Really really really want a tractor

[husky455rancher]

If you get serious about buying I would strongly look at a cash price. You can probably do much better on cash and if you need to finance then bank rates are really low.......for now. Interest is going to go up, that is for certain. I am betting the dealer/company would much rather have the cash now as with interest going up the opportunity costs of allowing a customer to spread it out over 7 years are high.

depends on the manufacturer, Massey is only a few hundred cheaper to go cash. Their doing 0% for 72 or 1.49 for 84. Kioti is up charging the tractors to get low rate 1.99. The 2610 is an extra 1200 and the 3510 is 1700 extra. It’s still cheaper overall to pay the upcharge to get the low rate vs lower overall price and standard rate. The Massey dealers quote only shows a 239 dollar discount if I paid cash vs finance 1.49 for 84.

 

[JRM]

You doing OK getting around in that 2ft of snow? Any ice pack under that? We warmed up about 8-10 days ago and melted off most snow. It then went sub zero and left close to a inch of solid ice. Then a little snow on top a day or two later which will melt off Monday then by Wednesday the low is supposed to be -13 which will build more ice. Currently I do not have any cows to feed but for many years I did. There was no taking a day off because the weather was bad. Every single night 365 days a year I had to haul hay and feed. We never got 24" of snow at a time but had we I still would have had to go through it.

The depth is generally not a problem until it is deep enough to high center you. This last snowfall put me right at the limit but so far so good. I agree 100% with the above poster, every climate is different and everyones needs are different. This time of year my little L's uses are limited to firewood harvesting and snow clearing. It performs well at both. When it comes to dragging logs the obvious needs to be stated....picking up an end on the 3 pt will place traction on the rears and deduct weight from the required weight being pulled. It is all about traction. Fortunately, I don't have too many requirements where I need to pull heavy on ice.

 

[Chris1044]

depends on the manufacturer, Massey is only a few hundred cheaper to go cash. Their doing 0% for 72 or 1.49 for 84. Kioti is up charging the tractors to get low rate 1.99. The 2610 is an extra 1200 and the 3510 is 1700 extra. It’s still cheaper overall to pay the upcharge to get the low rate vs lower overall price and standard rate. The Massey dealers quote only shows a 239 dollar discount if I paid cash vs finance 1.49 for 84.

Not sure what it's done in the last few months the with inflation, but last summer orange and green dealers wanted more for a cash sale.

Similar to cars, they don't care if you can pay all up front now. They want you to pay the interest...because they make more that way with the agreements they have using a single lender.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Yammer cash discounts varied depending on model. Seems like it was 2-4k.
Say $4k off cash price. Or, 0% for 84 months.
The $4k/84 months = $47.62/month (basically interest over cash)
But, you can rationalize any purchase...
That would be $1.54/day interest.
Less than a Coke.
Cab or no cab?

 

[CJ1]

Right now I have 2 tractors and 1 front end loader in my pole barn. And just finished working on a new 321f Case for a friend. ALL are either Hydrostat or my older loader is a auto w/torque converter. The smallest HP one is my Kioti at 50hp and my recommendation is get the most HP you can afford. There is many reasons the clutch tractors are going away just like manuals in vehicles like I said before. I have a 416 Cat backhoe on the way just for reference. I have a backhoe attachment for my Kioti and it is a 2 stick just like a ex or bigger backhoe. With that being said it is my most expensive attachment to buy and the least used. I use it for installing power cables and pulling a stump or 2 if they are in the way. Otherwise a mini ex at $275 a day will work circles around the backhoe attachment. I dug a septic tank in with it and it was a 4 hour job, the mini or my cat would have done it in a hour. Get a bucket, forks and a grapple if you can afford the grapple for the front, all with a quick change. If not, clamps for the forks or bucket work ok. I have 2 grapples and they are my most used attachment. They do just about everything including skidding logs, I build a V where the tines hit and you don't even need to get out of the tractor to grab a tree. I have a Gannon roller box and a 7' double auger snow blower and a large 3 point leaf blower that I use for burning brush and stumps for the rear attachments. Also a 8' snow box for the front. I use R4 industrial tires for everything as the AG tires will not hold up in the woods, they chunk badly because of the stumps. I have my front tires studded and the rear tires have 2 link V bar chains and are loaded for weight. Oh and I built a 20' lifting attachment for the front for setting trusses and doing masonary work. I won't own a piece of equipment without a cab. CJ

 

[Cliff R]

I dropped the hammer today on the Yanmar SA424. It came with a 6' grapple, 3rd function hydraulics to run it, loaded rear tires, and rear wheel weights. I've shopped compact tractors pretty hard for the past several weeks and ended the search today.

