Hello All....Lots of Questions

[Adventures in Farming]

Hey there....been lurking for months and finally joined...been kicking some tires (literally) and have a lot of questions.

Property

We have 25 acres total and about 13 currently in use (rest is wooded). It's been farmed for years in mink and we have 950' in barns on the property that are coming down for the most part. We have a nice horse barn and 2 good sized paddocks right now and about 6 acres is fields that are growing random crops.

Tractor use

Mowing about 5 acres, snowblowing, etc. In the first few years, we'll be dismantling the mink barns. I'm hoping that whatever I buy will be able to pull the pole barn poles out of the ground (as long as they aren't cemented in!). Other than digging post holes and potentially moving round bales of hay, it would be ordinary use.

Long term, we're thinking sheep, goats, etc and a horse or two as well.

I've found a great used 2010 B3200 with really low hours and with a blower, mower, loader and tiller for a good price.

Went out to a dealership today and was told that this wouldn't be tractor enough for what I wanted it to do.

Instead, he pointed me to a 2017 L3560 or a 2016 L4701. The first has all the bells and whistles and the second is much simpler, but obviously much bigger tractor.

Got them both priced out with: loader, 3 pt mower, the 3560 with a front mount blower and the 4701 with a rear blower ($ 6,000 difference between front and back mowers!). About $ 20K more than the used B3200.

Now, offered the 7 years, 0% interest, and gave me 9.155% off the 3560 and varried amounts off the 4701.

Is this in line with others' experiences?? Should I have expected bigger discounts?

Totally green at this, so any help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

 

[mickeyd]

Welcome to the OTT forum. We are glad that you decided to join with us here.

Yes, for what you want to use it for, the B3200 will not be enough tractor.

Is the L3560 the cab HST model? That might be the tipping point for getting it for the winters? Yes, the L4701 is a little bigger with more horsepower and you can never buy too much tractor as you will always find a way to use it.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Totally green at this, so any help is greatly appreciated.

He said green... Better not be John Deere green!

I have 12.5 acres of heavy / thick trees on my place and bigger the tractor the better.

If I was to pick between the 2 tractors you have listed the L3560 would be hands down my pick.

And a front snowblower / blade beats the living snot out of rear mount!

And get a third function kit and a grapple!
For tear down, cleanup, and tree work it will pay for itself in nothing flat!

 

[virginiavenom]

what wolf said. 3560, without question.

 

[Adventures in Farming]

No cab on it and I know I may regret it some winter days, but I think too about those hot summer days cooking in a cab....

The price tags are getting to me a bit....7 years at almost $ 700 per month and that's with 0 % interest

Been surfing around for used models to see what's available......most are orange.....a couple....should I say it????.....are green.

Thanks for the answers so far....any more opinions are welcomed.

 

[virginiavenom]

use a JD of the same size doing the same stuff as a kubota on the same day.....1000 bucks says you choose the kubota. I have no brand loyalty at all, every john deere I've used, even new, sucked. SUCKED. they just aren't built to the same quality in my opinion.

 

[Adventures in Farming]

thanks for the advice.....I'll keep it in mind.....have about 12 to 15 tractors right now.....11 or 13 Kubotas and 2 Deere! My wife's asking me why so many kubtoas, but it's likely what catches my eye first.

 

[virginiavenom]

the larger JDs aren't too bad. but I'm saying when you get up over 100 hp. but they are only better at that range. I wouldn't call them "awesome" hell in my opinion for the money, tractors could be made WAY better than they are.

 

[Redlands]

As wolf pointed out a grapple and 3rd function will be incredibly useful on the tear down and haul off work involved in clearing out the barns. The L??60 series tractors such as the L3560 are really nice units. Buy the heavier stronger LA805 FEL loader for it and with that grapple you will be operating a sweet setup. The L3560 has 3 ranges in speed and a hi / low leaver on the steering column. For grapple work or dirt work i usually set it in medium range with the flip leaver in low. More power and slower precise speed, then flip it to hi while you moving to transport the grapple load or what ever to the dumping spot. Same idea mowing around trees or down a fence line. Flip to low for close in work then flip to hi once your clear. No stopping or shifting or hassle. The L series also has a stall guard setting which i find great for dirt work and brush hogging. When mowing if the tractor starts to bog down it just slows the ground speed down and keeps on mowing then when the load eases up back to normal it goes. With cruise control set its a useful item. Another setting allows you to use the petal just like your automobile acceleration petal which some really like. For lots of precise back and forth work such as dirt work and demo work the hydrostatic models with the above features are great to use. The L series are built heavier and weigh more so the resulting extra traction works out well for many things. A grapple with a HEAVY mesh in its back or with a heavy wire guard covering your front brush guard helps so you do not have to worry so much about a board or limb poking a hole in your tractors grill or radiator. Of course a cab is really nice also.