[wonderwooly]

I'v been looking at tractors knowing that it is time to take the plunge
for a while. But it is quite an overwhelming world for someone relatively new
to them.

So I thought I would seek some opinions. I need to do some wood land work.
pto. winching, loader+forks. spliter I would expect.
I was also thinking of getting a back hoe if It was available and wasn't really
expensive. (dose anyone have experience of running one off a pto) We use a 1.5t
mini digger here quite a lot and was hopping it could do some of those jobs.

small scale hay making, prob, hay bob and bailer at some point in future.
I can get someone to cut the field quick enough.
also lifting heavy stuff about, toping, and rotevating big veg patch etc, etc.

so after speaking to a few tractor people. I have been looking at
Tafe 4wd
Massy F 362
JD 5055
they all seem good and sturdy for there size. basic. and mostly made in
india. great music in the adverts!
I like these and I think the MF362 is coming tops at the moment.
so I have found the mashine I like, but there a bit pricey and I need
to buy second hand.
at this stage dose anyone have experince of these models.

and perhaps the do's and don't on buying second hand tractors.
I am in france so will look here, if any one knows of good dealers to get
good price comparisons that would be good too.   

thanks for reading 
 

[pgkevet]

I bought new.. probably was a mistake but I've learned a bit since and  spent a fair bit with some post warranty issues and a couple of 'incidents' where bits got bent (once my fault and twice the fault of a helper). When I look about it's current value it's probably lost loads in the 3yrs I've had it and likely could have bought 2 secondhand ones for it's cost with more power.

A winch can be handy..but depending on density and access to your woods you might just be able to drag stuff out or, depending on weight lift one end off the ground with a loader and drag.

A backhoe sounds handy too..but remmeber that you'll be putting the stabiliser legs back down whenever you move and getting out of the cab/seat to operate from the hoe. If you're used to a small digger it'll get frustrating.

As for the splitter.. depends on where you plant to split and store. Compare the price and convenience of an electric splitter near the store to the benefits and nuisance of hitching one to the tractor.

[wonderwooly]

thanks pgkevet

that's a good point about the second hand v new, for me it will have to
be second hand.
I was a bit worried I was going a bit over kill with 4wd MS 362
but my thinking was its best to be a bit over powered than stain an older
engine. also I'm fairly convinced it will have to be 4wd, and needs an easy 1 ton lifting capability.
we have a 2.5 hectare plantation of  Douglas which needs thinning and is about
1.5mt full of dense bramble and what ever is underneath? the access is at a right angale to the work. thats not to mention the chestnut and oak that need sorting now.
You got me thinking as a serious block, and long wire
could possibly do the same at a fraction of the cost of a pto winch.
my only if, would be, we have a wet field with a river that needs to be kept clear
because of risk of flooding so if i can park on dry land and winch tis better.
otherwise just wait until it is dry again. and sometimes that is a long wait.
in terms of log spliter i would hope to hire or better exchange for other work
i don't really want to buy one.
not sure about the backhoe, but maybe a situation where if i can pto winch
for a day someone else could mini digger for a day? either way you need the right
power to start with to run that kind of exchange.