4wd tractor with loader suggestions

[DeclanM]

Hi all,

New to the forum and wanted to get some feedback on best options for a 4wd tractor with a loader. I work FT but last few years have got back in to keeping a few cattle having grown up on a farm. Mostly bouncing between my father and father in laws farms when a pen or field is free!

I've got to the stage where I'm fed up having to rely on and borrowing their equipment and thinking of buying my own 4wd tractor but will need a loader. Will be used to draw ton bags of meal in, unload them in to my shed, draw cattle and bales etc. Will allow me to be independent and after blowing the clutch on my wife's Q5 drawing two bulls between farms I think having a good road worthy tractor is the way to go. Budget is about £10k - £12k.

I know my hobby farming will never pay it off but between being stuck behind a computer for 40+ hours a week with work and 3 young kids at home I have really fallen back in love with being outside and working on the farm again. Thinking for all the work it will get it should do me for a long time if I get the right one.

I've been looking about online and when I see something decent the first thing I do is Google it and get all the horror stories and faults...really hard to know what is the best option for what I want and my budget.

Any and all advice greatly appreciated!
Declan

 

[Fendt516profi]

Your going to have to up your budget only this will do

 

[Mur Huwcun]

As much as you won’t want to hear this but unless you’re very good with the spanners and know your way around a tractor 10k won’t buy anything decent with a loader. That unfortunately is the older first generation Ford 7610, IH 885XL etc territory or very tired MF 3000 range etc. I can’t see you finding a decent Zetor with wet brakes either. Even something like a Same Explorer, Renault Ceres etc will be a lot more for something useable.

 

[Tomr10]

I wouldn't restrict to a particular model as condition on any make is the key. If you can travel to see one and pay for haulage probably get more for your money

 

[Tomr10]

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This looks to cheap to be real

 

[J 1177]

Case 51 series with a loader should do the job

 

[Dave W]

There's loads of choice in that price range. Nothing will be perfect but most will be perfectly useable. Some folk seem to think tractors are scrap when they get to 10 years old.
My advice would be not to get too hung up on make, hours or age.
Condition is the most important thing with that sort of machine.

 

[DeclanM]

Thanks folks, couple I've been looking at below

Tractors Ads For Sale in Ireland | DoneDeal

Discover 6,698 Ads in Tractors For Sale in Ireland on DoneDeal. Buy & Sell on Ireland's Largest Tractors Marketplace.

www.donedeal.ie

Tractors Ads For Sale in Ireland | DoneDeal

Discover 6,698 Ads in Tractors For Sale in Ireland on DoneDeal. Buy & Sell on Ireland's Largest Tractors Marketplace.

www.donedeal.ie

Tractors Ads For Sale in Ireland | DoneDeal

Discover 6,698 Ads in Tractors For Sale in Ireland on DoneDeal. Buy & Sell on Ireland's Largest Tractors Marketplace.

www.donedeal.ie

Tractors Ads For Sale in Ireland | DoneDeal

Discover 6,698 Ads in Tractors For Sale in Ireland on DoneDeal. Buy & Sell on Ireland's Largest Tractors Marketplace.

www.donedeal.ie

I know it's not a huge budget so it's gonna be an older tractor but it'll be for pretty light usage, travelling no more that 10 miles away to draw home a bag or two of meal on a trailer. Farms are all within 5 miles of me so again no huge distances to be hauling bales.

 

[HDAV]

Where are you? If you could up your budget to £15k there is a lot more choice and newer machines we are in the £6-8k bracket and it’s a nightmare but our use is unique and 40 year old Masseys are the order of the day..... but you get into 15 year old machines for the extra £5k or so....

What local dealers and support do you have? More modern machines are more likely to need a laptop to fix them but that might be such an issue for you vs a set of imperial spanner’s you shouldget a tidy 390 And loader for £15k but prices seem to be on the up under £10k there are 590/290 but probably older than you are

 

[Fendt516profi]

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[DeclanM]

I'm in Tyrone in N. Ireland. There are a few local mechanics who do all my father and father in laws work so they will be my go to for any issues.

I know upping the budget should get me a better tractor but it's hard to justify spending so much on what is really a hobby. I have 11 cattle right now...

