Buying Advice Decision time: l3240 vs l3700

[ispan1]

I have been actively searching new and used, Kubota, Kioti and anything else that will help me maintain a 330 ft gravel drive, regrade the lawn, run a 5ft bushhog, pull a subsoiler and cut drainage ditches for the last 2 months. You folks have given me a lot of good advice and I'm just about ready to buy but I wanted to put the question up to the experts one last time, so here it is.

Option #1
New l3700 with loader and QA bucket, cruise, deluxe stabilizers, rear light, 3 hooks welded on the bucket, 66" Woods BB, Kubota insurance for about $20000 at 0%

or

Option #2
2008 L3240, 380 hours with L514 loader (not the 724) but with front and rear remotes, hydraulic top link, canopy, and what looks to be a wrap around grapple, along with a Taylor Way 6ft BB for $18500. Looks to be in excellent condition. This would be financed at 4% through my CU.

Which would you buy and why? Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[TripleR]

Well, I too will await the experts' opinions, but it seems neither one "grabs" you and for that kind of investment, I would wait until one comes along that does.

 

[kuboman]

I have been actively searching new and used, Kubota, Kioti and anything else that will help me maintain a 330 ft gravel drive, regrade the lawn, run a 5ft bushhog, pull a subsoiler and cut drainage ditches for the last 2 months. You folks have given me a lot of good advice and I'm just about ready to buy but I wanted to put the question up to the experts one last time, so here it is.

Option #1
New l3700 with loader and QA bucket, cruise, deluxe stabilizers, rear light, 3 hooks welded on the bucket, 66" Woods BB, Kubota insurance for about $20000 at 0%

or

Option #2
2008 L3240, 380 hours with L514 loader (not the 724) but with front and rear remotes, hydraulic top link, canopy, and what looks to be a wrap around grapple, along with a Taylor Way 6ft BB for $18500. Looks to be in excellent condition. This would be financed at 4% through my CU.

Which would you buy and why? Thanks in advance for the advice.

Well if it is just raw hp you are after go for the l3700 but, I would go for the L3240. The GL's are just so much more refined and this is just my opinion but I think they are built better. Not the actual drive train but the tin work and cosmetic kind of stuff just seems better. You get a heavy rubber floor mat instead of tin floor boards etc.:licking:

 

[ispan1]

Well, I too will await the experts' opinions, but it seems neither one "grabs" you and for that kind of investment, I would wait until one comes along that does.

No, I think I would actually be happy with either, and I am leaning toward one of the two. I just wanted to present the facts and let the experts offer up their unbiased opinions.

 

[nybirdman]

For me it would be the L3240,nicer tractor more extras...those remotes are costly.

 

[kub32guy]

I have been actively searching new and used, Kubota, Kioti and anything else that will help me maintain a 330 ft gravel drive, regrade the lawn, run a 5ft bushhog, pull a subsoiler and cut drainage ditches for the last 2 months. You folks have given me a lot of good advice and I'm just about ready to buy but I wanted to put the question up to the experts one last time, so here it is.

Option #1
New l3700 with loader and QA bucket, cruise, deluxe stabilizers, rear light, 3 hooks welded on the bucket, 66" Woods BB, Kubota insurance for about $20000 at 0%

or

Option #2
2008 L3240, 380 hours with L514 loader (not the 724) but with front and rear remotes, hydraulic top link, canopy, and what looks to be a wrap around grapple, along with a Taylor Way 6ft BB for $18500. Looks to be in excellent condition. This would be financed at 4% through my CU.

Which would you buy and why? Thanks in advance for the advice.

Price seems pretty good on the 3240 considering the front and rear remotes, hyd. top link and especially the grapple. If those are things you need and you go with the 3700 your $20000 tractor is going to swell closer to $25000.
I have the L514 on my l3240 and my bucket is 66", but my rear wheels are 72". The 72" bucket for that loader is light material, although I didn't personally inspect it. I went to a couple of dealer's looking to trade up to 724 loader but none were interested.
That being said my loader has done every thing I asked it too. Good luck with your decision.


Jim

 

[ispan1]

Price seems pretty good on the 3240 considering the front and rear remotes, hyd. top link and especially the grapple. If those are things you need and you go with the 3700 your $20000 tractor is going to swell closer to $25000.
I have the L514 on my l3240 and my bucket is 66", but my rear wheels are 72". The 72" bucket for that loader is light material, although I didn't personally inspect it. I went to a couple of dealer's looking to trade up to 724 loader but none were interested.
That being said my loader has done every thing I asked it too. Good luck with your decision.


Jim

Well, those options probably aren't things I "need" technically, but they sure would be nice... and to be honest I probably wouldn't ever scrape up the money for all those luxuries if I bought the l3700 or any other tractor without them.

I didn't think the l3240 was that wide...72"? The Kubota specs list the width as much narrower but maybe that's with ag's?

So far the votes tally 3-0 for the Grand L. Any l3700 votes/opinions?

 

[kcender]

According to the Kubota website the 3240 is 827 pounds heavier than the 3700.I would consider this a significant difference as weight is more important than horsepower in my opinion.Weight is required for traction.Also the HST plus transmission of the 3240 is very nice,especially the Hydro Dual Speed feature.As far as horsepower the 3700 has 37.4 gross and the 3240 has 34 gross.I doubt you would be able to feel the difference in 3.4 horsepower.Just a few things to consider.

