Poorboy, I have a
M5400. I bought it a year ago. It was replaced by the
M5700. The M 4900, 5700, and 6800 are very similar. By looking it's hard to tell them apart. When I bought I was wanting to buy a used
M4700 (last years version of the
M4900). I got a better deal on the
M5400, so I bought it instead. I almost bought a used
M6800 with 50 hours IF the dealer had come down another $500. He did come down that $500 but it was 3 weeks after I bought the
M5400.
Mine has about 54 hp. I have been using it to clear land, brush cut, grade, etc. I have not had a single problem with it. The tractor had 60 hours when I bought it, it now has over 250 hours.
Make sure you know what you are going to be MAINLY using it for. I say this because I made a mistake in buying the M series. Again, the tractor is great, not a single problem, the quality is excellent. But I spend most of my time clearing, grading, and FEL work. A
L4310 hydro would have been a better choice for me while I built my ranch. I watch guys with a hydro and man they turn and burn. Me, forward, stop, clutch, shift gears, back, stop, clutch, shift gears, forward.....you see what I mean? A hydro: forward, back,forward, back....easy as pie.
When I made my choice my only other
consideration was a Deer. I have always wanted one. After several months of looking, and a lot of time on this board, I decided on Kubota instead. I really don't think you can go wrong with the NH, Kubota, or Deer, all three make great tractors. I just liked orange better, it surprised me.
Why did I go with a M series (gears) over the L series (hst)? Boy I sure gave this a lot of thought at the time. The truth is I got a much bigger, stronger, true ag tractor for about the same price as a 4310 HST. I mean the
M5400 had 15 more h.p., a stonger FEL, it was a true ag tractor. I saw my place as a small 35 acres horse/cattle ranch. Lots of brush cutting, manure spreading, fertilizing, spraying, seed drilling, etc. Problem was my little ranch is still covered by lots of woods! It is not ag property yet. Right now it is HST property.
The 5400, which I will do a write up on, has done everything I've asked it to and then some. I have pulled two stuck simis out of the mud, am toting around 1000lb + water logged round bails like it was nothing, drag huge downed trees with out a problem, etc. Again, I love the tractor, it's a hoss. It just ain't a hydro.
So, Poorboy, make sure you know what you want a tractor to do. There are always trade-offs. Right now I am willing to trade off strength for a hydro. Once my place is done I may feel differently.
Bill Cook
