Found a supplier in Carmarthen that refurbishes Masseys, went over there yesterday for a chat as I am still struggling between the need for 4wd or not.
Our fields are no wetter than any other fields in South Wales, we have already done a fair amount of drainage work which has helped tremendously. There is one area where the slope is steep and I struggle to get up it with my Defender unless in low-range diff-lock, not a slope you would ever drive across - only up or down. But it is quite a small area. The only thing that strongly points toward 4wd is my need for a loader, but I doubt I will be utilising it's full capacity.
So, I am still leaning toward the ubiquitous MF135/165/240 etc. Rather than the Chinese collection. I would like more than 30hp because I am able to borrow some larger equipment from a friend, so most of the smaller compacts are out of the equation. It seems that everything else around the £7k mark is very tatty and even though I am keen to service the tractor myself, I don't really want to renovate one or spend a load of time just getting it working.
Anyway, he has a small selection of very nice MF240s and a MF253 that have been serviced, repaired and the panel work refurbished. So they look 'new'. The MF253 caught my eye as it had just over 1000hrs on the clock, 'wet brakes' power steering, nearly 60hp from the turbo charged perkins, 4 spool valves and an 8 speed 'shuttle' gear box. All it needed was a loaderl.
The price, £6.5k+vat.
So what do you all think? Should I go for it and source a loader to fit?