One of the things I see is people wanting a do everything swiss army knife tractor. Problem is these tractors rarely excel at any one job.
Sometimes I wish I had a backhoe, last year my weeping tiles crapped out and I got a $18K quote on the septic, so I almost bought the attachment. I did as much as I could with the tractor, then I rented a mini excavator for 5 days ($700 2 days free long weekend) and installed infiltrators. Total around $3600 and that included digging 200' of new drain hose for my sump and 400' of underground irrigation hose and electric out to my garden and daughters chickens.
Quote:
Originally Posted by intakexhaust
Some of older brands 35+ hp were skinned over Fiat's. Awesome tough and a bargain buy. Lots of parts interchange too... if you know or have the resources.
The cast chassis were far heavier made vs. ANY Japanese of the same class HP. Matter of fact, some of the larger Kubota's back when were Fiat made chassis. (I think it was the M class.)
The LONG tractor out of Tarboro, NC is a good example. Fiat produced out of Romania. Laugh but these were tough rugged machines, direct injection, great 4wd and without the flim-flam styling.
Point being, you want a hardcore machine to do the job and not get caught up in the pretty look or color, chrome crap, extra useless lever this or that. Look at all those old Fords from the 1950's that have sit outside all those years but still work!
|
The Fiat 480 and 640 are still made by Fiat-New Holland in Pakistan, spares are no problem.
My tractor cost me $4K came with a 7' blower, plow and a project HD front end loader. I put $1K into new front tires and parts. Runs perfectly.
I just put in a 100'X150" garden in one afternoon.