Buying a new Kubota Tractor Package

Well, bad news...

I might have to put the tractor purchase on hold.

Woke up this morning, and the 23 year old home AC is not working. I walked outside and it smells like somebody was burning tires down the road. I walked around the house, and looked at my ac unit. The fan was spinning, but it stank like burning wires...

I ran in the house and turned it off.

No fire or anything, but that burning smell was bad.

If I have to spend my down payment on a new AC unit for the house, then I'll put off the tractor purchase until closer to December.

I don't have to buy a tractor this week. I just have to buy it before end of December so my tax lady can start writing it off over the next couple years.
A 23 yo A/C isn't going to last much longer anyway, even if it is just the capacitor again.
 
I'm about to pull the trigger and buy a brand new 2020 Kubota MX5400 HST, front end loader, rotary cutter, and 24 foot flat bed trailer.

2020 MX5400 (HST) hydrostatic transmission
$26,543

Kubota front end loader: LA1065
$5,287

Heavy Duty Rotary Cutter: RCR1872
$2496

24' heavy duty dual axle flat bed trailer
$3500

After taxes, I'm looking at about $40,000.

Any recommendations? Do you know of any better deals?

Thank you!


We needed a new tractor a couple of years ago and I went with dad to go buy it.

We ended up with a MX4800 (no longer made, but 50.6 HP very similar to what you are looking at. Same tractor, just slightly less HP).
Dad is old school, so he wanted gears. Shuttle shift it was.

We also got the LA1065 loader, and the RC1872 cutter.

******Note: We don't like the RC1872 cutter. It is fine for smaller stuff, but not great for bush hogging fields that are overgrown. It cuts stuff off fine, but doesn't have enough room in the back to let the clippings go out the back. We have an old Agricutter bush hog that has a more open type rear that will do much better in heavy stuff. When the RC1872 is worn out we will probably replace it with something more like the old Agricutter. Again, the RC1872 is fine for cutting fields 3 or 4 times per year, if you don't let them get too overgrown.

Dad wanted to pay it in full, so the check was for ~ $28,500 for the entire package, including taxes. We already had a Hudson trailer, so no need for a new one.

This is a very similar package, with a 20 FT trailer instead of a 24 FT. Also includes a box blade. We looked at the pricing from this dealer (one of the only ones to post prices online) and our local dealer - New South Tractor - was very close to their pricing. This package is $36,700 if you finance.

https://sneadtractor.com/products/kubota-mx5200-hst-16/?ref=kubota-tractor-package-deals

All that said, you can't go wrong with the MX series Kubota. It's an outstanding tractor, and the LA1065 loader has picked up anything we've tried to move. We've been very pleased with the tractor and loader.
 
We needed a new tractor a couple of years ago and I went with dad to go buy it.

We ended up with a MX4800 (no longer made, but 50.6 HP very similar to what you are looking at. Same tractor, just slightly less HP).
Dad is old school, so he wanted gears. Shuttle shift it was.

We also got the LA1065 loader, and the RC1872 cutter.

******Note: We don't like the RC1872 cutter. It is fine for smaller stuff, but not great for bush hogging fields that are overgrown. It cuts stuff off fine, but doesn't have enough room in the back to let the clippings go out the back. We have an old Agricutter bush hog that has a more open type rear that will do much better in heavy stuff. When the RC1872 is worn out we will probably replace it with something more like the old Agricutter. Again, the RC1872 is fine for cutting fields 3 or 4 times per year, if you don't let them get too overgrown.

Dad wanted to pay it in full, so the check was for ~ $28,500 for the entire package, including taxes. We already had a Hudson trailer, so no need for a new one.

This is a very similar package, with a 20 FT trailer instead of a 24 FT. Also includes a box blade. We looked at the pricing from this dealer (one of the only ones to post prices online) and our local dealer - New South Tractor - was very close to their pricing. This package is $36,700 if you finance.

https://sneadtractor.com/products/kubota-mx5200-hst-16/?ref=kubota-tractor-package-deals

All that said, you can't go wrong with the MX series Kubota. It's an outstanding tractor, and the LA1065 loader has picked up anything we've tried to move. We've been very pleased with the tractor and loader.


