Buying Advice JD 3038E

[NorCal Newb]

I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on this. I've got 21 sloped acres in NorCal foothills with lots of oak trees and tall dry grass for half of the year. Uses include maintaining a 1/4 mile gravel driveway, brush cutting, making trails, clearing rocks, levelling areas for outbuildings and for planting vines and an orchard.

JD, Kubota, NH, Mahindra dealers are an hour away. Kioti is closer, but seems low volume.

I've got a quote for a JD 3038e with a FEL, Box blade, wheel weights and a fixed flail mower for ~$38.5k cash, b4 tax.

Considering extra hydraulics, pallet forks, post hole digger, grapple, etc.

I also test drove a friends 5 year old Kubota 2501 and spoke to the dealer about a 2502. Liked it, but was thinking I might need a little more power.

What do you guys think?

PS. Recently picked up a Mowator S1 remote control mower for the steeper areas. Love it so far.

 

[ning]

I don't know much about 3038E or prices so won't comment there.

I somewhat regret having gotten a 3pt post hole digger - I'm also in the NorCal foothills though possibly higher elevation than you; half the year the phd won't dig at all. Hydraulic ssqa augers come up all the time at auction (eg Hibid) and go for less than you're likely to spend on the 3ph version. Won't be a rocket with the CUT's flow rate but it'll be sufficient (when I do use my 3ph auger, I'm usually at slightly above idle), and being able to push down would be a game-changer. YMMV, of course; I have this ridiculous clay but if you're loam then the 3ph will be fine.

 

[scootr]

I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on this. I've got 21 sloped acres in NorCal foothills with lots of oak trees and tall dry grass for half of the year. Uses include maintaining a 1/4 mile gravel driveway, brush cutting, making trails, clearing rocks, levelling areas for outbuildings and for planting vines and an orchard.

JD, Kubota, NH, Mahindra dealers are an hour away. Kioti is closer, but seems low volume.

I've got a quote for a JD 3038e with a FEL, Box blade, wheel weights and a fixed flail mower for ~$38.5k cash, b4 tax.

Considering extra hydraulics, pallet forks, post hole digger, grapple, etc.

I also test drove a friends 5 year old Kubota 2501 and spoke to the dealer about a 2502. Liked it, but was thinking I might need a little more power.

What do you guys think?

PS. Recently picked up a Mowator S1 remote control mower for the steeper areas. Love it so far.

I helped a friend buy a used tractor last summer. I found a JD3038E with about 900 hrs on it. FEL and Box scraper. We added 2 rear remotes.
He loves it. Handles his mowing, grading, road maintenance, and tree work well on his hilly property.
I ran it some when it first arrived. I'm 6 ft tall and I found it cramped. He's smaller so that's okay. He says the loader does not lift much.
We paid less than half the new price and he loves it.

 

[WinterDeere]

I looked at the 3038E in 2019, when I bought my current tractor. I chose the 3033R over the 3038E, and I'm sure there were a lot of reasons for that, but only two stand out in my memory 6 years later:

1. Removable loader: The loader on the 3E series is not removable. I remove my loader probably a dozen times per year for different chores, where having it mounted would be a serious PITA.

2. Wimpy front-end on 3038E: It's rated only around 1800 lb., versus 3200 lb. on the 3033R. One look at the two side-by-side, and it was hard to not imagine breaking the 3038E front end, given what I'm doing with the machine (moving logs).

I suspect the loader capacity of the 320R loader was also a lot higher than the loader that comes pre-mounted on the 3038E, but I don't remember those numbers anymore.

Depending on what you're doing with the machine, these issues may be more or less important for you, versus the usage I had planned for the machine. But it's good to be aware of them, and compare both, as their prices were not that terribly far apart. Dealership support and everything else that comes with Deere is obviously the same between them.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I don't know much about 3038E or prices so won't comment there.

I somewhat regret having gotten a 3pt post hole digger - I'm also in the NorCal foothills though possibly higher elevation than you; half the year the phd won't dig at all. Hydraulic ssqa augers come up all the time at auction (eg Hibid) and go for less than you're likely to spend on the 3ph version. Won't be a rocket with the CUT's flow rate but it'll be sufficient (when I do use my 3ph auger, I'm usually at slightly above idle), and being able to push down would be a game-changer. YMMV, of course; I have this ridiculous clay but if you're loam then the 3ph will be fine.

Not to get the thread sidetracked, but get a down pressure kit for your 3pt PHD and your digging issues will disappear.

 

[dodge man]

Yeah the “R” models in JD’s lineup are considered deluxe but also have stronger loaders as a rule.

 

[WinterDeere]

Yeah the “R” models in JD’s lineup are considered deluxe but also have stronger loaders as a rule.

I thought so. Admittedly, the loader lift capacity was of less concern to me than the removable vs. fixed nature of it, and the robustness of the 3R's front axle versus the comparatively delicate front axle assembly on the 3E's.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I thought so. Admittedly, the loader lift capacity was of less concern to me than the removable vs. fixed nature of it, and the robustness of the 3R's front axle versus the comparatively delicate front axle assembly on the 3E's.

The loaders on the 3E are extremely low rated, and I'd imagine it's based on how small the front axles are.

TractorData gives the 300E a lift capacity just under 1200 pounds at the pin.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I have a 2017 3038e I bought new, now has 400 hours on it.
The 3039R has a lift capacity of 2194 lbs compared to the 3038E's 1356 lbs so if that's a concern I'd go with the R. I put an AG module on it so now it's around 50 hp and I boosted hydraulic pressure a bit also.
The R is about $5K higher than the E.
I've been very happy with mine and have lots of attachments. I bought mine with a 9.5 ft backhoe, bush hog and Danuser auger.
My place is hilly but in Virginia.
For me it's worked well.

 

[WinterDeere]

I have a 2017 3038e I bought new, now has 400 hours on it.
The 3039R has a lift capacity of 2194 lbs compared to the 3038E's 1356 lbs so if that's a concern I'd go with the R. I put an AG module on it so now it's around 50 hp and I boosted hydraulic pressure a bit also.
The R is about $5K higher than the E.
I've been very happy with mine and have lots of attachments. I bought mine with a 9.5 ft backhoe, bush hog and Danuser auger.
My place is hilly but in Virginia.
For me it's worked well.

It also comes down to whether you need the HP for ground-engaging implements, or not. I was able to save some money in the jump from 3E up to 3R, by dropping horsepower down from 38 to 33 hp, since I don't really need the horsepower for operating a loader. I'm pretty sure the gap between the 3038E and 3033R was even less than $5k back in 2019, but have no idea where the two are priced today.