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 | Dino
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2000-03-01 13302
I have just purchased a house in Maine that has a four-stall barn, a small riding ring and 15 acres of pasture with some hills. We will have from 2-4 horses on the property. We will not hay the property. I could use a tractor to bush hog and/or finish mow the fields; possibly seed the fields; move manure; keep the riding ring in shape (did I forget anything?) I plan on snow plowing with a truck as that should be much faster and warmer! I have been primarily looking at new compact tractors -specifically the Kubota B2710- as I have absolutely no mechanical ability! Carver Equipment has the B2710 with a loader on sale for $15100. It would probably cost another $900 for delivery (or I could take 4 days to drive down and get it with a rented trailer and maybe save $500). Of course, I would still need to add on a "pulverizer" and a mower and possibly a box scraper. If I want to buy new, I may have to wait until next year. Should I consider buying used? If so, what price range is the "sweet spot" for used compact tractors? Which brands? If I buy used, do you recommend that I buy from a local dealer because I am mechanically challenged? We will be moving in the fall and within a year of moving in, I will need to purchase a full-size 4X4 ½ ton pu, a horse trailer, a tractor and of course, some horses! I’d love to buy a new tractor, but maybe some of the money "saved" by buying used would be better spent on the truck (which I would use every day), the horse trailer (a SAFE one!) or the horses themselves! Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated! TIA PS We’ve had horses and some land before (but never a tractor), so we have some idea of what we are getting into!
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962 
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2000-03-01 13318
Dino, I have a '99 B2710 and love it. I certainly would not hesitate to buy a used tractor if the price were right, but since '99 was the first year for the B2710 and I haven't heard anything but good comments about them, you might have a hard time finding a used one. In fact, it seems that there is a shortage of used compact tractors in a lot of the country. If you read some of the old discussions, it seems a lot of folks think about 75% of the new price is about right for a good used tractor. And prices of new ones have apparently actually come down from the 1999 prices. Carver's price might be hard to beat. Good luck with your shopping. ....
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| JJT
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 93 Upstate NY, USA
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2000-03-01 13323
Shop around before you settle on buying out of state from Carver. My local dealer was considerably lower than Carver. I looked for a good used machine for 6 months, they are few and far between and priced very close to the new machines. I finally opted for a new L3710 Kubota, I'm very happy with the machine and the dealer. ....
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| Jim Piersol
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-03-01 13329
Rethink the 1/2 ton pickup! You will regret it forever. Get a 3/4 ton. The ride is suprisingly similar to the 1/2 ton and you will be suprised how heavy things on the farm get. In my opinion buy a nice used tractor and use the extra money on the 3/4 ton. I have a 3/4 ton Dodge with the cummins and love it. I would never get a gas engine in a truck again nor would I ever get a 1/2 ton pickup either. ....
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| Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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2000-03-02 13345
Jim, you are right. We used to use a heavy half ton pickoup for hauling and now use the 3/4 ton. World of difference. The 1/2 pickup is for going to town and doing chores. The 3/4 ton is for road trips plus anything to do with the horse trailer. Our half tons are Chevy K-10 4x4s (a pair) and the 3/4 ton is a Ford Powerstroke F-250. If we had to have only one it would be the Powerstroke, because of the fuel economy as much as anything else. The Dodge is every bit as good as the Ford. Like compact diesel tractors, good advice is to buy diesel trucks according to which dealer you prefer. ....
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| Frank R Taylor
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-03-02 13357
I couldn't agree more with the other postings. Get a good used tractor if you can find one and use the saved cash to buy more truck. You won't regret it. I had to replace the transmission on a gas Ford 1/2 ton 4x4 Supercab twice and I just used it for towing the tractor from the house to the farm and back. I got a new crew cab 1 ton dually 4x4 with the Powerstroke diesel and it's a hauling son-of-a-gun. I absolutely love it though I think the 3/4 ton would probably have been enough. I keep the 1/2 ton for running errands and stuff around town. We don't get much snow in East Texas but I think plowing would be pretty hard on the 1/2 ton as well. ....
