Need help with tractor for my property

[cmptrmn.1]

I need a tractor that has a front loader, will be able to move a 3500# boat around, four wheel drive and may possible take a back hoe. I only have 5 acres (4 wooded). Drive is about 1/2 mile long (gravel) and will need to plow snow. Any advice???

[bretsk2500]

I would look at Mahindra tractors... they seem solid, but won't cost you all of your limbs to buy one like a John Deere or a Kubota will.

As for plowing advice.... don't use the bucket... make/buy a WIDE snow blade for it and you'll be loving life.

Are you looking for a new tractor or a used one?

[skewterdewd]

Bobcat?

[Chondro]

I too have a 1/2 mile gravel drive and 15 wooded and rolling meadow acres. I have a 1946 Ford 9N and you can't stop it. I plough snow, drag logs, move a bass boat, bush hog, drag gravel, and pull out stuck vehicles. I just put new front tires on it and had it tuned up: $350. That's the first thing I've done to it in 12 years. I see these all over the place for sale, all painted and restored. I am pretty sure you can get a bucket for them, and the three point hitch will run post hole diggers, log splitters, and other stuff. Mine is named Gerald... Gerald Ford.

[cmptrmn.1]

As for new or used? The answer is yes. I will look up Mahindra. As for a bobcat, I will be using it for plowing, too, when the world goes into the big funk I am thinking it will in the not to distant future. Keep em coming.

[KwakaKZ1000]

There are lots of tractors out there, sounds like you need about a 40 hp tractor with FWDA. Mahindra has already been mentioned, but there is Zetor, Langdini, Belarus, Agco, Case, White, Massey. They're all good tractors, the first three I mentioned are propably a little cheaper than the others, but they don't have the options either. If you need help with comparing tractors try TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors, they have just about every tractor ever made listed.

[cmptrmn.1]

Thanks everybody.

[87handmedown]

If all you're going to use it for is to plow snow and move some stuff around in your yard, you're much better off buying a self propeled, walkbehind snow blower, and moving things around with your truck. You'll save yourself a bunch of money.

[cmptrmn.1]

Wish that were all. Got so much stuff to do on the property. Need to make trails and stuff to the creek in the lower half. Upkeep on the gravel road. Huge garden. Can't get the truck down into most of the areas.

[87handmedown]

You have five acres.... There is no way that you can financially justify a tractor on that little of land. Find out what a good lanscaper would cost to do the work you want... pay yourself to do it by hand, pocket the savings... and buy another kawi.

[bretsk2500]

Originally Posted by 87handmedown

You have five acres.... There is no way that you can financially justify a tractor on that little of land. Find out what a good lanscaper would cost to do the work you want... pay yourself to do it by hand, pocket the savings... and buy another kawi.

Tell that to 80% of the tractor owners in my area... 5 acres is PLENTY to keep a 40HP tractor busy, we're not talking about a 400 horse John Deere here....

Landscapers here are getting $45/hr...

[87handmedown]

Originally Posted by bretsk2500

Tell that to 80% of the tractor owners in my area... 5 acres is PLENTY to keep a 40HP tractor busy, we're not talking about a 400 horse John Deere here....

Landscapers here are getting $45/hr...

I'm going to let you guys in on a secret that everyone but you souls seem to know.

Lawn tractors are a GRAVY TRAIN for dealers. I was at a JD dealership helping my dad with some equipment deals last week, and we asked the salesman why the dinky little tractors were in front while our stuff had been moved to the back. He said because people just come in there thinking they need a tractor and will buy one. They have a seperate sales department just for that area! What he told us next really shocked us.

The sales people don't even know that much about the tractors.. ie.. how to fix, common problems, ect. They just know how to sell the tractor buy saying things like "It's great for that small patch of land you've got." or "You can really maintain you garden and home with this little gem."

They're seperate, and they don't know much, because JD doesn't want it's real impliment dealers' time being taken up by little toys... because they realized that people will buy those tractors reguardless.

The tractors themselves are legit though... don't get me wrong. It's just that waaaaaaay more people think that they need them then those that actually do.

A decent used 4510 (40hp FWD) will run you around 17 grand, give or take.

Taking that $45/hr and doing the math... you could work an entire month of 12hr days in a row by hand before you touched the price of that tractor. That doesn't include insurance, fuel, or maintainance costs.

An entire month of 12hr hour days.... just to MATCH the price of that tractor.

Tell that to 80% of the tractor owners in my area

80% of the tractor owners in your area have more money than sense.


The OP has five acres... he wants to clean up and maintain. Would a tractor be helpful? Absolutely... Is it a financially wise decision??? Not the way I see it.

[usmalenurse]

"The OP has five acres... he wants to clean up and maintain. Would a tractor be helpful? Absolutely... Is it a financially wise decision??? Not the way I see it."

Have to agree with you, it's not a financially wise decision but a good used small tractor would last him the rest of his life. I still have a '71 model MF 135 that has been in the shop once since it was bought, and that was almost 20 years ago. Granted it could stand to be overhauled but for occasional use it's still fine as is. No way would I buy a new one and he would probably be better off to rent one for a couple of weeks or week-ends to get most of the work done. But if he really wants one, there are plenty of good used ones out there.

