New to Montana need owner imput

[Western]

Hey folks, I am in the learning curve of the Montana storm. I am considering the montana 3040, 4540, and was just introduced to the 3840. (You see how you start small then you see all them pretty bells and stuff),anyway, Please give me your owner opinions of these if you own/use 1, also opinions on the old/new style loader as far as pay more for the new convienance.
I like the extra hyd couplings added, fit for me is great, I think the seats suck, to hard, like one that folds,also dont like the 1 pc hood, flimsy.

I am also considering the DK35 Kioti and the 3510i Branson

I have had a JD 950 loved it, and a case 2390? I think, 150hp anyway. (would almost scare off a D6)..LOL
You know what I'm going through, no sleep, wont eat, alot of pouting and soul searching, get teary when I see some one with a new tractor, the basic tractor envy we all go through.

Any thoughts opinions would be super, After reading on here for weeks and registiring today I think there should be a counseling room for us that suffer..LOL thanks in advance

oh if you have bought from Cody Armstrong of A Tractor Shop, Springtown Tx please tell me about your thoughts
Thanks Dennis

 

[xxxsandman]

I've owned and operated a Montana 4540 for a little over 1 year and 200 hours now.

It's had some failures, but nothing serious. So far all broken parts have been warranteed without too much trouble by Montana.

Here's a list of things that have broke in the 200 hours of operation:

1. Clutch Return Spring
2. Montana stickers came off
3. FEL mount bolts broke on one side while pushing/lifting a heavy brush pile
4. Right FEL main cylinder started leaking due to exhaust blowing on it
5. Hood rubber snubber broke off on one side
6. Tach Cable Broke
7. And most recently, it looks like some kind of clear film is peeling off the inside of the instrument cluster glass. It looks bad, but doesn't cause any functional problems, so not sure I'll mess with trying to get it fixed.

Currently the engine is ticking, but I've been told it should have a valve adjustment at 200 hours, so maybe it just needs tightened up. I'm currently waiting on a service CD from Montana so I can do this. I hope that's all it is.

The 4540 is a good tractor with LOTS of power. It's scary powerful for it's size! EXCELLENT mowing tractor, small, narrow, and nimble, with tons of PTO HP. It's also good at cleaning out tight areas like barns and etc, using the FEL. It will carry 2 1,000lb hay bales (1 on FEL and 1 on 3 point) at the same time, but it's a full load on it.

Here's an original review of the tractor I wrote when I first bought it:
Montana 4540 Review

My original opinion of it having a really small operators station still stands. It's too small of a operators station for me, and it's pysically too small for the HP it has. Montana builds quality tractors and I think they are as good as any made. When I bought mine they was VERY attractively priced and no doubt a bargain. Since then, there's been a couple of significant price increases by the factory and they are not the bargain they used to be, but still priced to be competitive to the other brands.

I don't have any personal experience with any of the other tractors you listed, so I will let others chime in for those.

James

 

[Western]

Sandman Thanks for your reply, That info gives me more meat to chew on, I noticed at the dealer I was at, that the sticker s where already coming off and one was missplaced, the throttle sticker was crossways under the steering wheel shroud????I am starting to get the feal its like when Dodge put the cummins in and had a killer motor and wrapped it with sub-standard "stuff" maybe its just me but if you dont have QC to catch the idiot stuff like stickers what else was skimped on. The 3040 I looked at was leaking oil out of a nut on the crank case, and black exhaust residue was a solid line fron the exhaust down the side of the tractor. I pointed all this out to the dealer, was the same way today when I went back. Thanks agian for your honest reply, The operater station just fit me and I'm only 5'8, 6 foot, forget it after 4 hrs

 

[TillerofdaEarth]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue">oh if you have bought from Cody Armstrong of A Tractor Shop, Springtown Tx please tell me about your thoughts
Thanks Dennis
</font> )</font>

Hi Western, welcome to TBN.

I found Cody to be very pleasant and good to do business with. He won't try to BS you and if he doesn't know the answer to a question, he will say so. He knew I was looking at Kioti and Case when I was on his lot, and stated that they were good machines, no bad mouthing or trying to put down the competition.

I stopped out last week to check into the Montana grapple fork, when I asked him why he didn't have one on the lot, he said he thought they were to pricey so hadn't ordered one. To me this said quite a lot about his character, he is not going to try and push a product just because it says Montana on the label if he doesn't think it's a good value. He will get me one if I want one though...... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

So far Cody has met my needs as a dealer.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="blue"> I think there should be a counseling room for us that suffer..LOL </font> )</font>

Why go to counseling when you can buy the cure..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[montanaman]

I am starting to get the feal its like when Dodge put the cummins in and had a killer motor and wrapped it with sub-standard "stuff" maybe its just me but if you dont have QC to catch the idiot stuff like stickers what else was skimped on.