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| gerard
Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 36 kentucky
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2000-03-02 13360
I was in the same boat as you looking for a good used one but found out that unless you get lucky you don't save much. Many used tractors were actually selling for more than they cost brand new so I opted for a new one since I'm going to have it a long time and they don't seem to depreciate much. You're in the right size. I wouldn't go any lower than a 25hp for what you have to do but make sure you get a loader (60inch bucket minimum) (We have 2 horses, indoor arena and 11 acres of open field that will get bushogged) We have a 3/4 ton Ram quad cab too but I couldn't justify the extra $4K for a diesel when we put on less than 10k miles per year. Good luck
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2000-03-04 13448
Frank: Just curious how big is the tractor and how far is the farm?
I've got a Ford 1/2 ton with auto & 302 engine. I need to work the tractor most of the summer at our other place--about 10 miles and several grades away. I need a utility trailer for general hauling, but I've been wondering about getting one capable of carrying the tractor as well.
I could just drive the tractor there and leave it for most of the summer, or I could spend the money for a trailer, electric brakes etc.. It would be nice to get the tractor back and forth sometimes, but I wouldn't want to tear up the truck. I already rebuilt the transmission because a previous owner burnt the transmission oil--probably by trailering something. The tractor is just under 3,000 lbs. with ballast and 3ph implement
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| Frank R Taylor
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-03-04 13460
The tractor is a Kubota B2400 with FEL and it usually has either a bush hog or box blade on it when I trailer it to the farm. The trailer is an 18' dual axle dovetail and with the tractor on it weighs probably right at 5,000 lbs. The farm is about the same distance as yours, about 10 miles with some grades on the way. I've also used it to move a JD 820 and a MF 275 on a very few occasions. The latter 2 are the farm tractors used mainly for mowing and moving hay but need to go to the dealer or to have flats fixed occasionally. The Kubota I trailer back and forth every week or so because it is just a nat little machine to work with. It's so versatile and I have the impliments for it to get work done that I can't do with the bigger tractors. The 1/2 ton truck is a 1991 and has a 350 in it. The engine and truck are in great shape and gave no problems at all for the first six years (2 years of trailering) but in the space of 2 years I had to have the transmission replaced twice. I may just be unlucky but it gave me the excuse I needed to get a newer, bigger truck and it does make towing a lot, lot easier. I still have the 1/2 ton and use it for running errands and sometimes towing a utility trailer but I leave moving the tractors to the big truck. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2000-03-05 13483
Unlike most here, I went away from a bigger truck last fall. I could have brought my dad's 1970 3/4 396 GMC here from Arizona. I sold it instead.
I think the truck was lucky to get 8 mpg, and it didn't seem to make much difference whether it was towing or not. With the current fuel prices, I think I'm happy somebody else has the truck.
It might be easier to get the trailer and ask a neighbour with a 3/4 ton to pull the heavier loads. They probably can use a little help filling up their tanks.
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| Ray Holland
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-03-06 13521
Hey....DINO...... The only way to go is NEW.....Last year I bought a New Toyota Tundra and a New JD4300 Hydro 4x4 and I love both of them. Toyota and John Deere have fine reputations and resale is great. By the way both my Tractor and Truck are GREEN. Hydro is so easy, a mineless operation, no changing of gears when you have other things to do. As I get older, I prefer machines that require less work to operate. Locate a good dealer by talking with other local tractor owners. Bite the bullet and go for what you really want. Remember Apple Pie, Toyota and JOHN DEERE. Ray Holland ....
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| Mike
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2000-03-07 13566
Dino,Seems like the prices on good used tractors is a lot like the prices on good used cars and trucks.With the cost of new,sure puts a lot of preasure on the used market.Myself, I would buy a new tractor that has full warranty,piece of mind on how it was "broken in" and if need be, very attractive interest rates.But if you're patient,and have time to shop around,you can sometimes come up with a deal.I own a B2710,and would highly recommend one,as far as a pickup,I don't know what to tell ya.We've got a half ton Chevy that will haul or pull anything I've ever put in it or hooked on to,at about 18-20 mpg. ....
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