Go BottomShould I go with the JD4100
 | Duane Pearl
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2000-09-08 19595
Here's the deal. My wife and I just bought an old farmhouse and 4 acres. I have just finished putting all of my acreage in grass this summer with my father's heavy equipment, and now I need to take care of it all. I looked around at the three major compact tractor makers, and really could not make a decision based on the available options and accessories for these tractors simply because they all sounded really very impressive. To make a long story short, I decided that a 20 hp model would be large enough for mowing, plowing snow, and some light loader work, and that the JD 4100 and the Kubota 7500 were closest to my price range... The JD being about $600 more. I decided that since both tractors offered me all that I was looking for, I would go with the JD simply for the bragging rights of owning something green. But now that I have seen this web site, I am second guessing my decision. Will I have problems with my new JD? Will I get shafted by a company that doesn't care? Will my dealer abandon me? It's not to late for me to canel my order for the 4100, and as slow as the dealer seems to be, I would almost like to tell him to "go take a leap." I wonder if because the other tractor makers don't have the name like JD that they have to work harder to make quality products, and provide quality service.
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962 
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2000-09-08 19599
Duane, we all have personal preferences. I bought my first Kubota in 1995 after looking at lots of different brands and visiting lots of different dealers. When I moved up to a bigger tractor last year, I didn't even consider the others; just bought another Kubota. But of course I think you should consider all the different ones; at least John Deere, Kubota, and New Holland and see which one you like best. ....
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| Duane Pearl
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2000-09-08 19601
I guess I don't really have a preference. Until today I just assumed that they were all very high quality machines. But after reading all this negative stuff about JD, I am having second thoughts. I would like to go with the Deere just because of the bragging rights, and perhaps a better trade in value someday down the road... but I don't want to do this if the tractor or the dealer are going to give me trouble. Like I said, I know that companies with lesser known names really have to work harder than the known ones to do business. Take computers for example. Micron computers are probably as high a quality unit as you can buy, as good as or better than Gateway or Dell. But since they are not number 1, they offer much better service, and better pricing... All in hopes of becoming number one so they can reduce their services, and put inferior parts in their products ;) ... which is a totally different issue. ....
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| Rick Schroeder
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2000-09-08 19603
I was in the same spot you are in last week ,I also looked at all 3 big tractor mfg.I chose new holland but i think all are very good machines NH offered some nice things the others didn't but that is my pref.also another choice is Case they are making a boomer in red for case dealers everything is the same as boomers just no supersteer.That NH won't give up. Good luck,Rick ....
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| DFB
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2000-09-08 19607
Duane, I'm going to take the JD position, mainly because I have a 4100 hydro. I am very pleased with with it so far (40 hrs). I also seriously considered both the 7500 and the B2400. The main reasons I went for the DEERE was loader capacity, the position control option on the rockshaft and the pedal arrangement (side by side fwd /reverse & brake on the left) which I really like. The heel/toe arrangement just wasn,t comfortable for me and the the 2400 was being replaced with the 2410,which translated to more $$$ and availability problems. The 4100 has R4's a good comprimise. I've used a 5ft rock rake, a 6ft grader blade, a 4ft rotary mower, and a 50'' tiller all with good results. Also been working on moving 200 yards of stoney sand fill. Half gone half to go. Not what I intended to do but the dozer left for other work and hasn't been back. ....
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| Duane Pearl
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2000-09-08 19609
I guess I just want to be sure that I am getting the best possible tractor for the money. I have heard of some problems with the 4000 series of JD's, but that those problems only apply to the 4200 and larger models. However, I have seen a few threads here at the ctb relating to hydrostatic tranny problems and some loader/hydraulic difficulties with the 4100. I wonder if those were just isolated incidences or if there is a real problem. There really isn't enough comment on them here at the ctb to really know. I guess that doesn't really affect me because I prefer the gear tranny, and I am not going to get a loader just yet. I don't really feel like financing another $2500. Oh yes, the price that I was given for the 4100 gear with a 54" belly mower and dual scv is $12,580.00 out the door with 8.9% JD financing. Does this sound like an average price for this setup? ....
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| KlayW in MI
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2000-09-08 19610
Duane, your "bragging rights" comment was how I thought prior to buying. I looked at mostly green. Then something hit me, I'm not buyin' the tractor to brag, I'm buyin it to use. I went and drove the ones I had honed in on and bought the one I liked the most. Just cause I'm wondering, Why did the dealer have to order the 4100? They are all over on the lots here in MI. ....
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| Eddie Watkins
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2000-09-08 19615
Duane, I have a JD4300 which I bought in March of this year and haven't had a single problem with it. I have about 90 hours on it now. I believe JD had some early production problems with the 4000 series that are pretty well corrected. These problems were never related to the JD4100. I think I would be more concerned with the dealer rather than the tractor regardless of which one you buy. ....
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| JonB
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2000-09-08 19616
Duane, I've a 4100 (HST) for about 18 months now ... and no complaints. It cuts, grades, hauls, loads great ... usually too fast! I was told the hydro was nowhere as easy as the Kubotas, but a test drive convinced me otherwise--and mine is fantastic. If it was any easier, I wouldn't be able to feel it at all. But I gotta agree with Klay. Green is great for bragging but only if you're proud inside about it. Test drive the different models, test "drive" the dealers, and go with the machine you like best ... not the color. I tested green, orange & blue, and went with green because I liked both the dealer and the machine. But, I won't argue with those who choose other colors. Best of luck. JonB ....
