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starting out
Hi one and all. I'm new to this whole thing so please be patient if I look stupid. I just bought 4 acers of mostly flat( with some gentle rolls) land. I am looking to buy a compact tractor to mow the grass ( finish or brush hog), move snow (we don't get a whole lot here), and general landscape work. I would like to put a loader on it as well as the standard rear attatchments. I have looked at a few Yanmars and Mitsubishis. I am naturally on a budget so I would like to stay away from the expensive brands. Does anyone have an opinion on what would be a good one to look for? Stay away from? Advice? ETC. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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starting out
If you have the budget for it, some of the smaller brands like Century, Branson, and Kioti seem to be fairly reliable machines as well and are less expensive than Kubota/Deere/NH. I wouldn't go that route, though, unless you have a good dealer or are mechanically inclined. I'm not very familiar with these brands product lines or those of Mitsubishi and Yanmar. Since most small Deere's are Yanmar there may be some degree of parts interchangeability there.
FWIW, when I hear "brush hog" I automatically think minimum 30 engine hp with 25 pto hp.
Then again, I've only been at this for a couple of months 
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I would suggest that you demo all the models you might be interested in and go with the one you feel suits you best. I think the board can help you with questions about the models you consider demo'ing. I would not rule out John Deere or Kubota or other major brands as they have some very competitive priced tractors that may cost less than you think. Art White could provide you with any information you could think of on most of that. I also would suggest looking at the John Deere 790. Very competitivly priced tractor and everyone I have recommended one to loved them. F350Lawman just got his and is tickled pink with it.
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Chief is right. It won't hurt to look at the less expensive Deere's, Kubota's, and NH's and the more machines you look at the better feel you will have for what you want and need. The JD 790 is a great 30 hp machine, as is the NH TC30. The TC30 is available with HST and the 790 is not. I'm not familiar with Kubota's less expensive 30 hp machines. You might look for an older JD 970 or 770 as well.
Although I mentioned Branson, Century, Kioti, etc. I'd be a little gun shy about getting one of those or a Mitsubishi or Yanmar. It's not that they're bad machines, but parts and service availability is a bit spotty. If you're patient waiting for parts and you have a good mechanical aptitude they may be a viable option.
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When I was first looking I needed to trench to install an underground electric service before winter. There wasn't much time and the need for a hoe to trench to a specific depth limited my choices in tractor size.
I whacked the budget down to a comfortable level with a used mid-80's Ford. Going used often doesn't make a lot of budget difference in the long term. Compacts sure do hold their valves (Mine was more than the new price I think). There's almost always a hidden several thousand $'s cost in the first year called the 'Dread Previous Owner' factor (Roger Loving's term). And, of course, a used tractor is just nearer to the hours you start expecting to have to replace things and mid-80's things may start becoming obsolete.
Over the long term owning and operating a tractor probably costs about the same per year whether it's new used or gray market. The choice mostly changes when things have to be paid for. Useds, Grays and 'smaller ones' do reduce the first year budget though. With a gray market tractor there may be downtime finding and waiting for parts, time for trips to distant dealers and lower resale value. With a smaller one you just spend more time doing the work for the next few decades. These things should be counted into the average annual cost of owning a tractor too. Having said all this, if I might still have bought my used Ford even if I had a different budget.
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I think you would have to give us some idea of what a "limited budget" is so we could be of more accurate assistance.
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I'm looking to stay between $4,000 and $6,000. I saw a Mits. MT180D 4x4 with 500 hrs. for $4,000. Any thoughts?
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The greys are certainly in that price range. The value to dollar can only be determined by you. I looked at them long and hard. I assume you are paying cash. If not you can probably make a argument for the 0% financeing on a Kubota, JD or mahindra. Assumeing of course you would pay it off in three years. I would just suggest that if you buy a grey market machine you but from a reputable seller that actually has a parts inventory. Be sure to ask questions as many claim they do and can offer little more than seats and batteries. I like the Yanmars much better than the Misubishi based on the dealers/parts info etc. You might try the Little Miami Tractor company dot com. They are in Ohio. I would strongly reccomend though that you persue a older Ford or Allice chalmers that will get you similar features at a similar price. Most grey market dealers will no longer offer parts to those who did not buy a tractor from them.
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