Montana R series Tractors What do you think

[JackMentink]

I don't see much comment from people on the Montana R-series. I have available a good price for a new 3644. I would like to hear from some of you what have been your experiences on the r series tractors. What do you like about them, what do you dislike? Please give me a little feedback so I can make an informed decision.

[rumproast]

Of all the tractors I tried out, the R2844 and R3644 were two of the best. At first I thought I wanted a TC30 but the R3644 blew it away for about the same money. The farmtrac 270dt is nice cheap (no longer available) and the same as the montana 2740.
I too have made inquiries here about the R2844 but have gotten very few if any replies (probably because of the stupid name I chose - I was hungry at the time).
The ergonomics of the R series are excellent.
The loader, when adj properly, is powerful.
rear remotes are a big big plus.
great 3 pt lift specs.
very good working synchro shuttle- It did not grind for me when I even used it without a clutch - not recommended though. It seemed to work better for me than the Kioti ck35 shuttle (notice I said for me so that I don't get attacked by Kioti lovers)
mitsubishi 4 cyl - great power - I could not get it to bog down before spinning tires (2844) in low range but a little loud with the R3644.
I really like the parking handbrake

The only dislike I have is with the transmissin speeds. Why bother having a 12 speed trans if there is no crawl speeds. I will be rototilling and snow blowing and sometimes you need to go less than 1.03 mph especially with a 28 hp machine (I try to never ride the clutch). Who really wishes they had more choies between 8 and 13 mph? not me

Oh yeah- the plastic pto drop speed adj knob is cheap- light duty feeling.
could be wrong though.
The best price of the 3 Montana dealers in my area were:
$15500 + tax for a left over R2844
$16500 + tax for a 07 R3644

If I were offered a R3644 for $15,000 I would not think about it long that is a very great price.

By the way, one of the montana dealers offered me a list of references on the R series. Of all the ones he sold he has had only 2 repairs - a blown hose and a broken joy stick.
I myself am down to the wire and the R2844/3644 is still in the final cut. The 3040 has the crawl speeds but no more are available in my area.
Good luck on a tough decision.

[MtnViewRanch]

I too like the R series tractors, been looking at an R4944 for over a year, sure seems like the R series tractors are nice machines. I like the sizing of these machines too. The 66" wide bucket seems like it would be a nice size to have, big enough to get some dirt moved, but small enough to be able to maneuver well. Pricing is good too, compared to other brands in my area anyway. Just can't bring myself to buy it when I don't really need it as much as I just want it. Have you guys looked at or seen the new U series tractors? They look like they might be even nicer than the R series.

[simonsben]

i have a R4344 - gear drive 16/16 with a FEL, 6 foot bush hog, and a 6 foot box blade. it has about 250 hours on it and we use it to mow 10 acres, grade a riding ring and dirt road and other misc tractor things in the neighborhood.

we later added a 3-point quick attach. it is super heavy duty and makes a HUGE difference in my enjoyment of the tractor.

it is a great tractor and i have had no trouble with it (knocks on wood).

i just serviced everything this weekend - all filters and new oil and hydro oil - drained 12 gallons out of it!

my only complaints - no tool box and the traction lock is difficult to engage.

if anyone has a tool box solution please let me know.



we looked at the New Holland TC 45 and the kubota of similar horsepower - the 4344 blew them both away based on price, ergonomics, drive-ability and power. i am as green as the tractor when it comes to this stuff but i did plenty of research and used my neighbor's JD 4300 for a few hours to get a feel for what i wanted.

Ben

[simonsben]

here's a pic of my tractor when it was new... it now has a sun shade and many nicks and scratches and

[skipro3]

My 4344 HST at work. I've never owned a tractor and figured out that the time to find out what she can do is during the warranty. So... I picked up rocks and placed them for landscaping.



I'm glad I had that backhoe on the back for ballast. I think the tractor would have tipped forward with all that weight otherwise.