Of the 3, which is best, and why?

[breedtractor]

The hydrostatic drive...more stuff to break.

 

[airbiscuit]

In CUTs, hydros seem to be as reliable as the gear transmission versions.

 

[nards444]

newest tractor for the best price, is how I would play it.

 

[Storm56]

Being an owner of the 790,
1) do you use it for loading much?
a) Like moving gravel,
b) or helping grade a driveway?
2) Have you bushhogged on hilly terrain?

Thanks!!

My 790 does not have a loader, as I have a JD 4700 and a McCormick C80L for those chores. I do use it on hilly terrain to mow. It is not as wide as the JD 4700 so a bit less stable, but works fine there as it also has a lower center of gravity.

The transmission on the 790 is a sliding gear and is not as handy as a hydro, especially for loader work. My 4700 is a power shift and as such pretty user friendly, my favorite!

The 790 is just a sweet machine and fun to use for my purposes.

That Massey is made by Iseki, which IMO is an excellent manufacturer. For loader work, such as grading and driveway work, I would have to give the edge to it over the 790.

Best of luck with whatever you choose!

 

[breedtractor]

Well I went out and tested the 790. It was in unbelievable condition, and probably worth every penny. Unfortunately I think it's going to be too small for my needs! While speaking with the dealer, and after describing the terrain of my land, he said I probably shouldn't use a 5' bush hog behind it, and said I'd be better off with a 4'. He had a JD 4100 on his lot that was in for service which is similar in size to the JD 4300 I'll see tomorrow. It looks more suitable. I compared the dimensions of the JD4300 and the Massey 1532, and they're almost identical except in weight. The 4300 is a little heavier.

Thanks for the thoughts! Interested in hearing more. Does anyone think the Massey could be too good to be true, for the year, hours and price? I'm a little nervous about that...maybe something hidden is wrong with it?

 

[airbiscuit]

Well the hydro will be easiest for loader work.

 

[Storm56]

I agree with your dealer on the 4 vs 5 ft brushhog. The 790 could handle the 5 ft on level ground and as long as you did not let stuff get too tall, but hilly ground and tall grass would require some caution.

I would think the Massey would be about the same with a brushhog.

JD holds their value best, that is evident in your pricing. Explains why the Massey even though newer is priced similarly to the JD machines that are older.

I stated before though, Iseki is a quality manufacturer and I would not be afraid of one. I have a couple of Bolens diesels, one from 1984 and one from 1989. The 1989 unit is a hydro with about 1050 hours on it now. Never a problem and runs like new.

Parts may be a bit harder to secure down the road on the Massey.

 

[Bavarian]

I had a JD 4200 with 9F/3R collar shift transmission. Bullet proof. Even when you sometimes felt like there is a gear missing in between. No problem running a 5ft brush cutter. I'm still missing it and would buy it back in a heartbeat.

 

[breedtractor]

The Massey is considerably larger than the 790, ~32 inches longer and 700 lbs heavier. The 4300 is about 300lbs heavier than the Massey. Talking with the dealer who has the 4300, he recommended a 6 foot bush hog. Wondering if I went with the Deere if I should trim it down to 5' as well.

 

[waycoolmarine]

the 4300 is a lot different than a 4100 i would look for a 4300 /4400 hydro after having a hydro you would not want to go back to gear shift -[ just my opinion not wanting to start the constant arguement ]