Buying Advice Used sub/compact tractor, what to buy?

[Tenx82]

ETA: Just found a localish deal that I'll probably jump on unless there's a good reason not to:
2019 RK24 with 309hrs.
Includes loader, backhoe, box blade, dump trailer, rake, grapple, brush cutter, and 18' utility trailer for $17k.

----- -----

New guy looking to pick up my first tractor and could use some help.

I've got several options (all include loader & backhoe), but I'm really just not sure what is/isn't a good tractor or a good deal.

2017 Rural King RK24, 230hrs, $13.5k
2012 John Deere 1026R, 600hrs, $14.7k
2016 Mahindra eMax 25s HST, 300hrs, $15.5k
2015 Kubota BX25D, 600hrs, $17.5k
2020 Massey GC1725M, 200hrs, $17.9k
20xx New Holland Boomer 25, 300hrs, $18.5k
2024 TYM T254, new demo unit, $21.5k

Assuming these are all in good working order with age appropriate wear, which ones are most worthy of consideration?
Are there some other makes/models I should look at?

Ideally, I'd like to spend $15k or less, but could spend upwards of $25k if it's significantly better value for money.

 

[RjCorazza]

Really those hours are not going to play much of a part in selecting between them. They all should have plenty of life left in them.
I personally don't like the idea of rebadged tractors like the RK, but there are plenty of happy RK owners here on TBN.
With that list, I would imagine physically looking them over would weed out the potentially poorly maintained machines and make your choice easier.
Happy shopping!

ps... Those tractors are all Sub Compacts rather than Compacts.

 

[JeepHead]

What are your needs for a tractor? How long do you plan to keep this tractor? Those are two questions I would want answered. If I planned to only keep a tractor for 20 years, I would want to buy a model that had a lot of them on the used market to better ensure parts would be available years down the road.

 

[2manyrocks]

Look at the stability of the brand and the dealer network before buying. A good dealer can help you keep your machine running while a bad dealer won't give a rip.

 

[nybirdman]

My only rule of thumb;don't buy a used anything from a dealer that is an off brand for the dealer;I.E. a Ford from a Chevy dealer.
A back hoe quickly becomes a lawn ornament.

 

[Tenx82]

What are your needs for a tractor? How long do you plan to keep this tractor? Those are two questions I would want answered. If I planned to only keep a tractor for 20 years, I would want to buy a model that had a lot of them on the used market to better ensure parts would be available years down the road.

Main uses are going to be digging out a 50' length of a foundation (6' depth) for some waterproofing, grading most of a 1 acre lot, and maintaining a 24x100' stone driveway. Also planning to eventually till a ~1/4 acre garden, replace my 20x20 garage with a 28x32 (excavate for slab) and my 10x12 shed with a 14x32 (expand stone base).

Long term support isn't a top priority. My riding mower can handle the driveway and garden work if need be, so I only really need it for the projects that require excavating. That said, I'm not opposed to spending a little extra for something that does have better long term support and makes the light work even lighter.

 

[oldnslo]

Just curious on how well those small back hoes will work for 6 foot deep trench?

 

[Tenx82]

It's close to the limit of their ~6.5' dig depth so I'm assuming I'll need to do a little work by hand.
I'd love to get one with an ~8' dig depth, but those all seem to be out of my budget.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

My first time buying (used) experience.

Made purchase based on price vs. what I would use it for. I outgrew my Yanmar 324 really quick. Second purchase can handle what I need it to do, it is the condition that is getting expensive, now needs 4 new tires, possible hydraulic pump, oil leak needing to split tractor. I am having a lot of trouble finding someone to work on it. I'm told by a dealer, leave it, we'll get to it when we can. Maybe 6 months. local mechanics won't return calls. Point is, support is very important, unless you are doing it all yourself.
+1 on back hoe. Many older tractors are not very easy to get on or off. Keeping it on saves the trouble of on/off, but it restricts you mobility. Rental would be my go to if I really wanted to get it done. I have more time than money to spend, but hiring out can be a quick couple hour job done right, no issues.

Between the price of both purchases, I could have bought new...