Not looking to start a Dodge debate and you are right, the Cummins is a great motor but the stickers and stuff like that are all part of what is done to the tractor state side. It is a very good product and I'm sure if you get the point across to the dealer that you want straight stickers, they can get you fixed up. A lot of this is what should be handled during a proper pre-delivery inspection and I tend to do that when a tractor is sold. I do try to clean the tractors off when I get a chance but when I sell one, it gets the whole works done to it before delivery. To me, it's a VERY important part of any sale to check that both the factory and the guys at Montana haven't missed anything and that all wiring and hoses, especially loader hoses are routed properly.

What you mentioned are just minor details and while I know you would like to not see them at all, they don't reflect at all the quality of the product.

Ken

 

[Unclebuck257]

Western,

I bought my 5740C from Cody over a year ago now. In fact, mine was the very first Montana tractor he sold and we had to wait for his paperwork to be completed by Montana as a dealer so the deal could be done.

I have found Cody to be above board in honesty and as straight forward with the truth as a man can be. That's why I recommended my neighbor to him to buy his new 5740C. At 60, I've had some experience to back up that statement too!

When my 5740C was delivered new, the PTO didn't operate properly and in fact, it didn't operate at all. Keep in mind that with this being Cody's first Montana and I had been waiting, I really pushed Cody for delivery and was at his place to watch it be unloaded from the Montana factory trailer. In short, I had him deliver it that same evening to my place about 13 miles north of Decatur.

When I called him that next day about the PTO, he immediately called Montana but HE wasn't satisfied that a customer of his had a brand new tractor and was having to wait on the factory. Cody brought me another, completely new, 5740C and we exchanged the paperwork, numbers etc, and he went on back to his shop with the first one. As it turned out, it was only that an electric connection for the PTO switch had not been connected at the factory, and that was it. Otherwise the first tractor was fine.

My point is that Cody is customer oriented and takes care of his customers. That's REAL HARD to find today, and I'm sure he'd do the same for you.

My Montana is, and has been, a fine piece of machinery that I am very pleased with too! That Mitsubishi 4 cylinder diesel engine is really nice too!! Remember, decals don't do anything but fade anyway, and the machinery does the work!

Hope this helps answer your questions.

 

[Western]

Thanks for the repys guys, and nice to meet a couple "locals"
First I may have come accross wrong, I have no problems with Cody, he stayed late because of my working hrs and was pleasant to talk with and agreed with me on a couple of points about the hood being cheezy, that itself shocked me, its not Cody that makes me nervous its the ones putting them together ,I would not pass a good deal over a sticker it was just a funny fact, I had hoped it was a Korean qc problem not American, he said he would carry Branson but the dealer network blocks him out, I feel any of the tractors would suit me so it is more, for me, my feeling on what quality for my dollar, I feel I can get. (workmanship)
You guys are the ones he told me about the shed?? Those are darn pretty machines.
Thanks agian,
Dennis

 

[Hulk4540]

Western,

I have a 4540, 6 months, about 50 hours. Here are the strengths as I see them:

**Incredibly powerful - I've done some fairly heavy work with it, and it hasn't even flinched.
**Weight - it has plenty for its class and size
**Very nimble - I have close to five miles of trails through 50 wooded acres, and it takes tight turns smoothly and easily - without needing to use the R/L brake
** Size - fits in my garage without having to fold the ROPs
**Great Rear Differential - convenient to engage, and pulls me right out of deep snow or mud on a hill at an angle
**Big Implements - with the HP and PTO hp, I'm able to use a 6' hog and use a 6' boxblade on my gravel drive pulling up hill!
**Hand Throttle - works like a cruise control, great for cutting
**Fuel efficiency - It runs a long time on a tank of fuel
**Draft - works like a charm
**Other features - I don't yet have a use for the rear hydrolics, but i'll be getting log splitter soon...

Here is what I don't like:
**No tool box - I'd love to have something small just to keep a wrench & hammr on hand
**The throttle cable went. Warranty covered with no problem
**Fueling up - I keep my fuel in 5 gallon hand tanks, so I have to climb up on the back to pour the fuel in

Some people have a problem with the size of the deck and seat - I'm 5'10", 200 lbs, and the deck size and seat is plenty comfortable to me.

If you want all the power and versatility you can get in a compact, and you don't care to have a cab, I think the 4540 is a great tractor and should be on your short list.

Mike

 

[montanaman]

Mike,

Nice to see you on here as an owner giving your review and I'm glad to see the tractor is doing everything you expect from it. No lie about the power the 4540 has.

Give me a ring some time, I may have a log splitter with your name on it!

Take care,
Ken