulled it well but slowing on a hill was a little tricky. Maybe someone with a DK35 that has done the things you want to do will give you a suggestion but I would go for the 45. I bought a CK30 which works well but there are always those times that you wished for a little more.

 

[Dk45_Jeff]

I'm biased toward the DK45 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Besides the points already mentioned, the DK45 provides 10 more PTO HP and is simply a larger tractor. It offers more hydraulic flow, more FEL capacity, more ground clearance, longer wheel base, wider stance and more weight compared with its smaller brother. They are both great machines, but for the jobs you've mentioned I think the larger machine will server you better.

 

[KiotiJohn]

I don't do any haying, never have, but have been told by several people that at least 45 HP is needed. I also don't have any real hills here in N.E. Florida so I can't comment on the stability, but the wider trac of the DK45 would probably be better. You don't say which tires it has, but the AGs can be moved out some, the IND tires can't.
Another thing you may want to consider is the age of the tractor as relates to warranty. Certain models from some years are transferable on the remainder, and others are not. I don't recall exactly the parameters, but it's something to consider. If you buy the used 45, there's a possibility that there won't be any warranty transferred and you'll have to do or pay for the work it may need. With only 300 hours I doubt there would be much problem, but you should know about the warranty issues.
For the work you describe, I generally think you'd be better off with the 45 especially if you begin haying.
John

 

[Karst_Hills]

The used DK45 does have R4s. Forgot about that. May have to break down and look into a new price for the 45 after all, with the warranty issues. Pretty much everyone seems to thing the 45 is the way to go. Definitely have some new questions to ask when next I talk to the dealer.....

Any comments on the price difference between a new 35 and new 45 (or will it have to be the 45S)?

Appreciate the comments.