150hp tractor

[Jdunn55]

I'm unfortunately (I really don't want to but needs must) looking to buy my first tractor all being well, looking for delivery on march 1st for a new plate basically.

I've been gathering a few prices and just wondered what people would recommend on here (which I am aware is a bit of a can of worms), I haven't tried any at all yet but have been told I can demo whatever I want basically.
My main requirements are 50k, comfortable, reasonably priced and beyond anything must be RELIABLE.
It will be very basic spec as there is a budget, with only a couple of requirements- 50k, quicke loader brackets and 3 spools that are available at all times (none of this unplug the telescopic hitch bulls***), manual gearbox as it's going to be driven by myself and my apprentice.
Hopefully I'll buy a second tractor in 3 years time which will be mine and this can become the apprentices

My dealer preferences would be deere, claas, new holland. I have also priced up case, McCormick and kubota, but my mechanic has warned me against kubota and we have had terrible back up from the case dealer unfortunately on another piece of equipment so I am hesitant to try them again but I am hoping that perhaps they could be better this time and I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Deere have quoted me on 4 different tractors and all of them are more expensive than anything else and out of my budget, unfortunately this probably means they are out of the running which is a shame as I think they would have the best backup and I am sure the tractor would be fantastic.

claas have offered a very competitive price for a 630 arion and the dealer is known for being very good. They have the same gearbox (I believe?) as is in dad's massey and I like it.

New holland have quoted for a t6.180 and are in between claas and john deere - personally having looked online I think he could sharpen his pencil a little, I have been told the dealerships backup has become very good with lots happy with their service.

mccormick are similar price to the new holland which unfortunately makes them out of the running I think?



The other option is a nearly new tractor like an ex-hire or ex-demo I found the below tractor which is very high spec and would be absolutely perfect as I could buy a front mower too for the price of the new one from my local dealer, it's an ex-demo with only 150 hours on the clock.
Claas dont really have anything that would suit as they only hire out 660 arions which would be more money than a brand new 630 and I don't want anything as big as that
John deere would but I haven't priced or looked at anything yet.

Any thoughts welcome along with some inspiration

 

[Jdunn55]

Also 5 year/5000 hour warranty with claas

12 months with all the others

 

[essex man]

I'm unfortunately (I really don't want to but needs must) looking to buy my first tractor all being well, looking for delivery on march 1st for a new plate basically.

I've been gathering a few prices and just wondered what people would recommend on here (which I am aware is a bit of a can of worms), I haven't tried any at all yet but have been told I can demo whatever I want basically.
My main requirements are 50k, comfortable, reasonably priced and beyond anything must be RELIABLE.
It will be very basic spec as there is a budget, with only a couple of requirements- 50k, quicke loader brackets and 3 spools that are available at all times (none of this unplug the telescopic hitch bulls***), manual gearbox as it's going to be driven by myself and my apprentice.
Hopefully I'll buy a second tractor in 3 years time which will be mine and this can become the apprentices

My dealer preferences would be deere, claas, new holland. I have also priced up case, McCormick and kubota, but my mechanic has warned me against kubota and we have had terrible back up from the case dealer unfortunately on another piece of equipment so I am hesitant to try them again but I am hoping that perhaps they could be better this time and I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Deere have quoted me on 4 different tractors and all of them are more expensive than anything else and out of my budget, unfortunately this probably means they are out of the running which is a shame as I think they would have the best backup and I am sure the tractor would be fantastic.

claas have offered a very competitive price for a 630 arion and the dealer is known for being very good. They have the same gearbox (I believe?) as is in dad's massey and I like it.

New holland have quoted for a t6.180 and are in between claas and john deere - personally having looked online I think he could sharpen his pencil a little, I have been told the dealerships backup has become very good with lots happy with their service.

mccormick are similar price to the new holland which unfortunately makes them out of the running I think?



