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In Reply to: Comparisons of compact tractors posted by Phillip Cooper on Saturday, September 24, 2005:
Phillip, that's a difficult and quite involved question to answer as it partly depends on your intended use(s).
From the quantitative side, I'd compare all specs I could get my hands/eyes on:
Engine - 3 or 4 cylinder, turbo or not, direct or indirect injection, cubic inches/cc (usually bigger have better torque curve to back up hp rating), rated rpm (usually slower is better for long life)
Transmission - hydro or manual; if latter, # of gears; shuttle shift, sliding gear, or collar shift
4WD or 2WD
PTO - fully independent vs. live vs. transmission driven
3 PT - rated pump and lift capacities (this one can be tricky, as there is not standard on where to measure lift capacity - i.e. at lift point, or 24" behind, the latter being a more accurate estimate)
Standard Equipment - gages, remote hydraulics connections, lights & turn signals...
Weight - heavy good for ground engaging implements like loader work, lighter better for mowing
Tires - usually a variety of sizes available, but for the sake of comparison, just look at standard offering as usually optional ones cost more $$
Fuel Capacity
Ground Clearance
Turning Radius - with and without brakes
Dimensions - Wheelbase, Width, and Height
ROPS - Folding or fixed
Steering - power or not? If power, separate pump, or slaved to tractor hydraulics? Rated capacity?
FEL - rated capacities and specs, ease of attach/removal, single joystick vs. dual lever control, self-leveling, rollback and dump angles?
On the subjective side, nothing beats putting your butt in the seat:
ROPS - Folding or fixed, kind of matters if you want to park it in a standard garage
Control locations - where are all the levers, pedals and switches located? How easy is it to get on and off?
Operator Platform - Flat deck, semi flat, or center hump?
Fuel fill location
Dealer - Longevity and support history, comfort level?
I probably missed a few, but this should get you started.