John Deere Quality Control Problems

[fishrman]

Oh my gosh! I agree with everyone of you guys!! I was going to start a new thread on what I should purchase and still may but I have a big farmer friend who bleeds green! He has not been real happy with my first tractor choice for about 5 years now. It was a nice little tt45A New Holland. Nice little tractor that came with some peeling paint on the fenders(brand new) and other issues like when I about killed myself last fall mowing with it because when I pressed in on the clutch in an emergency situation after I place it in the wrong gear to go down hill I managed to press the clutch pedal onto the other side of the clutch stop so I had no clutch! Just little things like that but I decided it time to get a 4 wheel drive machine and I kind of wanted hydro transmission. Sooo, I have been looking the last week or so and local dealer thought I needed a 5045 E John Deere. He didn't have one but he was telling me what a great machine it was etc. He told me there was a dealer about 70 miles away that had one I could look at. I was in the area and stopped by to look at it. First impression was that it has good solid fenders on it and it appears a little bigger than my TT45A. Has a little plastic tool box on the fender that I though looked cheap. I tried to open it up, it is kind of like a kids tackle box. In trying to open it, I managed to pop the fastener off of it! Soo, now I am wondering how many other things on this machine are cheap. I looked at the dash and was unimpressed. Not even a digital dash in this digital age. The little decals here and there on the dash and elsewhere looked like they were about ready to fall off and no doubt, would in no time. I could go on and on but you guys are so right about the quality control. I think it is a good basic machine, maybe, but it is just not finished off well. I think the dealer gave me a great trade price of a little over 13000 difference and included the loader for that price but I just can't pull the trigger. They have 60 months interest free right now that he was trying to sell me on and I told him I would just as soon pay cash as the deal says 60 months interest free OR 1500 off if you pay cash! He told me he had all the discounts already built into the trade and that I couldn't get the other 1500. off. Huh?? I don't get it!! The deal doesn't say that and I don't get how he can say that if I don't want the free interest deal! It makes no sense to me! He had no idea I was going to be saying that I wanted to pay cash so I don't know how he could have even built in the 1500 off into the deal and then offered the interest free too. I wonder if he now realizes he offered me to good of deal and doesn't really want me to take it. I don't really have a clue.
Anyway, I decided I would like to look around a little more before pulling the trigger and also thought if I went with Deere, I might be wise to price the 5055E rather than the 5045 as you can get the automatic reverse feature. I think that would be very handy, especially when using the loader.
The other machine I have looked at is the Kubota MX4800. That machine looks to me like they spent a little time putting it together and appears to be finished off well. Also, think I would like the hydro. drive in it. The one I looked at didn't come with the ag tires but rather turf tires and I am not sure about that for traction etc. I do use mine mostly for mowing about 20+ acres of crp and minor disc work etc. I have no idea where the Kubota will be on the trade difference but am thinking he won't be close to the 13200 that the Deere dealer told me.
Any thoughts or help with this decision will be appreciated. Also, we have a Mahindra dealer only 20 miles away so thought I might check it out as since they are made in India too, what would the real loss be other than it wouldn't be green? It is really a sad thing to think about when we have Americans out of work!

 

[bilrus61]

My JD dealer told my dad that his 5075M was made in USA. He even told my dad that even the engine is made in USA in Georgia. "I've been down there and saw them making the engines". He said. Well when we got it home the engine was made in Mexico and the transmission was made in China. The front trans casting said India on it and the hydrolics had made in Brazil. All well and good but the JD salesmen must be instructed to fib about where they are made and most folks swallow it right down. Oh and on the side of the sticker it had "Made in USA" in big letters!

 

[fieldman12]

At one time the 5000 series where made in the USA and in Georgia. I have seen a few 5103, 5203 also made in the USA. Note the ones that where made in the USA had the black belly and where identical in every way I could tell except they ended up painting the belly green when moved to India. Like you said either the dealer is telling a lie or they have not kept up with the times. I was thinking the M series where made in the USA but I do no for a fact the front fwd axle is made in china. I will have to look at an M the next time I'm at the dealer.

My JD dealer told my dad that his 5075M was made in USA. He even told my dad that even the engine is made in USA in Georgia. "I've been down there and saw them making the engines". He said. Well when we got it home the engine was made in Mexico and the transmission was made in China. The front trans casting said India on it and the hydrolics had made in Brazil. All well and good but the JD salesmen must be instructed to fib about where they are made and most folks swallow it right down. Oh and on the side of the sticker it had "Made in USA" in big letters!

 

[Notforhire]

The other machine I have looked at is the Kubota MX4800. That machine looks to me like they spent a little time putting it together and appears to be finished off well. Also, think I would like the hydro. drive in it.

Just so you don't think JD cornered the market on tractor problems;

Before I bought my JD I looked at the MX series. At that time I owned a Kubota L3240 GST.

First thing I noticed, it had the same jerky hitch problem as the standard Kubota L tractors.
I would suggest that you do a search on this forum for Kubota jerky hitch.

