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.

 

[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.

 

[unreconstructed]

There has been a lot of discussion about this series of tractor over the last couple of years on TBN. I do not remember seeing anything negative. I remember Cowboy Doc having postive comments--his comments are one reason I bought a 5203. Since the series now has a 4WD offering, I would say this is one heck of a little tractor.

I really do like mine. If I wanted to spend the money, I would have no hesitation to get a 4wd model.

The manager of the JD house where i bought my 2320 has a 5103. Since I already had one, he wasn't trying to sell me one. He loves his.

I have the 512 loader which is a permanent mount. don't think the JD offers the 522 which is a quick detach on 2WD. Anyway, the bucket comes off in a snap. I have a large bucket also for my 5203 for moving prickley pear.

The salesman who told you this tractor is junk---I agree with the other posters. Leave that guy in the dust and go elsewhere.

 

[RollingsFarms]

if you have any questions i have the spec sheet for the 5003 series.

 

[Z-Michigan]

I'm quite amused by the Westendorf advertisement. Maybe they make good loaders; sound good, but I had never heard of them before. In any case, JD makes among the very best tractor loaders made by anyone, anywhere, and JD actually makes them itself at their Welland factory. I have a 522 FEL and it works great. I would like it if the valves had a better split in double-acting mode, but it works great overall. As for height and weight - I would be absolutely terrified to lift any more weight than the 522 will handle, and I never, ever use the full height. Maybe you can build a FEL that will lift more and higher, but it would be far beyond reasonable for the frame size of a 5x03 tractor, and would probably require absolutely incredible amounts of ballast (I need about 2000lbs ballast, per the JD manual, for my 522 FEL). I would stick with the 522.

I'm happy with my 5105 (again, very similar to the new MFWD 5x03). I would like a cab and a power-shuttle, but those are both fancier features available on the 5225 for lots more $$. Nothing else is missing, and I'll even say that while MFWD is nice to have, it's rarely necessary for ordinary farm or property maintenance tasks done in an intelligent manner.

 

[kennyd]

I'm quite amused by the Westendorf advertisement.

EVERY post he has made since joining TBN (24 when I just checked) has been an advertisment.

 

[tedder]

Westendorf-RR, What do I need to order on the 5303 as far as hydralics? I don't want to loose any rear hookups. JD has a mid hyd package with a joy stick i would assume I would not get that?

 

[tedder]

thanks kennyd i didn't see your post.

 

[Westendorf-RR]

Z-Michigan, you've probably never heard of us since we don't advertise. Our reputation has been built over the years by word of mouth only. Tell me what company could survive on word of mouth for nearly 75 years if they didn't have a quality product. Ask around (your dad or grandfather) and let me know what you find out.

Our main goal is to make a loader that "fits". A loader that fits your tractor well, can lift more and feel more comfortable during operation. Compare it to wearing a pair of work gloves that are too big or too small. The further out front the loader sits, the more tippy the tractor will feel and the more ballast it will require.

I'm just letting you know there are other options out there.

To answer the hydraulic question, all our loaders are available with hydraulic joysticks and valve options to keep your rear ports open for other attachments.

 

[CWP37]

Do those loaders come in green?

I would not hesitate to buy a 5303. Great tractor for the price.

 

[Westendorf-RR]

They sure do... I'd paint you one pink if that's what you wanted. Here's a new color we started using last year and the "wives" really like it...

 

[Turkflyer]

That series is the most reliable tractor that Deere makes. It has the lowest warranty of any Deere self-propelled machine. As to the loader, the 522 Quik Tach loader will fit as well as the 512.