Should I buy a 5303?

[tedder]

I'm thinking of buying a 5303 with FWD and 522 loader and have been told by a JD sales person that these tractors are junk and will have no resale value. I can't afford anymore tractor and he knows it so I don't think he's trying to upsale me.

Does anyone have any experience with this series of tractors? Would apprciate any input because this will be a tractor i will keep along time. I will be using it to do a wide range of things such as brush hogging, mowing, hay baleing, loader work and operate a DR chipper/shreader.

Again thanks ahead of time for any input.

 

[Z-Michigan]

That's a pretty odd statement from a JD salesman. I wonder if he's accepted a job offer at a competing dealership nearby. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a 5303 MFWD and the 522. I have a predecessor, the 5105, and am very happy with it. Engineering and design for actual farm use - and not for brochure boasting - is absolutely top notch. Also, I think that is a very reasonable size tractor for the tasks you list, assuming you're doing small square bales or using a round baler that doesn't require too much PTO hp. I use my 5105 for mowing (brush cutter), FEL work, moving round bales, and some tillage and it works great for all those tasks. FYI, if your mowing needs would allow a bigger 8' or perhaps even 10' cutter, consider it. I got a 6' and really wish I had gone bigger; I have double the PTO hp I need to run a 6' in any normal conditions.

Unless you already own the implements you need, make sure you have money left over for implements. You will want more than you're initially planning on, and quality isn't cheap. If the 5303 wipes out all your cash, you might want to look smaller so you can afford necessary implements right away (of course, if you go much smaller you will start losing the ability to run a hay baler).

Also, if the 5x03 series is "total junk with no resale value" maybe you should buy a used one for 25% as much? Mention this to the salesman and let us know what he says. Ha ha ha.... I think with scheduled maintenance these tractors should last well over 30 years / 10,000 hours of use.

 

[drivadesl]

I had looked at a 5303 today, and am seriously considering buying it. I beleive it is well built, has plenty of power for my needs, and also believe the quality is top of the line. Its a John Deere FCOL!! I personally wouldn't buy a new tractor worrying to much about resale, since then it sounds like you may not be buying what you need. You have to judge whether it is gonna do the job for you. Trust your gut, and don't get to emotional about it. If it doesn't feel right don't do it, but don't let the salesman tell you what you should be buying. He'll be long gone when you're left figuring our why you listened to someone who has no understanding why you wanted it in the first place. Good luck with your purchase.

 

[greggh]

I am in the process of buying a 5203 and the JD salesman said this was the best built tractor for the money. He said these would run better longer than the CUT's because of the tractor being a basic tractor without all the bells and whistles. He said these were better tractors for doing real farming like baling hay etc. because of the stronger PTO. He said that they are made in India but they are made in a John Deere factory. I hope this helps alliviate your concerns.

 

[kennyd]

Tedder,
First, you need to find another dealer-or at least a different salesmen. Then, buy the tractor you can afford get to work!

 

[Gsquared]

Tedder
I bought a 5403 2WD in July and have 42 hours on it now. Not a lot, but I can only go to my farm on weekends (pesky need to feed the family). I really love it. I spent about 30 hours shredding 40 acres of chest high weeds with some thick Costal underneath. My 75 hp never noticed that the mower was back there. My salesman told me that the 5403 was a starter tractor so I told him I was a starter farmer. The guy at the parts counter said that there is little to break on the 5X03 series since it is such a basic model and they don't see them in the shop very often - I believe him, it is one massive piece of iron. Having to stop to shift is not the pain that I was worried about. After all the reason I bought the land and the tractor was to slow down and get away from the speed of city life.

Best of luck to you.

 

[ddivinia]

I'm thinking of buying a 5303 with FWD and 522 loader and have been told by a JD sales person that these tractors are junk and will have no resale value. I can't afford anymore tractor and he knows it so I don't think he's trying to upsale me.
-------

Run, don't walk to another dealer. This person sounds like a moron.

D.

 

[tedder]

Thanks for all the input I don't particularly like the sales person I've been dealing with but the deealer is in my town (Prague) so it's convenient. That said there's another dealer up in Stillwater thats about 55 miles away that I may visit. I'm working this deal through AQHA where I can get 15% off retail on the the tractor and 23% off retail on the loader so the cost of the tractor is around 25K and thats with I forgot to mention a set of weights on the rear and the deluxe canapy the one with lights and foam. It's kinda like getting a free loader. I really like the simple design of the tractor and think this will help with the reliability. The seat position is great I feel like it was custom fitted to me. My tractor I have now I have always felt like I needed to adjust the sitting position.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Financially that sounds like a great deal. But if the salesperson is representative of the dealer, I would steer clear, even look at other brands to get a better dealer.

 

[Westendorf-RR]

I see a lot of discussion about whether the tractor is reliable, what about the loader? What tasks do you want to accomplish with your loader? Westendorf offers a lot of features on our loaders that are not available on a JD loader.
1) Power-Mount (on and off in 2 minutes without tools, or stands). Hydraulics do all the work, automatically latches itself on. No pins to pound out or stands to attach.
2) Bigger Buckets, Quick Attach and Internal arm I-beam are standard features.
3) Excellent lift capacity (up to 3200# at full working height) and lift heights (up to 12') for the 5303.
4) Full line of attachments. Loaders are not an accessory for us - we focus on offering a complete material handling solutions. Attachments are listed at Front-End Loaders by Westendorf: loader for tractor, shade canopy, wagons, manure & landscaping equipment. - click on products/attachments.