as a city slicker that bought property almost a year ago that is family weekend/recreational for the next 10+ years and then ultimately will be the retirement locale for me and the misses, I don't think I can put off buying a tractor much longer.

local dealer quoted me a 25hp last spring, but now has seen my property and thinks I need at least 39hp and quoted me a 47hp machine as his best current "deal" and it gave me a bit of sticker shock.

Questions for the board:

1. where do yall suggest i look for used equipment? tried tractorhouse.com, but not seeing anything enticing other than maybe new equipment at local dealers saying to call for price.

2. how risky is it buying used vs new? how many hours is too much for used equipment when it appears that a 10+ year old machine with over 1000 hours is only 8-10k less than a brand new one with full warranty?

3. how much easier is HST vs power shuttle or standard gear drive transmission? i feel like i really want HST, but most used equipment and most "deals" appear to be standard.

4. if i already bought a green or orange ZTR from a local dealer, how important is it I stick with green or orange for my tractor (for relationships, simplicity for any outside service needed, etc.)?

El Gato Charro said:

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You told us zero things about your property.

Zero things about the implements that you intend to run.

Let's start by discussing the jobs that you want to get accomplished.

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thought that might be too much info and limited my post to 4 burning questions i had.

property is a little less than 100 acres, but mostly wooded. I expect to buy a FEL and bucket and rotary mower right away for sure. ...other implements or attachments - auger, land plane or box blade, tiller or cultivator or harrow - would be more rarely used - not sure if better to buy or rent - will probably wait until i need one of them.


potential jobs around my property off the top of my head:

keep clean / shred an open pasture area (about 8-10 acres) - it was cleaned and finished when we bought the property late last year and looked really nice. it's a hilltop that will be the future homesite for retirement. Now, since i don't have a tractor yet and it's too big to keep under control with the ztr, it's tall grass and has areas of johnsongrass and some small woody plants and weeds - notably some baby mesquite I feel l should nip in the bud. i want to shred it this fall and put some remedy ultra on it early spring, shred it again next year - keep it nice.

another section on the property had been shredded and mulched before we bought it - it's a nice pecan tree grove - about six huge mature pecans over a couple of acres. i've maintained trails through it with the ztr and sprayer, but most of the rest has now grown into high brush - a lot of pecan saplings as well as tire popping mesquite.. would like to shred this area and keep it cleaned every year going forward. will ultimately be an area for a hog trap that turns into a deer feeder pen as well.

maintaining a network of trails around the property, along some fence lines and through sections of woods, etc. might be easier with a brush hog than on my ztr

maintaining along the sides of a nearly .5 mile gravel driveway might be easier with brush hog than on my ztr

planning on trying to condition a section of soil on the hillside for a few rows of black spanish grape vines. i want to attempt to farm-to-table source my own drinking problem. got my soil analysis back from texas agrilife extension. will probably need to till or cultivate the area to treat it before planting vine cuttings early next year.

eventually, a box blade or land plane may be needed to maintain - level out, spread new gravel, etc. along previously mentioned .5 mile driveway.

not sure if possible with utility tractor FEL and bucket, but would be nice to be able to build a tall berm for a safer more permanent shooting range (may have to just rent skid steer for this), and/or dig holes big enough to bury a bunch of feral hog carcasses once I build a trap and bait them

if i ever get to the point of deciding to harvest a deer or two per year off the property to stock the freezers, would be nice to chain up a gambrel to the FEL bucket for skinning and quartering instead of building a permanent deer cleaning structure somewhere on the property (?)

1. where do yall suggest i look for used equipment?

craigslist and fb marketplace. I hate fb but they have some decent stuff.

2. how risky is it buying used vs new?

I bought new because I wanted to get some work done, instead of working on the tractor. I have worked on multiple old tractors over the years. I would show up to the farm to get something done, and work on the tractor for 4 hours instead.

4. if i already bought a green or orange ZTR from a local dealer, how important is it I stick with green or orange for my tractor (for relationships, simplicity for any outside service needed, etc.)?

This should not be a factor in your purchase.

You didn't ask about HP, but I bought a tractor with more HP because I wanted more weight in the tractor. The additional weight allowed me to do things with the FEL that would be more difficult with a lighter rig.

Thank yall. How about hydrostatic transmission? Worth it?

I went through the same process as you about a year ago. Ended up buying a used Mahindra 6075. Some things I've noted.

