What to buy.. Way too many options. Kubota, Kioti, LS, Bobcat, MF, JD, Branson, on and on. 25 acres, mostly flat. Need to mow about 5 acres, 1/4 mile gravel drive needs to be maintained. No heavy snow, just the storm of the century thing. I would like to clear a path or two and a food plot in the wooded acres. Thinking about 25HP to avoid the emissions BS. Kubota L2501, LX2610 look interesting, many others in the same category. Thinking a box blade, mower, for sure an FEL. Not planing on farm animals, nor a big garden to till. LX (non SU) has a mid mount mower, L2501 would be a tow behind. Last time i spent any time on a tractor was perhaps 35 -40 years ago.. Ford 8n. They sure are different now. Shuttle Shift?? HST? HST sounds like a good option. Extra Hydros? Will be using fire wood, so a splitter would be nice. Perhaps a grapple but they are $$$. Hoping to stay below $25K. Used would be OK, but don't see that many that are that much cheaper. New will have a warranty. I know it's the dealer, and there are several in the area I'm moving to, many different brands to choose from, but I don't know any of the dealers.

mahindra is popular around here. cheaper than orange and green and supposed to be a good machine.

Buy bigger than your present perceived need if you can. By all means get it with a front end loader bucket and 4wd will give you another dimension in the same equivalent horsepower range.

Tractorhouse.com, maybe for comparison sake.

Kubota and John Deere are hard to beat but several here have mentioned that they’ve been very pleased with the Kiota.

I think you’ll get some good input from the gang here for consideration.

And Mahindra as mentioned above.

Should have mentioned 4WD, and Diesel. Just not sure of the emissions issues with higher HP than 25.Perhaps they have sorted that out. None would be preferred. That means under or at 25HP or a used machine.

3200 dolla,...no holla.

https://lexington.craigslist.org/grq/d/washington-ford-8n-tractor/7295130473.html

Jmo but the emissions issues aren’t very problematic from what I’ve been told. Just another maintenance item or two.

Yep, the old 8n, I do know how to run it. no FEL however..

Kubota.

I posted on this subject last month. I picked up a CASE 50C (47hp) pictured in the thread. Its the same machine as the New Holland Boomer 50.
So far great machine. Cleanest burning diesel I've even seen. I originally wanted a Kubota, but I wasn't impressed with my original choice.

Wasn't much love from fellas here after I posted my choice, so dunno about consensus, but I'm happy!

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...re-kubota-l2501hst-thoughts#Post15753176

I'm no tractor expert but isn't that a steal?

It depends on a lot of things, or course. If it runs as good as it looks it's worth the money. If I didn't already have one I'd go check it out.

If I had a place to put 2 of them, I'd go check it out, also. But I don't know what I'd do with 2 8Ns.

I have a 2004 Kubota B2910 (upgraded version of the B7800. 4wd, HST, FEL, 5’ box blade and rotary. Small but 4 cyl 30hp. 500 hours and seems bombproof. I’m hard on equipment and have not had one failure on this tractor.

Just bought a JD 4100 tonight. Needed something smaller for around the house and something with turf tires that’s a little easier on the lawn.

2000 model year, 4wd, 20hp Yanmar diesel, HST, 60” belly mower, 3pt, FEL hydraulics and stick are ready if I find a bucket for it. 1800hrs in great condition. $6500.

I think something like that would be a great option for you based on what you described

After rereading the OP, looking at a 20yo model isn’t probably your best play. You have a much stronger budget and need more of a one-tractor-to-do-it-all than I did. At only 20hp and needing to track down a model-specific fel, probably best to look at something similar to what broomd brought home.

If you’re going to spend money, might as well spend it all. Deere 4066 is the king of dirty fun.

Kubota

I do about exactly what the OP does. Kubota 2501, bucket,blade, hays pears,brush hog. Manure spreader.No worries,

I'm partial to Kubota....but it's what I got and has served me well. Bought a L2800 in 2004ish.... all I had was a 3/4 mile drive and 5 acres.......almost 20 years later, up to 15 acres, livestock, sawmill and wishing I had stepped up a little in HP and lifting capacity. Truth in advertising though, I found my self also looking at some little CUT's from some of the work I do. Ok Ok so I'm a equipment junkie...... Look to the future some, I'm close enough to retirement I'll just make do.....but if hindsight is 20/20 I would have went up to the 35-45 hp size. For a lot reasons... including things like wheel base for the hilly terrain/lifting capacity ect... One of the things that I didn't do was get the quick attach bucket.Wish I would have...My second most used implement is pallet forks, behind FEL. You'll be amazed at the uses you can find for them. They make bolt on's/clamp ons(which is what I have) but the lifting capacity is reduced and you have to secure them, have bent my bucket in a couple places. With quick attach it's an actual pallet fork and it's well....quicker, easier and more secure.

Just my experience

Joe

Lamborghini, Interesting, as well as some old Porsche models. I don't think it would be really suitable, but I do like old odd things.. Moving in July, have to sell the current home. Will check out the dealers in person and see what they have to offer. Kubota, and Kioti seem the front runners right now.

My 2018 mahindra 38 hp doesnt require that DEF emissions bullcrap their configurations are set up different

1500 lb lift on my FEL

4wd
I hot the shuttle shift, I didnt want HST extra pita or headache

Mine was $31k but that is $6k for my backhoe attachment

That’s what I would do. A tractor is pretty much a tractor. I’d get more horsepower than I thought I needed.

