Buying Advice JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price

   / JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price #1  

Great Grego

New member
Joined
Nov 27, 2013
Messages
11
Location
Gunter,Texas
Tractor
Mahindra 3616 HST FEL
Here is My dilemma I have been looking and comparing and have come to a a tough choice. I can get a Mahindra 3016 with FEL and finish mower for 19,516 out the door OR I could get JD 3038 with FEL, finish mower and box blade and tires filled and delivered 20,375 out the door.

Facts: Mahindra has removable FEL ?I like this feature a lot), 5 year warranty, foldable ROPS I would have to buy a box blade $900
JD has 8 more HP and 9 more PTO hp ?4 at home visits for scheduled maintenance included (except air cleaner) from dealer 3 year warranty (dealer will include 4th year of warranty if under 1000 hours)

both dealers are equal distance 15 miles/ both dealers are good and have reputable service

I will be using the tractor on 12 acres 100% flat pastures for mowing, barn cleaning,poop spreading and gravel road maintenance. I want to use a finish mower on the 2 acres around the house. I would like to pull a ground implement to smooth out pasture and FEL to clean up the ponds that have filled with silt.
I just can't decide.
Any comments, opinions or criticisms are welcome.
 
   / JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price #2  
Have you tried both? See which dealer will let you have one for a few days at home for a trial.
 
   / JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price #3  
Can you equip either with a Quick Attach? If so, it minimizes the need to remove the loader. It would eat up a little of your lift, however. I would say that if the removable loader is a big deal then the Mahindra is the best choice. Otherwise the Deere will have greater resale in most cases. 9 more PTO HP is quite a bit.
 
   / JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price #4  
My choice between JD and Mahindra was easier. My JD dealer was superior to the M dealer. But a big thing was also the comfort and feel of the JD. I tried all the major brands and colors and found that, for me, the JD was easier to operate. I never take off the FEL, so that is no issue for me. I had other tractors and, even when you could take it off, found it was rarely or never worth the effort. But all uses are individual.
 
   / JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price
  • Thread Starter
#5  
I am leaning toward the JD 3038e. apples to apples for the exact same implements final price is less than 300 difference between the 2 JD is an american built tractor with a yanmar engine. almost 9 PTO hp difference is almost 30% more. I have heard that It is a must to have a PTO at least 25hp….. I guess I can live with the loader staying attached but the JD has the quick attach bucket mahindra does not. I have driven both and they are very similar to me. thank you for the input I will post my decision as soon as I make it. This forum has helped me out so much, thank you to all who post here and let us lurkers gain knowledge.
 
   / JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price #6  
almost 9 PTO hp difference is almost 30% more. I have heard that It is a must to have a PTO at least 25hp…..

I guess I can live with the loader staying attached but the JD has the quick attach bucket mahindra does not.

On a percentage basis, 9 HP is huge at that HP range. PTO HP is one of the most important things to me when considering a tractor. Some tractors lose an amazing amount between the engine and PTO.

If the JD has a quick attach, I think you will find that dropping the bucket gains you most everything that disconnecting the loader does as far as maneuverability goes. That ~3 feet out front is what seems to hit things as you maneuver.
 
   / JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price #7  
I think most people never take their FEL off anyway. I'd rather have a QA bucket on a non-QA FEL than a non-QA bucket on a QA FEL. Sounds to me like the JD is the right choice. As Tom said, 9 PTO HP is huge.
 
   / JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price #8  
   / JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price #9  
My choice would be the Mahindra 3016, for the following reasons. The 3016 is heavier, the loader lifts almost 500 lbs. more than the 3038e, and the 3016 has the 3 range HST, compared to 2 range on the Deere. Also, in case you are considering it in the future, I don't believe Deere offers a backhoe for the 3038e,
TractorData.com Mahindra 3016 tractor attachments information
TractorData.com John Deere 3038E tractor attachments information

At first blush, I would lean toward the JD, mainly for resale. After reading your post, I am no longer so sure. Great points! And this is from a Kubota owner (no dog in this fight).
 
   / JD 3038e vs Mahindra 3016 almost same price #10  
I'm glad there are only two choices here or we'd get the regular 17 million answers as to which tractor to buy. As always, everyone's situation is different but it may help t hear how others arrived at the their tractor choice w/o telling you which one to get as that is a total personal choice on how one uses their tractor. I had the exact same choice. What made me buy the Mahindra was the fact that most of the tractor is metal. As I use my tractor most of the time skidding with my forest having many ground obstructions, I questioned the fact of the JD using plastic for floor boards and having an aluminum differential case instead of cast iron. I needed weight as well as pulling a tree stem weighing 2500# would be easier with a heavier tractor. As I do not use a pto, hp meant nothing to me with traction being the largest criteria. The extra lift capacity that the Mahindra has also fits into my world better. As far as trade in value or resale? The JD dealer was giving me $1800 for my JD 750. The Mahindra dealer showed me $7000 or very close as to what a street price would be if i were trying to sell my own tractor.
I liked neither hydro. I am used to being able to "lug" the tractor almost near idle to work in a traction scheme. With the hydro, both tractors were screaming rpm wise. May not mean as much if you are cutting grass as you'd be in upper rpm ranges anyway. The shuttle on the Mahindra makes it very easy to transfer direction so for me, hydro was no great love loss. The 3016 comes with a skid steer type bucket attachment so you can get a wide choice of fel implements from just about any manufacturer. You do not deal with snow so there are no concerns there. For me, having a foldable rops was critical. I wpuld not be able to get the tractor into any of my buildings otherwise. The last thing I would consider with your pricing being so close between the two is pricing. $8 -$17 per month extra if you are financing is a minuscule amount compared having a tractor doing what you need it to do on a daily basis. Personally, I wouldn't care if there was a $2000 difference because what good is a tractor costing less to me if it cannot do what I need it to do. These are some of the reasons behind my decision. As to whether my criteria hold any merit is meaningless to others. These are my criteria and if it helps you at all, great. Good luck with your choice.
 
 
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