Dang, that's a deal...

Same tractor, same loader, lower grade rotary cutter, but then I'd get a free trailer and free box blade... Also, I'm wondering if they would even charge me tax since I'm a NC resident and they are in Alabama.

I'll call them on Tuesday and ask about availability and taxes.
 
A 23 yo A/C isn't going to last much longer anyway, even if it is just the capacitor again.
AC guy just got here. He opened up the case and found that there had been a fire at the booster. Whomever installed the unit stuffed the instruction manual inside the compartment beside the booster. I guess the booster overheated and caught the manual on fire.

He said he can replace the switch, booster, and capacitor for $250. He's working on it now...

20200908_144105.jpg 20200908_144056.jpg
 
AC guy just got here. He opened up the case and found that there had been a fire at the booster. Whomever installed the unit stuffed the instruction manual inside the compartment beside the booster. I guess the booster overheated and caught the manual on fire.

He said he can replace the switch, booster, and capacitor for $250. He's working on it now...

View attachment 245525 View attachment 245526
:(:(:(:(:( Sorry Coastie. I know how ya feel, I had to replace mine last year. 20 yrs old.
 
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I've never done the tractor thing, but have done trailers (for race cars).

$3500 for a new 24' dual axle flatbed is a deal and a half!

I'd be interested to know the trailer (and tire) weight rating as that sounds more like a standard car hauler than a heavy equipment hauler and may be sub-par for the task (the tractor alone is close to 4500 pounds). Is it a wood deck trailer or metal deck. If it's wood, how easy (and expensive) is it to replace the decking> How strong are the tie-down points?

I'd also be curious as to the package prices w/out the trailer.

You might look at craigslist for used heavy duty trailers and trailer dealers/manufacturers. Trailer frames and axles should be very durable, so as long as there's no significant rust, an old trailer can be perfectly sufficient with new tires and wheel bearings.

Trailers are like gun safes - you'll always want to put more in/on that you think at the beginning....
 
It was all for nothing...

The guy was here for 2 hours. He replaced the wires, booster, switch, and capacitor. When we turned on the unit, nothing happened. The AC unit breaker was tripped. When the guy flipped the breaker on, the main breaker for the whole house tripped and smoke started coming out of the compressor... Somehow, the hot wire and ground wire, going into the compressor, had melted together.

The guy removed the $250 worth of new parts and took them with him.

He said they can install a new compressor and new gas for $1800 - $2000, but the new compressor only comes with a 1 year warranty. He also said that recently he has seen lots of replacement compressor going bad right after the warranty is up.

Or, I can get a new AC unit and core installed for about $6000, but it'll come with a 10 year warranty.

I paid him for his time and thanked him.

What do y'all think?
 
First off, what is a booster. If its what's called a hard start, then replace the whole unit. What am I saying. replace it anyway. With the booster, you were on borrowed time anyway, they are used when a compressor is about to give up the ghost.

Be glad you got the extra time out of it.
 
If its 20 years old it would be hard for me to pay for a new compressor vs buying a new one. You are in the every year its gonna be something else to go wrong stage now.

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Three years ago I replaced my 1990 vintage system with a seer 16/unit. Mine is an air conditioner with a gas furnace. I relocated the condenser to make room for a future remodel.

I did all the work myself and bought the unit at wholesale. I oversized the air handler to increase the cfm in order to better equalize out the temps upstairs versus down. Also installed some duct dampers to aid with the equalization. The system works great.

When all was said and done, the summer electric bill went down by an average of $100 per month. Having the attic reinsulated with spray foam knocked another hundred bucks off of the electric bill.

6k for a complete system installation sounds like a really good price. Your HVAC guy is treating you well.
 
