tractor suggestions

[Anonymous Poster]

I am looking for suggestions and guidance ...

I have purchased a new home on 15 acres with a 0.3 mile gravel driveway. There are several horse corrals that have grass, the rest is wooded.

I would like to get a tractor to (1) blow snow off from the drive; (2) cut the grass in the corrals as needed, since we don't have horses; (3) periodically grade or smooth the drive; and (4) pull a trailer of kids through trails in the woods.

I've been debating between a compact tractor or a garden tractor, since budget is an issue I'm considering used equipment.

Any suggestions as far as a tractor or what type of tractor? This would be my first one.

thanks,
steve

 

[kcook]

Check out the power Trac postings interesting piece of equipment! www.power-trac.com
Kevin

 

[Bird]

Steve, for 15 acres, I'd say to forget the garden tractor and buy a compact tractor. As for which one, there are too many good choices available. Certainly nothing wrong with buying a used one if you can find one in decent condition at the right price. I'd be looking for something in the 20hp, 4WD, diesel, hydrostatic transmission range with a front end loader if I were you.

 

[RobS]

Welcome Steve, you'll probably get a unanimous vote from TBN on getting a compact over a garden tractor. They just don't compare in capabilities and versatility. If ALL you ever want to do is what you have listed, then yes a garden tractor will work. Trouble is, most of us come up with plenty of projects and other tractor uses over time.

Then there is the cost issue. Not sure what you have to spend, but you can probably find a decent used compact with enough shopping.

There is a lot more to add, but if you are serious about a compact (new or used) check out Muhammad's E-book available through this web-site. It's very thorough and covers everything from shopping to using. Also, stick with this site and ask lots of questions. There is a lot of experience to draw from.

Good luck /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I'm not trying to sound like a jerk, but if he is on a budget a power-trac probably isn't what he's lookin' for. They look like nice machines just a little pricy. If you want high quality and a cheap price theres 2 ways to go: If you want used go with a grey market Yanmar, If you want new Go Kioti! If it is Chinese RUN as fast as you can AWAY.

 

[MChalkley]

Steve - What kind of topography are we talking about here? Is it flat or hilly? That may have an impact on what you should be considering.

As has been said, it doesn't sound like you're in the market for a garden tractor, as far as your needs are concerned. The "Big Three" in the compact tractor arena all produce excellent equipment that will do the job - visit a few dealers to get a feel for what they suggest and compare it with the advice you get here - that, along with your personal gut feeling about the dealer, should tell whether you have an interest in dealing further with them. The PowerTrac machines are, contrary to what has been stated earlier, very fairly priced, in my opinion, and definitely warrant consideration, especially if you're dealing with hilly terrain. They may be a little pricey compared to the grey market tractors mentioned, but they're also worth the difference, if the areas in which they're superior are of value to you. For that matter, in my opinion (which certainly makes it hugely debatable /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif), a gray market tractor should not be noto be considered unless you just can't afford the equipment you need any other way. The primary reason I say this is not warranty or parts availabilty, but features. Very few of the gray market tractors have the safety and efficiency features that will keep you happy with your purchase over time. Remember that a quality tractor will last you longer than you're likely to want to keep it. You're more likely to trade up to another machine because your needs have changed or you didn't make as good a selection as you could have than you are because you wore it out. Penny-pinching is fine, but not to the point that it damages the penny...

MarkC

 

[kcook]

Mark makes alot of good points, please give us some more facts about budget, terrain and another other bit of info? As price go all the main manufactures make a good product each has its good points and bad points. Power-Trac is a different machine, attachments are quick to change and the turning radius in unmatched. Again I would stay with what you can get parts for and get fixed in your area.

Kcook

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks for your reply ...

The terrain I have is pretty flat. I would like to keep the costs under $10,000, preferably under $7,000 (for tractor, grass cutter, and snow blower). Eventually, I would like to get a box blade for grading the drive and a front loader for working around the property.

I looked at the Power-Trac. It is different and interesting ... but the warranty is very limited with service requiring sending it back to Virginia. Not a good deal for me if it has problems.

