Tractor purchase

[CraKaLaCKiN]

I've been looking hard for several months and am now in a position to buy a tractor. My budget for tractor and implements is $45k.

I purchased a piece of property in Sept '13 that had long been neglected. The fields were overgrown and roads/trails needed a lot of attention. I've spent a small fortune having the fields cut, plowed & disked. They are now in pretty good shape physically. I will need to plant to improve soil quality ... so for the moment a no-till solution isn't the best option. I need to add green manure to improve my soil quality. I will use this primarily to brush hog and plant the fields. It won't see HEAVY use. This will be a medium duty 'personal use' tractor.

I have somewhere between 15-20 acres of fields out of a 127 acre tract.

I've been looking at the John Deere 5075E. I think a 75HP tractor is a little more than I need but I'll never be saying "I wish I'd of bought more tractor."

I would like a loader but that adds $6k to the price. I've had my buddies JD with a loader for several months. I've used it twice. I could see where I would use it more if I had one but am not sure I need it right outta the gate. I could use the $6k towards implements. The only implement I currently have is a cultipacker from Everything Attachments. The cultipacker is well built and very heavy. Everyone who has seen it thinks I stole it for $1,500 price tag. It's definitely heavy duty. I'm very pleased and want to buy most of my implements from them.

A new tractor has no variables, is under warranty and qualifies for 0%. More expensive than used obviously. But no surprises either!

I have a cultipacker but need brush hog, disc harrows, 3pt sprayer, spreader for fertilizer/seed & I would LIKE a tiller. The tiller I have chosen is a heavy duty gear driven 90" model that costs $4,300.

I may buy a new JD HX6 brush cutter from the dealer and the other implements from Everything Attachments.


Here are my questions:

1) Would you buy a John Deere, Ford/New Holland or Massey Ferguson? I've heard/read a lot of negatives on ALL major manufacturers.

2) New or used?

3) What brand brush hog would you buy? Medium duty or heavy duty? Heavy duty may be too much for my needs but I don't want to tear up a medium duty when a heavy duty would cut right through it.


4) What attachments would you buy in order of priority?

5) I've heard the same negative things about the major implement brands as I have the tractors. What brands would you stay away from?

6) The disc harrow I have chosen are $3,400. It is 98" wide and has (24) 22" discs. It weighs 1,338. Is this too big or too much?

7) I'm looking at a 150 gal sprayer with the Teflon upgrade. Is this too big? Not big enough?

 

[mattech]

My dad bought a small tractor with no front loader, so I have to use my aunts john Deere with a front loader to do certain things, if I was buying a tractor a front end loader would be mandatory.

Have you looked at Kubota? I've heard really good things about them, my aunts john Deere is very nice, but I think you pay a good bit extra for the green and yellow paint.

 

[speedcop]

I have had every major brand known over the years mostly in the 45-65 hp range. Several years ago I bought a kubota L4400 4wd hydrostat with the quick release front system. Its a 2007 it sold for 21000 then, I bought it in 2009 230 hrs for 13000. Best tractor I have ever had. Love the hydrostat, no gear changing( except range) and I will NEVER have another tractor without a frontend loader. That has saved me countless hours and surguries. I found it on craiglist. It's about 51-52 hp in 4wd which I hardly ever need. A 6ft. mower, disc and box blade and a pallet fork for the front and a bucket aint nothing you cant handle.

 

[T-N-T]

I have to throw in a vote on Kubota. My dad has a "small" one and my cousin next door to him has a bigger one. They are great tractors.
I also have used a JD for 30 minutes once on a job. I cannot complain a bit about them either. Might have a big price, but they are Nice tractors.
Implements are a whole other story. I have seen cheap, throw away mowers last for years. And "good" ones give trouble right off. I can give you no good sound advise there.

 

[ribber]

If my budget was similar to yours, I'd get one with a front end loader and a cab. A good set of harrows and a bush hog are a must, as far as implements.

 

[fireman401]

Your pick seems about right. Consider one with front wheel drive if you can and a cab makes for a much nicer time when working. Might look for an off-lease tractor. It will be used, with a small number of hours on it. They usually start the warranty at the hours on it, so you still get a full one. Harrow and mower are good options to begin with. Front loader is a must. You will find more uses for that than you realize. I would stay with Deere, Case-IH or Kubota. My personal and what our farm always ran were Deere. Pay once....it will last you a lifetime.

 

[Lilly001]

I bought a 5065e open cab this spring.
Overall a good tractor. I stayed away from the cab model as I am doing a lot of clearing and I'm afraid I would tear it up. But a cab is nice on 100 degree days when you run over a hornets nest.
I bought a 60" mower so it doesn't stick out beyond the tires. I snag trees and fence post if I use one wider. I bought a 96" browns disc and it works great. I got the deere loader with a grapple and third function valve. Best tool for land clearing behind a dozer.
If you are growing trees for harvest or have other agricultural income you should look into the GATE program. It'll save you the tax.

 

[skiff23]

I know everybody has a personal brand preference. I can tell you from experience Kubota is the lightest built tractor on the market. If you want a tractor to work with and not hobby farm , stay away form them. John Deere is a good choice . Make sure you get the true farm service tractor and not a "utility Tractor" . These will be the lighter duty models. I have recently been using a Zetour tractor and have been presently surprised at the performance. I have used them all and still like a true John Deere. If you try different brands you will see the difference. The price alone tells you there is a difference in what s there.
As for attachments, Woods makes some of the best heavy use attachments. Especially the tree cutter mowers. If you are trying to clear over grown pastures, look at these.

