Should I buy a x540?

[Grockland]

Hey all,

I have a JD 265 that I'm looking to upgrade. An acquaintance of mine buys and sells tractors. He has two x540s that are in my price range. Both of them give me pause because they make a loud chirp when engaging the deck. After researching them a bit it seems like the PTO clutch is problematic. Other than that, they seem like nice machines. Here is an overview of both:

x540 A:
2008
54" deck
268 hours
HDAP tires
Engine kills sometimes, almost kills other times, chirps and big dip in rpms all the time PTO is engaged
$4750

x540 B:
2009
54" deck
498 hours
Turf tires
Engine dips slightly in rpms and chirps when PTO is engaged
$4250

I'd like to stick with JD because I have a dealer about 2 miles away. I like the features of the 540 (differential lock, hydraulic lift) but the PTO issues are disappointing. I don't really like the idea of spending $ on a repair right after buying a tractor, but if it would mean a better deal down the road I'd be willing to. Which machine seems like a better deal to you? I'm leaning towards B but I'm not sure.

Thanks for your input.

Greg

 

[coobie]

IMHO,both of those tractors are priced a little high.This winter helped a widow friend purchase a NEW 2015 JD X530 with 54 inch deck and paid $6,000 out the door.For the $1250 difference I would buy new with a full 4 year warranty.

 

[Deere Dude]

I would step on a new one and see if the PTO acts the same. I would think that is the normal sound as the belt engaging because of the heavy blades, or a robin built a nest on the deck.

 

[s219]

Those prices are a bit high for my tastes.

 

[beenthere]

You will find they will chirp when brand new... and it is normal IIRC.
Of course prices are "high" because JD used value does stay high. It's an investment, and if taken care of then the resale value will remain high.

Easy to go "cheap" and get something comparable size (Simplicity, Craftsman, YardMan, Kubota, etc.) but it just doesn't have the same "paint"..

 

[Boris1]

I have a 07 X540 and it has always made that sound. It's just the clutch engaging. I have approx 300 hrs on it and no issues other than
The battery needed changed Shortly after purchase (warranty) and a few decals coming loose (warranty). Power steering & hyd deck lift are nice features. Wish the deck was bigger and deeper, other than that it's been great. I think I gave $6500 new, can't remember exact figure.

Good luck.

 

[s219]

You will find they will chirp when brand new... and it is normal IIRC.
Of course prices are "high" because JD used value does stay high. It's an investment, and if taken care of then the resale value will remain high.

Easy to go "cheap" and get something comparable size (Simplicity, Craftsman, YardMan, Kubota, etc.) but it just doesn't have the same "paint"..

I think the prices he posted are too high for a 6-7 year old used JD. Those are basically dealership "asking" prices, but he's not buying from a dealer. At a minimum, I would haggle the prices down quite a bit.

I have seen the used pricing my local JD dealer puts on their riders, and I honestly have a hard time believing they find buyers (they may not for all I know, or maybe they expect to haggle a lot). I know what I paid new for my Deere LT mower long ago, and the way they price them used, you'd think they were made from precious metals. Not worth it for a used machine in my opinion, Deere or not. Full-on tractors hold their value, but riding mowers are still riding mowers at the end of the day, with lighter construction and air-cooled consumer engines.

 

[beenthere]

s219
The Deere LT mowers are in a completely different category from the X series.

And the older 4xx models (425, 445, 455) in good condition bring around $4-6,000 on CL or eBay. That was the best series in the Deere line-up, and went backwards a bit when changing up to the X series. IMO. For several reasons. And the used market reflects those reasons too.

If prices are "too high" then there are no buyers and the price will come down. Dealers have a cushion built in for a couple reasons.. one being a buyer coming back to the dealer for "fix up" problems, and the other is for negotiating trade-ins. The dealers can't run a business and not make some money in the process. For some reason they don't last long if they do not.

 

[s219]

s219
The Deere LT mowers are in a completely different category from the X series.

I am not really comparing across the series generations here -- I don't think I ever said anything about the LT and X being the same category. I have owned Deere riding mowers for almost 30 years now, and the series names and model ranges have changed many times over. As of the current model lineup, the X300 series loosely covers the middle range of the older LT models, but some previous LT features are only available in the X500 series now.

I am mainly comparing the price of used X series versus new X series and used LT series versus new LT series. Knowing what I paid for a new LT -- the most recent Deere mower I have bought -- I always thought prices for the used LTs to be ridiculous in subsequent years. And now the same goes for a used X-series. No way I would pay $4500-5000 for a 6-7 year old X500 series, that is just ridiculous. The X-series mowers do not carry the same build quality or longevity of the older Deeres like some of the old 400 series.

 

[MariahZ212]

I purchaed a used '08 X540 with 49 hours on it in 2012. It included the bumper guard, power flo bagger and baby moon hub caps for $4300. I looked for several months on tractor sites and Craigslist. The noise made from the PTO engegement is common and and I have never had a problem. I change the oil once a year and changed the transmission fluid when I purchased it. I have had no problems, but do keep a trickle charge on the battery. I agree that I think these prices are a little high, but it also depends upon what part of the country you are in. I also went to a truck tire company and found some used rims and had turf tires put on them. A little JD yellow paint and I can now swap the HDAP's with turf when I need them. This cost less than $150. The tractor has been awesome cutting my yard along with laying down 3 wooded acres.