Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
 


       Downsizer Forum Index -> Land Management
Toffer

Old big or new little tractor?

Now I know this is a bit of a "how long's a piece of string" question, but I was set on buying a new kit tractor, like a Siromer, when we get our place. However, having driven a decent sized but more than ten year old MF at the trust farm where I volunteer, I'm now thinking that's the better option, since I'm unlikely to be working it as hard as a full sized farm.

Does anyone have any experience of both that might be able to give some pointers?
vegplot

Ease of doing the work without punishing the tractor would be my first consideration, then how easy to get spares. Older 'fashionable' tractors like Fergies and Fordsons have a thriving after market spares base which can be far cheaper than spares for newer tractors. Modern tractors have creature comforts though.
faerienono

Go for a big one, little ones generally aren't worth it, you'll be wishing you had the full power version by the time the first week is out.
Rob R

John Deere have a 55hp version in the 5055E model that's only £13,500 + VAT, seems cheap, new and a decent horse power for the price.
Ty Gwyn

Personally,i would`nt bother with the likes of Siromer and the similar Chinese tractors.
Under £5,000 will get you a re-built MF165 or MF35,good reliable tractors and plenty of spares at reasonable cost
Modern tractors are very complicated,and cost a lot to repair.
Treacodactyl

Have there actually been any surveys about small tractor reliability and part availability? What I've found is that someone who has a modern far-eastern import seems to be happy with them and on the other hand people who like the old tractors prefer them.

The part availability for example confuses me a bit. Many tractors have been sold in places like China for years and then someone in the UK has decided to import them. That would suggest the parts would be easily available in China at least so I can't see it would be that hard to get hold of them would it?

Do any of the tractor magazines offer impartial advice?
Rob R

Do any of the tractor magazines offer impartial advice?


As it happens the magazine I read about the JD in is reviewing 10 compact tractors this month - Practical Tractor, June2011. They've reviewed Siromer, Rabtrak, TeRaW, Landlegend, Mahindra, Iseki, Mitsubishi, New Holland, Kubota and John Deere.
Treacodactyl

Do any of the tractor magazines offer impartial advice?


As it happens the magazine I read about the JD in is reviewing 10 compact tractors this month - Practical Tractor, June2011. They've reviewed Siromer, Rabtrak, TeRaW, Landlegend, Mahindra, Iseki, Mitsubishi, New Holland, Kubota and John Deere.

Thanks for that, I might pick up a copy. It would also be good if one of the magazines could run something like an ownership survey. I don't suppose there's a Which? tractor magazine.
Rob R

This was the best I could find. Laughing Cathryn

How much land will you be working? Have you seen all the bits of kit that you can attach to a quad? T.G

This is our Iseki



It's a smart little tractor

We've worked it carrying, pulling, etc. what we found is they need a weight on the front though and although we've just put ours up for sale locally, it's not through any fault of it's own.

When we bought it originally it was delivered in the back of a white van Laughing I always found that funny

OH has access to several tractors, bobcats and diggers and as we've drastically cut down all our livestock and halved the land we rent it's not cost effective to have it parked up most of the year when we can borrow a tractor for our needs now.
Mrs R

Me? I'd go for a Siromer I think. My stepdad has one that he pretty much thrashes on a mountainside in scotland doing forestry. It's stood up to the task for 5yrs now (they also don't just do 'little' tractors, there's a lot in the range thesedays) and whenever he's broken it (he admits them being his fault!!), it's been quick and easy to get people out with the appropriate parts and get going again, and apparently hasn't offended his wallet too much. He is the sort of person who would says 'how much!?' a lot!

If I was a tractor enthusiast who knew the first thing about fixing them, I'd go for something older that I was passionate about because if you can fix it yourself it probably stacks up. I know that we have a collection of old tractors here and Rob's brother spends most of his time tinkering with them, we get a lot of work out of them, but they do need fixing a lot. It's fine for him because he's a tractorsniffer through and through but doesn't appeal to me!
       Downsizer Forum Index -> Land Management
Page 1 of 1
Home Home Home Home Home