My comments are in bold...
Well, I discovered that (thanks to input from the forums) there were a number of PIP issues not addressed on the 4400 tractor and that the probably fixit cost was in the neighborhood of $2000... I have had a number of recommendations to stick with gears and a non bells & whistles tractor given that I have to float it to the island on a raft!... Hauling to the repair shop is not a simple matter...
I wouldn't discount this tractor just for the PIP's if it looked OK otherwise. I suggest you find out what the PIP's entail (and why they were issued)...maybe some of them do not have to be incorporated (unless safety related) to do your tasks.
Also, the cost of the PIP's could be negotiated with the current owner (based upon your posts, I'm assuming this is a private party sale)
So, 870, 790,970,990... any comments... I really liked the power of the 430 FEL and the solid feel of that 4400 tractor. If service were not an issue, it'd be on the barge right now to a new home.
All great tractors... The 970's are kind of hard to find. The 790 may be too small (considering you were looking at a 4400). The 990 would be the closest in power to the 4400 and has a loader with specs comparable to the 430 available (if you buy new...or the loader can be retrofitted to a used 990).
Boy...I'm sounding sorta like Goldilocks here, aren't I?
There's an 870 coming available Friday... anyone with opinions of that tractor and it's cost?
The 870 is also a nice machine. The engine and PTO power are about the same as the 790 (maybe 1 or 2 less, but you won't notice that). The 870 does have considerably more hydraulic capacity then the 790 (makes me wish I'd found one of these before I bought my 790). The 870 is quite a bit heavier then the 790 too.The 870 uses a 9x3 syncshift just like the 990 (so does the 970, BTW).
In fact, the 870 is closer to the 990 series then the 790. In comparison to the 4400...the 870 specs are equivalent to the 4400's less powerful stablemate, the 4200.
This would be a very good tractor to look at! Cost is hard to determine. It depends on how old the machine is, condition, hours on the meter and what tractors go for in your area (which might be higher or lower then my area, southern Pennsyvania).
There is a very nice CD-ROM workshop manual available for this machine. Cost is about $50.
This might be the one to buy...if the tractor looks good and especially if you expect to do some of your own work
My first response to this thread asked about your intended uses. If those uses require a robust tractor, any of the ones you suggested will do the job (including the 4400). The 790, a great tractor, is not in the same class as the others, but would probably be cheaper to purchase then the others.
Good luck in your selection!