What I found is that there are a lot of nice units out there, but not really one perfect machine. I kept finding that I would give up certain items on my list of requirements moving from brand to brand and model to model.

I had to take a few off my list due to availability, a couple others due to price. I set the budget at $25,000 and found that several tractors on my list, specifically the John Deere models quickly soared past $30,000 adding the items that I was looking for.

I also took a few off my list due to dealer support, Kioti and Bobcat dealers for me are just too far away. \

Could literally go on for many pages but for sure the Yanmar has a few very strong points I'll mention here.

Cast iron transmission/differential.

Dual hydraulic pumps to split the load between power steer/loader and transmission.

Warranty, 10 years powertrain.

Financing, zero for 84 months.

Cost of accessories, up to 1/3rd for some items compared to the competition.

Lift capacity of the loader, 1200 pounds and also 1200lbs for the three point.

It's in dead last place for looks with the rounded hood and goofy headlights, but that's just my opinion and really has nothing to do with how well it will work........

 

[husky455rancher]

I dropped the hammer today on the Yanmar SA424. It came with a 6' grapple, 3rd function hydraulics to run it, loaded rear tires, and rear wheel weights. I've shopped compact tractors pretty hard for the past several weeks and ended the search today.

What I found is that there are a lot of nice units out there, but not really one perfect machine. I kept finding that I would give up certain items on my list of requirements moving from brand to brand and model to model.

I had to take a few off my list due to availability, a couple others due to price. I set the budget at $25,000 and found that several tractors on my list, specifically the John Deere models quickly soared past $30,000 adding the items that I was looking for.

I also took a few off my list due to dealer support, Kioti and Bobcat dealers for me are just too far away. \

Could literally go on for many pages but for sure the Yanmar has a few very strong points I'll mention here.

Cast iron transmission/differential.

Dual hydraulic pumps to split the load between power steer/loader and transmission.

Warranty, 10 years powertrain.

Financing, zero for 84 months.

Cost of accessories, up to 1/3rd for some items compared to the competition.

Lift capacity of the loader, 1200 pounds and also 1200lbs for the three point.

It's in dead last place for looks with the rounded hood and goofy headlights, but that's just my opinion and really has nothing to do with how well it will work........

Congrats! I actually got some numbers on the yanmar 221 and 424 today. Did you get the backhoe? I’d be curious to the price breakdown that way I can tell if I’m getting hosed. I realize the 221 is subcompact but I wanted to see how that compared cost wise to the Massey 1725.

 

[holeycow]

Huh. I think it looks really nice! In pictures anyway. Among the better lookers, imo. Picture opinion only...

It's load capacities are pretty small, but it's a tidy little thing (again, from pictures).

1200lbs is not much, but I guess if it's adequate, so be it.

congrats! You're gonna love it!

 

[Cliff R]

I did not get the backhoe as we have a mini excavator and an older John Deere backhoe for big jobs. The Yanmar will be used mostly for firewood, lifting logs and pulling them out to cut up, moving brush and tops around, etc. I also have a gravel driveway so it will get a workout this summer moving gravel around, grading, etc.

My dealer had a rental unit on sight so let me work it pretty hard which really helped the sale. I also did some testing with the B2601 and L2501. The B2601 is "weak" for loader work, IMHO. I found the Yanmar very responsive and capable for the size of the machine.

I'm sure I'll LOVE it because it's going to be a LOT better than the wheelbarrow and shovel I've been using!.....

 

[holeycow]

My neighbor's Kubota loader on his 135hp tractor seems weak even compared to my 90hp kioti tractor loader. Some of that is due to his grapple setup vs my spears, but he isn't impressed when he has serious trouble to "pop" froze in bales.

maybe it's a Kubota thing? Idk.

 

[pdqdl]

There have been lots of times when I was a lot happier with a small machine than a behemoth that wouldn't go where I needed some mechanization.