My father in law let's me use a shed with an open yard 3 miles up the road to fatten up bulls so it's a case of one weekend drawing a bale up and putting it in the ring feeder and the next wknd getting a bag of meal. A loader will mean I can unload the meal myself and when drawing up a bale I can drop it in the ring feeder and not need any help to move it.

I hate borrowing machinery and coordinating to have them there to help me so having a bit of equipment that means I can potter away myself and be independent is really all I need.

Plus if I told the wife I was spending £15k on a tractor for my "hobby" I think she'd kick me out

 

[box]

Obvious (biased) answer is to buy the Explorer 80. Just make sure it's got the 40k box in case you need to run around on the road.

 

[ridger]

I like this outfit

Obvious (biased) answer is to buy the Explorer 80. Just make sure it's got the 40k box.

Yes, great wee tractor those. Had a 90 for 7 years and only got a battery in that time

 

[Cowabunga]

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This looks to cheap to be real

Cheap? For a 1970's old heap with only a 40 degree steering lock that takes five turns and a load of revs to go from lock to lock? I don't think so. Would be very frustrating to run and keep running. Better spend quite a bit more money on something more modern with a 50 degree lock and working power steering, whether from MF or elsewhere. Classic tractors certainly hold their value.

Yes a good condition Same Explorer90 or even an 80 would be a far superior tractor, being a few generations newer and more sorted as a 4wd. These are also getting very old now of course, being from the mid 1990's. Yes, even these are 25 years of age, but with a 50 degree lock, more powerful steering with two rams with grease nipples, and less turns from lock to superior lock.

I'm not knocking MF here and the 590 has its advantages such as far superior high flow hydraulics and wide access doors. Newer generation MF have better steering and all the other features plus the superior hydraulics and used values do reflect that. Again these hold their value especially well. Given a choice I'd have a good condition MF390 before a Same 80 even though it would cost more, but condition is everything.

 

[Cowabunga]

Plus if I told the wife I was spending £15k on a tractor for my "hobby" I think she'd kick me out

Tell her that its either that or you take up golf, which would be far more expensive long term. The tractor will hold its value very well, although it will inevitably have running costs. Beware that a major repair could easily cost £5k on any tractor [although unlikely to at this level].

 

[manhill]

KISS and put up with 1970's comfort standards until your enterprise is making enough dosh to pay for the maintenance and repairs that come with modern tractors and need dealer attention. Better still, buy two 1970's tractors of the same type and you've got an appreciating backup system.

 

[Cowabunga]

KISS and put up with 1970's comfort standards until your enterprise is making enough dosh to pay for the maintenance and repairs that come with modern tractors and need dealer attention. Better still, buy two 1970's tractors of the same type and you've got an appreciating backup system.

You assume that a 1970’s tractor will be more reliable, need less maintenance and be less costly to repair than a modern tractor of about the same horsepower. That is a dangerous assumption to make in my experience.

 

[manhill]

You assume that a 1970’s tractor will be more reliable, need less maintenance and be less costly to repair than a modern tractor of about the same horsepower. That is a dangerous assumption to make in my experience.

After reading the horror tales on this site with modern tractors I'd still go for 2x 70's . Just started a Leyland after over 2 years lying. A few pumps on the lift pump and a loosen of the bleeds on the Simms pump and away she goes. Must remember to take her out of gear next time as I'm getting too old to run after her (only joking).

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

You assume that a 1970’s tractor will be more reliable, need less maintenance and be less costly to repair than a modern tractor of about the same horsepower. That is a dangerous assumption to make in my experience.

As has already been said condition is the main thing
A good tractor from the 70's will be far superior to a clapped out abused modern one
Plus a lot of repairs can be carried out by an untrained bloke with an adjustable spanner (I manage anyway). No waiting until Monday morning for a lad in a posh van to bring his laptop out to tell you its a blown fuse or hes never seen that error code before
Have a look around and see what takes your fancy good and bad come in all makes and models and price ranges

 

[Highland Mule]

Whatever you buy, make sure you’re registered for VAT so you can get that reclaimed. Always amazes me the number of smallholders and part time farmers who aren’t.
And it’s not a hobby - it’s a fledgling business that make a loss but gives you tax relief on other earnings as a result.

My loader tractor is a 35 series NH, bought for £11k at ~20 years old. Had it a few years ago now, so possibly more or less to buy nowadays.