I'd go for small farm tractor or one of the mid-size tractors. They are worth their weight in gold. Three point hitch will lend itself to many implements, which you'll love. .. mowers, back-blades, buckets, lifts, post hole diggers, back-hoe, etc.. Used is no problem, if it was good to start with, has been used gently and maintained. Auctions are a possible source, as well as the rest of the market.

Jelc: Congratulations on your purchase! But with 9 acres be prepared for some expenses for the right equipment. First, since you have a long winding drive to snowplow, I highly recommend a good used 4x4 plow truck with a 6 or 7 foot blade. You can usually get something pretty good for $2,000 ~ $4,000. You'll be glad you did come winter time. Plowing is very tough on a tractor. Next, your lawn issue. Definitely get a small compact tractor with rear PTO for implements,etc. If planning on moving dirt etc. Get one with a front loader as you'll use it most of the time. A brush hog will work wonders on overgrown meadows. Another thing to consider is gas or diesel for fuel. Check your local gas sation to see if diesel is available, many locals is sometimes tough to find. Check tractor auctions if you are trying to save some money as there are many good ones out there. Best regards, Mark in Buffalo

Thanks for the prompt replies... I did not think about diesel vs gas engine. Would a diesel engine be cheaper to run, or more durable?

I was just on eBay looking at tractors. I hate when this happens ... I usually get all caught up in it.

There are a bunch of diesels, some with attachments ... ranging from $2,000 - $10,000 (and gas). Of course, they have to be picked up, for the most part.

I personally, shy away from diesels. I don't know why. My old D-4 CAT dozer was a diesel and I had a lot of fun with it. Maybe, because I feel the smaller diesel engines are kind of, ... "not real". I have no basis to think this way.

Being canadian please take this response in stride. Gas or diesel. In Canada you can get a farm permit which will sell diesel at a cheaper price then the local gas station. You can then also get plates for you trucks to run cheaper. it sounds like a small tractor with a bucket will do ya. It all depends on how much time you have for plowing. Look at your neighbours. Do they hire a contractor to do their driveway? Maybe you can pay for your tractor that way. To many ways to go at it. But a pto seems the way ya should go. If you would like more in put please feel free to contact me mythought2@hotmail.com

http://productselector.deere.com/CustomerTool/NACutsHomeServlet?targetMarket=HO

that site will u give u a great idea of what u need even if u dont want a deere. although i would sugest deere and kubota as tractors to look at. they both make great compacts.try to go with diesel if it is available because it is cheaper and gives u more torqe and such. also diesel tractors consume much less gallon of fuel compared to what gas consumes.

good luck,

CCB

A watercooled, 3 or 4 cylinder diesel is 'not real'??? What would you consider a 'real' gasoline engine? Surely not an aircooled 1 or 2 cylinder model typically found on most lawn and garden tractors?

My Kubota diesel is sure 'real' - Same 22:1 compression as the big engihes, 'real' glow plugs for easy starting, lots of low end torque so it doesn't need to be running 3600 RPM to get the real work done, about twice the fuel economy of the carbureted gasoline versions - Ooops! . . . . I may have just run across your 'definition' of a 'real' gasoline engine, which may be the same as mine - Water cooling and fuel injection . . . . anything else is a toy lawn mower engine ;-)

I agree he should look at small to midsize diesels. At a minimum, he wants a 3 point hitch, hydraulics to raise and lower implements, a rear PTO for bush hogging, lifting, post hole digging and maybe rototilling and a front PTO would be a big help if he wants a 'real' snowblower. Provisions for installing a front end loader would be a must too, because even if he doesn't buy one right away, I would bet that he will find that there's a need for a FEL in his not too distant future. 4 wheel drive would almost be a necessity for me as well because he'll need that even when it's not snowing, and snow is going to be a frequent concern for this machine

I would buy used and try to keep the hours as low as you can - Anything with 500 or less hours should be just nicely broken in

Don

I do think, Kubota diesels are good. I worked at an airport that used one for years, moving airplanes and brush hogging the grounds around the runway. It had no real maintenance, anybody/everybody operated it and it just kept going!

There are a lot of Kubotas on eBay. Plus, a ton of implements, new and used. But, it would be nice to find one local or a "pleasure drive" away.

Great info!...

I looked at the John Deere site - the tractor I need would be either a JD 790 (27 hp with the 4WD) or a 2210 (23 hp 4WD). I went to the Kubota site, but it does not have the "tractor selector" the JD site has. What would be the Kubota equivalent to the two JD tractors mentioned above?

There is a gas station with diesel not too far, and it's an easy drive from the property, so I can go for a diesel engined tractor.

I will follow the advice and buy used with 500 or less hours if I can!

Look at the BX2350 subcompacts and the B7610 & B7800 compacts. For your size lot I would steer you toward the compact tractor size.

If you are looking at a Kubota diesel don't worry about limiting yourself to 500 hours or less. 500 hours on a Kubota is nothing. Mine has close to 600 hours already and it still runs and works like a brand new tractor.