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I was also thinking...

It's already cooling off outside. Maybe I can do without AC for a few months. Do AC units get cheaper in the winter time, when nobody is buying them? Maybe I could get a better deal if I wait and replace the unit in December or January. Is there a "best" time of year to buy a new AC unit?
 
I was also thinking...

It's already cooling off outside. Maybe I can do without AC for a few months. Do AC units get cheaper in the winter time, when nobody is buying them? Maybe I could get a better deal if I wait and replace the unit in December or January. Is there a "best" time of year to buy a new AC unit?

Depends if you want just cooling. If you want heating too you better not wait till December...


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I am assuming you have a gas furnace with air conditioning. I can tell you for sure we are most definitely giving better pricing on straight air condition units in the winter. Business is slower from Oct.- Feb.

As LeeMajors said the hard start kit (booster) was put on because the compressor had issues. Your main breaker to the house should never trip when the unit burned. Only the breaker for the A/C should have tripped. Those wires burned that bad tells me the electrical to the unit needs to be evaluated after you put a new unit in. If you can give me more info on the size of the unit and and maybe a few pictures of the furnace with coil I can give you some pricing help.
 
Depends if you want just cooling. If you want heating too you better not wait till December...


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Hmmm...

I have two ac units outside. One for downstairs and one for upstairs. There is also a furnace/ air handler in the basement that runs on propane and heats the downstairs. There is another furnace/ air handler in the attic that heats the upstairs. When I turn on my heater, the ac units outside don't come on.

Are you sure I can't use the heater without the outside ac unit?
 
I am assuming you have a gas furnace with air conditioning. I can tell you for sure we are most definitely giving better pricing on straight air condition units in the winter. Business is slower from Oct.- Feb.

As LeeMajors said the hard start kit (booster) was put on because the compressor had issues. Your main breaker to the house should never trip when the unit burned. Only the breaker for the A/C should have tripped. Those wires burned that bad tells me the electrical to the unit needs to be evaluated after you put a new unit in. If you can give me more info on the size of the unit and and maybe a few pictures of the furnace with coil I can give you some pricing help.

Correct... Only the AC breaker tripped when the wires in the unit melted. That was 3 days ago. Today the guy replaced all those wires, and then he flipped the AC breaker on. The moment he flipped it on, it immediately tripped the AC breaker and the main breaker. Then we saw smoke coming off the two wires about an inch away from where they connect to the compressor.

The guy inspected the wiring leading from the breaker box to the unit and he said everything looked good.

My faulty AC unit is a 23 year old 10 Seer 5 ton.

The other unit (cools upstairs) is working properly but is also 23 years old 10 Seer 2.5 ton.
 
Correct... Only the AC breaker tripped when the wires in the unit melted. That was 3 days ago. Today the guy replaced all those wires, and then he flipped the AC breaker on. The moment he flipped it on, it immediately tripped the AC breaker and the main breaker. Then we saw smoke coming off the two wires about an inch away from where they connect to the compressor.

The guy inspected the wiring leading from the breaker box to the unit and he said everything looked good.

My faulty AC unit is a 23 year old 10 Seer 5 ton.

The other unit (cools upstairs) is working properly but is also 23 years old 10 Seer 2.5 ton.
2.5 tons upstairs plus 5 tons downstairs? Very big house I assume.
 
2.5 tons upstairs plus 5 tons downstairs? Very big house I assume.
3600 square feet, not counting the basement. The basement also has AC ducts, but I keep the vents closed down there.
 
2.5 tons for upstairs seems undersized for 1800 sq. ft. second floor.

I had 1800 sq. feet two stories in the hills of Oakland, CA, and 3T was just barely adequate in a much cooler climate.

Here in Chapel Hill I have two 4 ton units for two-story 4000 sq feet, + a ductless split for the bonus room over the garage. Keeps the house plenty cool (almost too cool).

