Compact Tractors - JD 1025r

[M0del_31]

I was the operator on a shovel over the past weekend and I'm still sore in places. Needed some dirt spread, had a deadline (July 2nd), contacted two owner/operators, two equipment rental outfits and a neighbor. All the rentals were out on the holiday weekend. Anyway, missed the deadline and my delusion of renting a tractor whenever I needed one is gone forever. I've been wanting a tractor/loader since I could say tractor so its about to happen. Been looking for a 80's to early 90's subcompact with loader and mid-mount mower for 20 years and those are just unicorns.
Looking at a green 1025r and orange, blue or white equivalents.
The nearest Case dealer is 60 miles way -more than I want to drive for service. All the others are closer but at least 30 miles away from home. Bobcat seems to have a Korean diesel so its out. Kubota may make their own engines and the New Holland and Deere have the same yanmar engine.
Of course JD is the most expensive, with the lowest specs when higher is better -except for turning radius which JD is way better than the others. Cost wise, the others list in the same ballpark.
I want to know the good/bad of these brands in the subcompact market.
Will a 1025r run and without the electronics working? Can the computer be bypassed when it breaks? It has no DEF and is indirect injection. I believe the injector pump may be mechanical but I'm not sure. I'll be surprised if the salesman knows. I've been in IT for 25 years and I hate the though of a computer on a tractor.
I will be getting the loader and mid-mount mower when I buy.
What else do I need to look for?

 

[grayghost668]

you don't want anything newer than 1994,, and why do you want a mid mount mower,, if I was buying one I would get nothing less than 40hp 4x4 as for a mower get a finish mower and a bushhog mower that way you are not limited on what you can mow,,,, and I like the Kubotas

 

[DrHenley]

I've been in IT for 25 years and I hate the though of a computer on a tractor.

Retired IT Director and I'm right there with you brother! LOL

 

[Arcticdude]

I was the operator on a shovel over the past weekend and I'm still sore in places. Needed some dirt spread, had a deadline (July 2nd), contacted two owner/operators, two equipment rental outfits and a neighbor. All the rentals were out on the holiday weekend. Anyway, missed the deadline and my delusion of renting a tractor whenever I needed one is gone forever. I've been wanting a tractor/loader since I could say tractor so its about to happen. Been looking for a 80's to early 90's subcompact with loader and mid-mount mower for 20 years and those are just unicorns.
Looking at a green 1025r and orange, blue or white equivalents.
The nearest Case dealer is 60 miles way -more than I want to drive for service. All the others are closer but at least 30 miles away from home. Bobcat seems to have a Korean diesel so its out. Kubota may make their own engines and the New Holland and Deere have the same yanmar engine.
Of course JD is the most expensive, with the lowest specs when higher is better -except for turning radius which JD is way better than the others. Cost wise, the others list in the same ballpark.
I want to know the good/bad of these brands in the subcompact market.
Will a 1025r run and without the electronics working? Can the computer be bypassed when it breaks? It has no DEF and is indirect injection. I believe the injector pump may be mechanical but I'm not sure. I'll be surprised if the salesman knows. I've been in IT for 25 years and I hate the though of a computer on a tractor.
I will be getting the loader and mid-mount mower when I buy.
What else do I need to look for?

My wife was just looking at the 1025r the other day when I bought the forks for my JD 5065E. She wants a tractor for the garden. The backhoe attachment would be nice to have. As far as service goes, why don't you do it yourself? Since I've owned my tractor I've taken it to the dealer just once, and that was to add a set of hydraulic lines for the front snow plow.
If you can find one an older 1070 would be a good choice. Look at Tractorhouse.com. Even with the cost of shipping it would be cheaper than going with a new tractor. An older 1070 wouldn't have any electronics and it has larger front tires. I'd recommend only going with 4 wheel drive too. My opinion would be to skip the mid mount mower and get a rear mower, like a brush hog.

 

[EastenerWesterner]

Bobcat is made by Kioti, I believe.
When I was looking, the 2nd closest dealer to me had Massey and Mahindra. They also leased to the corporate farms and then sold the lease returns with a new loader added on. Worked out to be a pretty good deal with 300 hours that only pulled crop wagons.
My choices were a 34h Massey with computer or 25h Mahindra (this model made by Mitsubishi) with no computer. I have been happy with the Mahindra.

