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melmoth
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Hi, can anyone advise me about buying a tractor in France? Basically we have a field of approx 2 acres of  land and need a small tractor with a mowing attachment to bring it to some semblance of lawn (we have plans for a camp-site.). So, we need a fairly sturdy, reliable,  machine that is easily repaired (spare parts etc) in France. Is buying a tractor second hand in France a good option or are the new/old prices close together?

Any help at all will be greatly appreciated.

Brendan

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Bloody cheek.  Percherons of Briittany indeed.  [:D]

For a price comparison with second hand, there are umpteen agrisites online if you look for tracteur occasion.  This one is Europe-wide and multi-lingual.

http://www.agriaffaires.com

Local ParuVendu free papers always have old kit for sale but for VFM old kit looks grossly overpriced compared with Albert's mate's stuff, if just for preparing and looking after a wee 2 acre patch.

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before you buy, look on google for the make/model+ problem/service/complaint/etc.

I bought a 2nd hand John Deere, and was very pleased with it for the 1st couple of years. Now it needs a belt replacing - simple enough, I thought! Turns out the manuals are available only if you pay (a lot) and don't help much, there are forums aplenty full of people complaining that the after-sales consists of paying lots of money to get things done, and every little thing is made into a money-making opportunity for the manufacturer.
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Hmm thats an interesting thought about John Deere machinery.  On another forum (mentioning no names) I got slated for suggesting someone look at the McCullough tractor mowers at  Leclerc.  We actually got a great deal because it was an end-of-line-sale and it does the job admirably - we are pleased with it.  However this other person insinuated that you must be some sort of cretin to even think about buying anything other than a JD but who has the last laugh now huh???   The McCullough is very simple mechnically - OH can service it and do most repairs himself.

As to tractor, we bought a 2nd hand Kubota with grass deck, digger arm and front bucket in UK and shipped it over.  It was FAR cheaper in UK even factoring in transportation costs, plus ours is in VGC as it spent its previous life trundling around a suburban golf course before it came here to neck-high grass.

 

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We have a Jinma which we bought here also for cutting vast areas of long grass. It has been ok , various things have needed replacing. There used to be a place in Bordeaux which sold the parts, but it closed down. So we have them sent over from UK.

Now we have less land it's not often used.

Don't ask how much we paid, It was too much.

As Framboise says they are cheaper in the UK. If you are clever mechanically you can have one sent over in kit form and assemble it yourself.

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Hey Cassis, that's a great site for 2nd hand agri kit!  I've always fancied a Unimog but not known where to buy one.

Actually for a wjile now I've been after a 'Walking tractor' and tehre are loads for sale on that site.  That'll keep me busy looking through that lot while it's raining.

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[quote user="Patf"]

If you are clever mechanically you can have one sent over in kit form and assemble it yourself.

[/quote]

And if you're not, you'll have a load of nuts, bolts and springs left over for spares.

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[quote user="Albert the InfoGipsy"]

You could try these, if the budget will stretch to it.

http://www.tracteurs-percheron.fr/index.html

It's actually a British (Welsh, mostly) outfit, based in Brittany, that a friend works for.

 

[/quote]

Equipment such as dual independently controlled rear spool valves     WOW, I bet you can have real fun with those  [8-)]

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many thanks - I, too wondered about differing costs UK and France and suspected that buying UK and shipping could be a good option. Because our ground is basically a field there's lots of ups and downs so we would need something quite strong with as wide a cutting width as possible. A French neighbour bought a new Kubuta for approx 1O K euros, at that time that worked out at roughly 6-7 K pounds but now its's nearer 8-9 which for us is a LOT of money. I know it's an impossible question but I'll ask it amyway - what sort of price would I expect to pay for a suitable new or secondhand UK bought tractor? i.e. what's the cheapest you think I should look at below which it's just not worth taking the risk? Basically we want to cut the grass in a reasonably flat field and do other basic large garden stuff like transporting logs etc.

Also any wonderful new thoughts on how to get rid of a smalll sea of brambles?

chers and thanks to all

Brendan

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A farmer friend of mine recently imported a second hand UK tractor - also on the basis that it was far cheaper than buying here.  (He drove it from Caen and it broke down just outside Alencon at 2 o'clock in the morning (about half an hour away).)
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[quote user="melmoth"]Also any wonderful new thoughts on how to get rid of a smalll sea of brambles?