My bottom floor A/C failed at the end of October, 2019. A replacement 4T 15.5 Seer Amana with 10yr warranty was $6K installed.

It might be worth it to get quotes from other HVAC vendors to see if upsizing your unit makes sense...
 
Update...

We are planning to tough it out with no downstairs AC. This winter, we'll plan to replace the faulty unit (hopefully at a discount).

This morning, I spoke with the Kubota dealer in Alabama.

Then, I spoke with my local Kubota dealer in NC. I asked if he could take a look at the numbers and get them a little closer to the deal available in Alabama.

He immediately said, "There is no way. I know about that dealer in Alabama. They are huge and they get their inventory so cheap because they are one of the top kubota dealers in the country. Every time I lose a deal it is because the guy found out about that dealer in Alabama. No hard feelings. You should go get that tractor package in Alabama. It's too good of a deal to pass up and we can't touch it."

Here's the link to the tractor package I'll be buying in Alabama. I can get all this for $36,700 financed in Alabama.

In NC it's the same price for just the tractor, loader, and rotary cutter. In Alabama I'll be getting the trailer and box blade for free...

https://sneadtractor.com/products/kubota-mx5200-hst-16/?ref=kubota-tractor-package-deals
 
Go get the tractor and while you are down that way swing by the CMP at Anniston or Talladega and get you a new rifle with the money you are saving.

If you need a co-pilot, give me a shout.
 
Update...

We are planning to tough it out with no downstairs AC. This winter, we'll plan to replace the faulty unit (hopefully at a discount).

This morning, I spoke with the Kubota dealer in Alabama.

Then, I spoke with my local Kubota dealer in NC. I asked if he could take a look at the numbers and get them a little closer to the deal available in Alabama.

He immediately said, "There is no way. I know about that dealer in Alabama. They are huge and they get their inventory so cheap because they are one of the top kubota dealers in the country. Every time I lose a deal it is because the guy found out about that dealer in Alabama. No hard feelings. You should go get that tractor package in Alabama. It's too good of a deal to pass up and we can't touch it."

Here's the link to the tractor package I'll be buying in Alabama. I can get all this for $36,700 financed in Alabama.

In NC it's the same price for just the tractor, loader, and rotary cutter. In Alabama I'll be getting the trailer and box blade for free...

https://sneadtractor.com/products/kubota-mx5200-hst-16/?ref=kubota-tractor-package-deals
That's one heck of a deal .
 
Go get the tractor and while you are down that way swing by the CMP at Anniston or Talladega and get you a new rifle with the money you are saving.

If you need a co-pilot, give me a shout.
I have thought about that. My dad lives in Alabama. I keep telling him to go to Anniston and pick up some Garands...

Can an NC resident walk into the Anniston CMP office and walk out with a Garand? Or do you have to be an AL resident?

Fun fact, there is a shuttered Army base there, at Anniston. I think it may still be a bunker full of munitions, etc. But, my dad was stationed there for a year when he was in the Army.
 
I have thought about that. My dad lives in Alabama. I keep telling him to go to Anniston and pick up some Garands...

Can an NC resident walk into the Anniston CMP office and walk out with a Garand? Or do you have to be an AL resident?

Fun fact, there is a shuttered Army base there, at Anniston. I think it may still be a bunker full of munitions, etc. But, my dad was stationed there for a year when he was in the Army.
I believe they would need to ship to your FFL in NC.
 
I believe they would need to ship to your FFL in NC.
That's what I was guessing... Maybe I could still go in, hand pick one, pay, and then wait for it to come to an NC ffl.
 
You can walk in and buy a Garand, .03 or a P17 and walk out with it. You just have to meet the qualifications.

I bought a Springfield .o3 from the Talladega Marksmanship Park back in July. I belong to the Garand Collectors Assoc. which counts as club membership. When you are at the CMP, you look at what is available, find the one you want, fill out their version of the 4473, pay and walk out with it.

https://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/eligibility-requirements/#important-requirements

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