Which Late Model Tractor is best for Nicaragua?

jellyghost

New User
I run a Catholic ministry called A Simple House, and we started a new mission in Nicaragua. We are building the mission on three acres of coffee plantation, and a tractor would be useful for the project. Our shipping container leaves from Kansas City this August. We are looking to get an affordable tractor with a few attachments.

My friend is a Allis Chalmers collector, and I am a small time Wheel Horse collector. My friend told me to look at 70s and 80s era diesel tractors. They are in our price range (3k to 7k). We need a pto and a three point hitch. Does this seem like a good idea? Do you have any suggestions? Can you tell me some shopping advice when evaluating a tractor?

I searched some used tractor classified in Nicaragua. John Deere, Ford, New Holland, and Kubota seem to have a presence, and there may be more support for those tractors.

Thanks in advance!
 
I'd pick the one with the best parts support in the country.

My cousin was on assignment at a "boys ranch" in Quito Equador about 15 years ago. Her dad, my uncle, went to visit a couple of times... one time with a bunch of IH
tractor parts in his suitcase!! The local dealer gave him a very handsome discount when he heard what they were for!

There has to be easier ways to get parts, though... so see who is best in country. You will need the support sooner or later.
 

Thank you for that advice. I think we would be in decent shape with JD, Kubota, or Ford. There weren't many tractors imported into the country during the 70s and 80s because of the political situation. Can dealers typically order late model parts?
It's hard to get a real sense of the dealer network because the internet isn't one of the strong points of Nicaragua.
 
Sorry to ask so many followup questions. I have been looking at Kubotas for about a week on CL. Most of them are being sold without a roll bar. If I wanted to buy a roll bar for an older Kubota, how would I find one?
 
Too bad you couldn't find one of the old Oliver diesels that was made to be sent down there. They had no electrical system at all since the humidity there is murder on them. They had an air powered starter. You used a lever to pump up a reservoir then let the air off to spin the starter.
 
(quoted from post at 14:09:55 06/26/17) Too bad you couldn't find one of the old Oliver diesels that was made to be sent down there. They had no electrical system at all since the humidity there is murder on them. They had an air powered starter. You used a lever to pump up a reservoir then let the air off to spin the starter.

OK just where are they supposed to get parts for one down there now?

I know you like your Olivers and I think they were a pretty good tractor but you could not give me one today if I needed it as a daily driver. Just very poor support for them here.

Rick
 

Don't let the parts question enter into your decision one bit! Believe it or not we are in the age of on line shopping. I used to try to support my local dealer until he cheated me badly on a service charge. Dealers carry very few parts, so even if the dealer is only 20 miles away, it is still a trip to order and a trip to pick up. You get it faster and cheaper buying from a dealer with an on-line store.
 
Look for a Ford 3600,4600, or 5600.
3000,4000, or 5000 are good tractors as
well. Stupid simple, but very reliable.
 
Look for something like a L 2900,3300 in the Kubotas and you will have a roll bar. You might go on back to a L 245 that was an extremely poplar and great tractor.
 
Come on! Do you think I was serious? I was just saying that there were some built specifically for export to that part of the world. They said batteries would be stolen in a heartbeat down there and that the weather was murder on the wiring. They solved both problems. The chance of ever finding one now would be about zero. I've never seen or heard of one ever turning up. I just know they made them to send down there.
 
I suspect these people would be better served by being re-introduced to oxen or horse farming. Would probably suit their culture much better. And they probably have enough of the older generation left there to teach the younger ones the use of animal power. Three acres doesn't justify a tractor but certainly nothing bigger than a Cub Farmall. Animal power equals no need for gas/diesel, parts, mechanical knowledge, etc. Some Christian friends in our area bought a tractor a few years ago and had it taken to an African country for an agricultural village to use. The next year when they returned to the village the tractor was sitting idle. It required a simple fix but no one there knew anything about how to fix it, or for that matter, even what was wrong with it.
 
(quoted from post at 08:01:28 06/27/17) I suspect these people would be better served by being re-introduced to oxen or horse farming. Would probably suit their culture much better. And they probably have enough of the older generation left there to teach the younger ones the use of animal power. Three acres doesn't justify a tractor but certainly nothing bigger than a Cub Farmall. Animal power equals no need for gas/diesel, parts, mechanical knowledge, etc. Some Christian friends in our area bought a tractor a few years ago and had it taken to an African country for an agricultural village to use. The next year when they returned to the village the tractor was sitting idle. It required a simple fix but no one there knew anything about how to fix it, or for that matter, even what was wrong with it.

Yea, that was the attitude about all of South America not too many years ago. About the only thing besides coffee beans, cocoa and bananas they were know for was beef. Now today several countries down there are major players in grain exports. They ain't all 3 acres.

Rick
 
The problem with oxen is they eat plants, which require land to grow. A measly 3 acres won't feed a team of oxen for a year, and I'm sure they're expecting to build some sort of compound on this land for the mission, and have a garden to feed people.
 
Late model John Deere 850,950, or 1050 diesel. Mine is a 1987 and the only parts I've bought for it is a battery, one fuse, and normal fluids. These utility tractor have a Yanmar engine and just sips the diesel and are very useful on small farms. A 3000 or 4000 Ford utility would also be a good choice. JMHO
 
Horse culture is alive and well in this area. Our 3 acres are from an old coffee plantation. The tractor is for grating the dirt roads in the neighborhoods, running a pto water pump, running a pto generator, and mixing concrete. There are also a variety of applications to help the poor neighbors.
The poor live in destitution and they don't even do simple gardening. We are trying to figure out why they don't help themselves with gardening. It may be because they don't have clean water or effective storage mechanisms. We hope to open a commercial kitchen in the rural area with potable water. This would allow the poor to can vegetables and prepare food for market.
 

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