Goodbye 5203, hello 5325

[deere5105]

Tractor looks to be in good shape. I bought the 5303 I have in similiar fashion by finding on Tractor House, except I went to pick up the tractor and took by 5105 for trade in with me. We worked out the details of the deal by email, this giving a paper trail and proof of agreement, and the time spent at the dealership was 30 minutes or so. I have nothing bad to report with my experience short of the 4 hour drive one way with a less than adequate trailer, which I have since addressed by purchasing my own.

Look forward to hearing of your opinion as you transition to the new tractor. Going from a 2WD 5105 to the 4WD 5303 was like night and day difference. I think this was primarily due to the 4WD. Had the 5105 been 4WD I would probably still be on it today.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Thank you for the detail on your response. I have watched a lot of Mast videos as well and as you said he does appear to be honest from the way he presents the tractors.

Yes, I was/am very pleased with how everything turned out. I'm usually quite picky when I buy stuff, especially big ticket items and I really couldn't find much fault with the tractor. I've seen him do other videos point out very minor issues on equipment that I probably wouldn't even have bothered with but it was nice to know he took the time to show that stuff whether it was menial to me or not. I would have never bought a tractor sight unseen all the way in Ohio if I wasn't 100% comfortable with it.

 

[RollingsFarms]

Tractor looks to be in good shape. I bought the 5303 I have in similiar fashion by finding on Tractor House, except I went to pick up the tractor and took by 5105 for trade in with me. We worked out the details of the deal by email, this giving a paper trail and proof of agreement, and the time spent at the dealership was 30 minutes or so. I have nothing bad to report with my experience short of the 4 hour drive one way with a less than adequate trailer, which I have since addressed by purchasing my own.

Look forward to hearing of your opinion as you transition to the new tractor. Going from a 2WD 5105 to the 4WD 5303 was like night and day difference. I think this was primarily due to the 4WD. Had the 5105 been 4WD I would probably still be on it today.

I would have liked to go seen the tractor in person, but didn't really want to take the time to drive 9 1/2 hours, much less tow my tractor that far. I'd been looking for similar used tractors close by and either they had already sold by the time I got around to calling or they didn't fit the bill for what I was looking for. I don't know if I have the cleanest 5325 around, but it definitely is one of the nicest around these parts I'm sure of that. If my 5203 held its value like it did, I have no doubt I'll be able to run this tractor for many years to come and get most of what I paid for it in return. The power reverser and low hours is what really sold me. Those are just almost impossible to come by around here and the ones I found that I liked were far away and shipping cost would be a bit pricey. It just so happened that the stars aligned perfectly for this particular tractor and how the deal worked out. I guess being patient for the past year or two paid off finally.

I really did like my 5203 though, gonna miss it actually. I just got to where I needed a slightly larger tractor (same size as your 5303) but I'd always told myself if I did get another one that I'd make sure to get power reverser no matter what. No compromises.

My best friend who also farms, has a 5105 2wd that he uses for various things. It also has about 600 hours but it's in pretty rough shape to be honest. He's been having problem after problem with it here lately (power steering pump failed, then the hydraulics failed a week after that, now he's having some sort of electrical issue). It's been a good tractor though, he won't get rid of it I'm sure of that. I bet he uses the 5105 as much or more then any other tractor he has.

 

[deere5105]

I would have liked to go seen the tractor in person, but didn't really want to take the time to drive 9 1/2 hours, much less tow my tractor that far. I'd been looking for similar used tractors close by and either they had already sold by the time I got around to calling or they didn't fit the bill for what I was looking for. I don't know if I have the cleanest 5325 around, but it definitely is one of the nicest around these parts I'm sure of that. If my 5203 held its value like it did, I have no doubt I'll be able to run this tractor for many years to come and get most of what I paid for it in return. The power reverser and low hours is what really sold me. Those are just almost impossible to come by around here and the ones I found that I liked were far away and shipping cost would be a bit pricey. It just so happened that the stars aligned perfectly for this particular tractor and how the deal worked out. I guess being patient for the past year or two paid off finally.

I really did like my 5203 though, gonna miss it actually. I just got to where I needed a slightly larger tractor (same size as your 5303) but I'd always told myself if I did get another one that I'd make sure to get power reverser no matter what. No compromises.

My best friend who also farms, has a 5105 2wd that he uses for various things. It also has about 600 hours but it's in pretty rough shape to be honest. He's been having problem after problem with it here lately (power steering pump failed, then the hydraulics failed a week after that, now he's having some sort of electrical issue). It's been a good tractor though, he won't get rid of it I'm sure of that. I bet he uses the 5105 as much or more then any other tractor he has.

From the looks of it, it seems you made a good move. Out of curiousity, what prompted the desire for a larger tractor? I find I use the same size implements with my 5303 that I used with my 5105. I can better pull the 8' 3PT disc harrow, but was able to with the other.

 

[RollingsFarms]

From the looks of it, it seems you made a good move. Out of curiousity, what prompted the desire for a larger tractor? I find I use the same size implements with my 5303 that I used with my 5105. I can better pull the 8' 3PT disc harrow, but was able to with the other.