 

[Highland_hunter]

The Massey's and Yanmar's are both on my short list. The first on my list are the Massey's mostly from a styling perspective. Well that and I have a couple of dealers that are both decent, one more so than the other, but both I would have no issues with.

My long term plan is to sell and relocate prior to or shortly after retirement so dealer support is totally secondary as that would be subject to change.

 

[SweetMK]

What tractor to buy?
I bought my first tractor in 1982, with check number 0001,,,, (My wife has that check on display.)
(We moved into town, and lived in an apartment, on cash,, no one had a credit card back then)
We bought our home that we are currently in, and I bought a tractor before we paid for the first grocery store visit.
(back then, groceries were a "BIG" purchase, so you had to write a check )
That was an International 404, with an aftermarket loader.
The only reason I sold that tractor, is that I ran into a "deal of a lifetime" tractor,, an IH 584,, with an IH2250 loader.

People will tell you "ONLY buy a tractor if you have nearby dealer support"
In my case, I have had tractors since 1982,, 40 years exactly this coming April,, and I have never needed a dealer for service.
Maybe I am lucky, but, I have three tractors that are bigger than garden tractors,, and they just run,,

I only buy used tractors,, the total purchase price of my "fleet" is less than todays purchase price of a new 25HP 4WD JD with a loader,,

So, my opinion is,, everybody enjoy what you purchased,, I enjoy my purchases,,
If I had to do it over,, I would purchase the EXACT same machines,,

Maybe I was lucky,, maybe I did just enough research to make sure the tractor that was about to be purchased suited me,,
AND, maybe my wife was smart enough to talk me out of the WRONG machines,,,,,,,,,,
(like the 953 CAT that was tugging at my heart!! )

 

[Sportfury70]

This thread has really taken stride, we all love our tractors (and our opinions!) don’t we?

OP, I’m just really curious what the heck your gonna get. Make sure you update us on your decision, and post pics pls.

P.s. Hey if you get the bobcat we can laugh at the Deere and kubota guys together!

 

[Sportfury70]

What tractor to buy?
I bought my first tractor in 1982, with check number 0001,,,, (My wife has that check on display.)
(We moved into town, and lived in an apartment, on cash,, no one had a credit card back then)
We bought our home that we are currently in, and I bought a tractor before we paid for the first grocery store visit.
(back then, groceries were a "BIG" purchase, so you had to write a check )
That was an International 404, with an aftermarket loader.
The only reason I sold that tractor, is that I ran into a "deal of a lifetime" tractor,, an IH 584,, with an IH2250 loader.

People will tell you "ONLY buy a tractor if you have nearby dealer support"
In my case, I have had tractors since 1982,, 40 years exactly this coming April,, and I have never needed a dealer for service.
Maybe I am lucky, but, I have three tractors that are bigger than garden tractors,, and they just run,,

I only buy used tractors,, the total purchase price of my "fleet" is less than todays purchase price of a new 25HP 4WD JD with a loader,,

So, my opinion is,, everybody enjoy what you purchased,, I enjoy my purchases,,
If I had to do it over,, I would purchase the EXACT same machines,,

Maybe I was lucky,, maybe I did just enough research to make sure the tractor that was about to be purchased suited me,,
AND, maybe my wife was smart enough to talk me out of the WRONG machines,,,,,,,,,,
(like the 953 CAT that was tugging at my heart!! )

Is that a 650 on the left? I used to use one of those to plow snow, good little machine.

I always wanted a 4wd 755. Such a stout and good looking machine. 80s and 90s JD was, imho, the best era of Deere equipment. A relative had a 332 that could mow for days on the same tank of fuel.

I looked and looked for one to upgrade my ford 14d from, but just couldn’t find one for the right price. That’s why I ended up with bobcat, for the money compared to the other options it was a no-brainer.

Here’s a pic of my little ford that I restored and sold to fund the bobcat:


Had a mower deck and front plow for it. Only reason I don’t still have it is I couldn’t find the parts to install a 3point on it.

