Newbie trying to nail down type & brands

[chim]

You're best served by getting something at least the size of a Kubota BX with a loader. Doesn't need to be a Kubota, but the specs of it would be a good guide. I went cheap and well-used on the first tractor and couldn't wait to get something with more capabilities.

Get something large enough. One thing I noticed with tractors is that they get smaller as you use them.

 

[BlueKnife]

Let me be a little more specific-we will be getting a CHEAP USED one. From an estate sale, or local seller, or craigslist.
Hoping to narrow it down to something that has enough life left to get us through a season or 2 while we are on the learning curve for learning how to maintain etc.
We can worry about upgrading later-kinda like how you get a teenager a beater car to practice on.
Thank you for boldly highlighting the fact that I have never done this before, in nice blue letters. Hoping that will draw some attention & get me some mercy!
I'm seeing a LOT of older model tractors coming out of the woodwork that appear in nice condition going kinda cheap, they just want them out of the way. So what is a good reliable/easy to maintain/easy to run & learn on? I've seen a few older Honda, Wheel Horse, Ford, Simplicity-and it seems like people LOVE those & are not so happy with the newer models.

If you could be more specific as to what "cheap" means, that would be helpful.

 

[rgr33]

It appears up are thinking about lawn tractors, which can be had at a fairly reasonable price.
You probably should be thinking along the lines of a subcompact tractor, with a front end loader. You don’t want to be lifting heavy objects or hauling dirt around in a wheelbarrow at 50 years old if you can avoid it.
unfortunately, they are not cheap, but are well worth the cost for your purposes.

alternatively, you could get by with the same size tractor, and a rotary cutter and small utility trailer. That won’t help with lifting heavy objects, but will cost less in the beginning.
If you decide on the second choice, you will eventually decide that the first, is what you wish you had purchased

 

[Catia1313]

I keep getting confused when trying to split hairs. I do not need a full blown farm tractor, we would not put that to use. However I do want something more durable than a basic riding mower. This is why I am trying to narrow down brands I should look into. I'd like something similar to the smaller wheel horse types. Is there something heavier duty than just a riding mower but isn't a full blown farm tractor that has 4wd capabilities & can tow wood/rocks etc? I will not be farming. I will be moving chopped wood, mowing the lawn & doing some brick work & small gardening.
I'd love to have a kubota, I look, but they command much higher price. I don't want to get into dealerships and used at this time. I am sick to death of salesmen & I do not have the $$$$$ to invest in a newer model.
I DO have the ability to get a decent model cheap from an estate sale, locally, or craigslist. I'm not making my husband who works hard all day cut all of that with a lawn mower while we save, because I can pick up a used cheap riding mower before I would do that. The point is to get something that is heavier duty than a basic riding mower, & hopefully 4wd.
Unfortunately, now, there are more dead people, and people going to homes, & their kids can't get rid of the stuff fast enough. There is not as much demand for the left over used tractors or riding mowers right now because the millennials just get their lawns serviced by someone else, most don't even know HOW to use even a lawnmower in my area it seems, or they want something new.
I don't want something new. I want something reliable that isn't made in china & didn't come from a big box store.
The plan is to nail down what brands & models I should be looking into. I have read a LOT about people being unhappy with the newer models of riding mowers. We can do basic maintenance. This is only 2 acres at best. We are postage stamp size compared to the 20 & 100 acre lots around us. If we ever needed heavier duty work, we would hire one of the locals.

 

[jeff9366]

Is there something heavier duty than just a riding mower that isn't a full blown farm tractor that has 4wd capabilities & can tow wood/rocks etc?


Yes. This category of tractor is a subcompact tractor or the lighter compact tractors pretty clearly described in Post #2 and Post #3, above.

John Deere and Kubota dominate these categories with around 50% of the units sold, new, today. There are perhaps ten less expensive subcompact and compact tractor brands that divide the 50% market share not held by Deere and Kubota combined. All are imported, largely from South Korea.

There are large numbers of used subcompact and compact tractors for sale, otherwise there would be few down payments available for new, trade-up tractors.

Subcompacts weigh ~1,400 pounds, compact tractors commence at ~ 1,700 pounds. All have diesel engines, and 90% of the time, Loaders, which require a hydraulic system to operate.

(To your respondents here, farm tractors begin at a weight of 7,000 pounds.)

Unfortunately for you and other prospective consumers, you usually have to pay around four times as much to buy a 1,400 to 2,000 pound subcompact or compact Three Point Hitch tractor, relative to a <600 pound Lawn & Garden tractor, because of the tripling of material involved and much more expensive to produce diesel engine.

Tractor capability is more closely correlated to tractor weight than any other single (1) specification.