The dealers will tell you several things ranging from, I never heard of that problem to, it only affected a few of the smaller standard L's and was fixed years ago.

Unless something has happened recently, the problem exists in both the L and MX line. According to some members of this forum that got stuck with a jerky hitch tractor, Kubota's attitude is if you don't like the hitch, buy a GL or M series. (Which are smooth, by the way.)

Not all the tractors have the problem, some work fine. It has to do with the amount of slop in the system I'm told. (poor QC)

I would suggest that if you are interested in a MX you TEST the actual tractor you intend to buy.

Another thing to keep in mind, the MX series is closer to a L series than a M series. Light rear end etc. So it's really a CUT rather than a full size utility. Now that's not good or bad, it's just apples to oranges, when compairing it to a 5000 series JD.

Bill

 

[fishrman]

Just so you don't think JD cornered the market on tractor problems;

Before I bought my JD I looked at the MX series. At that time I owned a Kubota L3240 GST.

First thing I noticed, it had the same jerky hitch problem as the standard Kubota L tractors.
I would suggest that you do a search on this forum for Kubota jerky hitch.

The dealers will tell you several things ranging from, I never heard of that problem to, it only affected a few of the smaller standard L's and was fixed years ago.

Unless something has happened recently, the problem exists in both the L and MX line. According to some members of this forum that got stuck with a jerky hitch tractor, Kubota's attitude is if you don't like the hitch, buy a GL or M series. (Which are smooth, by the way.)

Not all the tractors have the problem, some work fine. It has to do with the amount of slop in the system I'm told. (poor QC)

I would suggest that if you are interested in a MX you TEST the actual tractor you intend to buy.

Another thing to keep in mind, the MX series is closer to a L series than a M series. Light rear end etc. So it's really a CUT rather than a full size utility. Now that's not good or bad, it's just apples to oranges, when compairing it to a 5000 series JD.

Bill

So, you are saying the Deere 5000 is a tractor built more for farm use than the MX of Kubota? I did notice a substantial difference in total weight between the two. Seems the Deere weighs over 1000 lbs more and I would think that would have to do with the weight of the materials used with bigger components.
I am not sure I understand what you are referring to by a jerky hitch.

 

[Verticaltrx]

So, you are saying the Deere 5000 is a tractor built more for farm use than the MX of Kubota? I did notice a substantial difference in total weight between the two. Seems the Deere weighs over 1000 lbs more and I would think that would have to do with the weight of the materials used with bigger components.
I am not sure I understand what you are referring to by a jerky hitch.

As was mentioned, the MX kubotas are basically a large compact tractor with big tires. The MX, large standard L (like the L4600) and the grand L's are all the same basic tractor. They just mix and match features and a few parts to make the different models. None of those tractors had problems with the 3pt hitch however, that was limited to the L2800/3400/3700/3200/3800. A true comparison to the 5e series is the smaller M series, whether or not Kubota markets it that way.

 

[ovrszd]

Not starting a brand war at all. My Kubota M9540 had zero quality control issues. Nothing improperly assembled. Nothing loose and falling off. Nothing out of adjustment.

When I was shopping I started at my local JD dealer pricing a 5085M. $6K higher than the M9540. Dealer steered me away from the E models saying they were experiencing quality control and transmission issues. When I got a price on the M9540 he said that's what I should buy. I appreciated his honesty and integrity.

Assembled in USA means nothing to me. Generally our workforce has priced itself out of the race and that profit has to be regained somehow. Most likely it's gonna show up in quality control.

 

[fishrman]

Not starting a brand war at all. My Kubota M9540 had zero quality control issues. Nothing improperly assembled. Nothing loose and falling off. Nothing out of adjustment.

When I was shopping I started at my local JD dealer pricing a 5085M. $6K higher than the M9540. Dealer steered me away from the E models saying they were experiencing quality control and transmission issues. When I got a price on the M9540 he said that's what I should buy. I appreciated his honesty and integrity.

Assembled in USA means nothing to me. Generally our workforce has priced itself out of the race and that profit has to be regained somehow. Most likely it's gonna show up in quality control.

I am getting confused. Is the MX and M in the same series? In looking at the book, it appears they are to me. But, some would say, it isn't the tractor that the 5000 series Deere is??

 

[vtsnowedin]

Not starting a brand war at all. .

You are way to late to be the one to start it! It gets quiet from time to time but a skirmish or artillery duel can break out at any time. There is a truce declared around any member with a problem that might be helped with advice from a member of any color persuasion and the TBN rules of brand warfare
forbid squashing a scut with a big Ag "mines bettren yours."
Play nice.

 

[k0ua]

I am getting confused. Is the MX and M in the same series? In looking at the book, it appears they are to me. But, some would say, it isn't the tractor that the 5000 series Deere is??

The MX and the M series Kubota are not in the same family to my way of thinking.. This is neither good nor bad, just is. The MX series are great tractors, just light in weight, and are really more like CUTS than Utility. I really like my Kioti, heavy, well made, all steel etc. It is NOT made in USA however, but apparently more and more of the JD's are not either.