Buying Advice L3800 or MX4700 or MX5100?

[TripleR]

When I worked in the game preserve years ago, I was the one that spent most of the time on the John Deere 1010 we had. Mostly I was mowing rough fields, (the boar sure would root them up) and any place I could find to get in to, and keep trimmed, and I would do that for many days at a time. I had just returned from Vietnam, and it was good for me to take a lunch, pack my handgun, and just head out for the full day, returning to the lodge late in the day. The preserve is 36,000 acres so sometimes we would move the tractor by truck to be closer to where I had to mow for a few days. The back tires on that 1010 stuck out an inch, or two on both sides of the flat bed truck, and no matter how tight you cinched it down, (never thought to air down, and then air back up after I cinched it down) it would bounce a little as you drove along, or feel like it was anyway. Driving that truck with the tractor on it was sure one of my least favorite things to do! Still, being outside on that tractor all day, every day with Elk, (though only in the highest places in the summer) Russian wild boar, deer, and all kinds of other wildlife around was a good way to "come down" from the war, and ease back into civilian life. The places I chose for my lunch were often beautiful, and always peaceful. That was a gas 2wd tractor, and we had a loader on it, but it wasn't great for loader work. The manager of the preserve grumbled about that tractor all the time, but after shoveling hundreds of spreader loads of manure by hand, hydraulics were a wonderful thing to me.
So, sorry to go off track, but that picture of the tractor in the truck sure brought back some nice memories.

I always enjoy your posts Chuck and I am sure others do as well.

 

[ravencr]

Just realized it's the glideshift and I'd prefer the hydro I'm pretty sure.

Chris

 

[ravencr]

Well, just a quick update. I went to another dealer today to look some more, and he said I should look heavily at the Grand L3540's and didn't really need more tractor than that. So, he let me drive it, and I have to admit I like the extra features it had with the HST+, that's for sure. He also mentioned that although that standard loader is the LA514, he could swap out the loader for the LA724 no problem at all, and that would give me approximately 500lbs more lift capacity and a larger bucket. He also recommended that if I did that, to fill the tires and get 3 sets of rear wheel weights to keep it stable due to the larger capacity bucket.

This decision is growing harder and harder every day. Anyone have any comments in regards to this dealer's recommendation versus the original dealer I visited that recommended the L3800? Or anything else for that matter...

Chris

 

[ravencr]

That's what I'm still wondering too, honestly. Do I really need all the bells and whistles or would I be fine with the entry level one? I have no idea...lol.

Chris

 

[teg]

Chris, Do you have a budget?

 

[ravencr]

Mentally speaking, I'd prefer to spend less than $30K on whatever I decide, but it's not a firm budget really. I'd prefer to get the best thing I can for the lease amount of money...lol. I'm not opposed to buying used either. It's just deciding what's really needed and what's not that's hard for me, since I've never used one before. If I had experience using them for years, I'd say this would be a much easier decision. Things like the remote valves, the top n tilt, 3rd valve up front, etc all seem to be really nice features, not to mention the features that come with the Grand L's, but I'm just wondering if I'll miss them or not, and then it's just a matter of deciding just how big of a tractor do I really want size wise.

Chris

 

[teg]

I deleted my post that said "I bet the L3800 would work just fine for you... but if you got the extra cash, go for it..." since I wanted to add more information.

I bought a L2800 (fewer hp but the same "entry level" "economy" tractor). It was all I could afford at $16k. It so far has been more tractor then I needed. I had thought about upgrading to the Grand L since I could afford to do it a couple years later but I really didn't need to. I did decided instead to put some cash into "extra" stuff like Top-n-Tilt and a Grapple. That's been the best thing I did since I bought the tractor... If I upgraded I would not have had the money for that... Don't be Tractor Rich and Implement Poor.

Take your time, figure implements into your price (either now or used) If you want the most for the money... Look for used stuff for a while. I've seen good deals.... Like this: Kubota B3030 Tractor with Loader - $13595

Kubota B3030 Tractor with Loader

 

[ravencr]

So, are you saying get an economy lined tractor, but with the front and rear remotes instead of worrying about the extra stuff like tilt wheel and hst+? I think a grapple would be handy for cleaning up the rear of our property, but after it's clear, we'd be done using it. I think the TNT is probably super handy, but I'm not sure it's so handy that I can't jump off the tractor and adjust things manually and then hop back on and keep working.

Chris

 

[TripleR]

Well, just a quick update. I went to another dealer today to look some more, and he said I should look heavily at the Grand L3540's and didn't really need more tractor than that. So, he let me drive it, and I have to admit I like the extra features it had with the HST+, that's for sure. He also mentioned that although that standard loader is the LA514, he could swap out the loader for the LA724 no problem at all, and that would give me approximately 500lbs more lift capacity and a larger bucket. He also recommended that if I did that, to fill the tires and get 3 sets of rear wheel weights to keep it stable due to the larger capacity bucket.

This decision is growing harder and harder every day. Anyone have any comments in regards to this dealer's recommendation versus the original dealer I visited that recommended the L3800? Or anything else for that matter...

Chris

That is pretty darned close to what I would get except wheel weights are really expensive and I would probably put the money toward a heavy box blade, back blade etc. or ballast box for ballast/counter weight, so you are not lugging the extra weight around all of the time.

Mentally speaking, I'd prefer to spend less than $30K on whatever I decide, but it's not a firm budget really. I'd prefer to get the best thing I can for the lease amount of money...lol. I'm not opposed to buying used either. It's just deciding what's really needed and what's not that's hard for me, since I've never used one before. If I had experience using them for years, I'd say this would be a much easier decision. Things like the remote valves, the top n tilt, 3rd valve up front, etc all seem to be really nice features, not to mention the features that come with the Grand L's, but I'm just wondering if I'll miss them or not, and then it's just a matter of deciding just how big of a tractor do I really want size wise.

Chris

I am not so sure about that. There are many members on here who have been on tractors since they had to stand up to have enough weight to push the clutch as well as members who use their tractors for a living as opposed to those who may do well to put 100 hours a year on one and each may give you a different slant on needs v wants.

Some people trade fairly regularly and some "buy for life". I think I am probably somewhere in between and while I buy intending to keep a tractor for a looooong time, I would not hesitate to trade it in if I found it did not meet my needs.

I bought a used L5030 because it was in immaculate condition with all of the maintenance records and I saved a considerable amount of money. I really like the HST+, but to me it was not worth the extra money of a totally new tractor. There are times I miss the features, but not enough to trade. I like TnT, but don't have it and as to the 3rd function valve, I don't have that either. When we bought our M8540 last year, we didn't get any of that stuff as our dealer said he would add it later for the same cost if we decided we wanted it, so far we haven't added anything to it and probably never will.

I would "like" to have one with a grapple, but I have been pushing trees/brush into piles and burning it or leaving it for wildlife cover all my life and all I would do with a grapple is move it somewhere else to burn or pile up for wildlife cover. Some operators wouldn't even think of not having a grapple and we are both right for "our needs".

Some of us don't even really "need" a tractor or multiple tractors, we just want them and like working with them.

Now you got me to thinking, I sure like the new L5740 I saw at my dealer's place the other day; wonder what kind of trade in I could get.:laughing:

 

[ravencr]

LOL...those are all good points. Interesting thought on the wheel weights too...didn't think about any of that, but that seems to be a valid point. I was mainly looking to have enough weight back there in the case I didn't have an implement on the rear all the time. Makes me think some more too...geez, I thought I had it narrowed down pretty well.

Chris