 

[jeff9366]

If you follow this T-B-N =TRACTORS FOR SALE= forum, you may eventually get a lead on a good, value priced, subcompact tractor near your home:

Tractors For Sale

Post your tractors for sale here. (Only private party sales are allowed in this section)

www.tractorbynet.com

If you post your location, at least your state, but preferably city and state, a T-B-N correspondent may clue you in to a good private-sale tractor near you.

Obscured By Clouds
This is not specific enough.​

Here are my reasons for wanting OP location.

ALTIITUDE - Tractors lose 3% of engine power output for every 1,000' altitude increase, over 1,500' Sometimes twenty posts will be made advising on tractor horsepower, then we find OP is a 6,500 feet altitude and is considering a low power, naturally aspirated tractor.

WEATHER - ESPECIALLY SNOW - Blowing snow and mowing are the two tasks that require considerable engine power. If we know an OP is in Buffalo, NY rather than Key West, FL snow needs are apparent.

WEATHER - Large swathes of the country have a continental climate, four seasons, with great temperature variations between winters and summers.
Areas near the coast have varying maritime climates.

PRICING - Tractor and implement pricing and dealer service pricing varies a great deal. Lowest prices are usually in the south. Prices along the west coast and in the northeast are usually highest.

Some states exempt agriculture and forestry equipment from state sales taxes. Florida is one example of liberal ag sales tax exemptions.

IMPLEMENTS - Availability of implements brands are regional, not national. ie: CountyLine, Rural King, etc.

SOIL AND GROWING SEASON - Whether game food plots or market crops, soil and length of growing season(s) in important. Soil type influences tire selection.

USED TRACTORS - When the OP posts a location, OP is often referred to good used tractors nearby or provided local tractor listings from Craig's List, eBay, TractorHouse, Machinery Peter or other sites.

Everyone on T-B-N has a screen name, as anonymous as they like. Any other profile information is contributed voluntarily, such as age and tractor brand/model. Relative to the massive data heists reported so often, with names, address, Social Security and credit card numbers stolen, this site is nearly anonymous.


USED TRACTORS ON EBAY:

Tractor -Cat. -Caterpillar in Business & Industrial for sale | eBay

www.ebay.com

KUBOTA B6200 TRACTOR | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for KUBOTA B6200 TRACTOR at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

​

 

[Tractorable]

For the OP, I know it seems like it costs a lot for a small used Kubota BX, but nothing retains its value better, so in a sense you’re just parking your money in the tractor for a while until you decide to sell. A small tractor with a front end loader is essential for the type of work you want to do.

 

[BlueKnife]

Is there something heavier duty than just a riding mower but isn't a full blown farm tractor that has 4wd capabilities & can tow wood/rocks etc?

There is. The Kubota BX that has been mentioned several times is in that category. We really need to know what your budget is. Otherwise, you'll just keep getting recommendations for good machines that you can't afford.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

There are at least 9 manufacturers that make subcompact tractors.
Kubota, John Deere (both more expensive), Massey Ferguson, New holland, LS, Kioti, TYM, Branson, and Bobcat.

They can accept mowers, tillers, post hole diggers, grading blades, loaders, even small backhoes. They are far more useful than even a good "garden tractor"

A few examples:

2020 LS MT122 For Sale in Tomball, Texas

2020 LS MT122 For Sale in Tomball, Texas at TractorHouse.com. 3 years power train warranty left! 2020 Year Model Tractor/Loader with Belly Mower.

www.tractorhouse.com

2023 KIOTI CS2220 For Sale in Frederick, Maryland

2023 KIOTI CS2220 For Sale in Frederick, Maryland at TractorHouse.com. 4WD Tractor with loader and mid-mount mower 60"

www.tractorhouse.com

2023 BRANSON 2205H For Sale in Henderson, Iowa

2023 BRANSON 2205H For Sale in Henderson, Iowa at TractorHouse.com. Finance for $205 p/month with Affordable Nationwide Delivery! New Branson 2205H Tractor w/ a 22 hp Tier 4 engine, easy-to-drive hydrostatic transmission, built-in loader with quick-attach loader bucket, 54" mid-mount mower, dual...

www.tractorhouse.com

You may find a decent garden tractor, but the better quality and in better shape are sometimes hard to find.

Good luck with your search, don't hesitate to come back with any questions.

 

[Torvy]

^useful post!

A sub-compact tractor is not usually a "farm" tractor, though some farms certainly use them. They are a useful blend of lawn mower with room for growth. Highly recommended you focus on that class of machine.

Be extraordinarily careful when buying used. There are some deals to be had, but unless one or both of you is adept at repair and maintenance, you could be in for more repair costs than initial outlay.