Buying Advice *UPDATE* Just tell me what to buy!

[grm61]

Yes I agree. It’s the most expensive, yet I actually see myself using it a lot. Hard to stomach, but will probably regret not getting it.

It will cost a lot more to add later, you save 2g+ buying it with the tractor.

Awfully nice to have it.

 

[BAP]

How much disc harrowing do you actually plan on doing? What kind of mowing, brush hogging or lawn mowing? 5 acres isn’t really that much to take care of and it is very easy to fall in the trap of buying too big. A 35-40hp travels is not going to be too friendly in the lawn.

 

[Thejoj]

I have owned a Max 28 for approximately 5 years, 28HP - 22HP PTO, and although it does just what I need, there are times when it is lacking.
It will haul 60" Attachments, the Brush Cutter works great with this setup, the Box Blade works but fills up and this 28HP Tractor starts to stumble, I haven't really used the Grader/Scraper Blade for the road, I've tried it, but I can't tell you the full impact on the tractor but the 28HP appears to work ok in Low Range. My next and maybe last Attachment that I still haven't purchased, will be the Post Hole Digger, not even sure my 22HP PTO and 2800 lbs. will do the job or not (Hard Clay in my area).

If I was to get a new Tractor or could start over, the Tractor would be at least a 35 to 45 HP, and 50% to 100% heavier than the Max is, (2800 lbs.), so I would be looking for 4000 to 5000 lbs Tractor.

I always believe in buying larger than what is needed, but in the Max28 case, I purchased by the specifications posted by the Manufacturer, not the best move because it won't even pickup what my smaller tractor did before I sold it, the SC2450 (Used it in New England, small jobs, to move snow and dirt in approximately 2 acres.

This post may not help much but the idea is to make sure you get it big enough, so you don't regret it later on. Once you decide on a specific model/weight Tractor that should work, go one higher.

Ltr
Novice Tractor Owner/Operator

It helps a lot. I have heard a few guys now wish that they would have stepped up to a bigger size.

My original plan was a 35hp Kioti CK, but now I’m convinced to go DK. But the other poster said to go to an NX. Not sure between those 2 because I haven’t seen the NX in person. I definitely think I could go too big. There are some tight areas on the property.

I stopped by a Kubota dealer yesterday and decided that the L series was just a smidge small, but the M series was too big. They didn’t have an MX there.

For anyone in the know, would MX be similar in size to the DK or the NX?

 

[BRMyers]

It helps a lot. I have heard a few guys now wish that they would have stepped up to a bigger size.

My original plan was a 35hp Kioti CK, but now I’m convinced to go DK. But the other poster said to go to an NX. Not sure between those 2 because I haven’t seen the NX in person. I definitely think I could go too big. There are some tight areas on the property.

I stopped by a Kubota dealer yesterday and decided that the L series was just a smidge small, but the M series was too big. They didn’t have an MX there.

For anyone in the know, would MX be similar in size to the DK or the NX?

The Kubota L Grand series is in the category of DK/NX series. The Grand goes to 60HP with or without a cab. The L Standard series goes to 47HP and no cab.

 

[BBHomestead]

My advice is after deciding what hp and cab or no cab then go look at every make that there is a dealer near you you may be missing the tractor that fits you personally better because it's not the kind you originally thought of!
Internet can give numbers and statistics but wont tell you if the seat goes up or back enough and weather there is a annoying part to hit your elbow on each time you reach for your drink lol I personally like my cab and can see it being a better choice if planning to keep it 15 years since weather has hurt my open station tractors a bit!

 

[BRMyers]

My advice is after deciding what hp and cab or no cab then go look at every make that there is a dealer near you you may be missing the tractor that fits you personally better because it's not the kind you originally thought of!
Internet can give numbers and statistics but wont tell you if the seat goes up or back enough and weather there is a annoying part to hit your elbow on each time you reach for your drink lol I personally like my cab and can see it being a better choice if planning to keep it 15 years since weather has hurt my open station tractors a bit!

Good advise. I know when I went to look at tractors, my first two choices ended up not being what I liked and the model I picked, I hadn't even considered until I got to sit in it and take it for a spin.

 

[Thejoj]

That is good advice. I’ve sat in what I could, but the dealers around here have limited inventory. I’ve been to 2 Kubota, 3 kioti, 1 Deere and 1 LS. Not a single one had a tractor with a cab to sit in. They say, ‘it’s California, you don’t need a cab.’ We may not get snow where I live, but last week it was 104F.

I got another quote from a different Kioti dealer. He was exactly 10k higher than the first dealer, apples for apples. That pisses me off. I’ll be honest, I don’t put out the ‘you better give me the lowest price vibe.’ Mainly because I want to know who the fairest dealer is. I’m a general contractor and I give everyone the same pricing regardless of their pocketbooks. So, I make the sales guy feel like he is the only one I’m going to get a quote from just to see what he does. Is that wrong?

Needless to say, I’m liking the first dealer. They are a smaller dealer from a small town and seem to be good old boys that will take care you.

 

[Thejoj]

I will say that I did like the Kubota dealer I went to. He was pushing me into the B2650 though and sent me a quote for that. The tractor was a fair price, but the attachments were high I thought. 10,650 for the backhoe. That can’t be right.

I should get a couple quotes on the Grand L since it would be more comparable to DKSE with cab.

 

[BRMyers]

Dealer is important. Our company's CFO bought a LS tractor. Very nice tractor lots of neat options and has performed well. He has a few little things that would have been covered under warranty, except his dealer is over two hours away. So, instead of taking it to the dealer, he did the repairs himself.

I purchased my tractor from a dealer that is 15 minutes from the farm. I had an issue with a hydraulic hose (covered under warranty), they sent a service man out and it was fixed in 10 minutes.

My point, having a dealer that you trust, willing to work with you, and close by can make a big difference in your tractor owning experience.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I just purchased our family a house on a modest 5 acres. Itç—´ got some hills, some pasture, some trees etc.

The place hasn稚 been maintained in a long time so I have been fixing it up on the weekends. I work for a construction company and get almost free heavy equipment on the weekends. I致e been working for a few months using large equipment. Full size excavators, skip loaders, rollers and backhoes. I致e cleared a lot of the property, cut in a new driveway, removed trees/stumps and demoed concrete.

I致e got most of the heavy lifting out of the way and need a maintenance tractor for disking, mowing, grading, tilling, loader work, you know, a little of everything.

Im looking at compact tractors and everyone says theyæ±*e perfect for that and can do it all. I just have no idea what to expect as I致e been using 100+ HP machines and they have struggled at times to move dirt, stumps and concrete.

Should I be looking at a 45-55hp or can a compact 25-35 do it all?

And what痴 the consensus on cabs? I致e used both open and cabbed backhoes, the cab was quite nice.

I figure this will be the only tractor I will have for 15+years.

Just someone tell me what to do.

PS. I致e been looking at Kioti CK and DK models, Kubota B and L and that痴 it so far.

6 acres is what I use for my lawn which I mow with my zero turn mower. All of my tractor needs are done with my B26 TLB. I did use my LS P7010 lots of time when I first bought my almost 12 acres, but all my heavy lifting is done, just as you have already done. So my 2010 LS has only 160 hours on it and 120 of them were put on in the first year.
I really think for 5 acres a B series Kubota will do all you need to do. Add a small tiller for garden work, a 4-5 foot bush hog for your small pasture and you should be good to go. Since I got my tiller, I have not hooked up to my tandem disk since.