 

[thclimer]

The backhoe for my TC33D a 757C has a max digging depth of 90" (7.5'). It digs a 3.5' to 4' deep trench nicely. Digging much deeper requires extra maneuvering to manage the dirt. I can't ever imagen digging with it a long a 50' foundation 6' deep.

How far out from the foundation wall are you going dig to slope your trench wall so that it doesn't cave in?

 

[Tenx82]

The backhoe for my TC33D a 757C has a max digging depth of 90" (7.5'). It digs a 3.5' to 4' deep trench nicely. Digging much deeper requires extra maneuvering to manage the dirt. I can't ever imagen digging with it a long a 50' foundation 6' deep.

How far out from the foundation wall are you going dig to slope your trench wall so that it doesn't cave in?

It's multiple walls totaling 50', not a single 50' length, and all of the dirt is being moved elsewhere on the property. The foundation will be backfilled with stone.

 

[IH3444]

2020 Massey GC1725M, 200hrs, $17.9k

 

[ning]

Honestly most of those jobs sound like they'd be better off with a bigger rental unit

• dig out foundation - you'll probably want an excavator to work right next to a foundation
• grading 1 acre - someone else tell him, but it's not a SCUT
• replace & excavate for slab - bigger backhoe (rental yard L47 or something bigger IMO)

I guess you might do ok maintaining a smaller driveway like that with a little tractor and doing the stone base for a shed.

Regardless having a little tractor can be a big boon around the place, but I'd strongly recommend you skip the backhoe and use a small part of that money to rent something much more useful for the backhoe/digger jobs - unless you often have digging jobs that aren't 6' deep, a backhoe really isn't worth it. I have a much bigger tractor with a "76" BH, and digging a big 6' hole for a dead horse was quite a chore, but it's nice having the BH for much smaller digging jobs. I definitely wouldn't dig out around a foundation with mine, though; I'd hire someone who does this stuff day in day out for that.

 

[mike69440]

ETA: Just found a localish deal that I'll probably jump on unless there's a good reason not to:
2019 RK24 with 309hrs.
Includes loader, backhoe, box blade, dump trailer, rake, grapple, brush cutter, and 18' utility trailer for $17k.

----- -----

New guy looking to pick up my first tractor and could use some help.

I've got several options (all include loader & backhoe), but I'm really just not sure what is/isn't a good tractor or a good deal.

2017 Rural King RK24, 230hrs, $13.5k
2012 John Deere 1026R, 600hrs, $14.7k
2016 Mahindra eMax 25s HST, 300hrs, $15.5k
2015 Kubota BX25D, 600hrs, $17.5k
2020 Massey GC1725M, 200hrs, $17.9k
20xx New Holland Boomer 25, 300hrs, $18.5k
2024 TYM T254, new demo unit, $21.5k

Assuming these are all in good working order with age appropriate wear, which ones are most worthy of consideration?
Are there some other makes/models I should look at?

Ideally, I'd like to spend $15k or less, but could spend upwards of $25k if it's significantly better value for money.

Rural King, Massey, or TYM.

 

[mike69440]

The backhoe for my TC33D a 757C has a max digging depth of 90" (7.5'). It digs a 3.5' to 4' deep trench nicely. Digging much deeper requires extra maneuvering to manage the dirt. I can't ever imagen digging with it a long a 50' foundation 6' deep.

How far out from the foundation wall are you going dig to slope your trench wall so that it doesn't cave in?

This would be a bit of work for my 18k lb. Excavator.

 

[sd455dan]

My only rule of thumb;don't buy a used anything from a dealer that is an off brand for the dealer;I.E. a Ford from a Chevy dealer.
A back hoe quickly becomes a lawn ornament.

Have used backhoe almost everyday lately- but it is spring.

Op

Like posted earlier those are subcompacts, when push comes to shove weight is your friend, the same goes for backhoes.

I just finished some more trenching with my TLB and I will never be without a backhoe or if the backhoe ever goes a midi EX or more likely larger.

Not knocking scuts, well maybe I am,... but they seem like new shiny objects that dazzle until things like digging multiple 6 foot deep trenches are attempted.

