First time Buyer - B3300SU

[Martylav]

Hey all - New to tractors but i need one before i break my back. Looking for a tractor as I moved to a new property couple years ago. It has about 30 acres about 12 of it is open/field. Use case would be nothing crazy.... bushwacking, expanding greenhouse/gardens, tilling, snow removal, landscaping, fixing atv trails. Trying to figure out what size I would need. I was thinking ~35hp compact.

A dealer down street has a 2011 Kubota B3300SU with about 400 hours on it. Dealer has it about $15k with LA504 front loader, Canopy, B2759 snowblade, third function kit... looks brand new, single owner... he was an older guy who wanted a warm cab for winter. Would this machine fit my use case and if so what price point would be good value?

thanks!
-Marty

 

[PaulL]

That's a good machine, equivalent to the LX model now. A little small perhaps for 12 acres to manage, but not unreasonably so. You might want a cab for snow work. Does it have a grapple to go with the third function kit? Overall, it sounds a reasonable price and a good buy - second hand machines are often close-ish to new price, that sounds like about half of new to me. Have you checked the Kubota build site, see what RRP for a similar machine is (you'd be looking LX3310SU, but not sure the SU is available in a 33hp).

First alternative would be the L class machine - L3302. A bit bigger/stronger. The L has been around forever, tractor data will tell you the earlier models.
Other options are Tthe L60 (Grand L) - a much more luxurious machine, but also more expensive. And the MX is the next size up, and not out of the question for 12 acres plus some trees. Do you need a specific size to fit between the trees? - the MX is getting pretty large. The MX is also a relatively new machine, if you're looking older it really jumps from the L to the M, and the M is probably too big for what you need.

For 12 acres, and no mowing, I think an L is a better choice, especially if your snow work is all blade rather than snowblower. For blowing you probably want a cab and front mount snowblower, so an LX (or the B you're looking at in the older models) or Grand L are your options.

 

[Martylav]

That's a good machine, equivalent to the LX model now. A little small perhaps for 12 acres to manage, but not unreasonably so. You might want a cab for snow work. Does it have a grapple to go with the third function kit? Overall, it sounds a reasonable price and a good buy - second hand machines are often close-ish to new price, that sounds like about half of new to me. Have you checked the Kubota build site, see what RRP for a similar machine is (you'd be looking LX3310SU, but not sure the SU is available in a 33hp).

First alternative would be the L class machine - L3302. A bit bigger/stronger. The L has been around forever, tractor data will tell you the earlier models.
Other options are Tthe L60 (Grand L) - a much more luxurious machine, but also more expensive. And the MX is the next size up, and not out of the question for 12 acres plus some trees. Do you need a specific size to fit between the trees? - the MX is getting pretty large. The MX is also a relatively new machine, if you're looking older it really jumps from the L to the M, and the M is probably too big for what you need.

For 12 acres, and no mowing, I think an L is a better choice, especially if your snow work is all blade rather than snowblower. For blowing you probably want a cab and front mount snowblower, so an LX (or the B you're looking at in the older models) or Grand L are your options.

thank you! Can't find any used LX but new prices out of my range. I attached the pics. I know they weren't expecting this to stay on lot this long been 25 days, so should have some room to bargain a bit. I just don't want to undersize it but can't find another build where I can get tiller and bushwacker and keep it all under 20k. But...if undersized I can wait. Snowplowing isn't big concern as I got ATV with plow that does decent job.

 

[NCL4701]

I wouldn’t think it’s undersized unless you have some specific task requiring more loader capacity or more PTO HP than it has.

Some say you can do the same stuff with a smaller machine you can do with a bigger machine, it just takes longer. True if your mowing grass, moving dirt with a loader, and quite a lot of other jobs.

But often folks have that one job that really puts a minimum size on the machine. They want a L2501 price point and the L2501 is a good fit otherwise, but they need it to lift a 2500lb pallet, transport it a few hundred yards, and set it on a flatbed truck. That one job moved them from a small L to at least a small MX because there’s no way to take that job in smaller bites; it will either do it or it won’t.

If you don’t have any of those jobs where it’s inadequate and those jobs are such that they can’t be taken in smaller bites, don’t see why it would be undersized for what you describe.

