what single machine for a rural property.
Discussion
I put it to you, what single machine would be the most useful for a rural property?
For those inclined to read the whole post here are some more details.
12 acres, fairly flat grassland, self build home on the cards in the coming years and a garage build too.
I have access to a tractor from the family members, but its not mine and often in use at the times I would like to get a job done. It can do the agri work like mowing of the pastures and crop sewing/ harvesting.
Im looking for a general material shifter, snow clearer, trailer tow-er and other odd jobs.
Budget is 15- 20k , which is firmly in the second hand market for a name brand or a new Chinese machine.
Id like a useful front loader/ arm and a cab to keep me out of the weather.
Ive looked at mini diggers, they are great for the landscaping and trenching, but not so good at popping down the road to get a load of stones from the neighbours farm.
Mini tractors like a New Holland Boomer or T3 series, could work, but i haven't seen any with substantial front loader capability, which would would be useful unloading pallets and lifting materials to top of scaffolding for roofing. The 3 point hitch and pto make the rear of the machine very useful. It would be overlapping capability with the tractor that is available , albeit that doesn't have a front a loader
I went looking at front loaders and the MAAC Mangusta with the rear 3 point hitch and PTO seems like the perfect machine, but its 3-4x my budget.
The more accessible machines would be an Avant 530 with a cab and rear hitch. It has a good lift height and front loader capacity at the expense of not doing much with the rear end.
Im looking at machines in the 2-3 Tonne range in terms of operating weight/ kerb weight
Have I been too quick to rule out mini tractors with a 300kg lift capacity and 2m lift height front loader?
What would you buy?
Sorry for formatting, it is significantly harder on mobile than I expected.
Having never owned a hydraulic machine before I'm fresh to all this and really don't want to buy a machine that need a repair on every use.
For those inclined to read the whole post here are some more details.
12 acres, fairly flat grassland, self build home on the cards in the coming years and a garage build too.
I have access to a tractor from the family members, but its not mine and often in use at the times I would like to get a job done. It can do the agri work like mowing of the pastures and crop sewing/ harvesting.
Im looking for a general material shifter, snow clearer, trailer tow-er and other odd jobs.
Budget is 15- 20k , which is firmly in the second hand market for a name brand or a new Chinese machine.
Id like a useful front loader/ arm and a cab to keep me out of the weather.
Ive looked at mini diggers, they are great for the landscaping and trenching, but not so good at popping down the road to get a load of stones from the neighbours farm.
Mini tractors like a New Holland Boomer or T3 series, could work, but i haven't seen any with substantial front loader capability, which would would be useful unloading pallets and lifting materials to top of scaffolding for roofing. The 3 point hitch and pto make the rear of the machine very useful. It would be overlapping capability with the tractor that is available , albeit that doesn't have a front a loader
I went looking at front loaders and the MAAC Mangusta with the rear 3 point hitch and PTO seems like the perfect machine, but its 3-4x my budget.
The more accessible machines would be an Avant 530 with a cab and rear hitch. It has a good lift height and front loader capacity at the expense of not doing much with the rear end.
Im looking at machines in the 2-3 Tonne range in terms of operating weight/ kerb weight
Have I been too quick to rule out mini tractors with a 300kg lift capacity and 2m lift height front loader?
What would you buy?
Sorry for formatting, it is significantly harder on mobile than I expected.
Having never owned a hydraulic machine before I'm fresh to all this and really don't want to buy a machine that need a repair on every use.
As already said by others, an older 50ish hp tractor with a loader should do everything you need on the land but don't forget about the cost of all the implements, trailers etc they'll probably add up to more than the tractor.
It will be little or no use however for building a house. You'll need a digger of some sort (whether a JCB 3x type or a mini 360° excavator) . Personally I'd buy a mid sized second hand excavator (the little 1.5-1.8 ton ones are harder to find than slightly bigger because every man and his dog wants one to drag about behind his Hilux) and a cheap dumper, then sell them and buy your tractor when building is finished.
It sounds like a good idea, but you really won't find one machine that will do it all.
It will be little or no use however for building a house. You'll need a digger of some sort (whether a JCB 3x type or a mini 360° excavator) . Personally I'd buy a mid sized second hand excavator (the little 1.5-1.8 ton ones are harder to find than slightly bigger because every man and his dog wants one to drag about behind his Hilux) and a cheap dumper, then sell them and buy your tractor when building is finished.
It sounds like a good idea, but you really won't find one machine that will do it all.
RyanDD said:
Point taken about the extra cost of attachments, but they can dribble in as and when.
We've got just short of 20 acres and I get away with using a 73 year old 30hp grey fergie that I paid £1200 for. The jobs I have for it are exactly what it was designed for all these years ago. I'm pretty stingy, but so far I've spent £500 on a trailer, £400 on a mower, £300 on a plough, managed to get a rotovator for free, and have been looking at bailers and hay turners for a couple of hundred each.
Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff