4710 vs 4210 vs 2210: is it worth it?

[ebeb]

Looking at a used 4710 I may be able to get for $15k (2002, 250 hrs). i would buy a deck and loader for it so comparable cost is $19k or so

Other option is a used 4210 with a deck 1 yr old) for $15,500, with a loader it would be $18k or so

Other option is a 2210 with a deck and loader for $14,500

all 4wd

Is a 4710 worth $1k more than the 4210 and the 4210 worth $3500 more than a 2210?

have 20 acres, wooded, will be using for mostly mowing but digging, hauling, etc

thanks

eric

 

[timb]

Eric - need more info to do your question justice, but right off the top you mention 'mostly mowing'. I'm not one for a 'fairway-quality' lawn but a 4710 is one big machine for 'good' yard work, especially when ballasted enough to make it's power useful. If you mean field mowing/pasture maintenance that's a different story.

A 2210 is going to be undersized for a lot of tough tasks - but it depends on your needs. That 4210 may or may not be 'just right' but fill in your expectations clearer and I'm sure you'll get a ton f good info here.

 

[Hambone]

Wow. There is a big difference between all your choices. Maybe you could explain the digging hauling part a little more. That would help.

Your pricing on the 2210 is kinda high, for around here anyway.

 

[ebeb]

Thanks for the guidance so far.

I have around 7 mowable acres and 13 wooded acres. I am planning on getting a mid-mount deck for the machine (hear that mows nicer).

It isn't all field mowing, I want it to look nice but not necessarily like a fairway.

The working with it will be mostly related to general landscaping (mulch, topsoil, gravel), plowing snow in winter (1000 foot asphalt drive), and then some tree and brush clearing stuff (digging out stumps with a backhoe attachment, hauling away logs, some modest grading).

The 4710 is at auction and I have been told a good deal is possible on it.

I am really clueless and looking for guidance

thanks

 

[Hambone]

If you are considering a backhoe, you can scratch the 2210.

Have you considered two machines? MMM's are generally expensive.
One garden tractor to just mow with. You could use your tractor for heavy stuff.

 

[ebeb]

trying to get one machine to do it all

trying to figure out the biggest machine i can get to do the heavy work while still doing an acceptable job mowing

sounds like a 4210 is perfect while a 4710 may be large

any other ideas

 

[SteveH_CT]

My take is this - If the 4710 is in excellent condition I would really consider it. They are outstanding tractors and will do many things well. Is it worth $1000 more to me - oh yeah.

Someone else posted about using a smaller unit for mowing - I agree with that. I've got a 4310 with Ind. tires on it and it will beat up grass pretty quickly. Being Spring, and things are somewhat damp and the ground is soft I think even my size tractor would be an iffy choice for regular lawn mowing. I'm sure others do it, but my conditions aren't ideal for that much weight. Turf tires would help me with that, but I didn't get it for mowing anyway.

Good Luck searching.

 

[timb]

One additional comment regarding weight on the lawn.

It's not just the absolute poundage but how it's spread out - in other words the pounds per sq. foot of tire patch. I've had a little spreadsheet going to try to figure just that out to enable me to compare these compacts damage potential to what I know best on our property - an old 2WD Ford NAA, which is roughly the size of a big CUT. With loaded rear tires that (estimated) 3600 lb Ford can leave marks if it's wet but it is nothing compared to the 10,000 lb plus big IH diesels that the farmer who used to hay our ground used.

Anyway, my formula is crude since I've never been able to come up with an actual contact patch size spec - but with the 'normal' R1s a 4710 doesn't seem to put any more weight down per square inch than a 4310 with it's smaller tires. With the larger optional R1s (16.9-24) it's less than the 4310. Both are better than the Ford on the rear tires, worse on the front.

Now again - my spreadsheet is only a rough estimate but I believe it's fair to say that despite the heavier overall weight there probably isn't all that much difference between the 4310 and 4710 on specific ground pressure. And seeing what the Ford does to the lawn - both would probably leave marks especially if it's wet.

On the other hand - there are golf courses that use much bigger and heavier 5000 series JDs for greens keeping. Just takes the right (Galaxy) tires for the job to spread out the weight.

Whether or not you can FIT a 4710 where you need to go is another question.

Tim

 

[ebeb]

Great insights here.

Are turf tires a good solution? I guess the question is do they become useless when i want to roll into the woods and do work or work on a hill and grade some rough land/brush?

 

[DAP]

Again ... a widely swathed comparison ... let me draw an analogy:


Ford F350 Dually vs Nissan Titan vs Toyota Tacoma.

The JD4710 and the 4210 are VERY different machines from a performance standpoint. Also buying a MMM AND a loader for the 4710 would be MORE than you've intimated. $4k might get you one or the other, but not both.

As the others have said, the key is to figure out what you KNOW you need to do, then figure out what you DONT KNOW you need to do, then figure out what you'd LIKE to do, then figure out how fast you like to do all those things. At the end of the logic stream is a tractor you won't be disappointed with. Guaranteed.

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