John Deere M vs. E series

[MWRR]

This topic has been kicked around a couple of other times on here. My only suggestion would be to put both tractors side by side and compare. There is a quite a bit of difference. Then drive both tractors.
Best of luck on your decision......been there and done that, lol.

 

[AKfish]

Many of us have wrestled with the same question - questions! I remember questioning if some of the things that I wanted weren't really... really "frilly" things that I could live without anyway. Air seat (couldn't get it on the E's then) 16 speed versus 12 speed tranny, ePto (N/A on the early E's), etc. etc.

What finally, finally pushed me into a M was the electro-hydraulic 3pt hitch. With those remote fender mount controls! :thumbsup: That's it! I'm usually by myself hooking and unhooking attachments and being able to stand on the ground and raise and lower the 3pt while making those final adjustments..

That's what sealed the deal for me.

AKfish

 

[Grateful11]

There's a 5065M 2WD here on the farm. There's more to it than bells and whistles IMO. The location of the majority of the controls is one of the key factors when I helped my wife and son pick out the M over the E. After watching the show on RFD-TV on the E I can see even more reasons for the M over the E, it appears that the seat back on the E has no adjustment and some other differences, maybe the air seat option gives you the seat back adjustment. The main thing is it has our wanting to get in the tractor and stay in it all day if needed. We put a JVC radio in it and he can connect his iPhone to it and listen to whatever he wants and if the phone rings it mutes the radio and rings through the radio, $70 is much cheaper than JD's $600-700 radio. As far as where they're made the I was told the 5M 2WD has an India made front axle, the Transmission is from China, the hydraulics are from Brazil, the engine is marked Mexico, the cab and wheels are marked USA.

 

[deere5105]

Posted a thread myself on this issue but considering the 5065E vs 5065M. Wound up with a 2008 5303 which is the equivalent of the 5065E. I have been very pleased and have found myself trailering it several times a year and have been glad to have the weight less. With the 4WD option I have not had traction issues like I did with my previous 2WD 5105. In my opinion unless you are a daily user/farmer or just want the best available and money is no object, you will be hard pressed to find a better deal going than the E series. If you get the appropriate horse power needed and aren't working really heavy ground engagement equipment I am not sure from a function perspective you will be able to find anything lacking on the E series.

 

[corey9212]

I know this is kinda late in this discussion but when I asked the dealer about the difference in the E series to the M series he said the E is for economy and the M is for Luxury (Think of it as Mercedes, lol.) he said both are great tractors but the E is for the people who don't need the bells or whistles or are on a tighter budget.

Either way you will be happy with the 5 series of tractor fuel economy it out of this world (12 hours if mowing plus a couple hours of heavy loader work, plus an hour of discing and an hour of harrowing and only burnt half a tank, that's LESS than 2 gal/ hour.)

 

[Edward. S]

I know this is kinda late in this discussion but when I asked the dealer about the difference in the E series to the M series he said the E is for economy and the M is for Luxury (Think of it as Mercedes, lol.) he said both are great tractors but the E is for the people who don't need the bells or whistles or are on a tighter budget.

Either way you will be happy with the 5 series of tractor fuel economy it out of this world (12 hours if mowing plus a couple hours of heavy loader work, plus an hour of discing and an hour of harrowing and only burnt half a tank, that's LESS than 2 gal/ hour.)

Strange because I can only get 12 hours out of a tank of fuel on my 5085M. But I'm usually on the road and hauling stuff with those hours. Usually throttle is wide open. Got only 110 hours on it About my fluid leaking from under the cab, it was a steering valve.

 

[corey9212]

Strange because I can only get 12 hours out of a tank of fuel on my 5085M. But I'm usually on the road and hauling stuff with those hours. Usually throttle is wide open. Got only 110 hours on it About my fluid leaking from under the cab, it was a steering valve.

Yeah the most my rpm's get is 1700rpm so far (just enough to run the PTO in economy mode.)

 

[bglz42]

We are very happy with our 5083e. We were definitely on a budget, so I would not even let myself LOOK at an M, LOL!

 

[vtsnowedin]

Two gallons an hour is about what I have averaged over 155 hours with my E from brush hog work to plowing snow etc. It certainly does two dollars worth of work for a dollars fuel used.

 

[cheoah]

I like my new 5085m more than any tractor I've owned. The power reverser has a lot to do with it, but the triple remotes, a smooth shifting tranny, a wider platform with well laid out controls, good anti sway bars, low mounted fuel tank, 540 E option and yes, even the improved emissions.

Don't get me wrong, I really like my 6330, and the 5085 M cannot compete on heavy tillage
jobs. I tried pulling my 7 shank chisel plow with the M for fun, just to see what it could do and no way.

Good of hear about the batwing mower bogging it down. This is our small utility tractor, but it is sized up a notch to give me some options if the 6330 breaks down.

My only complaint so far is they changed the side of the seat belt. Not a big deal
But old habits die hard. And there is little room on the fender to sit when training operators.