Buying Advice Buying tractor very shortly! Struggling between LS, Deere.

[CHF4]

I highly recommend asking to demo each like duffer said hooking up implements etc. Your LS will probably have a lot more features (IF needed compared to the JD).

I demoed a JD 73(?) E series and Massey 70hp which has no dpf nor def. I did like the JD being a little smaller & more nimble feeling. But, it had been in the shop for a month, then had started having issues a few days after it arrived eventually not starting. It was only a few years old around 500hrs. To me that says a lot. Granted, only time will tell with the MF.. also I couldn’t find a JD with a buddy seat to try out with kids.

I had similar needs and ended up going with a Massey 4707. It was a little more than your quote but my local LS dealer an hour away was a jerk (and wanted the same price for the Massey from another dealer.)

I did think the LS was nice, but really like my Massey with the wider tires & larger cab. It seemed a little nicer. I’m 6’4 and appreciate the space with my 3 kids. I can get them all in if needed. One in buddy seat, another in lap and another on other side. I don’t do any substantial work with all 3 but if need to do something it’s nice to just throw them all in & go.

You’ll love the cab with bushhogging, no question. I do enjoy our smaller open station when it’s nice out but if you have to mow much in summer it’s worth every penny, especially if you hit a yellow jacket nest late summer!

I was really interested in the Kubota new deluxe M series around 70 hp but I couldn’t wait another 6-10 months. It’s more expensive for sure than your LS quote but our older 50 hp kubota Never had issues...it was a great tractor.

Good luck and Demo at your property if possible is my recommendation!

 

[Ortimber]

I'm still wondering why you think you need 70+ hp. I have 35 hp and cut 20 acres with a 7' woods finish mower in bush hog mode (set high) and can run in top gear. (a bit bumpy, but the tractor will easily do it).

Bad idea to have a child in the cab, IMHO. Its a non-zero risk.

Ask your wife what color she likes better. That pretty much solves your problem !

Is it really that dangerous having a kid in a buddy seat, with a seatbelt on, in a cabbed tractor??? To each their own I suppose.

 

[Waterproofer23]

I'm still wondering why you think you need 70+ hp. I have 35 hp and cut 20 acres with a 7' woods finish mower in bush hog mode (set high) and can run in top gear. (a bit bumpy, but the tractor will easily do it).

Bad idea to have a child in the cab, IMHO. Its a non-zero risk.

Ask your wife what color she likes better. That pretty much solves your problem !

There is a good possibility I could buy more property down the road, also my friends and family own land and with the bigger tractor I can help them out when needed. And my 6 year old rides horses, dirt bikes and can drive any of my excavators with ease, so I like having him in the cab with me. Due to the fact that when he can reach the pedals he will be using it. However I would not mind having a smaller tractor down the road. For those tight trails on some of my hunting leases.

 

[Waterproofer23]

Just left the LS dealer, everyone there was top notch. Very informative, and seemed to be great guys. I looked at several tractors, I kept going back to the MT573, that cab is huge, extremely comfortable. It has solid front axle which is different than the 68hp LS. There getting me a quote on a 8ft bush hog. I must say that is a lot bigger tractor than I was anticipating. The one they have on the lot is not the power shuttle. They told me they don稚 recommend that model if you have a lot of hills. Not sure about that. Im going to ponder for a day or two over a couple beers and see where my heart takes me.

 

[Waterproofer23]

By the way let me say this again, thanks for all the info and insight. This has been the best support on any forum I have ever been a part of.

 

[CHF4]

Just left the LS dealer, everyone there was top notch. Very informative, and seemed to be great guys. I looked at several tractors, I kept going back to the MT573, that cab is huge, extremely comfortable. It has solid front axle which is different than the 68hp LS. There getting me a quote on a 8ft bush hog. I must say that is a lot bigger tractor than I was anticipating. The one they have on the lot is not the power shuttle. They told me they don稚 recommend that model if you have a lot of hills. Not sure about that. Im going to ponder for a day or two over a couple beers and see where my heart takes me.