I bought a 2018 Branson 3725, mostly to load logs on the sawmill, get them out of the woods and move pallets of lumber. I’ve been extremely happy with it. Enough power and lift capacity for what I do.

What I am considering the most is the mower, Mid mount vice rear tow. Other than the driveway it will be where it is used the most. Maybe get a cheaper tractor and get a zero turn mower for the "yard" Then again, in the future I may want MORE.. It is the retirement home, so I will have time to do the work. No need for something quicker, if it takes another hour or so, so be it.

Another question, would be a flail moweror a brush hog. Seems to be advantages to both.

A flail mower is slower, but will cut finer and grinds up litter. Flails are more laborious to service. A brush hog will cut saplings and small trees. A heavy hammer flail will cut saplings and small trees, but is a much more expensive implement, requiring lots more horsepower. Most heavy hammer flails are on arms, further requiring a larger tractor.

What will you be mowing?

Heavy wooded brush, the back acres have not been touched in decades. Clearing a trail or two and perhaps a food plot.

New Holland sells more tractors than any other maker in the world. There's a reason for that. Good luck in all your endeavors.

You'll want a heavy duty brush hog, but you also might need someone to come in with a Fecon head (forestry mulcher).

You could also consider a heavy duty flail on a 3 point hitch, but you'd have to slowly and gingerly back through the heavy woody stuff. Your wear and maintenance will be accelerated.

I believe that the New Holland is an LS in the compact models. At least the Boomer is I believe.

Make it easy on yourself and stick with Kubota. They outsell everyone else about 10 to 1 in the US on small tractors. I personally wouldn’t worry about the emissions stuff, more power is better.

A bush hog is a basic necessity for maintaining acreage. If you want something like a flail mower then get it later, but don’t get one expecting it to do what a bush hog will.

That's a pretty fuzzy metric. As a single brand, I'd be shocked if New Holland sold more units worldwide. I'd even be surprised if CNH across brands sold the most units worldwide. 50% of the global tractor market is in India and China. India being the number one consumer and China being number two.

Orange is a great tractor, but any Kubota under 70hp is weak at the bucket/pivot, deal breaker for me with cows and hay to hoist.

Your results may vary...

50 hp

Mahindra sells the most tractors worldwide. Deere is 2nd. 50% of all tractors produced in the world are sold in India.
New Holland is way down the line.

If Mahindra brings this to the US market, I’d take one.

Bet that little pickup would beat the hell out of one of those overpriced Jeep “pickups”. And be much cheaper to boot !

Be sure you have a solid dealer nearby, regardless if you buy new or used.

They all break and the one who can get parts quickest is the one you need in your corner, even if you use a side mechanic.

I have a mechanic who was John Deere trained, worked for the dealer for years, now has his own shop. Find that guy in your area and go talk to hiim.

Sometimes those guys know of a good tractor someone is wanting to sell, may have kept that tractor serviced for years. Never know until you ask.

DF

And diesel.

We have a 22horse massey 4wd. We have just under 100 acres and the biggest problem I have is the weight of the tractor. We have the tiller, 48" brush hawg, back blade, and a 48" snowblower along with the bucket. The light weight is my achilles.

I don't like the hydro tranny either. luckily we got a bobcat 324 mini excavator that makes up for the short comings of the tractor.

Our massy is the 1705 model and with the whole hindsight thing we should have gone bigger

IF you go with the rear mower you can have both a bush hog for clearing and a finish/estate mower for the grassy areas. You can pick up a used finish mower at decent prices, cuts more like a mower than either a hog or flail.Don't think you'll be happy cutting grass with a hog.

Joe

I have an M9540 Kubota I wanted a 60 HP but was talked into the 95HP. I am sure glad that I have the 95 instead of the 60 and sometimes I wish it was enlarger but not often

I also added 1050 pounds of rear wheel weights because a full load on the loader needs more weight in the rear. Also have water in the rear tires

Lots of good info here.

Yes indeed, good info that I appreciate. Still thinking L2501, but BIL had a B7800 30HP but smaller and much lighter, about 1K#'s. Wondering which would be best. Lawn mowing is going to be at least 60% of the deal. Not golf course lawn, some grass and perhaps weeds, about 5 acres. I know if I go lighter it will be less capable lifting etc. No idea the if the lighter tractor would leave ruts as well. Maybe a zero turn is in the future, but trying to be cheap..

This diesel 1020 is for sale near me. 5 would probably buy it. I'm trying not to think about it,......yuppie tractor, anyway.

https://lexington.craigslist.org/grd/d/salyersville-john-deere-1020/7297517729.html

That’s a steal. Made in Germany. I spent a lot of hours on an 820 growing up. Great tractors.

If I had some place to keep it I might be more inclined to check it out. But I've got too many machines stacked around here already.

Wonder if somethings wrong with it?

Live PTO would be enough to make me trade off that 8N for it.

And they are made by ls

I don't use the PTO for anything. I'd like a lower gear than the 8N offers, however.

But for the most part,.. a tractor is just a toy for me. It's not like I'm farming.

8n is a good garden tractor, as long as you don't have to work it

Used an 8N with a sickle bar mower. Unnerving to have it running next to your head when you have it lifted making turns.

Low gear is high as hell, you’re right.

My uncle said “they’re one step above a mule”
Running a bottom plow, blade, rake etc. they shine though.

Had two on the farm growing up. Used them for raking, and running the elevator for grain, bales etc.