I greatly appreciate input and will keep watching for more advice.

Best regards,
Steve

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Steve,
It sounds like you need a Yanmar gray market tractor. Also 2wd will most liklely suite your needs. Yanmar used to make compact tractors for John Deere and still make the engines. You may want to check out yanmars in the yahoo clubs section. The cost for these used tractors with implements will fall well within your price range. I currently have a Yanmar 1510 with powershift, a bushhog and box blade (all in good condition) for sale for $4200. If you are interested or just have questions about Yanmars feel free to e-mail me at rscifre@lascofittings.com Good luck

 

[Anonymous Poster]

O.K You slammed the Yanmars. I agree that Yanmars may not have all of the features but, to save money and be able to buy alot more equipment for that money I still believe they are a very good investment. A 24hp 4wd that is built like a tank for under $5000, diesel powered and will accept "standard Implements, is a pretty good deal in my book! What's wrong with the Kioti's? They are not greys and have been here about 18 years and they offer some pretty good features for the money. Just because they a from another country doesn't mean they are "grey market". They are tough also. They outweigh most tractors in their class by 600lbs.

 

[Woodbeef]

I'm going to go against the grain here,and play the devils advocate. Why not think about a small farm tractor? There are plenty of models to choose from in the 30 or so hp range. Parts and accesories would be much easier to obtain,and might even be cheaper to boot. Yes it would be a bigger tractor than you are now considering,but its always better to have the size and power and not need it,then the other way around. Just something to think about!

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I'll side in along Woodbeef. I personally hate Ford 8n-9n's but if you are mechanically inclined they are a good value also. You can always sell them and get your money back! The Yanmar is like a step up from a 8n-9n, they have live hydraulics, diesel engines, more lift capacity and are smaller sized(good for stalls etc). If you don't mind the larger size try an older farm tractor, if it's too big sell it and get a Grey Yanmar. If you aren't happy with it sell it and get a Kioti or one of the big three. That's the nice thing about the tractor market, if you start from the bottom chances are you won't get hurt too bad(wallet).

 

[JohnS]

kioti85: I didn't take it that he was slamming Yanmars, just making sure that he was considering things well down the road. I wouldn't get upset if not many people jump on the Kioti bandwagon, for you can be like me, owning a Chinese tractor that EVERYONE thinks is junk! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

JohnS

 

[Anonymous Poster]

The thing I have against the Chinese is they think ISO 9001 is a zip code. The tractors aren't necessarily junk they just have alot of issues that may or may not be resolved by a trip to the dealer. I haven't read about the problems I've seen them first hand bolts coming loose from the injector rack(tractor had 6hrs on it), bolt came loose INSIDE the bell housing and locked the tractor(two different tractors).They aren't trying to set up a dealer network, they JUST want to sell the tractors no matter what it takes. Service after the sale all depends on the dealer. You really don't have a company that you can call and complain to if your problems aren't taken care of.
BTW I'm not upset I just think the big 3 are greedy and could use some competition.
Kioti-The Affordable Orange Tractor /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[s1120]

Steve,
If you are thinking of a loader down the road, you can forget about the garden tractor. I have one of the bigger garden tractors out there, and a loader would not work well on it. Smallest I would go is BX size. Now if you are looking for something cheeper for now, you can do a lot with a big garden tractor. But just rember, you will be needing a bigger one in the future.[But thats OK, you can never have to many tractors]

 

[PTRich]

I think if you check with your local lawn mower repair shops that handle commercial equipment with a list of the components used on a Power-Trac they will tell you they can easily work on it. I like to repair things myself and the people at Power-Trac will gladly talk you thru anything you may want to tackle. The only problem I have had with my tractor was a branch falling into the cooling fan and blowing a fuse. Although the tractor byitself is'nt cheap, it only costs about $400 to ad a bucket or power angle snow plow. PT425 with 60" deck, brush cutter, bucket and snow plow is less than $12,000. Having the implements in front of you is realy nice to. You will find that there are a lot of well built tractors available to you, you should take your time picking one. It is a lot of fun gathering information and listening to what people think and like.

