Hours on a tractor

[SusanO]

So I am looking for a compact or subcompact used tractor for my farm. The good ones for sale seem to be all north of Atlanta three or four hours from me and sell before I can get over there to check them out. These tractors had about 300 hours on them.

There are some for sale with 800+ hours on them. Is this too high to bother to go look? Is there an appreciable difference between 300 and 800 hours? Does regular maintenance affect the wear and tear between 300 and 800 hours?

Also if I go look what else should I be looking at / asking seller besides the fact the tractor starts and runs and the loader works? I know maintenance records are a plus.

My dream vehicle is about 15-20 minutes from me. A Kubota B3300 with an air conditioned cab. I can’t really afford to spend that much unless I win HGTV’s latest contest. Anybody know of a Kubota BX or B with a loader ( or another subcompact with a loader) for sale close to Birmingham???

[billiebob]

It’s all in how well-maintained the tractor is. Not sure of the exact hours on the tractors I’ve driven, but I’ve driven some that are 30+ years old and still running well because they were maintained properly. Actually, the one I drove the most was a 1982 model that was used daily on a ranch for 30 years. I think it had something like 30k hours on it when it finally died for good. So no, 800 hours wouldn’t bother me too much if it came with maintenance records.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

Sadly, it does depend.

I bought a used tractor with 800h a couple of years ago and aside from a simple fix to the glow plug timer, it’s been trouble free. It has a couple of imperfections and there are rusty patches on the bucket but overall I’m very happy with it.

The previous owner was doing his own maintenance and seemed to have kept up on it, which is good. He rarely stored it out in the weather and that helps a lot. Until 750h, New Hollands basically need engine oil and filters. The major maintenance comes in around 750-1000h. Although it sounds bad to buy it and immediately spend on maintenance, now I know it will be done the way I want and nothing will get missed.

If it’s a good brand name (New Holland, John Deere, Kubota, Case, Massey, etc), there are good maintenance records, and the tractor is in overall excellent condition, I wouldn’t hesitate.

After I bought it, I had the local shop out to the farm to fix the plug timer and do a complete technical inspection. Fortunately we found just some low fluids but since tractor repair is often done on-site, it’s quite reasonable to have them come out and check on a tractor you’re considering to buy.

David

[SusanO]

I will ask those questions before I drive all over creation to look at the Kubota BX that has 800 hours. I doesn’t look like it has been kept out of the weather and you have confirmed what I suspected about keeping them in a shed/ garage.

I looked at the B3030 and I am lusting after it but I can’t give myself enough good reasons to buy a tractor that expensive. It was pristine with all maintenance records. Sigh!!!However a BX would be better for my purposes. And my budget.

[Brian]

If you are looking at a hydrostatic drive tractor, I think the JD two pedal system for forward and reverse is much easier to operate than the Kubota heel/toe pedal.

If you’re buying from a dealer, ask to be able to use the tractor for a day or two around the farm.

[SusanO]

I am buying used and the local Kubota dealer does not have any used compact or subcompact tractors for sale. There are some dealers/ resellers of compact tractors but they are a good 3 hour drive away, if not more. They are also selling what they have about 2K higher than private sellers. I am also open to the subcompact JD tractors but they don’t show up on Craigslist as often as the Kubotas. I don’t know if people down here don’t buy them as much or they don’t want to sell them after they buy them.

I am trying to stick to my budget. Sigh!

[Brian]

Here’s a link to Tractorhouse.com. Maybe this can help you in your search.

http://www.tractorhouse.com/list/list.aspx?ListCurrency=USD&TopSO=2&bcatid=464&DidSearch=1&EID=1&LP=TH&scf=False&ETID=1&catid=1111&mdlx=Contains&DisplayExtraTHOSpecs=1&Cond=All&ST=Alabama&SO=2&btnSearch=Search

[walkinthewalk]

To repeat others, Maintenance is everything, on a used tractor.

We bought a '69 Ford 3000 at an estate auction that was well maintained. The hours on it are in the thousands. The one major “surgery” in the 13 years we have owned it, was replacing the hydraulic pump.

We bought a 2005 JD4110 (subcompact) in 2007. It had 300 hours when we bought it, I know it’s still under 1,000 hours but I’d have to look at the meter. It was well maintained. It also had one major surgery which involved the hydraulics.

DH builds his own race cars and is anal about maintenance on both of these tractors. The Ford 3000 doesn’t do anything but bush hog. The JD works her little butt off, often going beyond the call of duty. If they have been worked a little hard, DH will change the oil and filter, and go over everything sooner than normal.

Also, with these newer tractors, get a 4-wheel drive. You won’t regret the extra money for one second, once you get it home and start using it ---- whichever brand you settle on.

[OAD_Cowgirl]

Around here, Kubota’s don’t depreciate at all, so if you buy the one you want and maintain it, it’s quite possible you could sell it later on for the same amount you paid for it. And I second getting the 4WD — nothing worse than having 4 tractors buried in the mud and having to call a wrecker to come pull them out.
Our tractor is a 1977 model and it has been to hell and back and survived.
My farmer friends newest tractor is a mid 1960’s Ford, his other ones are from the 40’s and 50’s and they all get used and used hard, but are well maintained and kept in the barn.

[Jim_R]

As well as those size tractors hold their value I found it better to buy new. I buy nothing new, but for those size tractors I changed my rule.
I will not pay what somebody paid new for theirs.

[MistyBlue]

Also check tractorbynet. They have a good classified section and the members are extremely helpful and nice with questions and concerns

[Jim_in_PA]

Others have spoked truly…hours is only one factor; how it was used for those hours and how it was maintained regularly is pretty darn important.

My BX22 was purchased in about 2002 (traded in another BX as I wanted the BH) and is just reaching 600 hours. I’ll be doing a full fluids and filters change per the maintenance schedule.

I second the notion of considering new if you’re not finding what you want…the 0% financing that’s perpetually available is a pretty nice deal and there is that new-tractor warranty, too. These tractors from Kubota, Deere, New Holland, etc., all tend to last a very long time and when they do come up used, it’s usually because someone either is moving up to something larger or they are moving to a smaller property.