Howdy and welcome to the site. I have a '09 5403 and am absolutely satisfied pleased with it. It has everything done I have asked of it, and then some. I am coming up on 400 hours and it still has its shine in spite of the mud, dust, manure, snow, and sun exposure it has been through. As far as quality goes, it is everything you'd expect from a Deere. The only defect that I see is the paint has begun to 'boil' around the grab handle on the fender. And eventhough my tractor is not barn or shed kept (it stays outside), the rusting is contained at that one spot. As a matter of fact, it is still green. Eventhough it has bubbled some, the paint has not chipped or flaked yet. You might do alright with 2WD, but the MFWD will indeed make a world of difference. Definitely when doin loader work. But, even when I am pulling around the batwing, I find that I need the extra 'grab' of the front wheels pulling. Bottomline, go for it. You won't be disappointed.
Hawk