The other option is a nearly new tractor like an ex-hire or ex-demo I found the below tractor which is very high spec and would be absolutely perfect as I could buy a front mower too for the price of the new one from my local dealer, it's an ex-demo with only 150 hours on the clock.
Claas dont really have anything that would suit as they only hire out 660 arions which would be more money than a brand new 630 and I don't want anything as big as that
John deere would but I haven't priced or looked at anything yet.

Any thoughts welcome along with some inspiration

I always buy nearly new as the price difference for having someone else do the first 2-400 hours is plenty.
Never had a problem relating to this method of purchasing.

 

[kill]

Also 5 year/5000 hour warranty with claas

12 months with all the others

Honestly the way to go then. Must admit the south west Claas dealer is absolutely fantastic.
Have ran 2 Claas tractors. First a 800 hour ex hire 630 purchased in 2018 at 6 months old and last year it was replaced by a new 650 and both have been faultless .

 

[Jdunn55]

Honestly the way to go then. Must admit the south west Claas dealer is absolutely fantastic.
Have ran 2 Claas tractors. First a 800 hour ex hire 630 purchased in 2018 at 6 months old and last year it was replaced by a new 650 and both have been faultless .

That's how I feel too.

I've asked him to price an Arion 610 as well as I think that would probably be big enough for what I want and if it saves me £5,000 then fantastic

 

[David.]

Claas box is a Dyna6 but with much better software, I'm told by my Massey tractor mender.
And much better cab suspension on Claas too, new Masseys have gone away from airbags, straight to spring dampers, albeit dynamically adjustable ones on the premium ranges

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

That's how I feel too.

I've asked him to price an Arion 610 as well as I think that would probably be big enough for what I want and if it saves me £5,000 then fantastic

Just be careful of the claas secondhand value. I know you said John Deere are more money but smallridge are brilliant we can’t fault them. What John Deere did you look at? Ask everyone for a demo before you commit to anything.

 

[Martyn]

Just be careful of the claas secondhand value. I know you said John Deere are more money but smallridge are brilliant we can’t fault them. What John Deere did you look at? Ask everyone for a demo before you commit to anything.

I know you lot will laugh but try a fendt with full 8 year warranty package and price it carefully, yes iv had to battle for service at times but our farm accounts have improved by considerable reduction in breakdown costs, brought and paid for in 6 months and still 4 years of warranty left.

 

[David.]

Just be careful of the claas secondhand value. I know you said John Deere are more money but smallridge are brilliant we can’t fault them. What John Deere did you look at? Ask everyone for a demo before you commit to anything.

You say that, but they never look cheap in dealer ads.

 

[alomy75]

Seeing as reliability is the most importantly thing to you I’m not sure I’d want to be looking at nh or claas. New jd may not justify the extra in terms of reliability thesedays but certainly won’t be any worse. If the dealer is good that will help and the tractor will hold its money better. Why not drop the 50k from the Deere? You can’t use it legally anyway and unless you’re doing mostly roadwork the fuel economy gains of doing 40k in a 50k tractor prob won’t be worth measuring

 

[aidan]

How many hrs per year and what percentage of that will be loader work

 

[betweenthelines]

Six months ago you were talking about packing it in, now you want to buy a brand new tractor-WTF?

Just ask yourself a few questions;-

Why do you want new rather than second hand?

Why do you want 150hp ?

What are you going to do with it?




On another thread you say you are working 100 hrs/week. If this is the case why not think about getting contractors to do all your silage and slurry (contractor bill will probably be less than annual finance on a new tractor) then you just need a reasonable tractor for loader work/scrapping etc?

 

[Welderloon]

6 cylinder or 4?
Dealer back up & best finance terms would be where I was looking if buying new as they will all need looked at by the dealer.

Demo them all ( include Fendt, Valtra,) in an equal hp/spec like for like test - then make your choice based on cost, finance & dealer back up.

No idea why your mechanic is steering you away from Kubota as they are useful stock farm tractors?.