Good Luck PTRich

 

[JohnS]

Kioti85: I would be interested in what particular chinese tractors you were dealing with. There are many chinese manufacturing plants, some OK while others not good at all. While the particular bolts you mentioned, shouldn't have been a problem, part of most chinese dealer's prep is to tighten most bolts. The Jinma and Dong Feng are the most popular here in the states. The Jinma (what I have) does not have a factory rep and support is only through the particular dealer you purchased from. The DF will only be available through two distributers, supposidly to eleveate this problem.

BTW, the few Kioti owners I talked to, were happy with their purchases. When I checked on pricing, back a couple of years ago, were about 10% cheaper than a similiar equiped Kubota.


JohnS

 

[MossRoad]

Swmork,
I too have the same needs in a tractor that you have. 20 acres, long drive, meadows, woods and trails. I want to do the same things, snow removal, mowing the yard and trails, maintain the road and pull a wagon load of kids once in a while. I've been considering the Kubota BX series, the JD4100-4200, the smaller New Hollands and the Power-Trac PT400 series. All seem like well built machines and appear to have their plusses and minusses. In my opinion, the BX wins out in versatility and quality. However, I can't afford it. For everything that I need to do, the Power-Trac fits the bill and is a good compromise between wants and needs and my wallet. Another thing that I worry about is roll over. The Power-Trac seemed a lot more stable, since it is lower to the ground. It is turf friendly and doesn't tear up the grass. The engine runs on gasoline and I doubt that it is as durable as the Kubota diesel. We do have several local Kohler certified shops in the area, so major repairs is not an issue. We also have several good hydraulic shops, so that is not an issue. It seems like a simpler machine. Any way, that is what I hope to purchase before the end of the year.

One more thing.
I've been lurking on this board for over a year gathering the thoughts of all these fine people. Not only have I gotten help on tractor buying decisions, I also got help on generators, septic systems, computer operating systems and some good laughs as well. I finally registered as a user about 2 months ago. You should register too. Its really worth doing and its free. See you around.

<font color=green> MossRoad </font color=green>

 

[MChalkley]

kioti85 - I wasn't intending to slam any brand in particular - rather a "type" of machine. As for country of origin, you may have forgotten who you're talking to. I'm the one who's bought and paid for a tractor that I'm waiting to arrive - one that's assembled in the Czech Republic, with a frame, cylinders, etc. made of local materials, has a Japanese (Kubota) engine, German (Rexroth) hydraulics, and Italian (Carraro) gearbox, differentials and axles, remember?

As I said, I was more addressing a type of machine than a brand or place of origin. The type of machine I discourage purchasing is the basic no-frills, plain gear transmission model. Very few people are happy with them very long, unless they just refuse to expose themselves to the safer, higher productivity models. (There's a lot to be said for that approach if your budget won't allow anything more, but that's technically not the majority of folks.) So, since most people are going to end up with a tractor with more features, anyway, it's a lot less expensive in the long run to spring for it up front. That's all I meant. On the other hand, with Steve's budget, it's going to be hard to do anything else...

MarkC

 

[MChalkley]

Steve - You might want to reconsider your opinion of the PowerTrac warranty. It's true that there's no factory-authorized local service, but they do an excellent job of making everything important modular enough that you can just swap parts out. Plus, as was mentioned, everything is designed so that anybody local who can work on hydraulics and tractors in general can work on the PowerTrac, too. And, as was also mentioned, you might find one that fits into your budget, even a diesel powered model.

Otherwise, I agree with Woodbeef - consider an older farm tractor - just make sure you can get everything you need for it before you plunk down your cash.

Still, even if you had to stretch the budget a little to go with something like the PowerTrac, you could have all your implements out front where they're easy to use and have all new stuff, too. Either way, I'd highly recommend at least attempting to find a tractor with hydrostatic transmission that would fit your budget. Especially if you're new to tractors, the hydrostatics are a lot safer - and a few bucks isn't worth killing yourself over.

MarkC