Short Term Tractor Purchase

[scaredychicken]

you will always need a tractor with a loader, when you have property

I am looking at used, since I don't want to take the depreciation on a new tractor for such a short term need.

what is this "depreciation" that you speak of ?
my new 2018 Kubota is worth more now than when i bought it

tractors and implements are my kryptonite

 

[Lastkidpicked]

What is this "depreciation" that you speak of?
My new 2018 Kubota is worth more now than when i bought it.

This is what makes the OP's idea an interesting one.
Can you buy a compact tractor, use it for your projects, and then sell it for what you paid for it?

@Iowa Boy please keep us posted on your journey. I'm curious to see how it works out.

 

[olenjohn]

I don't think you're wrong and trying to stick with the Kubota or JD. However, you can get other off brands significantly cheaper because they do not hold their resale value quite as well.

But you can still get them sold because there are other people out there that want a tractor but they don't want to spend JD or Kubota prices.

My point being, find a good deal on a decent tractor regardless of make and model and you will be able to sell it later, trust me.

Try to stay under a thousand hours and make sure it's not been sitting outside and neglected. Appearance does affect resale quite a lot.

You said you’re taking out gravel to put in new gravel under the concrete. Why? Reuse the gravel you already have. Especially if it’s under the concrete. As long as you can get compaction it will work just fine..

 

[Tbone07]

Don't think you can go wrong with any of the popular brands. Find a 25hp-ish model that you like and go with it. Deals are hard to come by nowadays so depending on when you wanna get this all done, you may not be able to wait around to find a smokin' deal.

And per your description of the nature of this job and the timeline you're working on. Equipment rental is a no-go. Also I'd challenge the notion that a tracked machine would do less damage to your lawn. They might float better and provide less compaction when kept in a straight line, but any type of turning tears up the soil way more than any standard wheeled tractor.