Kubota or other tractor recommendations

[chim]

There are many considerations, but for starters I'd look at two of your requirements:

Mowing with your 5' BH or 7' RFM - The minimum tractor I'd want would be an L3200 for the 5' BH, or an L3900 for the 7'' RFM. My mowing times have been 40 minutes per acre with a 5'deck, 33 minutes with a 6' deck and 22 minutes with a 7-1/2' deck. With a BX2400 I believe a 5' deck is the max.

"Forklift" usage - Forks can be used on tractors. They are handy. Tractors can go places that (indoor) forklifts would never go. Tractors make poor forklifts. Anyone who believes they are good forklifts is kidding himself. The FEL rating on a BX24 is a little over 500# and the FEL on an L3900 is over 1,000#. It is sometimes overlooked that the rating is NOT what forks will lift. The ratings are generally what the loader would lift at or near the pins. Weight on forks has a lot of leverage on the FEL and is less than that.

 

[imarobot]

Thanks for the inputs guys.
I'm going to pass on the BX I was considering. If the mowers I have are too big, I would have to buy a mowing deck for this. As is it's more than I should be spending right now.
My what I want are much bigger than my what I can.

 

[skeets]

FYI the BX series has been a very reliable tractor.
Also, you said you are 3 hours away, Ins is something you might think about too. Even with cameras and alarms around the homestead, things go missing, so there is something else to think about. And the PoPo are not really going to put much effort into looking for a tractor or attachments, no offence to any PoPo, that's just the way it is. There is a ton of good advice that has been offered, I wish you well in your search.

 

[imarobot]

Agree, that is a concern.

 

[PaulL]

FYI the BX series has been a very reliable tractor.
Also, you said you are 3 hours away, Ins is something you might think about too. Even with cameras and alarms around the homestead, things go missing, so there is something else to think about. And the PoPo are not really going to put much effort into looking for a tractor or attachments, no offence to any PoPo, that's just the way it is. There is a ton of good advice that has been offered, I wish you well in your search.

Yes, things go missing. But by that logic, nobody should buy anything, it might be stolen. Things going missing is what you have insurance for. It happens infrequently (to any individual person, on average it happens every day to someone), so to me that's a thing you take reasonable precautions for, but you realise if someone wants to steal your stuff, they will steal your stuff irrespective of the precautions you take. And you buy insurance, or you self insure. People can steal your stuff at your primary residence nearly as easily as at another location.

I think a BX is too small. Kubota has a lot of B and L size machines that they've been making for decades. Older ones usually have a lot of life left in them, particularly if they're going to a retirement home for old machinery (which I think is what you're describing). Look for a 90s or early 00s machine, with a FEL and probably with a mower. That probably means a B. It won't run a very wide mower, so you'll be 5 foot. Unless you go to a batwing (doesn't stick out as far, so a B could lift it), and you run wide but slow.

If you're looking L sized, I'd have a good think about whether you really need a Kubota. For me, when I'm getting into a mower tractor that large, my ideal is probably an older Massey diesel - something like this:

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/business-farming-industry/farming-forestry/tractors/up-to-50-hp/listing/5552181227

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/business-farming-industry/farming-forestry/tractors/up-to-50-hp/listing/5242029933

Or this one that comes with a mower:

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/business-farming-industry/farming-forestry/tractors/up-to-50-hp/listing/5601038872

Ideally one with a loader, but for my use as a second tractor I could probably get away using 3ph to lift things. (Ignore the fact these are all in NZ, so the pricing probably looks nothing like what you'd see in the USA).

 

[imarobot]

Theft is always a concern, even where I live now, and I'm willing to accept that with this new property. I know several other people that have camps up there and they leave ATV's, tractors, snowmobiles, whatever outside even when they are not there. Not saying theft is not a possibility, but so far low risk.
Can't ignore the fact that you're in NZ. Been to many places all over the world, mostly for work, but NZ is still on my list. Some day

 

[PaulL]

Theft is always a concern, even where I live now, and I'm willing to accept that with this new property. I know several other people that have camps up there and they leave ATV's, tractors, snowmobiles, whatever outside even when they are not there. Not saying theft is not a possibility, but so far low risk.
Can't ignore the fact that you're in NZ. Been to many places all over the world, mostly for work, but NZ is still on my list. Some day

And we live in paradise. Living on a Rotorua lake in the North Island, we waterskied every morning the last 5 days, mountain biked 3 times last week. About to sell and move to Wanaka in the South Island, which is even more paradise. You should totally come visit.