[/quote]

Get a couple of pigs or goats?  Seriously, I know of someone who did this on about a hectare of bramble jungle and after about 6 months or so, not only had a completely clear plot but also some great bacon.

Don't think about cutting/strimming the brambles.  Each little piece the size of your little finger that you leave is a viable new plant!

Burn if you can and dig out as much as possible.  Chemical methods if you must but this has many down sides to it for the environment and any future planting.

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For brambles - our Jimna cut through a big area of really dense brambles. Then you need to rake them up and burn them. Not easy. Then keep cutting as they re-emerge.

This was successful, and grass grew eventually to take their place.

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I'm just wondering how you make bacon from goats ......

and shredding brambles with a brush cutter is fine, they die off in the sun and leave lots of little bits to get in the mower tyres - haha  Dead brambles are worse than live ones !

Re tractors.  Well, decide first on what you need.  Normal or mini size (or super large - yes !!!); Tractor width; 4wd; horse power; cat 1 2 or 3 3 point lift; power steering; hydraulics over the standard stuff; front bucket; cabin; ROPS ( a must); independent PTO.  Air con (only kidding, you wouldn't be asking this q if you were in the market for a tractor with A/C !). These are the basics.  All cost but if you buy the wrong tractor, it'll cost you more to retro fit.

2nd, consider 2nd hand over Chinese.  Whilst the Chinese ones look attractive, lots of bits, not much money, there are really only toys being of poor quality and  made to a price IMO .  A good make (MF ; JD ; Deutz Fahr ; Claas/Renault etc)  will last practically for ever whilst the Jimna / Stiromar things will be lost in a hedgerow, dead due to poor quality engineering and no parts and no one prepared to buy it off you.  However 2 nd does require some mechanically knowledge to keep it running.  Jap tractors (Kuboto etc) are good, but the price of parts will make you cry ! A well kept good make 2nd hand tractor will keep its price (and can even increase in value), assuming you dont pay over the odds for it in the first place.

Have a drive around and look in the local agricultural places.  Loads of 2nd hand available for 1000 euro up.  Dont worry about the age, its condition you are looking at.  How many hours ?  A good make simple 40 year old with 8000hrs (1k - 3k euro) could be just what you need ?  Alternatively, if you are going to be doing alot of tractor work, a more complex 20 yr old with 3000 hrs (5k euro +) would be a better choice.  Check out ebay and the local papers, loads of stuff available and some bargains too, but as always keep your wits about you.  Many a farmer is looking to make money and ripping of those english seems to be a favourite sport !  The problem with not buying local is transport.  Many tractors weigh 2 tonne minimum (not Chinese though - says something I think) and not many cars can tow at that weight.  Don't forget the price of tractor tyres when you buy 2nd hand (ouch !).

If all you want is to mow 8000m2, then look at the big sit-on mowers with a proper transmission, could be just the thing ?   However, if you do get a tractor, a benne(transport box) makes a great wheel barrow replacement and there is always something else to buy.  You find you suddenly have the means to prepare large areas of ground, make and turn big bonfires etc etc etc - I'm currently in the market for a giro, 800 euro min !

A word of warning.  Get someone to show you how to drive the tractor as they do not handle like a car and sadly, accidents (nasty ones) are all too frequent.  Do a Google on tractor accidents / tractor roll overs / tractor bias weighting and prepare to be shocked.  A ROPS is no good if the seat belt is not used or working ....

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Many thanks Tracteurtom- an enormous help which has diffused a lot of the mystery - a real mine of information.

cheers

Brendan

PS thanks for all other replies too - I'm new to the forum and am vastly impressed with all your helpfulness.

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No problem Melmoth, I'm pleased you found it useful.  If you need anymore info, just post.

and thanks for saying thanks, its much appreciated, something thats not to common on this forum I've found.  [:P] to those that dont [:)]

 

Why did the spell checker kick out Air Con ?  Thats Air Conditioning or A/C or clim in french, bizarre.

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