What tractor?

[dacoonz]

We have 10 acres in south Texas. The soil is pretty sandy and we need to shred, clear some small trees and brush and smooth out some areas. From my research it seems like about a 30 hp tractor should do. We have dealers in our area that carry Kubota, Massey-Ferguson, LS, Mahindra and New Holland. I like the Kubota, but it is considerably more costly. Is it worth the extra $$$$? Also, I am getting different opinions on the transmission type: Kubota dealer says Hydrostatic is the way to go. LS dealer says Hydrostatic is more expensive, requires more maintenance and must be run with the engine at high speeds. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

 

[rmorey]

We have 10 acres in south Texas. The soil is pretty sandy and we need to shred, clear some small trees and brush and smooth out some areas. From my research it seems like about a 30 hp tractor should do. We have dealers in our area that carry Kubota, Massey-Ferguson, LS, Mahindra and New Holland. I like the Kubota, but it is considerably more costly. Is it worth the extra $$$$? Also, I am getting different opinions on the transmission type: Kubota dealer says Hydrostatic is the way to go. LS dealer says Hydrostatic is more expensive, requires more maintenance and must be run with the engine at high speeds. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

:welcome: to TBN!

It's all very subjective. If you are new to tractors, then HST is easier to get used to, and is handy for FEL work. A lot of the decision is based on what you are going to do with it. Plowing, mowing, snow removal, driveway grading, etc.

Part of the fun is in the research. Go look at a bunch of tractors and don't forget to talk with yourneighbors. See what they have and how they use them. Enjoy! :thumbsup:

 

[KYDan]

I am a Kubota fan and think they are reasonably priced for the quality you get, and they have an extensive dealer network. However, there are fans of a lot of different brands. For loader work the HST is unsurpassed and it is really handy if you mow in tight quarters. It is marginally more expensive to use, but not dramatically. I have had both and this is my first HST. What convinced me was a good friend who is also a dealer. He has a farm and he took one home to try it and kept it. He said he would not have bought one until he used and he loves it now. A good dealer will trump brands in my opinion and the closer the better. Shop around and compare apples to apples. Look at the used market and see what is selling in your area and how much of their initial value are they retaining? I sold a 15 year old L2900 Kubota for 50% of its initial price 2 years ago. Enjoy the process and sit on a lot of different models to evaluate them.

 

[jeff9366]

I have a Kubota B3300SU with 300 hours, which Kubota sells as a package including a front end loader, that most useful of tractor options. I think this package represents particularly good value. I also like the 14" ground clearance as I mostly tractor in the woods.

If you opt for a loader you need HST, 4-WD and industrial tires. An HST works at all engine speeds equally well. In my opinion Kubota is particularly well regarded for their HST transmissions.

As you compare tractors it is important to be sure they are similarly set up. When you are new to tractors it is difficult to understand the value of options to your tasks.

Take your time. Research. I concur with KYDan that good dealer support is more important than the tractor trademark. Make sure the Operator's Manual is written in understandable English, not pidgin.

LINK TO KUBOTA B3300SU:

Kubota Tractor Corporation - Tractors | B Series | B3300SU

 

[bandaidmd]

I was in (sort of) your same shoes this spring but i knew what size i wanted it was the brands that I was comparing.
The dealers that are in my area seem to "sideline" in the LS, mahindra, kioti brands and I'm sure there fine brands but Kubota dealers are full on Kubota dealers and other interests are the sideline.
The so called "American brands" such as Deere and New Holland are not really made by them just rebranded models of other imported tractors.
I weighed my options and ended up with a new Kubota and don't regret the extra money spent which ended up less than $1k over any of the other brands. I like the fact that Kubota is built by Kubota.
As the Op mentioned the hst is really a nice option to have but at the very least get a shuttle trans .

 

[cmore]

One brand does not fit all. I narrowed my choice down to Kubota, Mahindra and Massey. Compared the specs and wound up choosing the MF 2605. After 40 hrs am still satisfied with my choice. The shuttle would be handy but decided that I had operated a std trans model for years and didn't really need it (rented a Kubota with hst for 2 days and it was a little easier to change directions but not a biggie for me).

 

[Bluegill2]

I bought a L3800DT a year and a half ago, it was comparable in price to other brands and lass than some. This is my third Kubota since 1984 and all have exceeded expectation. It's really hard to beat quality!