 

[celtis man]

Let some bugger else do it and you pay the bill.
Stick to the cows.
Sorry.


Just been sat in a contractors 280 hp fendit as he has been balling some straw and I'm like

 

[Jdunn55]

Just be careful of the claas secondhand value. I know you said John Deere are more money but smallridge are brilliant we can’t fault them. What John Deere did you look at? Ask everyone for a demo before you commit to anything.

I think hes quoted for a 6m125, a 6m145 a 6m 130 and possibly an r something or other

The second hand value of claas would be the one thing that would put me off.

 

[Jdunn55]

I know you lot will laugh but try a fendt with full 8 year warranty package and price it carefully, yes iv had to battle for service at times but our farm accounts have improved by considerable reduction in breakdown costs, brought and paid for in 6 months and still 4 years of warranty left.

I haven't bothered even looking because I simply couldn't afford the finance costs and thats as simple as it is really. In 5 years time who knows, but not at present.

 

[Jdunn55]

6 cylinder or 4?
Dealer back up & best finance terms would be where I was looking if buying new as they will all need looked at by the dealer.

Demo them all ( include Fendt, Valtra,) in an equal hp/spec like for like test - then make your choice based on cost, finance & dealer back up.

No idea why your mechanic is steering you away from Kubota as they are useful stock farm tractors?.

No preference of 6 nor 4 as long as they will pull the tanker.

Mechanic doesn't like the dealership at all and thinks their backup is terrible - I've never dealt with them, he avoids at all costs.

Demo probably is the way to go tbf I'm just uninspired to try

 

[Jdunn55]

Six months ago you were talking about packing it in, now you want to buy a brand new tractor-WTF?

Just ask yourself a few questions;-

Why do you want new rather than second hand?

Why do you want 150hp ?

What are you going to do with it?




On another thread you say you are working 100 hrs/week. If this is the case why not think about getting contractors to do all your silage and slurry (contractor bill will probably be less than annual finance on a new tractor) then you just need a reasonable tractor for loader work/scrapping etc?

Yes lots has changed very quickly in 6 months, the thing that helps the most is I'm not trying to kill myself off every 5 minutes

New over second hand is simply due to reliability, backup and warranty. I haven't got time for breakdowns and if they happen I need a replacement tractor here ASAP, which you can have when you buy a brand new one...
It's jobs will include, slurry tanking, baling, mowing (front and rear), buckraking, fertiliser spreading, hauling bales, mixer wagon, power harrowing and drilling with a combidrill and maybe a sprayer in time

I've had so many bad experiences with contractors unfortunately and I want stuff done at the right time not when they have time. I have access to a very good contractor for certain jobs (foraging, forage wagon, maize drilling) so don't need the expensive equipment but slurry is becoming an issue with people letting me down year after year. One guy is very good but he's only got a certain amount of time. If I could spread my own I can get him in as needed to help at busy times.

The other thing to consider is, if I were to get contractors in for everything I would lose my apprentice. He loves the cows but he also likes the tractor work and if I got rid of that he would leave. He loves tanking so it is a win-win situation for me. Contractors bill for everything would be triple my cost of running my own equipment.

 

[Martyn]

I haven't bothered even looking because I simply couldn't afford the finance costs and thats as simple as it is really. In 5 years time who knows, but not at present.

When we looked at our options the a few years back at the time the tractor worked out cheaper than JD and NH within £5k of Kabota, think we could spread it over 6 or 7 yard from memory

 

[daveydiesel1]

Im gonna throw something a bit different out there, what about a zetor crystal 170. Man from near @Thomas5060 Bought 1 recently and from what im told it wasnt anywhere near as expensive as the likes of nh and mf.i know il probably get shot down for saying this but at least give it a chance n get a demo as there actually not a bad tractor and parts arent as expensive as premium brands. Itl do 46kph afaik at 1700 odd revs so not far off your 50k requirement