Buying Advice Deere 4700 "plastic" body parts

[wthompson]

The fenders are made from a different "plastic" material than the hood and side panels. I have replaced teh hood and both side panels and two pieces around operator station one time on a 14 year old tractor with over 2000hrs on it. cost about $900. If the mechanical looks good then i wouldn't be that concerned about the "plastic" condition.

 

[PapaPerk]

NO, my hood is on a 240. I've owned many different JD garden tractors over the years and the only one to have a fiberglass hood as original equipment was a 140 H3.

You can believe what you want, but posting misinformation doesn't do anyone any good. There have always been, and always will be Deere haters on every site. I like any tractor and I don't care who made it, so I'm not cheap shotting anyone to try to defend my position or what I own. I am just posting the truth and the facts, and they are- plastics can be made very strong, but with enough damage they can break. Plastics can be polished up when sun faded to look new again quite easily. Metal can be very strong, but can dent like crazy and rusts. A damaged metal part is no better than a damaged plastic part.

I like John Deere quite a bit actually. I even have a hat that I wear almost all the time! (0:

I'm a huge fan of older Deeres like all the two cylinders, 4020's, the early 80's garden tractors and the current modern large tractors including logging and construction equipment.

However I'm not a fan of Deere's decision to cheapen up their lawn, garden, and compact tractors. They switched to plastic bodies and fenders, cheap plastic controls, etc. To top it off they started selling some units in big box stores which was a huge slap in the face to dealers who were then expected to fix the machines on their dime. I know a couple dealers and this is from their view point not mine.

New Holland and a couple others also use lots of plastic on their machines as well. I'm not a fan of them either. A tractor is a big investment for most and should last 30 years with minimal fussing over.

Deere needs to lead the way in making quality products like they have in the past. Replace the bean counters with real tractor people that want to build quality products that deserve being called a John Deere.

 

[fieldman12]

I have been around a bunch of Deere's in my day with metal and plastic hoods. Most Utility size and up the plastic hoods don't seem to fall apart as easily but on the mowers I know for a fact our GT235 from the day it was purchased in 2001 has never set out once and the plastic hood and bumper is falling apart. It has never been wrecked or anything. Heck, I replaced the bumper once with a new one and had to take it back in a couple day cause it started cracking. The hood issue in my open is just simple because it drys out from the sunlight when out mowing and eventually crackes. I have seen the issue on the bigger machines but not near as much. I will say on the bigger machine you have to treat them allot more fragile than the metal hood. In my opinion I will take the metal hood any day. Rust and dents is not an issue for us cause our equipment never sits out. On another note the GT235 is the most reliable mower we ever had (just hate the plastic hood and bumper).

 

[RG1]

I like John Deere quite a bit actually. I even have a hat that I wear almost all the time! (0:

I'm a huge fan of older Deeres like all the two cylinders, 4020's, the early 80's garden tractors and the current modern large tractors including logging and construction equipment.

However I'm not a fan of Deere's decision to cheapen up their lawn, garden, and compact tractors. They switched to plastic bodies and fenders, cheap plastic controls, etc. To top it off they started selling some units in big box stores which was a huge slap in the face to dealers who were then expected to fix the machines on their dime. I know a couple dealers and this is from their view point not mine.

New Holland and a couple others also use lots of plastic on their machines as well. I'm not a fan of them either. A tractor is a big investment for most and should last 30 years with minimal fussing over.

Deere needs to lead the way in making quality products like they have in the past. Replace the bean counters with real tractor people that want to build quality products that deserve being called a John Deere.

On that we totally agree, and I've posted that here and on several other forums as well. Get rid of the bean counters:thumbsup::drink:

 

[PapaPerk]

The entire body of a JD isn't plastic either. The only plastic on my JD CUT is the hood. The rest is metal.

As far as the sun thing goes, that is a moot point - plastic will sun fade, but so will metal.

Metal degrades from UV rays? I don't think so. As far as paint... Keep it waxed and it will look good for years... Just like your vehicle.