It took me a while to get used to the idea of the power shuttle. I looked for a couple years trying to buy used but at the end of the day they don’t depreciate much & it was a life time purchase the way I see it.

I love the power shuttle after at first being turned off by it growing up with gears for reverse or the ‘handle’. It’s so smooth and nice to have. I bet if you end up wanting it they can find another tractor out there with it. I like having the adjustment of the speed it shifts. Not sure if that was standard on the LS.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Did you ever decide on a tractor, Waterproofer23?

I'm shopping now in the 50-60 HP range and have the same Deere vs. LS questions. Quotes for similar tractors differ by about $20K! JD wants extra for everything, with an arm and a leg thrown in for installation, where LS seems to offer the same "extras" as standard equipment. A Deere 4066R drove nicely, but the loader seemed very sluggish compared to my L3240 Kubota, and the bucket seemed to stick waaaay out there, not tucked up nice and close to the front of the tractor. That hurts maneuverability in tight spaces. The Deere dealer crows about his Yanmar engine, saying it'll still be going strong at 3000 hours while the LS will be in for a rebuild. I wasn't impressed with the JD loader mounts, as their design is very similar to the Kubota mounts that have broken on my L. I'm headed to an LS dealer, which is a good half hour farther away, sometime this week to do some test driving.

 

[BBHomestead]

Did you ever decide on a tractor, Waterproofer23?

I'm shopping now in the 50-60 HP range and have the same Deere vs. LS questions. Quotes for similar tractors differ by about $20K! JD wants extra for everything, with an arm and a leg thrown in for installation, where LS seems to offer the same "extras" as standard equipment. A Deere 4066R drove nicely, but the loader seemed very sluggish compared to my L3240 Kubota, and the bucket seemed to stick waaaay out there, not tucked up nice and close to the front of the tractor. That hurts maneuverability in tight spaces. The Deere dealer crows about his Yanmar engine, saying it'll still be going strong at 3000 hours while the LS will be in for a rebuild. I wasn't impressed with the JD loader mounts, as their design is very similar to the Kubota mounts that have broken on my L. I'm headed to an LS dealer, which is a good half hour farther away, sometime this week to do some test driving.

I went through this already and just couldn't justify the extra 15k to 18k on a John deere that had less hp and less standard options! And if the engine in the deere lasts longer is it going to last longer than my LS and the 18k I can spend later to rebuild it? Mostly the reason I believe deere last longer is not quality being so much higher but that they cost so much more that people take more care and maintain them worried about having to replace them! If you dont abuse equipment and maintenance them properly they last a long time my little 26hp grey market Mitsubishi has been running 1200hrs since I bought it and it had been refurbished before I bought it I was told by many not to get it lol and some that warned me of grey market tractors have had their Kubota or Deere breakdown more than mine! Of course it has broken a few things but because I was over using it like the hydraulic lines that came with it I blew two of them using FEL lifting thing I should not have ! It is starting to smoke some so I will take it into a shop and have it gone through but it could be completely replaced for the difference in cost a deere was when I bought it !

 

[Waterproofer23]

sorry for the long delay!!! I ended up ordering the LS MT5 73 Power shuttle option. Ordered a 8ft titan bush hog as well. Main reason is I love the tractor and price just can't be beat. I had to pay a little extra for the power shuttle but I think ill be happier in the long run. Now if I can just find a dang buddy seat. My ls dealer said that ill have to contact new holland to get one.

 

[BBHomestead]

sorry for the long delay!!! I ended up ordering the LS MT5 73 Power shuttle option. Ordered a 8ft titan bush hog as well. Main reason is I love the tractor and price just can't be beat. I had to pay a little extra for the power shuttle but I think ill be happier in the long run. Now if I can just find a dang buddy seat. My ls dealer said that ill have to contact new holland to get one.

Once you get your tractor check out the (what did you do on your LS tractor today) it's a good place to ask LS questions and talk with us already owning them!