Which tractor would you choose

CGman, thanks for the link, I spent 3 years looking for the "right deal" with out much luck. Too bad I didn't know about these guys before.
BUT
Finally bought a new Mahindra 4 wheel/hydro stat. drive w/loader, 30 hp diesel (w/5 years warranty and dealer support(they make house calls).

In the words of an old guy (at least older than me) at a old tractor show (told ya I was looking hard), "what do you want to do with it?

I said," cut my grass and do some landscaping".
He said, "then save your money and buy a new one, then get one of these to play with".

i like the fact that if something does break down i can still work on it as it is old tech. don't get me wrong if i was working one everyday i would buy a kubota or one of the other new small diesels

I agree, that's why I was looking for the ford in the first place.
Might have a line on one from the neighbor, he bought one because "everyone else has one" and now uses his lawn tractor to cut the grass.
We'll see.
thanks again for the site.

here is a lawnmower! http://home.att.net/~jmsmith45/50fd.htm

First, I think 4x4 is a great feature on a tractor, so I'd focus on those models first and foremost (if it were me). I had good luck with a little Ford 1300 4x4 in terms of reliability, but it was underpowered for some garden tasks. If the Yanmar 4x4 has good parts availability, I'd probably pick that over anything else in your list. The people I've know with Yanmar's have been relatively happy with them, and its got a few extra horses at a lower cost than the Ford. But again, my Ford was very reliable.

Good luck in whatever you choose.

I can't say what tractor I would buy as I haven't surveyed the current offerings. What I did buy in 2000 was a John Deere 4700 which is 48 hp. I got it with the rear tire chains, rear tires set to 8' width (we are in mountain country), fluid filled tires, hydrostatic transmission, front loader, 4-in-1 jaws bucket, 46 back hoe and a few other implements. I'm pleased with it. Briefly last year I used a JD210 for two months and hated it. It was very under powered. I was glad to get our JD4700 back which had been in for repair. I have had the transmission casing crack twice (!!!) on the JD4700. That is the only thing I don't like about it.

What ever you get, have chain hooks welded onto all the buckets. See this:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/blog/2006/12...ering-hay.html

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://NoNAIS.org

__________________
SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

Hey.

Buy an 8n and use the extra cash for impliments. Lots of cheap available parts to keep an 8n running forever. For something being used once, why spend 4.5-5K.

above should read "once in awhile" not "once"

The Yanmars seem a little high in price, but....
I have a Yanmar 1500D 4x4 and it is a good little tractor, way more power than it's little size would suggest. You'll run out of traction way before you run out of power. If you buy one, get some suitcase weights for the front.
As for parts for the yanmar, checkout Hoyetractor.com they have a good selection, and have interactive parts lists for many tractors.

Just think of this. My Ford 9N is worth more now that when it was made. Do you think you will be able to say the same thing about the Yanmar in 65 years?

Who knows? Most Yanmars are simple, sturdy tractors, just like the Fords. The Gray Market Yanmars spend about 20 years in a rice paddy before ever coming to the US, and then get abused over here as well. As that parts are becoming easier to get in the US, I think that we'll seem some 50 year old Yanmars still working in the future. Don't misunderstand me, I like the 9N (well, actually, I like the 8N) but they are not the end-all tractor for homesteading. They are now overpriced, due to their name. There are many other tractors of the same age that are just as good as the older Fords, but just do not have the name.

For me, the main reason I went with a yanmar instead of one of the older Ford's (and other ancient tractors) is that the Yanmar had four wheel drive. I would have considered a ford 1715 or something in that size, but there were none in decent shape anywhere close.

My dh has a Yanmar 2400 and loves it. FYI...the John most likely has a Yanmar engine in it...that is why we went with the Yanmar....a John Deere at a Yanmar price.

Well I bought the Ford 1215. They finally got right on the price.
I am tickled pink.I bought a tiller to go with it.

What's funny is it looks just like the big tractor and tiller now" You might be a red neck if you have matching his and her tractors."

Tambo