Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Best Compact Tractor for less than $20K?

Take a look at the Kubota L3800 if you're sure you want to add a backhoe later. You should be able to get that tractor for the price you mentioned. I priced them a year ago and it was under what you've listed with a bushhog included and 0% financing for 5 years. That was the non-hystostat model (+ $ for the hydrostat). I ended up going with a Deere 3038 mainly because it was several thousand cheaper with a better package deal and 0% for 5 years....to get the 0% on the Kubota it automatically added $2000 to the price.... With the Deere there was no aftermarket backhoe attachment (at that time) and the loader was non-removable, neither of these were an issue for me.

I recommend 4x4 and hydrostat no matter what you get, but your place may be a lot different than mine. I've got uneven ground on much of it and wet weather, pond banks, etc. It's a trade off on light weight vs heavy weight on some of these things. For my use I went with light weight and I'm really happy with it. I've been really pleased with the tractor and I've moved a lot of dirt with it and done a lot of bushhogging. After a year and a half I'd not change the one I purchased, but everybody's got different uses/needs and what is great for me may suck for you.

Visit some of the tractor sites. I did a lot of research and the tractor talk forums can tell you a lot learning from other people's mistakes and good choices.

dang Lee, if you'll personally deliver it to my door, I'll take it!

would love to have one of those small tractors

never mind Lee, Ed is gonna drive this one up to my house!

If your land is flat, you may want to look at a bigger 2wd tractor. You spend a lot more for 4wd and you may not need it. This would allow you the $ to get a loader. I personally would rather have 4wd and hydrostatic.

$20k can get a nice *used* 4x4 with loader.

if you plan on using the loader to move stuff alot then 4x4 for sure.

shuttle shift with a loader for sure.

and remember what ever you get you'll wish you got a size larger.

I can handle the smell, I grew up around feedlots and sale barns my whole life. My wife and daughter is the big?

I'm a little underwhelmed with my regional Kubota regional "Support", and get alla' my Kubota parts and pieces out of Texas.

.....string of outlets running under the OLD name of Ewald Tractor,.....I reckon they've been in Seguin forever, and well into a second gen show,.....CLASSY service from the original vendors of my older Kubota unit. They had the original owner's complete file, and They treat me as though I'd bought it new, yesterday.

A WELL maintained good used Kubota ( or perhaps a different MFG), from this particular outfit might be well worth a look.

New, used, or totally worn out, you NEED support from a legitimate and professional depot.

I can tell ya' the one in Tucson ain't it.

GTC

I don't know where you live, but for $20K, you should be able to find a nice package. Here are some prices from a JD dealer.

JD Packages

Trust me on this - IF you get a 2WD you'll kick yerself in the arse ten times a day..

I guess there are valid pros/cons re: gears vs. hydrostat. The dealer tried to talk me into hydrostat and I wanted gears. I won. LOT less cost to fix if/when something goes TU..

FWIW, I found out a year or two later that the shop was kept busy fixin' hydros and rarely had a gears compact in for any trans work. YMMV..

On the link I provided, note that a few of those came with loader AND backhoe. 1000 hours is nothin' on those.. The 4310 has a bigger hydraulic capacity than my 4210, but - for my uses - that's never been an issue.

Good luck with whatever the OP gets..

I wouldn't touch hydrostats with a barge pole.

Shuttle is the only way to go. I have that on my 95/40 Kubota 4wd.

Experience with neighbors around me, the most common repair bill is for the Hydrostatic and it's expensive.
Most all have the John Deere

I believe that I have a shuttle shift instead of hydrostatic. No problems what so ever and I highly recommend it with a loader.

Hydros cost more in fuel and lose a little horsepower to the ground. If you do alot of loader work Hydros are amazing,no shuttleing or clutching and a pleasure to work.

JD had a few bad Hydro systems, Kubota, LS, NH, and Mahindra seldom have a problem. I've heard of more problems with people burning clutches and ripping teeth of of gears than having Hydro trouble. If you are a gear guy, nobody will change your mind. If you are open to it take a Hydro for a spin, I love them.

LS make a hell of a tractor with a 5 year warranty, for a lot less than the big brands. I'm looking at a R3039 right now and it's right at $22K with loader. LS made all the NH Boomers in the last few years and all the Montana Tractors, they are built like a tank.

One thing for sure, buy a size or 2 bigger than you think you will need. Tractors shrink as soon as you get them home.

Try to get a Tier 3 tractor, the Tier 4 have a bunch of emissions crap on them that I personally don't like.

Don't know what they cost, but bobcat has tractors now.

Edit

Found a site and 2-4 year old are asking just over $20k for the 40hp version. 5-7 yr old are about 1/2 to 2/3 of that.

Bobcat got out of the tractor business a few years ago, theirs were made by Kioti.

Skip the compact wannabe tractor and get a 5000 series Deere. A slightly bigger tractor, more torque & hp and heavier for loader work and can do more with it, option-wise.

If I were to get a 2wd I'd have to double the HP at a minimum. Redneck thanks for the link, but none of them are very close to me. I won't buy a used tractor off of pictures alone, and then I imagine shipping across country could get expensive.

My dad picked up a new Massey 1705 (22hp) 4wd. He got a snowblower, brush hog, and a bucket for 17k.

It's not bad, something bigger would be nice but it works. I haven't been the nicest on it and it still works just fine.

Haters gonna hate. I have a soft spot for deere. Zero problems on any of them.
Enjoy the photos.