 

[PapaPerk]

On that we totally agree, and I've posted that here and on several other forums as well. Get rid of the bean counters:thumbsup::drink:

Well I'm glad we see eye to eye! (0:

 

[fieldman12]

I like John Deere quite a bit actually. I even have a hat that I wear almost all the time! (0:

I'm a huge fan of older Deeres like all the two cylinders, 4020's, the early 80's garden tractors and the current modern large tractors including logging and construction equipment.

However I'm not a fan of Deere's decision to cheapen up their lawn, garden, and compact tractors. They switched to plastic bodies and fenders, cheap plastic controls, etc. To top it off they started selling some units in big box stores which was a huge slap in the face to dealers who were then expected to fix the machines on their dime. I know a couple dealers and this is from their view point not mine.

New Holland and a couple others also use lots of plastic on their machines as well. I'm not a fan of them either. A tractor is a big investment for most and should last 30 years with minimal fussing over.

Deere needs to lead the way in making quality products like they have in the past. Replace the bean counters with real tractor people that want to build quality products that deserve being called a John Deere.

Thats right get back to Solid.Stable.Still John Deere

 

[PapaPerk]

I have been around a bunch of Deere's in my day with metal and plastic hoods. Most Utility size and up the plastic hoods don't seem to fall apart as easily but on the mowers I know for a fact our GT235 from the day it was purchased in 2001 has never set out once and the plastic hood and bumper is falling apart. It has never been wrecked or anything. Heck, I replaced the bumper once with a new one and had to take it back in a couple day cause it started cracking. The hood issue in my open is just simple because it drys out from the sunlight when out mowing and eventually crackes. I have seen the issue on the bigger machines but not near as much. I will say on the bigger machine you have to treat them allot more fragile than the metal hood. In my opinion I will take the metal hood any day. Rust and dents is not an issue for us cause our equipment never sits out. On another note the GT235 is the most reliable mower we ever had (just hate the plastic hood and bumper).

I rest my case. A few more dollars would have provided the customer with a quality hood, etc that would last until machine was retired. Reputation is hard to get back once lost... I hope Deere realizes that.

 

[RG1]

I have been around a bunch of Deere's in my day with metal and plastic hoods. Most Utility size and up the plastic hoods don't seem to fall apart as easily but on the mowers I know for a fact our GT235 from the day it was purchased in 2001 has never set out once and the plastic hood and bumper is falling apart. It has never been wrecked or anything. Heck, I replaced the bumper once with a new one and had to take it back in a couple day cause it started cracking. The hood issue in my open is just simple because it drys out from the sunlight when out mowing and eventually crackes. I have seen the issue on the bigger machines but not near as much. I will say on the bigger machine you have to treat them allot more fragile than the metal hood. In my opinion I will take the metal hood any day. Rust and dents is not an issue for us cause our equipment never sits out. On another note the GT235 is the most reliable mower we ever had (just hate the plastic hood and bumper).

The hood in the attached picture is 24 years old and has seen a ton of sunlight. Like I said, it is all in how you take care of them. You can get good or bad from any brand. My neighbor is a IH Cub Cadet fan. he has had far more trouble with his metal hoods than I have with my plastic ones. The only garden tractor hoods that I have ever seen just plain fail were mishandled by their owners even though their owners didn't think they were doing so. I've owned a couple 445's, a GX 335, a 318, 140 H3, 112 , LT133, 2- 240's, a Toro 267H, and a couple others I can't recall right off. None ever had any issue with their plastic parts. None.

 

[PapaPerk]

The fenders are made from a different "plastic" material than the hood and side panels. I have replaced teh hood and both side panels and two pieces around operator station one time on a 14 year old tractor with over 2000hrs on it. cost about $900. If the mechanical looks good then i wouldn't be that concerned about the "plastic" condition.

Sorry to hear you had to go through that.

What will happen when Deere quits making the fenders and hoods? Then I guess the tractors will be naked.