Buying Advice Switch from LS to Deere?

[Cycledude]

HST is great !

 

[Blue Mule]

I thoroughly researched and operated every brand last winter including all the 2 and 3 series Deeres. I bought a New Holland (LS). The Deere is heavily lacking in features. Doesn't even have cruise control which is a must for HST mower work.

 

[Jchonline]

Keep the LS and get brand new implements, hands down. Heck with the money you will save by not loosing out on a trade in, you can buy that tiller.

 

[PuffyC]

I spend a lot of time on trails in the woods with my 3032e and there are times when I wished for something smaller so there’s a lot to be said for that. I can vouch for the benefit of plastic panels too. I was doing some clearing and had a big branch fall and crash into the hood yesterday. If it was metal it surely would have had a massive dent that would have soon started to rust, but after a minute or two of polishing it was just a scratch instead. If you’re hard on your machines and operate in deep woods a lot like I do, those dent resistant panels are the way to go IMO.

I don’t know if you need a new tractor but if all you’re doing is mowing trails (which I do with my ZTR) and some light tilling, just about anything bigger than a standard garden tractor would be fine. I run a 60 inch tiller and pull a 72 inch land plane with mine and it never breaks a sweat.

With all that said, my 3032e continues to amaze me every time I use it. I often think to myself “you’re going to break something expensive doing this” but it just powers through problem free. I would have preferred the 3033r but the price difference is significant, and looking back, there’s nothing it offers that I wish my 3032e had. I’m glad I went this way because if I ever get another tractor I’ll know that all the things I thought were important, like a 3 range trans, cruise, quick detach loader, etc, I don’t really need or want. HST is a must though. Thats me and my situation though, yours may be different.

 

[bigtiller]

I thoroughly researched and operated every brand last winter including all the 2 and 3 series Deeres. I bought a New Holland (LS). The Deere is heavily lacking in features. Doesn't even have cruise control which is a must for HST mower work.

Not true.
16 out of the 18 Deere tractors I have owned had cruise control.
Sometimes it was standard equipment, other times it was optional or even a dealer add-on.

 

[jyoutz]

I spend a lot of time on trails in the woods with my 3032e and there are times when I wished for something smaller so there’s a lot to be said for that. I can vouch for the benefit of plastic panels too. I was doing some clearing and had a big branch fall and crash into the hood yesterday. If it was metal it surely would have had a massive dent that would have soon started to rust, but after a minute or two of polishing it was just a scratch instead. If you’re hard on your machines and operate in deep woods a lot like I do, those dent resistant panels are the way to go IMO.

I don’t know if you need a new tractor but if all you’re doing is mowing trails (which I do with my ZTR) and some light tilling, just about anything bigger than a standard garden tractor would be fine. I run a 60 inch tiller and pull a 72 inch land plane with mine and it never breaks a sweat.

With all that said, my 3032e continues to amaze me every time I use it. I often think to myself “you’re going to break something expensive doing this” but it just powers through problem free. I would have preferred the 3033r but the price difference is significant, and looking back, there’s nothing it offers that I wish my 3032e had. I’m glad I went this way because if I ever get another tractor I’ll know that all the things I thought were important, like a 3 range trans, cruise, quick detach loader, etc, I don’t really need or want. HST is a must though. Thats me and my situation though, yours may be different.

Those dent resistant polymer panels are great when they are relatively new, but become brittle with age.

 

[PuffyC]

Those dent resistant polymer panels are great when they are relatively new, but become brittle with age.

We’ll see. My tractor only sees sunlight when I’m in the seat and we’ve had plastic panels on cars and trucks for decades with no problems. If it wasn’t for a plastic hood I’d be off buying a new one next week anyway so if I have to get a new hood in 20 years because it got brittle I’m OK with that.

 

[jezreel]

Every JD tractor I have rented has broken connectors where the hood attaches to the side panels. So the hood joggles all the time. That is the main reason I don’t like the plastic panels. And well. . . I just think plastic body parts are cheesy. But I certainly understand having a tree limb fall on the metal hood and denting rather than bouncing off the plastic one. There is that.

 

[Olympus]

Thanks for all the feedback. I think I might just hold off and watch the market for the next few years. Now isn’t really a good time to be “fun” shopping. My LS is still 100% reliable and hasn’t cost me anything, so maybe once inflation gets back under control I can revisit the idea.

 

[sodamo]

Thanks for all the feedback. I think I might just hold off and watch the market for the next few years. Now isn’t really a good time to be “fun” shopping. My LS is still 100% reliable and hasn’t cost me anything, so maybe once inflation gets back under control I can revisit the idea.

Sounds like a very good decision.