 

[ShermanC]

Well I’ve pretty much decided I’m getting a tractor. I got numbers on a little guy Ls mt125, jd 1025r (holy mother it was expensive) and a bigger kioti 2610 and kioti 3510.

the jd is off the table. I can get so much more for my money in other brands. I’m about ready to get one of the kiotis. They can lift 1850 pounds to max height in the loaded. The only difference between the two is the engine. Ones 25 hp and ones 35. The 35 has a dpf but it dosent seem to be a real issue from what I’ve read. The 3510 is $2300 dollars more than the 2610. There is also a 930 dollar difference between the manual and hydro transmissions.
Not sure if the extra power really matters all that much it’s not like I’m plowing a field haha. I’m just gonna use it to do my tree length firewood and log moving and clean up my yard and do some landscaping.

anyone have any Experience with any of these machines?

General experience of searching…I almost bought one in May ‘19, backed off, glad I did,
pandemic continued, glad I backed out. My doctor farms raising hay and livestock. Last week we talked about tractors and he said as soon as a tractor buyer thinks he knows the size he would need, he would reeally need a size or two larger. I learned a lot and sure saved money. Keep searching and taking notes.

 

[SweetMK]

Is that a 650 on the left? I used to use one of those to plow snow, good little machine.

I always wanted a 4wd 755. Such a stout and good looking machine. 80s and 90s JD was, imho, the best era of Deere equipment.

Yea, that is a 650,, I "acquired" the 650 in a buyout of a man's possessions who had passed,,
the 650 was going to be a mower for my daughter that was moving in next to us,,.
I mowed with it once, and decided that I was going to keep it,, so, I went out and found an 855 for my daughter,, slightly larger than a 755.
My daughter got pregnant, and her husband was "stuck" with the mowing chores,,
he had never even ran a riding mower, I was VERY leery of him on the 855,,, so I added almost 300 pounds of rear wheel weights to keep the "greasy side down",,,

After he had mowed only 3 times (about 4 acres) all of a sudden the tractor went from being his wife's tractor to being "his" tractor.
He literally went from being an apartment dweller, to a "country boy",, in about 6 months.
His idea of a "chain saw" was a battery powered Sawzall,,,
After a few months of running the John Deere 855, he went out and bought a Stihl MS 261 C-M.
It is funny what the right tractor can do to a man,,,,,,,,,,,, LOL!!
He has run that 855 for 6 years now,, and the only thing that needed to be done in that time is replace the dry rotted rear tires.
I think that is a testimony to how tough the JD 855 is built,,

 

[The Shooters Apprentice]

Tractors are handy, but I would argue that a skid steer is a lot more handy.

 

[CJ1]

I dropped the hammer today on the Yanmar SA424. It came with a 6' grapple, 3rd function hydraulics to run it, loaded rear tires, and rear wheel weights. I've shopped compact tractors pretty hard for the past several weeks and ended the search today.

What I found is that there are a lot of nice units out there, but not really one perfect machine. I kept finding that I would give up certain items on my list of requirements moving from brand to brand and model to model.

I had to take a few off my list due to availability, a couple others due to price. I set the budget at $25,000 and found that several tractors on my list, specifically the John Deere models quickly soared past $30,000 adding the items that I was looking for.

I also took a few off my list due to dealer support, Kioti and Bobcat dealers for me are just too far away. \

Could literally go on for many pages but for sure the Yanmar has a few very strong points I'll mention here.

Cast iron transmission/differential.

Dual hydraulic pumps to split the load between power steer/loader and transmission.

Warranty, 10 years powertrain.

Financing, zero for 84 months.

Cost of accessories, up to 1/3rd for some items compared to the competition.

Lift capacity of the loader, 1200 pounds and also 1200lbs for the three point.

It's in dead last place for looks with the rounded hood and goofy headlights, but that's just my opinion and really has nothing to do with how well it will work........

If you can swap to a smaller grapple I would do it. That is alot of grapple for that machine. I purchased a 72" bobcat brand grapple and actually cut it down to 50" and made it a single lid clamp for my wheel loader. I widened the clamp out to 36" and basically made the perfect grapple. I have a single lid 48" grapple and ran them both back to back and the single lid was way nicer to run than the double and more productive. With a bigger grapple like that you will also be using 1/2 or more of your capacity just for the grapple. CJ

 

[Bill G]

Tractors are handy, but I would argue that a skid steer is a lot more handy.

Always better to be handy than handsome..........