Following prices of tractors over the years, this is what I have learned about tractors.....buy something quality, hold on to it for a couple of years while the quality of the competition goes down.....and prices go up. Odds are good you will be able to sell it for almost what you paid for it.
Maybe it's all a wash in the end....but if I can get a decent percentage of my purchase price out of it, and only have to do basic maintenance to it, that is a win to me. I see a lot of RK, Mahindra, and Nortrac brand tractors listed for crazy high and crazy low prices all the time....and the ads never seem to come down. I track Kubota, Massey, Ford, New Holland tractor ads.....I think "they won't sell at that price"....sometimes hours later it is listed as sold.
I think currently anything that doesn't have emission is a hot sell, those in the know don't want to deal with emissions, or the newer electronics. Look at the farm auctions, OLD 4-5000hr machines are getting big money, its not just the big iron either.
I had my Kubota B2400HST up for sale a few years ago, I don't really "need" it and it was to finance other things and a Zero turn, i've still got it and will likely keep it. What I found was a lot of folk who think they want a tractor have unrealistic expectations of what they want and what compact tractor may do.
First off, a CUT is somewhat of a Swiss army knife, it can do a lot of different things, few can it do exceedingly well without patience and knowing the limitations of the machine. Most "Looky Loo's" don't.
Its got a loader...Will it dig ? That depends on the operator, it's not designed to have a lot of "break out" power for busting soil. if you're careful and can feel the machine, you can dig a reasonable hole in a reasonable amount of time OR fold the loader arms up like a pretzel and cry. It's called a "loader" for a reason. "oh...."
Its got a belly mower, how fast can it mow ? as fast as you're willing to endure the pain and damage. mine will mow in high range, is very uncomfortable as most yards (mine especially) aren't golf course groomed and smooth. Mowing fast in anything but short grass will leave uncut areas, trying to push thru taller at speed will bog the mower, sharp blades help, but you aren't gonna sharpen them every mow. "huh....."
Its got a 60" box blade, sweet ! except that just a bit to big for a 24hp tractor, it covers the wheel track well, but if there are roots, you don't have enough weight for traction to rip thru them in one pass maybe even several, also, a box blade isn't going to leave a prepared bed behind it in one pass, in 10 passes.... maybe......... "oh...."
and you though dealing with buyers of off-road stuff was interesting....