There are farmer that have over 10,000 hours on Kubota diesel tractors without a major overhaul.

Thanks... I will look into buying a compact tractor, such as a JD 790 or a Kubota B series.

On the back page of a magazine, I just saw an ad for Mahindra tractors. I will research those too!

Also look at something in the Farmall DXE or DX line from Case-IH.

DXE (smaller) a compact utility tractor. 3cyl gas 18/22/25hp
http://www.caseih.com/products/series.aspx?seriesid=2841&lineid=2&&navid=105&RL=ENNA

DX (larger) utility tractor 31-45 hp. more like a small farm tractor

http://www.caseih.com/products/series.aspx?seriesid=2482&lineid=2&&navid=105&RL=ENNA

for nine acres you need bigger than a lawn tractor. I have seven acres,I only mow three. I bought an old ford 9n tractor made in 1946. I had my doubts about something that old when I bought it, but it has proved to be a very reliable tractor, I got ten years of heavy use and abuse with it, and it still keeps running. it was the perfect landscaping machine for my new house and property. it starts easy when cold and I still use it to plow snow with every winter. it still has the old six volt electric system on it too. but you must have either a new holland dealer,or a tractor supply store nearby as they carry the parts for it in the event of a breakdown or tune up or something. they go for around 1500 to 4000 around here depending on condition. and they can use almost any 3 point implement you can think of. except tillers. they are very versatile tractors, when it was new, you could get over 400 differant implements for it. so there are plenty of used ones out there and on e-bay. hope this helps. oh, very simple to work on as well. if you got the big bucks then go for a new holland tc18 or tc21 you can get the tractor with backhoe and front loader and a belly mower for about fifteen grand, and it will last long after you kick the bucket, and then some, with proper care and maitenance.

Yes, I do realize a lawn tractor will not suffice. I'll have at least 4 acres of meadows to cut, the rest being heavily treed land. As I plan to field fence at least part of the lot, I will also have many post holes to dig!

I did some online research today, and it seems if I buy new I would pay at least $10,000 for the tractor alone. I will loook for modern, used compact utility tractors for sale - but also for old, used tractors. I did not think of the 9N, but I was considering a Farmall/International Cub or Model A. Buying a vintage tractor, provided parts and implements are available, might be a much cheaper way to go.

also, for implements for a 9n or 8n size tractor get an adjustable six foot back blade for snowplowing, a 5 foot box scraper for grading and leveling, a 30 inch slip scoop for moving big rocks,dirt,and gravel. a long chain for dragging trees. a bush hog or rough cut mower for mowing fields or meadows.

And then, use caution! The above post reminded me of a guy that worked for me for awhile. He was skidding logs through the woods with his 8N. He had the chain hooked high, the log caught on a tree and flipped over backwards. I didn't make it to the funeral.

Farming is one of the most dangerous businesses out there! There are blades, PTOs, bad brakes and a whole gamut of other perils.

I am well aware of the "flip over" accidents which take the lives of a few farmers every year... and that's why, as the tractor I will buy, whether modern or antique, will be for work and not show, it will have a rollover bar!

jelc,

You are going about this all wrong (well the asking for help is a good thing, but you will probably receive a dozen "this is the way to go" responses on these forums, some based on thought processes as simple as this is what I bought and for some reason I need to defend it).

What you are looking to maintain is not a small spread. It will take its toll on the wrong tractor (as in your fears about your MTD). What most who haven't needed to maintain a spread of this size think is that 9 acres less half equals only 4.8 acres. Heck, we can get by with that MTD. Well, if you don't maintain that other 1/2 of your property, it will become overgrown, allow varmints to settle in, or worse, become a fire hazzard. Unless you plan to hire out the maintainance, you will need a machine capable of handling all of your acreage.

Since you are new to all of this (at least this is what I get out of your posts), I'm thinking used is NOT the way to go. Why would I say this? Well, there are many safety features used machines won't include, and since you are inexperienced, ought to be a major consideration. As tmajor points out in his post above, far too many have learned this the hard way.

I'm thinking you should visit the local dealers to where your new home will be. Speak to the salespeople and be frank. Tell them what you have and what you hope to do. Talk budgets (real or perceived). Absorb their advice and compare this to what each tells you. While you're at it, appraise the dealership . . . is this a business you would want to go to bat for you on a warranty or non-warranty issue? Investigate the service department.

When you get to the machines, consider the ergonomics. How easy will this tractor be to use over the next xxx years? How easy are the attachments to put on or take off?

I think this is a good time to become an informed purchaser; the effort will certainly pay off over time.

Cheers

JDFANATIC

I thought I received some sound advice on this board, and I still think so. If advice given here is worthless, then there is no reason for me to post or read messages here - including your own.

