5103,5203

honeyb · Jul 14, 2004

I am looking at one of these Deere tractors. All the dealers around me are all sold out so I am unable to look at on or drive one. What do ya'll think about these cheaper Deeres.

I've done some reading on here about the collar shift transmission and it does not sound great. What exactly is a collar shift transmission. Anyways most of the posts are 2 or 3 years old. Does anyone know if Deere has improved this transmission.

cowboydoc · Jul 15, 2004

The transmission is rock solid and it's not a matter of improving it. It's what they call a non-synchro transmission. Most of the older tractors are this way. It means you have to stop before you shift gears. Synchro transmission you can shift on the fly. Those are the two basic gear transmissions. Then you get into "shuttle shift, power shift, etc." These transmissions you just move the lever to shift between gears and don't have to use the clutch. Then you get into all kinds of variations with this. But as far as the transmission on the 03's you will never wear it out. They are probably the beefiest ones out there. But having to stop and shift all the time can be a pain.

As far as the tractor being cheap it really isn't. The engine and hydraulics are the same as you would get on the more expensive 20 series. The differences come in the cosmetics and the loader. The loader is not quick attach and is bolted on.

If the transmission doesn't bother you and you can live with the bolt on loader you will hard pressed to find a cheaper tractor out there in the 55-65 PTO range.

honeyb · Jul 15, 2004

Cowboy,

Thanks for your response, I did not mean that the 5103 was built cheap, I just think that it has a very attractive price. I have been looking at 50 Hp tractors and had come to the conclusion that I wanted a Mahindra. I just thought that I could not afford a Deere. That was until I found the 5103 model. My local dealer gave me a price of just under $12000 for this model which was below what I was looking at in the Mahindra line. Each one has a few better specs than the other but for the price green sure looks good.

The only thing is all the dealers within 75 miles do not have the 5103 on their lots. They all said that they have them on order, just waiting on Deere to ship them. Its kind of hard to make up your mind if you can not see or drive the tractor before you buy it. I am going on vaction tommorow so I decided I would email some of the dealerships on my route to see if they might haave one I could at least look at. Well I have gotten 5 replies so far and no one has this model on the lot. Same old story we've got them ordered just waiting on Deere.

I don't understand why no one has this tractor. Is it a bad tractor or is the price just so attractive they sell them as soon as they come in. I hope it is the latter.

As far as the transmission goes that sounds like the transmission I am used to anway. As long as it is reliable that is all I care about. I will be using the tractor for mainly bush hogging and disking my garden. I do very little shifting when I do these chores.

I was noticing on the Deere website that it shows this tractor to be 50 HP on the engine and 42 HP at the PTO. I also downloaded a brochure for th 5003 series that has specs for the 5103,5203, and 5303 tractors. It lists the 5103 with 44 Hp for the engine and 38 HP for the PTO. Can someone please tell me which one is correct.

timb · Jul 15, 2004

I believe this model series is made in India for Deere so the stateside dealers are going to be dependent on the container ships. More logistics than shipping from Augusta or Moline...

Dutch445 · Jul 15, 2004

HB,
Inventory in a lot of Deere tractors is low, and it seems the factory wants it that way. I think they feel large inventories affect their bottom line somehow, and I'm sure at the factory it might. But dealers would certainly welcome a few more tractors to have in stock if they had them! I think they forecast sales, then schedule factories, and suppliers etc based on those figures,, then sales exceed expectations, and they can't keep up with the demand.
The tractor seems solid, I haven't seen any problems with the ones we have sold. It's just a basic tractor, like 790/990, no frills, no tranny options, what you see is what you get. They do sell a set of parking stands, and quick disconnect couplers for the loader. It is still a Pin on loader, and not quick tatch, you can take it off if you had to, just not as easy as other loaders.
But lots of Green HP for they money, even though the fenders look like they came out of the recycling plant!!!!!
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Chillimau · Jul 15, 2004

Got to agree about those fenders!! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Poncho · Jul 15, 2004

Dutch445.... by your response I'm guessing you are a dealer. I recently visited a JD dealer and was discussing the 5105 & 5205 after going to look at the 5103 & 5203's. When talking with the dealer the 4WD units all had R4 tires and I wanted R1 Ag tires. He told me he would have to order a new tractor.... how come?? Thought they would have a relationship with a local tire rep and swap the tires out.... kinda struck me a funny.

Dutch445 · Jul 16, 2004

I think a lot of these issues are depending on locality. We never stock the 5000 tractors on R-4, always Ag R-1, but occasionally we get an order on R-4, and yes, we have swapped tires out with our local tire shop. It all depends on the situation, how soon the customer needs the tractor, etc. We are an AG dealer, he may be a C&CE dealer that doesn't deal with farms as much. Worst case, buy it on R-4, and buy your own ag tires and have them put on, if they fit the rims. Then when you sell or trade, you have the R-4 new tires to help with resale.

benjey · Oct 26, 2004

I just bought a 5203 with a loader and think I got a lot of tractor for the money. The transmission reminds me of the gear grinder in my '57 Ford. Up shifting within a range is OK but you have to stop to change ranges. FWIW, I bought my tractor in Southcentral Pennsylvania but the tractor came from a dealer in Delaware. This may be a good week to buy a John Deere because the dealers want to reduce their inventory by the end of the month because it's Deere's fiscal year end or so I'm told.

zipp669 · Oct 27, 2004

I got a 5205 fwa in september, nice tractor, nice price.
But I am selling it as it does not work well with my smaller compact utility tractors. With 28's on it and the others have 24's , so it is much taller.
Good tractor with plenty of horses. I would recommend them.
The reason it does not work well is I use & sell freedom hitches and it sets up much higher than the 3710 kubota, 4500 jd & 4100 jd.