Advice for new tractor

[nerwin]

I have 3 acres but so does my neighbor which I occasionally do some work for her so 6 acres maybe total of "play area" haha and I have a L2501 I bought used with 50hrs with HLA forks, land pride 72" snow plow, the 66" bucket and a land pride wb10 weight box. Found out it was loaded with beet juice as well. I got it for $20k at a John Deere dealer from a trade in. It's one heck of a machine, heavy for sure which definitely sinks on the lawn a little bit but it's not as bad as I thought it was gonna be. You can see it but can't feel it when you walk over it. I think even a B01 series would do the same honestly. I don't live in a golf course or anything and I live off the road a bit so it's like whatever. I couldn't pass up on the deal and the tractor is just incredible. It doesn't even break a sweat and that's what I love about it. I also find the hydraulics smoother? Maybe it's just me but on the B01 series they felt different. I'm sure they are using different pumps.

But yeah so far after a few days of ownership and using it a little, I'm really liking it. The stability of the wider and heavier machine is really nice. You just feel a little safer on it to me, obviously you can make it unstable as with any tractor but for general landscaping work, it's super stable even picking up a full load of dirt/gravel mix...I couldn't even feel the weight of it.

There are definitely deals to be had if you look long enough.

 

[D2Cat]

If looking at used machines do be overly concerned about hours on the engine. Focus on was maintenance done, and on a timely basis? Is it scratched and beat up, seat torn? Cosmetics tell you the character of the owner.

If you went to a tractor salvage yard you'd find all models, beat up, smashed, trees fallen on them, tires rotted, some have been on fire, everything you can imagine......but almost all of them have engines that ran fine when trashed! The Kubota engine is the last component to give up!

 

[Munsey]

I am going to go a completely different route for suggesting what to do. I would go find a good used Case 580 or John Deere 310 or 410 backhoe to buy. Use it to do all your work aimed towards building your house and getting the property in the shape you want it. Dig out the stumps with the backhoe or hire someone to come in and grind them out. Then, sell it off and buy a lx2620 to maintain the property. You will get way more work done with a large backhoe and they can handle it without abuse and perform better. Buy a tractor to maintain afterwards in the size that really fits what you need instead of buying now a tractor that fits everything you want to do over the next few years and ending with something that may not be the best long term.

I had a good friend of mine who owned his own engineering business for many years suggest the exact same thing, right down to the model numbers. Im not sure I’ll go that route ($$) but I know there’s alot of validity to it. Thanks

 

[Munsey]

I have 3 acres but so does my neighbor which I occasionally do some work for her so 6 acres maybe total of "play area" haha and I have a L2501 I bought used with 50hrs with HLA forks, land pride 72" snow plow, the 66" bucket and a land pride wb10 weight box. Found out it was loaded with beet juice as well. I got it for $20k at a John Deere dealer from a trade in. It's one heck of a machine, heavy for sure which definitely sinks on the lawn a little bit but it's not as bad as I thought it was gonna be. You can see it but can't feel it when you walk over it. I think even a B01 series would do the same honestly. I don't live in a golf course or anything and I live off the road a bit so it's like whatever. I couldn't pass up on the deal and the tractor is just incredible. It doesn't even break a sweat and that's what I love about it. I also find the hydraulics smoother? Maybe it's just me but on the B01 series they felt different. I'm sure they are using different pumps.

But yeah so far after a few days of ownership and using it a little, I'm really liking it. The stability of the wider and heavier machine is really nice. You just feel a little safer on it to me, obviously you can make it unstable as with any tractor but for general landscaping work, it's super stable even picking up a full load of dirt/gravel mix...I couldn't even feel the weight of it.

There are definitely deals to be had if you look long enough.

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Nerwin, I read through your post on your L2501, congratulations, nice find. Next time one comes up in my area I’m going to go check it out.

 

[jyoutz]

I had a good friend of mine who owned his own engineering business for many years suggest the exact same thing, right down to the model numbers. Im not sure I’ll go that route ($$) but I know there’s alot of validity to it. Thanks

I’ve seen some pretty low prices on those machines used, and you could probably resell for about what you paid for it.

 

[Vlach7]

After you’ve run, full-size backhoes a Kabota is next to a toy, but I needed something that could three-point hitch also, very good advice here

 

[BAP]

I had a good friend of mine who owned his own engineering business for many years suggest the exact same thing, right down to the model numbers. Im not sure I’ll go that route ($$) but I know there’s alot of validity to it. Thanks

Not as expensive as buying a LX2620. Around here you can find a lot of good used Case or John Deere backhoes in the $12-18k range. Most are 20-25 years old, but if they have been maintained, they are still good machines, particularly for what you want. Those Case and JD backhoes are rugged reliable machines. I have spent many hours on both a JD 410 and Case 580K digging miles of ditches and hours of loading. You just can’t beat them for heavy work.

 

[biketopia]

I’ve seen some pretty low prices on those machines used, and you could probably resell for about what you paid for it.

Just for reference sake, we sent two 2007 410J's to auction in the spring, one had 7400 hours, the other over 8000, both went for over $16k at auction in the DC Metro Area.