Knowledgeable JD Sales People

[deere4600]

I visited the Minnesota State fair yesterday and made my usual one hour visit to the JD display (much to my wife's chagrin). Various JD dealers work the display throughout the ten day run. I was approached by a dealer rep from a dealership located close to the twin cities and asked if I had any questions. I was admiring a new 5220 with the isolated platform option. First I asked him if he could tell me the largest ag tire (bar) I could put on the tractor. He said he didn't know but that Deere offered many sizes. (no offer to look it up in the sales book). Several of the tractors had prices marked but the 5220 did not. I asked him the list price as equipped. He didn't know but thought it was around $20,000 (it was actually closer to $27,000). I asked him if he knew was it would cost to move up to the 5320 just comparing base tractor to base tractor. He said he didn't know (no offer to look it up). I asked him if he knew what the MFWD option costs on the series. He said he wasn't sure but it was probably $10,000. He asked me what I had currently and I told him that I had a 4400 and that it was the 3rd 4000 series tractor I owned. I asked him when the new 4000 ten series would be available and he told me "sometime next year." All of these responses were following his question to me "do you have any questions". Now in retrospect, he never told me he had any answers, only that he was interested in whether I had questions so technically, he was not guilty of being a moron. In his defense he probably has been listening to hundreds of questions from people with little actual interest in a tractor and was probably just making small talk. But when he realized that I was a consumer of John Deere prodcuts (expensive ones at that) I would have thought he would made a better effort to get information.

 

[cowboydoc]

That has been my experience with just about any salesman that I have ever dealt with. Rarely do I go to find out about something and they know more about the product than you do. Now granted I usually research what I am going to buy before I ever go and look at it but you would think they would know the products that they sell.

 

[DDT]

I have always found it amusing to tell the salesmen more about there tractors than they know or care to look up!

 

[Hillbilly]

Yes,and it is easy to "inform"them,when we have so much information at our fingertips(especially this forum). I have asked sales people questions they could not answer. Thanks to conversing here and being fortunate enough to interact with some very knowledgable tractor friends.

 

[deere4600]

I've tried to cut the ag dealers a little slack when it comes to questions on the compact utility tractors. These guys are trying to keep track of the information on the complete JD line from combines to push mowers. I don't expect them to be completely up to date on every piece of equipment that Deere markets. But the fellow I spoke with at the Minnesota State fair represented a dealership that is limited to lawn and garden, skid steer loaders and tractors up to the 5000 twenty series. I thought he should be know more. What really irritated me was the fact he made no attempt to get the information I was requesting. There were other dealer reps there as well as access to sales manuals inside their building. I agree with Hillbilly that discussion boards like this one and jplan.com provide us the necessary information to make our puchasing decisions. If we rely solely on what the sales reps tell us we won't get the information we need. I have a dealer that lets me look at his product information book that he gets from Deere. There doesn't seem to be anything real confidential but it does allow me to study things like tire options, implement compatibility etc. I suppose most dealers wouldn't let the customer do that. It gives me a chance to be certain of what I want. For example, when I ordered my 4400 I noticed that the 55 amp alternator was available as an option. I use up to six auxillary lights for snow plowing and wanted to make sure I had enough capacity. By going through the product information book I picked up on this point. I suspect most dealers wouldn't bother to mention it because they don't seem to know the product. It seems rather odd because there is dealer profit on every implement/accessory that we buy.

 

[Cornhuskerdeere]

I just read these posts, and agree there are quite a few unknowledgeable salespeople. But, if you have any questions regarding John Deere equipment, I can probably answer them, or at least find out for you. I have been in the John Deere business for 23 years now, and have a pretty good idea what its all about.

Thanks,

 

[BobT]

Cornhusherdeere,

Many thanks for coming in here as a dealer and interacting with users and BUYERS!!! We are happy to see good experienced dealers, and your offer to provide info is very much appreciated by many I am sure.

BobT.
A Indiana Boy

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Ok...

John Deere has an "implement code" system to determine front ballast needed when changing 3-pt implements...

I'm assuming you add a "O" to the end of each code group and this translates to "weight", ex. your MX-7 rotary cutter has implement code "119" with single rear wheel. This same implement weights 1190 lbs...

Your ballast/code chart indicates "8" quik-tatch weights will be needed, along with loaded/liquid front tires...

My question is this... what happens when you add a 521 loader mounted on the tractor into the equation?

Also the loader manual recommends no front weights with the loader attached... I seem to be in a catch-22 situation on my JD5205 MFWD w/ 521 loader and a 7' 1375 lb. rotary cutter mounted on the 3-pt.

What can you recommend? {I have to leave my loader mounted...as my brush is mostly 5-7 feet tall...}

Thank you Cornhuskerdeere for your time...

 

[StanInCalif]

Cornhusker-
Welcome- We need a little more Green here.

<font color=green>stan</font color=green>

 

[Cornhuskerdeere]

Hello,

My recomendation for the cutter issue is to go with a lighter cutter. In the John Deere sales manual, the MX7 cutter requires a minimum of 50 PTO horsepower and is targeted for use on 4 cylinder 5000 series tractors.

