anyone have a 3203 ?

jailhouse bob · Jul 30, 2006

hi guys,i have been lurking for a while and finally decided to jump in.i have had severel older tractors in the past and have decided to upgrade to something more modern.i have just installed an outdoor wood furnace and will be processing alot of firewood,in addition to landscaping and snow removal chores.also,at some point i will be mowing approx 3 acres with a rear mounted mower.i have narrowed my search to either a 2520 with FEL or a 3203.i like the 3203 because it seems so much more heavy duty than the 2520,and with the dealer discount and jd incentive it only works out to about a 1,000.00 difference in price.i don't have a problem with the lack of mid pto on the 3203.i don't see many post's about the 3203 and wonder why.any thoughts or input would be appreciated,the 0%0 financing ends tomorrow so i need to decide pretty qiuck. thanks again,bob

goatfarmertim · Jul 30, 2006

I just got one last week. Got a 300 FEL and a rotary mower,blade,box blade.

I didn't need the mid pto either and due to being injured on the job "retired ff"
and injury to my legs i needed the hydrostat tranny.

Base Tractor was going for 14,500 at most dealers in the greater cincy area.
Loader was 2999.00 I couldn't get a better price at any dealer. I bought a
off brand rotary mower 658 for 5ft slip clutch. blade 210 hd 6 position and
a 6ft box blade for 458 from the same company that made the mower.

Tim

I'll keep you posted on how it performs but i love it so far.

gordon21 · Jul 30, 2006

Get as many implements added into the loan as possible up front. Make sure you buy the JD insurance. It is dirt cheap. Under $100 per year for everything you might buy. All the items will be covered if they are on the one original sale. Get a loader and whatever else you need from the dealer at one time. You can also finance non JD items through JD at the special rate. That will save some money on rotary cutters and box blades where you don't have to buy green.

rockyridgefarm · Jul 31, 2006

You don't see much on the 3203 because it hasn't made much sense. It was priced the same as a twenty series, and offered less. Now, if the incentives and pricing get it more in line, you will see more.

But look carefully before you jump. Try both the 3203 and 3120; there is more than a midpto differnce between them. The eHydro has perforemed very well, and the features are very useful.

There is a lot more than meets the eye to sepeate the 300CX and 300 loaders.

If you still find the 3203 is the best choice - enjoy! But there is no $500 upgrade to make it a TWENTY. Make your peace before you jump off. And have fun!

JDFANATIC · Jul 31, 2006

No position control on the 3PH either, and no backhoe unless the aftermarket steps forward.

jailhouse bob · Jul 31, 2006

thanks to those who responded and those that were going to.as a result of info gathered from these pages and hours of research i purchased a 3320 and 300cx loader today.All things considered,it just seemed to make sense,although it was a bit more than i originally wanted to spend.i didn't want to make a purchase based entirely on cost and have regrets later. i have read alot of positive comments on the 3320 and feel that i made a good choice.also,i and feel that the extra price of the heavy duty loader is money well spent.