 

[dacoonz]

Thanks for all the comments. This is quite a learning experience. We have also considered used tractors and there have been a couple of nice kubotas, but they sold before we could even get to see them. I guess the good ones go really quickly. Are there any particular things to watch for on used tractors. It seems that the overall cosmetics are an indicator of the care it has received. It seems like the condition of the bucket tells a lot also. We've seen some that the buckets were pretty torn up and I suspect they had been worked pretty hard. Any comments on this would also be welcome.

 

[flusher]

We have 10 acres in south Texas. The soil is pretty sandy and we need to shred, clear some small trees and brush and smooth out some areas. From my research it seems like about a 30 hp tractor should do. We have dealers in our area that carry Kubota, Massey-Ferguson, LS, Mahindra and New Holland. I like the Kubota, but it is considerably more costly. Is it worth the extra $$$$? Also, I am getting different opinions on the transmission type: Kubota dealer says Hydrostatic is the way to go. LS dealer says Hydrostatic is more expensive, requires more maintenance and must be run with the engine at high speeds. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

You need to come up with a 5-year plan and associated budget that has enough detail to steer you in the right direction regarding tractor and implements. Giving these items some thought now will increase the chance than your decisions are the correct ones for you. From what you've posted so far, I'd say your horizon is only a year or 18 months into the future.

Good luck.

 

[jeff9366]

Holey-moley, flusher, what in the world do you do with all those tractoreenies?

Impressive.

My wife would have bruised me when #2 arrived, killed me with arrival of #3.

 

[jeff9366]

We have also considered used tractors and there have been a couple of nice kubotas, but they sold before we could even get to see them.

New tractors arriving at all dealers have to be Tier 4 emissions compliant. Tier 4 tractors are a LARGE increment more expensive than their Tier 3 compliant predecessors. So Tier 3 compliant used tractors are the "hot ticket" at the moment.

The Sticker Shock Effect.

 

[flusher]

Holey-moley, flusher, what in the world do you do with all those tractoreenies?

Impressive.

My wife would have bruised me when #2 arrived, killed me with arrival of #3.

Dicker, purchase, restore, parade---it's a hobby. Keeps me out of the bars

 

[dacoonz]

Actually, we've been looking at this for about a year. We don't need to hurry, but the property does need to be maintained. If the right used tractor came along, I'd buy it today. We really should shred it now for fire and brush control. If we don't find one by the fall we'll probably get a new one. In the meantime we'll keep watching for new ones and any special offers that may come along. Both of the new dealers seem basically ok, but they have also both given misinformation that slanted towards their tractors.

 

[GManBart]

I like the Kubota, but it is considerably more costly. Is it worth the extra $$$$?

I certainly don't think so. Kubota makes a great machine, but I just don't see the added expense for most users. As recently as Dec I priced similar 40hp machines (same basic options) from Kubota, Kioti, LS, and several others. The Kubota was $31K, the Kioti, $22K and the LS $21K (I'm rounding those numbers). I simply can't fathom how they could possibly be nearly 50% better. Slightly better, sure, I can see that, and maybe it's worth paying for if you run a big commercial operation, where you're raking up a boatload of hours, but for the typical owner who puts 1-200 hours a year on it? No way.

Also, I am getting different opinions on the transmission type: Kubota dealer says Hydrostatic is the way to go. LS dealer says Hydrostatic is more expensive, requires more maintenance and must be run with the engine at high speeds. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

The hydro definitely costs more, but it's worth every penny. If you're doing FEL work, it makes life so much easier it's hard to describe. Yes, you lose a bit more power compared with shuttle, but it also allows you to do things very precisely, much easier...try backing up to an implement and creep at a fraction of a MPH with a shuttle, then try it with a hydro...no comparison. There are also some pulling scenarios where the hydro is better....I have (very carefully) pulled over a big tree while my neighbor made the back cut....I was able to keep constant pressure on it while he was cutting, instead of the off/on you'd get with anything having a traditional clutch. That sort of stuff is hard to describe, but really makes a difference once you've experienced it.

I wouldn't shy away from a used machine (I'm looking at a nice, used Massey myself right now as a third tractor), but that's where a local dealer makes a big difference...not so much in the new machines (they really don't break often), and especially so if you're not familiar with working on tractors and/or diesel engines. R,