soberdude

[doncuddy]

Just a quick intro--my name is don and my wife and I live on 5 acres in Jefferson-Ohio. I love landscaping and gardening and live outside during our summers here. My main tool to this point in my life has been my 2 hands and a shovel. Have transformed a rather large yard and surrounding areas this way. That being said, at almost 54 years old, my back is letting me know it wont be in the game at this level much longer. Therefore have begun dreaming of a tractor to take me to the next level. Looking at Kioti---Mahindra---New Holland--Yanmar--etc..Just not the green one. Not sure when we financially will be able to make a tractor the priority..Hopefully in the next year or so..Any thoughts on which makes are best for the money---features-power-etc would be appreciated..Definitely want a loader--brush hog--backblade-etc...thanks don

 

[davesl708]

Hi. Welcome.

A lot depends on what you plan to do. I am partial to Kubota but many choices out there.

 

[murphy1244]

Welcome to TBN! What dealers you have within 50 miles of you?

 

[newbury]

Welcome aboard.
All the major brands are pretty reliable NEW.
Read up and determine your priorities, mowing, moving dirt or snow, gardening, forestry, farming, raising horses or chickens can all be accomplished with the same tractor platform but fine tuning it so it does what you want best is the trick.

Also if you are buying new the dealer play a big role.

Tell us what you NEED to do and what you WISH to do, a little about your topography (swampy, dry, hilly, flat?) and there are many of us on here who will try to help.

Can you "wrench"? Is used on your list? What's an approximate budget?

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To TBN forum Don. We just love spending someone else's money. Both Dave and Murph are right. A good dealer can be worth his weight in gold and how you plan on using the tractor will go a long way in deciding what tractor you need.

 

[tcreeley]

Welcome! I have a 2003 NH TC30 gear drive 30hp with a 5' loader. I bought it used with 600 hr a couple years ago off Craigslist for $9000. It was either that or buy a new 29hp LS new for $18,000. I went used. It was a good choice. The tractor is great. 30 hp does a ton of work - gravel, snow, tilling, etc.. It all depends on what you want to do with it. I can move my 2 horse trailer around with it, but I wouldn't try to pull my pickup out of the ditch with it. Maneuverability is something you should consider. Go sit on some tractors - then decide. New ones generally have financing available- but what turned me off was the requirement that I carry insurance on the tractor- to protect the interests of the company providing the financing. That's what made me decide to go used. ----good luck.

 

[doncuddy]

thanks murphy1244---we have Kioti--New Holland-Mahindra-Yanmar-Kubota--Massey Ferguson---pretty much many of the big names...

 

[TBN Support]

Welcome to the forum, Don!

:welcome:

I'm going to move your thread on over to our buying, pricing and comparisons section. I hope you find the perfect tractor.

 

[brasco426]

Welcome to TBN. Lots of great advice already given, I would say more of the same.

 

[murphy1244]

thanks murphy1244---we have Kioti--New Holland-Mahindra-Yanmar-Kubota--Massey Ferguson---pretty much many of the big names...

Now you need to write down what you plan to do including the size of the task, how fast you like to work and what kind of budget you need to be in.

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

Enjoy the site.

Any reason you've discounted the green tractors in your search?

 

[doncuddy]

back again--to respond to murphy 1244..our house sits on approx. 1 acre and the remaining 4 acres sit in the watershed/valley of a rather large creek at the end of our property..the hill down to the valley is approx. 100 feet down and 200 ft across and about a 45 degree angle/drop more or less. I have basically done nothing with these 4 acres due to lack of access/machine other than some minor land clearing with my own 2 hands and a shovel. there are many stumps large and small from trees I have felled. higher areas are dry and a majority of the land immediately at the bottom of the hill is very swampy..a run-off creek between properties empties across ours and makes it very wet until the dry season. the wooded areas on higher ground are dense with no real clear paths for a tractor to maneuver..some of the projects I envision one day.. large scale drainage culvert across the property to dry it out somewhat...brushhogging the overgrown areas and keeping it clear...clearing the hill if possible...very overgrown with scrub trees and giant rose briars...lots of loader work on a regular basis--love to landscape--large and small scale...heat with firewood--so clearing and collecting wood..pulling logs etc. tons of snow in our area--120 ft drive--so moving snow...big time gardener---so working the ground--tilling--have areas to maybe break new ground..these are just a few of the obvious uses I can think of ...don't need to necessarily work fast--however, the quicker I could work, the more I could do--so...also--as far as budget goes.will likely buy new...not a wrencher...can change oil and filters and do some very minor stuff...don't have a working knowledge mechanically and have made some rather stupid mistakes when it comes to equipment...so most likely will leave it to the experts. If I considered buying used, have no idea of what to look for or consider..just some of my thoughts.

 

[murphy1244]

Sounds like a nice place, we need pics.. for woods work you need ground clearance. How big of a tiller you thinking on running?

If you plane on trenching then you might want to rent a mini-ex or if you're flush with cash like I WAS you buy the back hoe for your machine.