 

[kub32guy]

I left out 72" was with R-4's. Kcender brought up a good point with the weight. My R-4's are loaded (additional 400 pounds if I remember correctly) and with my woods 84" BB on the back, I have never picked up the back end while using loader. I sure you will appericiate the extra weight with the tasks you mentioned.
Extra weight is also something you might have to factor into 3700. By the way is the 3240 hst or gear?

 

[ispan1]

I left out 72" was with R-4's. Kcender brought up a good point with the weight. My R-4's are loaded (additional 400 pounds if I remember correctly) and with my woods 84" BB on the back, I have never picked up the back end while using loader. I sure you will appericiate the extra weight with the tasks you mentioned.
Extra weight is also something you might have to factor into 3700. By the way is the 3240 hst or gear?

Yes, the weight would be nice. Sounds like 4-0 and my wife has even put one in for the winning team. Sounds like this is a sweep.

It is HST. Has HSTplus changed since the 2008 model year? I seem to remember reading about HST1,2,3 generations. Can you explain how the 2 speed works? Anything will probably feel like magic to me as I have only owned gear tractors.

 

[kub32guy]

Yes, the weight would be nice. Sounds like 4-0 and my wife has even put one in for the winning team. Sounds like this is a sweep.

It is HST. Has HSTplus changed since the 2008 model year? I seem to remember reading about HST1,2,3 generations. Can you explain how the 2 speed works? Anything will probably feel like magic to me as I have only owned gear tractors.

Someone else will have to chime in on the HST, because mine is gear(was a good deal), but if I ever trade it in I will go with HST.

 

[kuboman]

Here are a few pics of what I did for ballast. The IH weights are on my B3200 and the other is my L3130. They work great because of the QH I can come away from the weight in seconds and hook back up in seconds.
They are front suitcase weights for farm tractors and the one pack weighs about 1300# and the other about 1000#.:thumbsup:

 

[ispan1]

Here are a few pics of what I did for ballast. The IH weights are on my B3200 and the other is my L3130. They work great because of the QH I can come away from the weight in seconds and hook back up in seconds.
They are front suitcase weights for farm tractors and the one pack weighs about 1300# and the other about 1000#.:thumbsup:

That's a slick set up. I will probably just plan on using the box blade and adding weight to that whenever I plan on doing heavy loader work.

I asked the dealer if they changed out the hydraulic fluid and he said they usually just change the oil. He said he would change the hydro fluid and filter and just charge for parts if I wanted to start fresh. Should I have him go ahead and do it, since he doesn't have the service records? Anything else I should have him check/replace/maintain? As a reminder, it's at about 350 hrs.?

 

[TripleR]

No, I think I would actually be happy with either, and I am leaning toward one of the two. I just wanted to present the facts and let the experts offer up their unbiased opinions.

In that case my "unbiased opinion" would be after going to buy a Lxx00 and coming home with a Grand L, I will always go for a GL over an L. I don't find the L platform easy to get on and off, is not flat like the GL. I like the tilt steering and it is just more comfortable. I don't like the steering system on the L and the 3-point hitch is much better on the GL.

I am not knocking on the L, just prefer the GL.

 

[ispan1]

In that case my "unbiased opinion" would be after going to buy a Lxx00 and coming home with a Grand L, I will always go for a GL over an L. I don't find the L platform easy to get on and off, is not flat like the GL. I like the tilt steering and it is just more comfortable. I don't like the steering system on the L and the 3-point hitch is much better on the GL.

I am not knocking on the L, just prefer the GL.

Good to hear from someone else who has seen both up close.

Does anyone else have input on whether or not I should ask the dealer to change the hydro fluid and filter since it's at 350hrs? I'm not really sure if that's scheduled at 200, 300, 400 hours or when.

 

[crazyal]

I don't know about the 3700 but the GLs rear tires can be flipped from side to side to ad/ reduce the tractor width. 66" would be the tires set in the narrow position. 72" would be in the wide position. I have mine in the wide position because the tire chains would rub on the inside of the fender.

 

[nybirdman]

If I remember right;the first major service is at 400 hrs.All fluids and filters.I can't remember but about $400-$500,so it would be a good add-on for a sale and piece of mind.If you go with the L3240 I am sure you would be pleased.I had a L3130 HST and moved up to an L4240 HSTC.

 

[TripleR]

NYbirdman is right on the GL as my manual shows transmission fluid change at 400 hours and I sure would see about having them throw that in. Having them do the fluid and filters will save you quite a bit. When I bought my used L5030, the transmission fluid had been changed about 50 hours before, but I had them do a service on the engine and everything else in addition to adjusting the valves as it had 737 hours on it.

My manual is at another location, but from my memory, service is required at every 50, 100, 200 etc. hour mark with some being minimal and some more involved, so at 350, I would ask for a going over if he will throw it in, but if he won't wait until you get it home as these things are really easy to maintain.

I am disabled, but my wife and I do ours except for the transmission fluid and filters which my son does now. My wife and I could do it, but it is just a lot easier for him.

 

[ispan1]

I am going to have him do the hydro filters and fluids for an extra 200. Are there any other fluids/mechanical items I should have him do?

I've never posted pics, but I'll give it a try. Should be delivered in about a week. How do I sleep until then? Just when my 7 month old twins were starting to let me.


Thanks to all of you who offered your 2 cents. I was leaning heavily toward the GL from the beginning, but it was good to here so many of you confirm that it was the right decision. I can't wait to get some work done. I guess I better hope the rain holds off for awhile.

 

[ispan1]

Maybe this pic is bigger?