 

[Proud Prepper]

I was the operator on a shovel over the past weekend and I'm still sore in places. Needed some dirt spread, had a deadline (July 2nd), contacted two owner/operators, two equipment rental outfits and a neighbor. All the rentals were out on the holiday weekend. Anyway, missed the deadline and my delusion of renting a tractor whenever I needed one is gone forever. I've been wanting a tractor/loader since I could say tractor so its about to happen. Been looking for a 80's to early 90's subcompact with loader and mid-mount mower for 20 years and those are just unicorns.
Looking at a green 1025r and orange, blue or white equivalents.
The nearest Case dealer is 60 miles way -more than I want to drive for service. All the others are closer but at least 30 miles away from home. Bobcat seems to have a Korean diesel so its out. Kubota may make their own engines and the New Holland and Deere have the same yanmar engine.
Of course JD is the most expensive, with the lowest specs when higher is better -except for turning radius which JD is way better than the others. Cost wise, the others list in the same ballpark.
I want to know the good/bad of these brands in the subcompact market.
Will a 1025r run and without the electronics working? Can the computer be bypassed when it breaks? It has no DEF and is indirect injection. I believe the injector pump may be mechanical but I'm not sure. I'll be surprised if the salesman knows. I've been in IT for 25 years and I hate the though of a computer on a tractor.
I will be getting the loader and mid-mount mower when I buy.
What else do I need to look for?

My choice would be an old used tractor, like a Kubota L series. Your best bet is to service it yourself. Buy the tools to repair it. Learn how to repair it. Download all the repair video's and manuals for it now and store a backup of them.

 

[M0del_31]

I'm not afraid to mechanic but until I'm retired, I just don't have time to do it. Not trying to sound arrogant but I come out money ahead just going to work and paying somebody else to mechanic. I've been layed back in my quest, looking for the unicorn and occasionally they pop up in PA, NY or OR. I'm not willing to buy sight unseen and I'm not traveling that far to take peek. Finding a single used one with everything, near by just ain't happening. I will probably do some select "for hire" mowing and loader work to make the payment. One job a month will probably cover it. Considering how hard it is to get anybody to work anymore, I'm kind of worried about word getting out and getting inundated with calls like I do with IT . It seems I spend every waking moment doing for others -even away from the office. I'd really like a old reliable tractor but I've given up that so I'm mainly soliciting input on which modern tractors/models are crap.

 

[Brent S]

I drove about 5 hours to buy my kubota with the backhoe and loader. Found it on Craigslist. Was a bit further than I wanted to go but the price was good enough. I’ve been really pleased with this one. My last machine was a full sized kubota with the backhoe and I do miss the extra power it had sometimes. The smaller machine will still dig up a stump but it takes longer. I haven’t gotten a finish mower for it yet but likely will when my riding lawnmower dies. Haven’t removed or installed the backhoe yet but imagine it’s not too difficult. As far as brands go I’m 100% pro on kubotas. Tough and great resale value. I too let the dealer service it last since I can make more money doing electrical work right now. When I retire at the end of the year I will do more things like that myself. All I am sure of is in Georgia you don’t dig holes by hand. Having a machine isn’t a luxury but a necessity.

 

[Arcticdude]

I'm not afraid to mechanic but until I'm retired, I just don't have time to do it. Not trying to sound arrogant but I come out money ahead just going to work and paying somebody else to mechanic. I've been layed back in my quest, looking for the unicorn and occasionally they pop up in PA, NY or OR. I'm not willing to buy sight unseen and I'm not traveling that far to take peek. Finding a single used one with everything, near by just ain't happening. I will probably do some select "for hire" mowing and loader work to make the payment. One job a month will probably cover it. Considering how hard it is to get anybody to work anymore, I'm kind of worried about word getting out and getting inundated with calls like I do with IT . It seems I spend every waking moment doing for others -even away from the office. I'd really like a old reliable tractor but I've given up that so I'm mainly soliciting input on which modern tractors/models are crap.

Come on now, it takes 10 minutes to change oil and another 5 to grease it. Even my time isn't that valuable.
Seriously, there's nothing wrong with buying used, but I understand about buying new too. So far the only used equipment that I've bought for the ranch was a 10 foot disc harrow. Everything else was new.
I dont think you'd go wrong with any of the new compact tractors on the market today. Besides, many of them are built in the same factory. They just have different color paint. If its any interest to you, many manufacturers offer 0% interest financing. I always take advantage of the 0% financing and then pay it off at my leisure.

 

[M0del_31]

Come on now, it takes 10 minutes to change oil and another 5 to grease it....I always take advantage of the 0% financing and then pay it off at my leisure.

The 0% seems like a sweet deal but there is a $750 cash JD discount so they're monkeying with the numbers. Stretched out of 72-84 months it is still a savings. Its not so much about changing oil as ordering the right parts, injectors, clutch, brakes, hoses/connectors...etc and sending them back for the more right ones. I change starters, rebuild carburetors and do all the tire rotation and lube maintenance. That's about as deep as I want to get into it. If I can't wrap it up in 2-3 hours, I'm out. Thanks for all the input.