The ballast issue--a 521 loader will definately help you to counterweight the cutter, but sometimes it is a pain to leave the loader on to cut. Maybe filling the front tires w/ calcium or anti-freeze will give you the needed weight to help counterbalance the cutter.

 

[rf33]

I agree that the MX7 is a heavy cutter, but I think that unless you have a heavily treed of otherwise tricky area to cut, that leaving the loader on is fairly harmless. I sometimes take the quick attach bucket off if I have tight areas to get into. I do not think that loaded front tires would be enough counterweight without the loader frame. I know that my 5520 MFWD feels very light in the front end (even with my 12.4X24 tires filled with antifreeze) when I pick up my MX8 lift type cutter. If you have alot of turning to do and need the extra manuverability (sp?) of not having the loader attached, then I agree that a lighter cutter would be better, but if you can leave the loader frame on, and simply detach the bucket, I would stick with the MX series, as they seem really bulletproof. Anyways, just my .02

rf33

/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

For theory sakes, let's disregard any 3-pt attachments for a moment... According to John Deere's implement code system:

How many quik-tatch weights is the mounted 521 loader = {to}?

How many quik-tatch weights is the mounted 541 msl loader equal to?
________________
My new 7' Brown rotary cutter works just fine, the JD5205 has plenty of PTO hp to run it, just borderline light in the front end in transport mode. {1375 lbs. weight of implement w/o chains}

Upon examining the clearance of the front nose of the tractor and loader frame in the "rest" position, it appears to have plenty of room for the quik-tatch weights with the loader attached... what is John Deere's line of reasoning on NOT recommending front weights with the loader attached... clearance doesn't appear to be the issue...?

Most people use a loader to clear the path while brush hogging as well as for ballast... so I don't quite understand JD's way of thinking here?

Cornhuskerdeere, could you please expand on that...?

 

[brad_oatley]

Thanks for your offer to help.
My tractor is a 790 with 70 quik-tach loader. No connecticut dealer has been able to answer this question.
I want to buy the front blade, 380a I believe.
Can the mounts for the loader and plow coexist simultaneously on the tractor so I could pull up to either implement and "quik-tach" without bolting or unbolting anything?
What width blade, fully angled, will be wider than the tire tracks?
Could I buy the plow through you?

 

[Bird]

<font color=blue>what is John Deere's line of reasoning on NOT recommending front weights with the loader attached... clearance doesn't appear to be the issue...?</font color=blue>

Of course I don't know, but I'd take a wild guess that they may be figuring that if you leave the loader on, you might also use it, and if you start picking up maximum loads in the loader, you'd put quite a lot of weight and stress on the front axle and tires.

Bird

 

[treeboone]

deere4600, It sounds like you have owned a bunch of 4000 series, I would like to hear about this! Are you not happy with them, or can you afford to buy them at will? Being on my second tractor in 14 years, I am envious.

 

[deere4600]

Treeboone, I'm actually broke. I keep my tractors in nice condition. They are bathed and waxed regularly. The tractors are serviced exactly on time. When I trade, the mower is cleaned and the blades are sharpened. Basically, the dealers are able to move the tractor to the lot immediately. Fortunately, the market for low hour, used compact tractors is strong in my area. There are also about 6 or 7 JD dealers within a 25 mile radius so they tend to compete for the business. I also try to help the dealer sell my previous tractor. I work with several people who are looking for tractors and want to know when I am trading and where. I also tend to purchase other items at the JD dealership that tends to push the dealer to treat me well at trade time. I can't say it is cheap to trade every year and I probably would have waited another year to trade the 4600. But I like the size of the mid size frame of the 4300-4400. The 4600 is powerful and smooth running tractor. But around my place the 4400 is a nicer fit. I like having the tractor under warranty. It allows me to sleep a little better when I read about hydro and rearend problems. Now, another problem looms in the future. The 4000 ten series is coming. I doubt I will be able to resist a new 4410 with the new electro controlled Hydro. My wife thinks I'm crazy. I think she will have to learn to live with my addiction.

 

[Hillbilly]

Welcome Cornhuskerdeere,
It is always good to see someone with your experience come our way!!!!!!

 

[Cornhuskerdeere]

Depending on which tire configuration you have, probably a 60" would work fine. To answer your question about quick-tatch for the blade, nothing from Deere exists. The 380A blade is heavy and sometimes difficult to attatch. My suggestion would be to purchase a Curtis blade for the tractor, and they sell quick-tatch brackets for the blade. Then the blade could be switched around quickly and still keep the loader mounted. The Curtis blade isn't cheap--a 5' power angle one sells for $1495 plus shipping, and the quick-tatch sells for $260. Then you would have about another $300-$400 in labor and hoses to make it work. I have only installed these on 4000-5000 series tractors, so I would have to check with Curtis for fit recommendations.

I hope this helps you.