Pre-purchase question - also my first post to this forum

[june82000]

Hello, I am considering purchasing a 1989 L2250 2WD, Turf Tires and no attachments other than a fertilizer spreader. Hours listed as just shy of 700 and was used in grounds-keeping of a school or church. Asking price is $3200.

Question 1 - is this a really good deal, or just about average?

Tractordata shows a live-PTO; belly PTO and power steering as optional equipment so I am waiting to find out if this one has those options.

Question 2 - I was really considering an older Ford (8N or NAA) until I ran across this one. All I need it for is some occasional grading and bush-hogging and regular mowing plus whatever else I end up finding that it can do. Is this a good tractor for doing this type of work and how would it compare to a Ford?

I've heard that Kubotas make a great tractor and I see plenty of them around these parts so reliability shouldn't be much of an issue I'd say.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Burt]

Hello, I am considering purchasing a 1989 L2250 2WD, Turf Tires and no attachments other than a fertilizer spreader. Hours listed as just shy of 700 and was used in grounds-keeping of a school or church. Asking price is $3200.

Question 1 - is this a really good deal, or just about average?

Tractordata shows a live-PTO; belly PTO and power steering as optional equipment so I am waiting to find out if this one has those options.

Question 2 - I was really considering an older Ford (8N or NAA) until I ran across this one. All I need it for is some occasional grading and bush-hogging and regular mowing plus whatever else I end up finding that it can do. Is this a good tractor for doing this type of work and how would it compare to a Ford?

I've heard that Kubotas make a great tractor and I see plenty of them around these parts so reliability shouldn't be much of an issue I'd say.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance...

june82000,

A little more info please! Size of your property. Snow removal needs. Specific needs such as what are you grading a driveway or moguls? The more info you can provide, the more help you will get.

From our experience, 2WD is almost useless in the snow. A loader and 4WD are almost standard needs now with tractors. We had an older Ford 2N, 2WD, no loader and a nice tractor but just couldn't do the work we needed done.

Knowing what we know now, we would never purchase a 2WD tractor or one without a loader.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The L2250 is a little more versatile and usable than the Ford in my opinion.
For use as a mower, brush hogger, and grader it's a great tractor.
but as Burt said as a loader or snow removal use they are really lacking.
$3200 is a good price

 

[ShaunRH]

8n's also have a PTO problem that you need to work with/around. It cannot run static. If the tractor isn't moving the PTO isn't turning. I think some have been modified to overcome this issue, but the true live PTO wasn't available until later models from what I understand.

I drove an 8N for awhile and I like them but the PTO issue drove me nuts. You really have to plan for the issue.

Most loader kits for the 8N are light duty jobbers. I occasionally see a medium/heavy duty unit on them. Snow work, being gas it will start better in cold weather, however, being gas it has all the gas powered unit problems and higher maintenance costs. As most diesel guys will ask "What's a tune up?"

 

[june82000]

june82000,

A little more info please! Size of your property. Snow removal needs. Specific needs such as what are you grading a driveway or moguls? The more info you can provide, the more help you will get.

From our experience, 2WD is almost useless in the snow. A loader and 4WD are almost standard needs now with tractors. We had an older Ford 2N, 2WD, no loader and a nice tractor but just couldn't do the work we needed done.

Knowing what we know now, we would never purchase a 2WD tractor or one without a loader.

Absolutely!

I only have 9 acres with about 2.5 being cleared around the house. My house actually burned down last summer and the new one has just been finished but what was a decently level yard is now pretty bad and needs more dirt and leveled out. Part of it due to the fact that we rebuilt in a different location than where the old house was at.

My leveling out needs are someone between moguls and a driveway but I think this tractor and a blade/box blade would be able to do the job. The worst coming from where they dug tranches in wet soil for a new septic line. Yes, they will come back and finish leveling it out but then I wouldn't need a tractor would I?

Snow - not much really 2 or three snow events every year in southern VA and I've never needed to plow before.

Mowing - southern VA is a jungle! Since 2006 I've been mowing and occasionally "bush hogging" with my Toro 22hp 50" riding mower. By mid-summer my mower can't even keep up by mowing once a week due to the rate the grass grows. My plan for this tractor would be to get a finish mower and eventually maybe a bush hog. Aside from the mowing I'd like to do some clearing between the trees on the balance of my property which is heavily wooded.

Those are the main uses; and I'm sure I could find some other uses as well.

With any luck, I can get the Tractor at an even lower price yet to be determined.

 

[D2Cat]

june, that tractor will do what you indicated you needed done. A loader would be nice for many things. What you could do is purchase this tractor and use it a couple of years and during that time discover for yourself what you like and what you wish it would do. Then sell this one and find one that meets exactly what you have determined necessary.

At $3200, unless the tractor is in ugly condition, will always be worth that, or close to it.

 

[june82000]

So do any of you have an idea of what it would be worth? I've seen ads all over the place - 4,5,6k all without attachments, older model year and higher hours. If this is worth significantly more than $3,200 then maybe buy it and put it towards another tractor with attachments.

Any ideas on a fair market value? It's in good overall condition...

 

[Burt]

So do any of you have an idea of what it would be worth? I've seen ads all over the place - 4,5,6k all without attachments, older model year and higher hours. If this is worth significantly more than $3,200 then maybe buy it and put it towards another tractor with attachments.

Any ideas on a fair market value? It's in good overall condition...

June8200,

Before you buy it, put a heavy 3 point implement on it. Drive around a little keeping it at the same level. If it drops or raises, you have a leaky valve to replace. Box blade will be a good test for this or a snow blade.

Good Luck,

Burt