IMO Unless you want/like to reposition lots and lots and have lots of time as well, you need a heavier machine with longer/ larger boom and dipper than an SCUT backhoe has.

Good Luck on the projects - like the old saying goes, there are lots of ways to skin a cat.

 

[ning]

I've been contemplating more and more getting a little SCUT, but it's for doing small front loader work only, in places that my smallish CUT (5.5' bucket, ~5' wide tractor) can't get to. My need for it is scant, so I'm just waiting and watching for a used one with only a front loader & bucket and possibly lightweight forks comes along. If I needed a tractor for anything more than small scale barnyard cleanup, I'd get something bigger (and I did, obviously) and I'd rent for the occasional weird job that just doesn't fit with what I normally need to do.

 

[Tenx82]

Honestly most of those jobs sound like they'd be better off with a bigger rental unit

Looking to buy my own because I need to be able to work on these projects in small increments over an extended time. I don't mind using a smaller tractor that takes longer to get the job done, so long as it can get the job done.

At the upper end of my budget, I could step up to a 2018 Rural King RK37, 2013 New Holland Workmaster 40, or 2011 Mahindra 4035 (used units available semi-locally for what seem to be reasonable prices).
Also open to suggestions if there are other models better suited to my projects and are typically available for $15-25k including loader and backhoe.

The grading (might be the wrong word?) I was referring to would be smoothing some small ruts and spreading the ~40 cubic yards of dirt removed from around the foundation to fill in the yard. I used my old 14hp riding mower with a little DIY loader rig to move ~10 cubic yards around (albeit in small amounts), so I assumed this job should be no sweat for a proper tractor fitted with a loader and box blade?

 

[ning]

40 cubic yards is at a minimum 203 bucket loads for the RK24 and that's based on volume.

I understand the idea of having the tractor to work on things bit by bit, but the trench next to a foundation isn't something you want going for a year or longer. Pay a few thousand dollars and get that done and over.

Grading... it would be nice to be done, but it's not a threat for that to take forever.

 

[sd455dan]

Honestly most of those jobs sound like they'd be better off with a bigger rental unit

• dig out foundation - you'll probably want an excavator to work right next to a foundation
• grading 1 acre - someone else tell him, but it's not a SCUT
• replace & excavate for slab - bigger backhoe (rental yard L47 or something bigger IMO)

I guess you might do ok maintaining a smaller driveway like that with a little tractor and doing the stone base for a shed.

Regardless having a little tractor can be a big boon around the place, but I'd strongly recommend you skip the backhoe and use a small part of that money to rent something much more useful for the backhoe/digger jobs - unless you often have digging jobs that aren't 6' deep, a backhoe really isn't worth it. I have a much bigger tractor with a "76" BH, and digging a big 6' hole for a dead horse was quite a chore, but it's nice having the BH for much smaller digging jobs. I definitely wouldn't dig out around a foundation with mine, though; I'd hire someone who does this stuff day in day out for that.

It's close to the limit of their ~6.5' dig depth so I'm assuming I'll need to do a little work by hand.
I'd love to get one with an ~8' dig depth, but those all seem to be out of my budget.

Do you have mechanical skills? If so and you don't mind Keeping an older machine running you could buy something like a ~1975-1990 TLB. I paid to much for the Ford 550 @$8000 but it is paying me back day by day. 13 - 15 foot digging depth on most of these machines is common, and with an extend a hoe even longer reach. It is not for everyone but something like a 580 Case, Ford 550-555 same vintage Deere, Massy, or JCB can do a lot of work that would take forever with an SCUT. Leveling out digging a foundation and removing the spoils can go quickly with a 1 yard bucket,

It's close to the limit of their ~6.5' dig depth so I'm assuming I'll need to do a little work by hand.
I'd love to get one with an ~8' dig depth, but those all seem to be out of my budget.

How wide of trench are you planning on?
I would not get in a 5 foot trench with a shovel unless as was pointed out the trench is widened and tapered out. Six feet deep and hand digging without widening could be risky even deadly if the trench is narrow and collapses while hand finishing. Please be safe.