A. Spend the extra and get a cab. Doing tractor work in beautiful weather is nice but it's hardly ever that. It's either freezing or hot as balls. And that doesn't even account for all the dust in an open cab.

B. Buy used. There are so many utility tractors on FB marketplace from everyone who bought 20-50 acres during covid and are wanting out.

C. It's often easier/cheaper to rent or contract the work out. That's not fun though.

D. Mahindra has been great for me. Solid no frills tractor that is built like a tank.

oh no said:

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Thank yall. How about hydrostatic transmission? Worth it?

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Depends. If you are doing lots of dirt work or limb cleaning or anything that requires a LOT of forward and reverse the HST is totally worth it. You can and will burn a clutch up on A tractor in 800 hours or less doing dirt work and clearing limbs with a grapple.

Always buy used. Out of warranty you can take the machine to a local shop that will cost less than a dealer. If you buy used, the value and resale of it likely won't go down especially in that HP range.

Yanmar makes a hell of a utility tractor, you may check your local dealer and compare prices vs other compact utility tractors around the same size.

thanks everyone.

there is a Kubota/new holland, Case, and JD dealer quite close to the property. Massey Ferguson slightly further - not far but a few miles out of the way. Yanmar is not too far away, but in a direction I never travel. A Mahindra dealer is a good bit further away (would pass two Kubota and JD dealers on the way, but still on the way between home and property). I've just assumed I would end up getting green or orange - and already went orange on the Ztr.


would it be a good idea to attempt to rent a tractor w rotary mower this fall for a week or two. shred some areas on the property, see what i like and get used to operating the equipment, and buy something next year? or go in an buy something now since i know i'll be using it so much?

Reason number 10,000 I went with a Danuser hydraulic auger on the loader and W. R. Long third function hydraulic kit.

Since you're new to tractors, rent a 50 hp tractor for a weekend with a 5 ft mower. While it's still hot and dusty, you'll know after an afternoon of mowing if a cab tractor is worth the extra money to you. This is the first thing you need to figure out- cab or no. I'll agree you should limit your search to 50 hp and up for your intended purposes.

If you do buy used, only get a tractor that's been stored inside exclusively. Preferably from the original owner with less than 500 hours. Deere or kubota if you can't find a Deere.

Gunny, what town or county did that happen in? I remember hearing that same story I believe from my grandfather.

Guadalupe or Comal. Can't remember exactly. Think it was a place that was on the Guadalupe River.
Same thing happened when I was making a dealer call in Monroe LA. I was in the son's office and he got a phone call from his mom to come quickly to their farm. He found his dad caught up in an auger the same way. Miraculously he survived but lost an arm.

Trial rental is certainly under consideration. Thanks.

Thank you! And thanks everyone

IF you happen to find a Kubota with a GST (Glideshift transmission), it is a third type of transmission, very user friendly, and my 2004 Kubota (bought new) is still going strong, with zero mechanical issues.
Kubota GST explained

The GST Kubota transmission is technically the same as John Deere's PowerReverser transmission with the exception that Kubota uses a single pedal. There are advantages and disadvantages to this system as under heavy load the GST transmission can have a pronounced "jerk" as it finds the selected gear. John Deer's PowerReverser with the two pedal system makes that transition more smooth so they are technically the same and it boils down to user preference.
Both the Kubota GST and the John Deere PowerReverser transmissions can have the single lever forward/reverse shuttle feature.

Agree with buy bigger than you think you need.

That said, when I had just 30 acres, a 57hp cab HST was perfect. When I added a bunch more acreage it still worked fine but limited what I could do. So I upgraded to a heavy (9800 lb) 75hp power shuttle and it gives me a lot more versatility

There is a 48hp Kubota listed in the classifieds

Book marked this thread. Thanks for all the info!

Whatever you get new or used--make sure there is a dealer for that brand nearby. You will need parts and some service eventually . . .

Additionally, lot of your independent guys don't work on these offshoot brands (not sure what you call them)--something not John Deer, New Holland, Case, Kubota (major brands) because its difficult to get parts.

Justified said:

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There is a 48hp Kubota listed in the classifieds

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saw that. It seems it's at least 10 yrs old and well over 1000 hours with standard gear drive transmission. Brand new one same hp is about 30k and that one is listed at almost $20k. Hence some of my questions about new vs used as well as hydrostatic vs standard transmission.