I like to think I made a wise decision. Usually your gut will tell you if you did or didn't. Honestly when I bought my 5203 I always knew I would eventually move up. At the time I didn't have the $$$ to buy a 5303, 5325, or similar 65hp tractor that I wanted/needed. I hadn't even planned on buying a tractor at the time but the one I had went down and I was in a no win situation. This 5325 will be my one and only utility tractor, like my 5203 was but I'll be able to do more with this one. I have a 6' 3pt disk(which this tractor should toy with but won't break it:it's a stout little disk) and will be purchasing an 8' pull behind disk that I'll run off the two rear remotes for the wheels. Loader work is really where my 5203 was almost at its limits to be honest. I was always bogging the engine down(tractor is set up to have great traction and would bog down before it spun) and the smallish 14.9x28 tires were a drawback. I made sure this 5325 had the 16.9x30's on it and as a bonus the front and rear wheels are set out wide for stability. I'm also going to love the telescoping links on the 3pt as well as no more chains to fool with on the 3pt arms for adjustment, just move a pin and go. This tractor also comes with two rear remotes that look like they've never been used, whereas my 5203 only has one. Then you get to the transmission differences, and the difference in weight between the two tractors. The 6' bush hog I got with it will be used behind it for now but I mainly bought it because it was a good deal and oneday I'm going to find a Massey Ferguson 135 diesel that I like and that's going to be my dedicated bush hog tractor.

I looked and looked for used 5303's that were mfwd. There aren't that many out there and I was concerned about the current E tractors and all the issues I've been reading about that you never saw on the '03 series. Looked at used M's but the price for used is still too high and the 5325 should be just as fine as a 5065m.

Another bonus about the 5325 is I get to stay with a tier II engine and let everyone else fool with that Tier 4 fun.

 

[arrow]

Great find Robert. That thing looks new. I thought they resprayed the bucket but it seems as if it was hardly used! Love finding stuff like that. Hope the tractor serves you well. I'm glad this John Deere dealer is more compatible with its trade in offer than mine was up here when I bought another. My JD guy offered $6000 less than I got form another manufacturer's dealer. Forced me out of John Deere

 

[RollingsFarms]

Great find Robert. That thing looks new. I thought they resprayed the bucket but it seems as if it was hardly used! Love finding stuff like that. Hope the tractor serves you well. I'm glad this John Deere dealer is more compatible with its trade in offer than mine was up here when I bought another. My JD guy offered $6000 less than I got form another manufacturer's dealer. Forced me out of John Deere

I'm keeping my loader and he's keeping the one that's shown in the video. Reason being is that mine is newer then his (2013 vs 2011) but both are 553's. To be honest, I about fell over from shock when he offered me $1,000 less then I paid brand new for it 6 years ago. His price for the 5325 might SEEM slightly high at first, until you take in account that trucking that thing from Ohio to SC was already figured into the price, you don't find low hour 5325's that look this well taken care of everyday and if you DO find them you're going to pay for it. This also has the 12x12 power reverser and that was a pig in a poke to find if there ever was one. The ones I've seen with the 12x12 PR had thousands of hours on them. This tractor also had the tires set out wide like I'd prefer, had the weight bumper already installed, had the 16.9x30's which I wanted...and they had plenty of tread left. Basically this tractor comes EXACTLY as I wanted it to be, I had to compromise on nothing whatsoever.

My John Deere dealers rarely get in these 5025 series tractors and if they do they look worn out. The last one I saw was a couple of years ago. It, too, was a 5325, no loader, 1,500 hours, owned by the state (ie. run by a bunch of buffoons that don't care about taking care of equipment), and had a brand new engine because the other one blew up. They were asking $28,000 or $29,000(can't remember). I always wanted a 5025 series tractor but finding the exact one I wanted was tougher then I thought. I was very lucky to find this one. I didn't even realize it had been for sale for a month, dunno how I missed it because I regularly search on Tractorhouse. Just glad I got it before someone else laid down the money for it!

 

[RollingsFarms]

Just got it delivered today. Haven't had a chance to run it yet, just hooked up the loader and drove it to the shed. I'll give a better review once I've had more seat time but so far it really was a great move to go to this from the 5203. In wish you could see how clean this tractor really is in person!

 

[arrow]

That thing does look new!. I would have given them my tractor with the 2013 loader as the one that was on this one, looked hardly used. In one year, you probably used your loader 10 times more than the 3 year old loader on this tractor. I am about to wish you good luck with your purchase. From the looks of things, you won't need the sentiment. It's a beauty Robert.

 

[RollingsFarms]

That thing does look new!. I would have given them my tractor with the 2013 loader as the one that was on this one, looked hardly used. In one year, you probably used your loader 10 times more than the 3 year old loader on this tractor. I am about to wish you good luck with your purchase. From the looks of things, you won't need the sentiment. It's a beauty Robert.

Appreciate it! Yeah my loader is a little dirtier then the one they had but that's why he made the deal that much sweeter I think. Plus I know how my loader was treated, and even though the other one looked new you just never know. This tractor hasn't done much work from the looks of it. My 5203 had three times the wear on the pto and 3pt hitch compared to this tractor and my tractor only had 100 hours or so on it and this one has 600! The only flaw on the entire tractor is a little part of the john deere decal is missing on one side of the hood. That's it! I walked around and around it trying to nit pick and I couldn't.