Charles

[Daddyo Vulcan]

LOL I only have an acre and a quarter.... I had a cool Allis Chalmers B model I used to keep it weed free and disc, overkill? I suppose but it is fun and you can do all kinds of work with them. I am seriously thinking about one of the little Chinese 25-30 hp tractors on a pallet(Yanmar,Iseki and more), these have a 3 point and a front bucket. I am 51 yrs old now and have a bad back and knees so a little garden tractor like this would help alot on wear and tear on the old bones. If I had 5 acres I would absolutley have one if you can a afford it why not? it is fun and rewarding as well.

[1999DRIFTER]

Cmptrmn.1


Mike here...Dude you just rattled 5 yrs. of do list

[bretsk2500]

Originally Posted by 87handmedown

A decent used 4510 (40hp FWD) will run you around 17 grand, give or take.

Taking that $45/hr and doing the math... you could work an entire month of 12hr days in a row by hand before you touched the price of that tractor. That doesn't include insurance, fuel, or maintainance costs.

An entire month of 12hr hour days.... just to MATCH the price of that tractor.

$45/hr PER MAN... and who said you need to amortize the entire cost in a month?

There's also no saying the OP won't come across a used tractor in decent shape for significanty less than $17k. My Uncle bought a used 90's JD (don't know the model) 40ish hp, loader, 4wd, etc for $8k... all it needed was a couple of new hydraulic hoses.

Craig's list is your friend.

Originally Posted by 87handmedown

80% of the tractor owners in your area have more money than sense.

Nope, they see a tool to do the job they want done.

Originally Posted by 87handmedown

The OP has five acres... he wants to clean up and maintain. Would a tractor be helpful? Absolutely... Is it a financially wise decision??? Not the way I see it.

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion...

[SixFiveOh]

I have 18+ acres and a Kubota L3130 with a front end loader and a brush hog. Got a box blade too. In the five or six years I've owned it I've managed to put around 100 hours on it. The cost of the tractor was just under $20k. So let's see... $20k divided by 100 hours is what? $200 an hour. Yep! Real smart move there...

Now it's GREAT fun to ride the tractor and it's even fun to shread the property. Well, unless it's 90 degrees outside. Then it sure seems like work...

In hind sight I would have been better off hiring a guy to shread for me. Based on actual usage I'd still have several years to go before I matched the cost of the tractor.

[cmptrmn.1]

Originally Posted by 1999DRIFTER

Cmptrmn.1


Mike here...Dude you just rattled 5 yrs. of do list

Sorry Drift.

I did open a can of worms, didn't I?

[Chondro]

Originally Posted by SixFiveOh

In hind sight I would have been better off hiring a guy to shread for me. Based on actual usage I'd still have several years to go before I matched the cost of the tractor.

Which is why looking into an older cheaper tractor makes sense. I would not be without mine, it has saved me several times when I needed it right then. A big part of owning land and enjoying it is doing what needs done when it needs done... not when the crew can show up or when you have the money to pay them. I think I paid 5 or 6K for my 9N and I guarantee that in the last twenty years I have got my money's worth many times over.

[87handmedown]

Originally Posted by bretsk2500

$45/hr PER MAN... and who said you need to amortize the entire cost in a month?

Just putting it in perspective. I did per man, because the OP is going to be just one man, whether he's on a tractor, or on foot.

There's also no saying the OP won't come across a used tractor in decent shape for significanty less than $17k. My Uncle bought a used 90's JD (don't know the model) 40ish hp, loader, 4wd, etc for $8k... all it needed was a couple of new hydraulic hoses.

There's no saying that the OP won't spend a fortune and get a lemon either. I can play that game too.

Craig's list is your friend.

You're buying tractors off of Craigs list.... that statement says enough by itself.

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion...

Yes they are. However, since my father farms for a living, and I've been surrounded by the agriculture industry my entire life, I'd say my opinion carries a little more weight than most around here.

Now I've never once in this thread said that he should not buy a tractor. I have, however, repeatedly said, and roughly proven, that it is NOT a financially wise decision. I'm just trying to save the guy some money in the long term. He wanted opinions so I'm giving him one.

Originally Posted by SixFiveOh

I have 18+ acres and a Kubota L3130 with a front end loader and a brush hog. Got a box blade too. In the five or six years I've owned it I've managed to put around 100 hours on it. The cost of the tractor was just under $20k. So let's see... $20k divided by 100 hours is what? $200 an hour. Yep! Real smart move there...

Now it's GREAT fun to ride the tractor and it's even fun to shread the property. Well, unless it's 90 degrees outside. Then it sure seems like work...

In hind sight I would have been better off hiring a guy to shread for me. Based on actual usage I'd still have several years to go before I matched the cost of the tractor.

CASE IN POINT! This is the very situation that I was trying to help the OP avoid.