Buying Advice How can you evaluate a 4310 without seeing it in person?

[RoyJackson]

Roy.....your just old fashioned.

However.....I think its lots easier to buy new stuff via the phone as its all about specs and price at that point. When it comes to trades or used stuff....I agree that dealing in person may be best solution....but the dealer has to be in the ball park to want to do the travel. I'm not too sure his price is too hot....at least not in my market place.

You comparing me to Egon????
Heck, I met my wife on the internet (15 years ago).

Some dealers do a lot of internet business (James Rivers, place I bought the 790 from, did...other then a couple short calls, that whole deal was internet). But some dealers don't...just not up to speed with web sales yet (that pretty much describes the place I bought the 4400). I've dealt with 2 southern PA dealers...neither were too enthused about web sales and such...

 

[foggy1111]

Many of the dealers (around my part of the world) have an internet sales rep these days....just like the car dealers. The dealer I bought my 20 from had an internet sales guy (mature guy with some computer savy and a farm background). The world is changing quickly....just staying on top of your inventory with pics and details is a big job for a multi-store, volume dealer....IMO.

The bigger operators around here (many with 2000+ acres to run) do allot of their shopping via the telephone / internet according to the dealers I talk with.

OH....and I'm not about to compare you with Egon or with any other dinosaurs.....lest somebody starts comparing me.

 

[Nitro-Fish]

Don't jump at the 1st one you see, be patient, good deals will come along! That price sounds a bit high for the hours, at least for my area. Like others have said the prices are regional, but if you're willing to travel remember it's warmer longer the farther south you travel.

 

[HeyNow]

My 4310 sat outside the first 5 years of her life. Still looks very good. She's inside now and seems happier. I have just over 200 hours on her now. As far as the hood is concerned, mine broke at the hinges when I tried to close it. It lifted just fine, but when I went to close it, she cracked the connectors under the hood. Same thing happened with my friends 4310. A new hood isn't cheap, so consider a replaced hood a good thing.

My front end loader gets a lot of work. The bucket isn't pretty, but it has many miles to go.

My point is that most of your concerns seem cosmetic related. Tractors are work horses. You can only hope that the previous owner changed the fluids and greased her up regularly.

Good luck...I've been thinking about a cab model...

 

[arrabil]

But some dealers don't...just not up to speed with web sales yet (that pretty much describes the place I bought the 4400). I've dealt with 2 southern PA dealers...neither were too enthused about web sales and such...

Roy, in defense of our dealer's lack of web sales.... they sell tractors at a serious markup and they never sit on the lot longer than two weeks. So I don't think they have any need to worry about web sales until business is no good. Other dealers probably think the same way. Web sales are after all much more work for generally less profit so why deal with it when business doesn't require it?

I should add that you stole your tractor from them and it is the first and last time I've ever heard of that from them. You must have used a jedi mind trick on Jim.

 

[RoyJackson]

Roy, in defense of our dealer's lack of web sales.... they sell tractors at a serious markup and they never sit on the lot longer than two weeks. So I don't think they have any need to worry about web sales until business is no good. Other dealers probably think the same way. Web sales are after all much more work for generally less profit so why deal with it when business doesn't require it?

I should add that you stole your tractor from them and it is the first and last time I've ever heard of that from them. You must have used a jedi mind trick on Jim.

Hiya, Arrabil! I agree with everything you wrote...web sales just aren't a big part of their business.

Actually, Jim called me on the 4400. And I didn't even dicker...the price was so good (as well as the trade in for the 790). Two other guys looked at it (according to Jim). I bought it after running around the lot a bit...
The only thing I can think of (concerning the price) is they thought it might be a hard sell. Too big for most residential owners, too small for the farmers...so they wanted a quick turnaround on it. That, and it being a reverser rather then a hydro.

So, I wonder how mlg is doing...no more posts for a few days...

 

[mlg]

Well here's an update since you asked.

I've pretty much given up on shipping it myself as foggy1111 pointed out that would have required paying sales tax. I was already pretty much looking at a sight unseen sale anyways, and with the tax savings, paying for it to be shipped is pretty much cheaper in all situations.

I appreciate all of the reports that 1000 hours is not too much for me but I just couldn't get completely comfortable with the idea when for the same price (when including shipping) I could get a 500 hour machine.

My only questions now are how much of a fuel consumption difference is there between the 4310 and 4410. I don't need the extra hp but if I can get it for the same price as a 4310 I'd take it. I looked at the 3032E/3038E about a month ago and decided that I'd rather have a used 4310 for less money. The only difference between them is a turbo as I understand it. Is this similar with the 4310/4410?

Foggy1111 and Zebrafive brought up warranties on used machines which I had never heard of before. I tried to do a search on it but couldn't find anything. Are they common? How difficult would it be to get a dealership half-way across the country to honor one?

Thanks you guys are great.

 

[JD755]

I looked at the 3032E/3038E about a month ago and decided that I'd rather have a used 4310 for less money. The only difference between them is a turbo as I understand it. Is this similar with the 4310/4410?

None of the 4x10 tractors have turbos. Ignore all the errors in the dimension section below.

 

[mlg]

I actually have that same brochure from back when they were made. The displacement is the same for the 4310/4410 so where do they get the extra 3 hp? Just engine programming? I would think that would mean they would be pretty close on fuel consumption although I could be completely wrong, not that for my use a slight difference in consumption matters at all.

 

[JD755]

That's another error in the brochure. The 4410 has a larger engine. This is from the tech manual. The earlier 4x00 brochure also has the correct info.