Yes, I am inexperienced, but it does not mean I cannot learn. I did research however I could, and read several books about tractors. One of them (Antique Tractor Bible, by Spencer Yost), has a very good and detailed chapter on safety. As I get older, I am getting more and more aware of my mortality and vulnerability, and I certainly will not do anything to endanger myself or those around me! I also know a local farmer, and will certainly receive "training" on working with a tractor and implements before I move to Colorado next year.

That being said, you are certainly right in thinking new machines are much safer than antique tractors, even though I don't think there will be much difference, if any, between buying from a dealer a used three or four year old tractor or a new one.

As for the local tractor dealers, I want to believe they would steer me towards the machine that fits my needs, but I don't think that's a given. Too many times I have seen dealers, selling whatever they are selling, steer potential buyers towards what will make the dealer the best profit, and not necessarily what is best for the customer. If you tell me tractor dealers are different, I really want to believe that!

I am lucky in that I can afford to buy a new tractor, and I might end up doing that, but I will certainly consider a used tractor, modern or old, with the knowledge I would have to be extra careful with an antique tractor which lacks the safety features of new machinery.

Whether you buy new or used, I think the most important thing is to buy one that has a good dealer nearby that can work on it if something goes wrong. And that includes coming an picking it up if it dies and you have no way to wench it on a trailer and haul it there.

Notice that I said a GOOD dealer, as some are better than others.

I'm gonna agree with JDFanatic here. Look to new. Older machines do not have the level of safety, ease of use, or comfort of a new machine.

I've used new and vintage machines. I love my vintages, but the comfort and ease of the new machines is a big plus. I grew up driving Farmall C's and A's, and occasionally the 856. Then I used the newer Case. (Similar in size to the Case MXM 155. (yes a REAL farm tractor)) WOW. What a nice ride, great handling, and a lot less work to run.

Look for a moderately used tractor. A low hour, well kept and maintained machine.

Oh. And my main rule of thumb. TEST DRIVE.

I will do that! I met one of my future neighbors who has a tractor for his 20 acre spread, and he is a tractor enthusiast. I am sure he will know the good dealer(s) around town.

Oops... my reply above was for "passthegravy", but "kcook" posting came in between!

Yes, I will definitely test drive, old and new!

Jelc, welcome to So.CO. It sounds like you'll be somewhere close to the Pikes Peak foothills area? Beautiful country there. You'll be about 50 miles to the north of me. A friend I work with has about 25 acres near the Sangre De Cristo foothills with a long grqaded drive like you will have. He maintains it with a 4x4 30-hp Kubota L-series tractor with gear trans and shuttle shift. He bought it used in pretty good condition with about 1000 hours and says he got a pretty good deal on it. It has a loader, brush hog, post hole digger, box blade, and back blade for snow. Being used, it has had a few minor issues like leaky front steering knuckle seals and a seat with cracked cover. But otherwise, he is quite happy with it. I have a small grey market Iseki diesel (19hp) with only 660 hours on the tach. I use it just to rototill around my place. But it too had leaky front king pin and wheel seals that I changed out when I got it. Those are areas to look at on a 4x4 tractor that has been sitting around for a while. Also steering components at the tie rod/drag link areas, especially on loader equipped tactors....they can take some abuse with that loader up there. These aren't show-stoppers, just areas to look at on used tractors when you buy. If from a dealer, he should be made to take care of them.

Bill

Bill,

Thanks for the message... I am buying a lot in an old part of the Black Forest, near Meridian Road. There is a long driveway because it's a flag lot. The driveway is part of the lot, and I will need to maintain it.

Where exactly are you located?

You don't happen to know one or two good tractor dealers in town, do you? I should be back in CS first week in August, right after escrow closes, and I would like to visit a couple of tractor dealers then.

Ahh, Black Forest. Beautiful area, lucky guy! We stayed in a B&B there with my brother's family last year ....we really enjoyed it. Just like living in the mountains.

We live in Pueblo, about 45 miles south of Co.Spgs. Certainly not as pretty, but we do have a large reservoir that people from all over the state come to for water recreation, and we're only about 45 miles east of the mountains.

I really am not familiar with the tractor dealers there, or their reputations. I know of Potestio Brothers Equipment that covers John Deere, and Steel Tractor that covers Kubota, but that's about it.

Bill

jelc,

"I thought I received some sound advice on this board, and I still think so. If advice given here is worthless, then there is no reason for me to post or read messages here - including your own."

I'm sorry I've been traveling for a few days, but if you (to twist your words)thought my advice was worthless, then so be it. I'll let my reputation here stand on its own. In fact I'll even point out how colorblind my comments are and have been.

Sorry I interrupted your good cup of java.

Cheers

JDFANATIC

Diesel: A situation came to mind regarding diesel tractors. A friend moved up from a small, gas farm tractor to a diesel, which he kept under his deck on the side of the house. Next thing I knew, it was gone and another had taken it's place. When I asked him why he was continually "changing the fleet", he explained to me, that when he fired up the diesel, the fumes would enter the house, where his invalid wife was. So, he ended up with another gas job.