 

[JimmyJazz]

Hey all - New to tractors but i need one before i break my back. Looking for a tractor as I moved to a new property couple years ago. It has about 30 acres about 12 of it is open/field. Use case would be nothing crazy.... bushwacking, expanding greenhouse/gardens, tilling, snow removal, landscaping, fixing atv trails. Trying to figure out what size I would need. I was thinking ~35hp compact.

A dealer down street has a 2011 Kubota B3300SU with about 400 hours on it. Dealer has it about $15k with LA504 front loader, Canopy, B2759 snowblade, third function kit... looks brand new, single owner... he was an older guy who wanted a warm cab for winter. Would this machine fit my use case and if so what price point would be good value?

thanks!
-Marty

I say buy it.

 

[fried1765]

Hey all - New to tractors but i need one before i break my back. Looking for a tractor as I moved to a new property couple years ago. It has about 30 acres about 12 of it is open/field. Use case would be nothing crazy.... bushwacking, expanding greenhouse/gardens, tilling, snow removal, landscaping, fixing atv trails. Trying to figure out what size I would need. I was thinking ~35hp compact.

A dealer down street has a 2011 Kubota B3300SU with about 400 hours on it. Dealer has it about $15k with LA504 front loader, Canopy, B2759 snowblade, third function kit... looks brand new, single owner... he was an older guy who wanted a warm cab for winter. Would this machine fit my use case and if so what price point would be good value?

thanks!
-Marty

You can save the Maine sales tax. by just driving over to NH.

I think that tractor is a bit small for your needs.
You might try Chappell tractor, or MB tractor, both in NH.
I had a very pleasant purchasing experience with Chappell.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

a machine that size can do A LOT of work.
400 hours is barely broken in with only 1st hydro fluid change due for many models.
you will get many many years use.
You mention bush wacking and trail maintenance in the bush so the 3rd function kit ($1 option I think) could be valuable to work a grapple. Grapple for bush wacking and trail work is very useful and I couldn't imagine doing the same without.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

With that size of property and the work your looking to do, I'd be looking at an L.
Even an older L will out perform that B by a mile!

 

[Martylav]

You can save the Maine sales tax. by just driving over to NH.

I think that tractor is a bit small for your needs.
You might try Chappell tractor, or MB tractor, both in NH.
I had a very pleasant purchasing experience with Chappell.

great point, will check them out thanks man!

 

[number two]

At that price I like it,if lt will work for you.
Kubota's B series 4 cylinder platform for some time now.
This model has the loader,no MID-PTO, and big rubber!
Good Luck!

 

[johnjk]

I’m on 25 acres, 10 wooded and the rest fields. I picked up a B3200 and it does everything I need. One owner trade as well. No 3rd function but I added Brotek wheel spacers to increase the stance and add stability on hills. My unit also does not have the SSQA but I may add that here this summer. The B does great with a Woods RC5 brush hog and more than enough power for a EA 48” disk harrow. Box blade and rear blade for drive maintenance and snow removal. I added a canopy which helps with the sun and weather. Happy for what it does on trail maintenance and firewood processing. It would be nice to have a cab but for the amount of time I’m on it in bad weather, I can easily dress for the occasion and save that coin for attachments. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

I think is sort of depends on how you plan to use and your expectations. I generally agree with what others have shared…the only thing I would add is that depending on your garden size, a B size and is a little more convenient in a smaller garden in general and especially with a tiller…likewise depending on the size of your greenhouse and the door size, if you have a hoop house and want to till inside of it, or pending door size and want to be able to bring material and or nursery stock in with tractor a B maybe be more convenient. I am not familiar with your soil, but a B will run a tiller just fine. For some of the other tasks I think the size and weight of an L would be more helpful (lift/pull/hauling).

From the description, aside from the tilling I did not see a want/need for a PTO.

Do you have any intention to want to use forks? Regardless what you decide on if planning to use forks or other attachments on the front, I’d try to get an SSQA on the front and potentially a third function…I’d try negotiate that in with the purchase whether this machine or something else.

If you plan to move bales or water containers or heavy pallets that would push me to a larger size for sure.

The other thought for me would be with a property that size do you have lanes/drives to maintain and how you would handle that…do you have any idea to want rear remotes? (Negotiate that in at purchase as well…they are not free but if planning to use very helpful)

Plan to get some ballast as well regardless of what machine you end up with…try to get that in the tires if they don’t have already…but consider some sort of ballast off the three point as well.

Seems like a fair deal you found, but I think need to come to terms with price cap vs long term expectations and capability.