 

[1gr8bldr]

Will you be trailering this tractor to and from? Trailer or tractor shed? Both expensive

 

[Eric 30.06]

woods brush bull for bush hogging also look at a spring tooth plow for breaking ground that's never been broke.

 

[tree cutter 08]

I know what I would buy. Kubota m7040 with loader. Should be around low 30's for 4 wheel drive. Just priced one a few months ago. I've owned a kubota for the last 8 yrs and rely on it to make a living. It is not abused but it is worked hard. Very hard. Never has it failed, other than a few hoses. Uses no oil, no leaks, everything is still good and tight. Kubota has me sold on them. Few other tractors I've seen used in this line of work have had trouble with clutchs, and front wheel bearings and hubs.

 

[Knotwild]

I know everybody has a personal brand preference. I can tell you from experience Kubota is the lightest built tractor on the market. If you want a tractor to work with and not hobby farm , stay away form them. John Deere is a good choice . Make sure you get the true farm service tractor and not a "utility Tractor" . These will be the lighter duty models. I have recently been using a Zetour tractor and have been presently surprised at the performance. I have used them all and still like a true John Deere. If you try different brands you will see the difference. The price alone tells you there is a difference in what s there.
As for attachments, Woods makes some of the best heavy use attachments. Especially the tree cutter mowers. If you are trying to clear over grown pastures, look at these.

I agree on NOT choosing the utility model John Deere. I manage one of three properties and we have 2 6130D's that have been nick nack problematic headaches. PTO out on one and many warning light issues on the other. They are poorly designed in that the radiator/intercooler/transmission cooler/air conditioner condenser/and fuel cooler are all stacked together and almost impossible to clean out. They are made in Mexico. Another issue with JD is that warning lights and buzzers will go off and the only way to pin point the problem is to have a JD tech come hook his computer up to it and read it. For instance, we had problems with one 6130D de-rating the fuel to the engine and giving a STOP light and buzzer. After paying for a JD call, it turned out to be the water sensor in the fuel bowl......a two minute fix.

Others in our area are having problems with the utility tractors and one even resulted in a lawsuit that JD lost.

If you go JD, pick the model carefully. And the row crop models seem to be more trouble free, although about 10K higher at purchase for the 6130D size tractors.

JD is not what they used to be and many farmers are looking for and buying older low houred tractors for their reliability.

 

[CraKaLaCKiN]

Will you be trailering this tractor to and from? Trailer or tractor shed? Both expensive

I'll leave it at the property under a shed. I'm going to invest in a LoJack for it as well.

 

[CraKaLaCKiN]

I agree on NOT choosing the utility model John Deere. I manage one of three properties and we have 2 6130D's that have been nick nack problematic headaches. PTO out on one and many warning light issues on the other. They are poorly designed in that the radiator/intercooler/transmission cooler/air conditioner condenser/and fuel cooler are all stacked together and almost impossible to clean out. They are made in Mexico. Another issue with JD is that warning lights and buzzers will go off and the only way to pin point the problem is to have a JD tech come hook his computer up to it and read it. For instance, we had problems with one 6130D de-rating the fuel to the engine and giving a STOP light and buzzer. After paying for a JD call, it turned out to be the water sensor in the fuel bowl......a two minute fix.

Others in our area are having problems with the utility tractors and one even resulted in a lawsuit that JD lost.

If you go JD, pick the model carefully. And the row crop models seem to be more trouble free, although about 10K higher at purchase for the 6130D size tractors.

JD is not what they used to be and many farmers are looking for and buying older low houred tractors for their reliability.

What do you consider to be the utility models ?

 

[JCBANJO02]

There is a big harrow for sale on 362 almost to Greenville. Looks to be in great shape

 

[CraKaLaCKiN]

There is a big harrow for sale on 362 almost to Greenville. Looks to be in great shape

Seems like I saw that. But it may be too big. I have some of my smaller plots that I have to go down a road about 10' wide and I think that harrow was a lot bigger. Next time I'm through there I will stop and take a look. THANKS!

 

[Napi]

I used to bleed "green". But, in '05 I bought a new Kubota 6800 4x4 with hydraulic power reverser. You can use the clutch like a normal one, but I prefer to use the lever and never touch the clutch pedal. I have been pleased. It was $10,000 cheaper than a comparable JD at the time, had 0% interest and 2 more years warranty than JD.

 

[Crakajak]

Brown harrow and bush hog would be my choice.

 

[srb]

Brown Tree cutter is very worth the$,would not by one without the loader....My thought on the loader!
I run Green&Yellow Johndeeres....Lots of Hrs on my equipment everyday use....+ Hard work!!!

 

[cpowel10]

http://www.wallaceattachments.net

We've got the 72" version stacking rake from the link above. It's the best piece of equipment I've ever used for property maintenance. It stays on the tractor more than the bucket.

It's perfect for clearing firebreaks, cleaning up roads, pushing up brush piles, etc. Leaves the dirt and only moves the debris. I love ours!

Also, I'd stay away from anything with Massey Ferguson written on it. Their old stuff was good but the new Agco stuff is garbage.