New tractor options? - Advice needed

caesar

Right I thought this would be a good place to ask

My father is thinking about buying a new tractor.

He currently has an International 733 but it is getting wore out at this stage. It has been a great to him, it really owes him nothing. He would probably buy another one if he could find one but they seem to be quite rare. It was French built too, apparently these were better than the other ones. For anyone that doesn't know them here is a pic, obviously it looks similar to other internationals of that time but I've never seen a 733 anywhere else.




Thats probably the closest one to his one.

There are more pics here:

http://www.ihace.de/01_schlepper/0733/733.htm

http://www.lestracteursrouges.com/fichier_tracteurs/tracteurs_francais/733.htm

If anyone knew where he could get one it would be great, I found two on the internet, one in France the other in Germany but he'd never buy a tractor of that age abroad.

Realistically though he is thinking of buying a new tractor, now he's only thinking about it but I thought I'd do some research.

He was thinking about buying a Case JX90, he spotted one locally. He was saying when they first came out they were about 27000 new, now they are 34000 or thereabouts. He also thinks that these range of tractors were built for farmers i.e. minus a lot of the electronics that modern tractors have. Im sure there are others though.

His requirements are:

- Very little electronics, the less the better.
- 2wd(he doesn't really understand why there are so many 4WD tractors going around with transport boxes and bale carriers on the back)
-For arguments sake I'll say his budget is 34000 and that his requirements are that of the JX90 would fulfil, he just wants something to replace his 733.

The 733 has done everything on the farm for him, it has been well able for all the work over the years including spreading slurry - we have a small tanker.

Oh ya I was also wondering if people actually import new tractors from the UK or further afield. My reason for asking is that I couldn't find the prices on the Case website for the UK or here, the US website has prices and they seem to be way cheaper over there. Is there a saving to be made? What is the story with VAT and Manufacturers warranty and all that. AFAIK in the EU a manufacturers warranty must be upheld regardless of what member state it is bought in. And as for VAT it can only be charged in one member state - am I right in saying this? I know that the VRT is a flat rate of €50 too. What the situation with say the US? I know someone that brought a secondhand tractor from the US so Im assuming there is a saving to be made buying new. Any advice would be appreciated.

Anyway any help or info on this topic would be appreciated, sorry for rambling on

Thanks in advance

il gatto

You'd have to pay VAT here on a tractor less than 6 months old afaik.
Tbh, if you're spending that much, why not get a 4WD? May be a bit more on tyres and diesel in the long run, but it's always handy to have the extra grip when you need it.
As for simple, minimal electronic tractors, Belarus are back on the Irish market with some very nice machines. They're reliable, electronically challenged, fairly simple to fix at home and nicely priced to boot:)
See here:
http://www.farmersjournal.ie/2006/1202/farmmanagement/machinery/equipment.shtml

http://www.belarus-tractors.co.uk/html/b920_3.html

If brand snobbery isn't your thing and your father likes likes a tractor thst does what it says on the tin, they might be what you're looking for.

JohnBoy

If you dont need 4wd then you dont need it.

There's a school of thought that says for most non tillage work if you need 4wd then you probably really shouldnt be trying to do the job on that day, the ground is too wet and you'll be damaging it.

Doesnt work for part time farmers but for full time farmers it's generally fairly true.

doubly so if you get contractors in for heavy work anyway.

so you get a cheaper simpler machine with better maneuverability.

il gatto

Here in the West it hasn't been dry since 2006:(:D

JohnBoy

its funny because it's true eh?

il gatto

Put it this way. Yesterday I was bringing in bullocks for a test and I dropped my cigarettes overboard:D

snowman707

il gatto wrote: »

Here in the West it hasn't been dry since 2006:(:D

I am in the west & don't own a 4 wd tractor nor do we are any notion of getting 1. spread all our slurry , fertilizer mowing topping etc.

lower maintance costs, diesel bills & much more versatile yard machine,

il gatto

I'm currently 2wd as well. I agree you don't "need" one, per se, but if I was in the market I'd go for one. Personal preferance.

MTL79

You wont Get much cheaper or bog standard than the jx series case's, Though I would try and go for the Jxu if I was you, that little bit more comfort, and if he is at loader work the powershuttle gearbox is a godsend. Steer well clear of the Belarus, run a mile. They are cheap as jodie Marsh but they are god awful yokes.

for a wild card why not a second Hand MF 390 2wd, I have one and wouldnt sell it for love or money, you will get a good 1993-94 for about 14,000. and it will be the only thing besides cockroaches to survive a nuclear fall out.

stay away from the idea of US imports, or continentals for that matter, you will need to buy pick up Hitch, lights will be all wrong on a US model and wheel equipment is vastly different, and 'tyres' will be spelt wrong on the speed chart ;-)

reilig

MTL79 wrote: »

You wont Get much cheaper or bog standard than the jx series case's, Though I would try and go for the Jxu if I was you, that little bit more comfort, and if he is at loader work the powershuttle gearbox is a godsend. Steer well clear of the Belarus, run a mile. They are cheap as jodie Marsh but they are god awful yokes.

for a wild card why not a second Hand MF 390 2wd, I have one and wouldnt sell it for love or money, you will get a good 1993-94 for about 14,000. and it will be the only thing besides cockroaches to survive a nuclear fall out.

stay away from the idea of US imports, or continentals for that matter, you will need to buy pick up Hitch, lights will be all wrong on a US model and wheel equipment is vastly different, and 'tyres' will be spelt wrong on the speed chart ;-)

Yea, the 390's are ledgend. MF made some great tractors in the early days with the 20, 35 and 65, they made an even better 1 series(135,165,etc), went rock bottom with the 5 and 6 series (590, 690), improved it a bit with the 2 series and brought it way back up with the 3 series. After that I think the Agco take over ensured that any tractor they make is just average - nothing spectacular, but ok.

I endorse the 390!!

irish_bob

reilig wrote: »

Yea, the 390's are ledgend. MF made some great tractors in the early days with the 20, 35 and 65, they made an even better 1 series(135,165,etc), went rock bottom with the 5 and 6 series (590, 690), improved it a bit with the 2 series and brought it way back up with the 3 series. After that I think the Agco take over ensured that any tractor they make is just average - nothing spectacular, but ok.

I endorse the 390!!

cant think of a tractor that holds its value like a massey 390

il gatto

And are therefore correspondingly expensive. Too expensive. They're great tractors but not worth double an equivalent tractor of the same age.

bbam

I think spending that money and not getting 4WD is a miss.. No matter how well planed you are there will be a day when you need to go into a damp field (imagine such a thing here in the Emerald Isle) the 4WD will be easier on the man and the field..
We added a 4WD just this spring and I wouldn't go back... We keep the 2WD for light yard work and front loader duties..

Turbury

bbam is right - once you go 4wd, you'll never go back, also much safer to drive as you have more rubber on the road and 4 wheel braking (on the more modern tractors) - definately a consideration if your doing any kind of heavy road work.