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KUBOTA TRACTOR PRICES

Utility tractors are the do-it-all tool carriers used by farmers, landscapers and large estate owners. Mow grass, dig trenches, auger holes or pick and place large piles of dirt or gravel with a compact utility tractor’s power take off attachment system (PTO). Compact tractors are a versatile breed of machine, taking implements in the front, back and under the belly, pulling way more than its weight on most jobsites. Today’s compact tractors are defined as small agricultural tractors equipped with a 540-rpm PTO and a three-point hitch designed for Category 1 implements. Compact tractors generally have a mass less than 4,000 lbs and use less than 40 PTO hp to run their attachments. Today, John Deere, Kubota and New Holland are the three most popular manufacturers of these machines — all with decades worth of compact tractor experience. Yet, there are plenty of players primed to accommodate the growing compact tractor market (Case IH, Yanmar, Kioti and Massey Ferguson are all bringing innovative alternatives to the small utility tractor market).

Compact tractors quickly appeared from 40 hp down through the early 1980s, filling the market gap left by American tractor manufacturers gearing up to meet market demand by the American farmers for larger and higher horsepower Ag tractors. Invariably, schools, parks, landscapers, cemeteries and hobby farmers all took an immediate liking to these high-production, economical-to-own and user-friendly compact tractors. There are hundreds of model choices and unique features galore (from air conditioned cabs to power transmissions), along with a zillion different implements (mowers, landscape rakes, augers, buckets, backhoes, hay bales, fork lifts, seeders, brush cutters and beyond).

Tractors have long been an essential piece of equipment on the farm. They revolutionized the agricultural industry by adding a whole new level of efficiency. Today, tractors are also used in construction, landscaping and industrial settings. Buying a new tractor is a major investment, but it’s one you won’t have to make often. A well-maintained tractor has a lifespan of 20 to 30 years, even with daily use. If you’re using the tractor less frequently, it could last decades longer.

Begin with the basics

Every tractor worth considering will have a clean, fuel-efficient diesel engine, transmission(s), rear 3-point hitch, rear drawbar, one or two power take-off (PTO) points and a hydraulic system. Most of the tractors also will be equipped with four-wheel drive (if it’s optional, I would nearly always recommend investing in the option), a loader (invariably worth the money) and occasionally a backhoe or other mounted rear attachment. You should think of the tractor as a pulling/pushing machine as well as a platform for attaching and powering implements and other tools as diverse as emergency home generators, snow plows and belly-mounted finish mowers. Basic tractors without any attachments will cost anywhere from about $10,000 to well over $30,000 depending on their power rating, size and the level to which they are appointed with high-end engines, transmissions and hydraulic systems.

Directional forces

Compact tractor makers have gone to great lengths to market new machines that “drive just like your car.” What that really means is that designers have taken the traditional operating steps out of the operator’s realm. There was a time when small tractors of all kinds had at least two and sometimes three gear selector levers – one controlled the speed range (high/low), one the speed (first through fourth gears), and many had a separate control lever for direction called a shuttle (forward/reverse).

For folks with plenty of tractor experience, this vintage-style setup makes complete sense, and the need to stop and clutch the tractor to change gears isn’t an issue. Many of the more-recent compact tractors have traded their traditional transmissions for a hydrostatic version that employs one or two pedals to control both speed and direction. An even newer variation on the pedal-controlled transmission theme is the continuously variable transmission (CVT), which uses mechanical speed modulation instead of hydraulic flow – in both cases, the “easy” transmission options added quite a bit to the tractor’s price tag.

Generally, if you plan to do a lot of direction and speed changes such as with intensive front-end loader work, the hydro or CVT will make that work easier and arguably more efficient. The next best option would be a tractor with a synchronized or automatic clutching shuttle shift transmission. That way you would only need to slow and clutch for the directional changes. If money is worth more than convenience or your time, then you can go for the traditional straight gear transmission. You will need to stop, clutch and make a transmission shift to change directions – but in other operations such as field mowing, the hydro, CVT or shuttle options don’t offer that much advantage under most conditions. 

About New Tractors

There are literally hundreds of tractors from which to choose, from compact residential models to heavy-duty machines with more than 300 horsepower. Once you select a model, you’ll also have to choose among a wide variety of features and options.

The vast majority of tractors are four-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive tractors offer better traction than two-wheel drive models and they’re a necessity if you’re planning to use front attachments such as loaders. Two-wheel drive models are only preferable if you’ll be doing lots of driving at road speeds. Some tractors have enclosed cabs; others do not. A tractor with an enclosed cab comes at a higher price tag, but offers greater comfort to the driver and protection from elements like sun, wind, rain and snow. Tractors with cabs also have higher resale values. However, cabs are far less common with compact tractors.

New Tractor Average Costs

A bare-bones compact tractor might sell for less than $10,000, while the largest and most powerful farming models could go for as much as several hundred thousand dollars. Most tractors fall somewhere in between.

• Mid-size tractors with 30 to 75 hp usually cost anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000.

• Larger tractors with about 100 hp, 4-wheel drive and a cab tend to run $50,000 to $75,000.

• Tractors with 100 to 150 hp usually cost anywhere from $75,000 to $150,000.

In addition to the base price, you may have to pay extra for certain features and options. If 4-wheel drive is not a standard feature, budget an extra $5,000. Attachments also run extra.

• A rake attachment usually costs just a few hundred dollars.

• Loader attachments run $3,000 to $5,000.

• Backhoe attachments can run $6,000 or more.