Grand L 3940 vs. MX5100

[crazyal]

Best of the best in the same way that a Lexus, Caddy, Infiniti, etc. is better than a Toyota, Chevy, Nissan, etc. built on the same chassis. One offers more features than the other but, of course you pay for them. Personally I could have lived just fine with an MX5100 until I got my GL4240. Now that I have gotten use to the features of the 4240 there's no way I would buy the 5100.

 

[new one]

I think you would only notice the power difference if operating a pto powered device. What are your intentions with this machine? Philip.

My intentions are to get as much power with treading as lightly as I can. I find myself in constricted areas where I need to set large stone walkways, steps. I also plant trees and like the ability to maneuver in small areas. I plant b&b plant material and use pallet forks often. To be able to handle a +/- 44" root ball is realistic. Most generically speaking 10'-12' evergreens may be easy for most to comprehend when I talk about what I will be moving or 3' x 3' x 3"-4" goshen or field stone pieces. I also will mow our field with it and do whatever else I need to do that the tractor will handle and will make my life easier.

On site transplants will most likely be a frequent request from my clients. This usually occurs due to over planting on a house foundation and many times these are confined areas for a number of reasons.

 

[k0ua]

I cannot imagine for your use you would not want the HST. when you maneuver near buildings, delicate things and people, and that sounds like what you want to do. with setting stones and rootballs etc.. No way would I want a DT. Plowing, sure, mowing big straight stretches yep .. but delicate loader and fork work.. DT is not the best, HST is. Try them both for your self and you decide.

James K0UA

 

[crazyal]

Are you the only one who's going to be using the tractor? Will this tractor be used just for work? Will it get treated like a "work truck" (Ever heard the old saying "A work truck needs to get to the next stop light twice as fast as every other car on the road, it has brakes that can stop it twice as fast, it can haul 3 or 4 times as much as the mfg says, and the only time it gets cleaned is when it's time to replace it)?

I love my 4240 but it's my tractor. I have the luxury of deciding where it's kept when not in use. I have the luxury of keeping track of when it's time to change the oil or repairing something that's not quite right. I'm mindful getting onto and off of the tractor to protect from damaging things like the seat because of something in my back pocket or because my hands were covered with mud. Don't get me wrong, I don't baby it.

My point is it's just always in my control. Because of that I don't mind spending the extra money for the added features. There's a reason why the phrase "this is why we can never have anything nice" came about. It's your money and I firmly believe that the extra features of the HST+ are time savers but when it comes to a business you need to be able to put a dollar figure to decide if it's worth it. Part of that is how much the tractor will be worth when you sell it as well as how much savings in time it will provide. Things like how you feel at the end of the day because the tractor made your life easier not having to stop twice while using the fel to shift gears up and down or having a tilt steering wheel are not really as relevant.

 

[PHILIP8N]

My intentions are to get as much power with treading as lightly as I can. I find myself in constricted areas where I need to set large stone walkways, steps. I also plant trees and like the ability to maneuver in small areas. I plant b&b plant material and use pallet forks often. To be able to handle a +/- 44" root ball is realistic. Most generically speaking 10'-12' evergreens may be easy for most to comprehend when I talk about what I will be moving or 3' x 3' x 3"-4" goshen or field stone pieces. I also will mow our field with it and do whatever else I need to do that the tractor will handle and will make my life easier.

On site transplants will most likely be a frequent request from my clients. This usually occurs due to over planting on a house foundation and many times these are confined areas for a number of reasons.

Nowhere in your statement did I see where you needed lots of horsepower for pto applications. With either tractor, you will run out of traction/weight before you run out of horsepower. I have run gear tractors and hst's. For loader and landscapping work, I like the light touch of the hst, especially with the auto-throttle and response control. Test drive both, get what makes you happy. Philip.

 

[tedevegas]

I have about 300 hours on a L3940 cab. It's been a really solid machine, I have a loader bucket (and alternate grapple attachment) and a backhoe. I've been clearing land and it's done everything I've asked of it, including moving some pretty large tree stumps and logs with the grapple. One complaint, apparent the grapple remote, causing a hydraulic pressure surge to the backhoe that is blowing out o-rings in the backhoe controls. Dealer is looking into options to install a backhoe bypass valve when using the grapple. The 3940 has had plenty of power for what I've been doing.