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| Jim Youtz
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2000-09-08 19618
Duane, I think that you couldn't go wrong with any of the similar-sized units from either JD, New Holland, or Kubota. I would put the 4100 more in the TC21 or the B2400 size class rather than the B7500 (4100 has larger frame size and lift, hydraulic capacities). All of these are good units. I have a 4100 and would highly recommend it. Quality and ease of use appears to be outstanding on the 4100 (I wouldn't say the same thing about the 4200+ sizes). The 4100 is an all Yanmar unit, made in Japan and the quality shows. Sad to say that the US made models appear to have problems (but I understand most of these have been addressed with engineering changes). I have a 54" mid-mount mower, R-4 tires, 52" rototiller, 5' grader blade, one bottom plow, subsoiler (ripper) and a rear scoop. I really love the manuverability of this tractor and am always impressed with the power and torque of this small compact. I'm hoping to add a loader someday. The hydraulic capacity of the 4100 really puts this tractor above others in its size class. I would strongly advise that you get some front weights for use when doing any heavy ground-engaging work with an implement on the 3 pt. I am always amazed at the difference this makes when using my one bottom plow or digging with my rear blade. ....
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| Duane Pearl
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2000-09-09 19620
I guess you guys have got me convinced to keep going green. And KlayW, I just want you to know that the "bragging rights" of this JD were only considered AFTER I had looked at all of my options... simply because all of the tractors impressed me. Now that I know this JD is 100% foreign, those bragging rights don't mean quite as much. Being a journeyman tool and die maker, and having done lots of work for the automotive industry for companies like packard and amp, I like to try and buy american when I can. It's sort of shooting myself in the foot when I buy Japanese. That is not to say, however, that I won't buy foreign. I bought my wife a Nissan Maxima years ago, and its's never been to the shop with now 80,000 miles on it, and the maxima we owned before that had 180,000 miles on it when we traded it in. I'll be the first to admit, that SOME of the best stuff comes from the far east. Oh yeah, KlayW, the tractor was not really ordered, my dealer just did not have one with gear trans. and R4 tires on the lot, and he had to get one from another dealer. The length of time it's taken him to get it, you would have thought that he had to order it. It was fair week last week, so I am sure that has someting to do with it. Maybe I have just been a little impatient. You guys sure are a big help... keep the info flowing! ....
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| Branch
Join Date: Nov 2015 Posts: 14 SC
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2000-09-09 19628
After choosing what you like, I'd be as diligent about choosing the dealer. Every manufacturer has problems no matter what they do. You could be lucky and have a flawless tractor of any color, in which case the dealer could be in Egypt for all you care. Or you could have a simple problem that your dealer doesn't care too much about fixing and all of a sudden your color tractor is !@#$%. It's real easy for the dealer to blame the manufacturer when their not interested in stepping up to the plate. Personally I bought green and love it. I also like the dealer and maintain a personal relationship with them. ....
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| Tucker Herbold
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2000-09-09 19630
Went through your situation a year and a half ago. Decided I prefered the pedal arrangement on the Deere hydrostatic over the Kubota so I went with the 4100, 54" belly mower, FEL, and weight box (plenty big for my needs--dealer kept asking if I would rather have the 455 riding lawn mower....). Hard Choice! Have exactly 100 hours on the machine and it has proven itself to me with no problems! Neighbors keep borrowing it move things around and it seems to have become the neighborhood toy (one guy has even started to bug his wife that maybe it's time to "upgrade" their lawn capabilities.) If I were doing it again right now, I would do the same thing again, except with a different dealer. As others have said, shop the dealer as much as the machine. In the 18 months I've owned the machine, I have not had one contact from the dealer! So much for customer service.
If I were looking solely at geared tractors, however, I doubt anybody could talk me out of a JD 790. HP to burn, low price, proven chassis/construction, and still relatively nimble. Creature comforts are that are lacking but at the price, it can't be beat! If you have any other questions about the 4100, don't hesitate to ask me (or my wife -- she has almost as many hours on it as I do.) ....
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| Jim Piersol
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2000-09-09 19634
I think the majority of owners of all the tractors are happy. I don't think you can go wrong no matter what you buy. ....
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| Alan L. Lewis
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2000-09-09 19635
I don't quite understand what "bragging rights" you are talking about in terms of buying green versus orange. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Kubota has sold millions more compact tractors than JD. Every time I go down to the filling station to get fuel in my Kubota B2710 there are people that are talking about how rugged the tractor appears. Maybe in your locale you're you have some farmers to impress. If its green they will recognize it as a tractor. But don't buy green for "bragging rights". Buy whatever tractor you like the best.
I don't think the 4100 has given any particular problems since it is made by Yanmar. If you really like the tractor I would buy it, but not for "bragging rights", as Kubota and NH owners have bragging rights too. ....
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| Alan L. Lewis
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2000-09-09 19636
I don't quite understand what "bragging rights" you are talking about in terms of buying green versus orange. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Kubota has sold millions more compact tractors than JD. Every time I go down to the filling station to get fuel in my Kubota B2710 there are people that are talking about how rugged the tractor appears. Maybe in your locale you're you have some farmers to impress. If its green they will recognize it as a tractor. But don't buy green for "bragging rights". Buy whatever tractor you like the best.
I don't think the 4100 has given any particular problems since it is made by Yanmar. If you really like the tractor I would buy it, but not for "bragging rights", as Kubota and NH owners have bragging rights too. ....
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 | cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York 
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2000-09-10 19644
Duane, I owned a 4100 for two years. The only problem I encountered was a hood that vibrated loudly above low idle. I felt the loader was a bit under powered for all but light use, say for moving snow. The mower deck does not have a method to pin it up when using the three point hitch, which means you are dragging the belly deck through crap unless you remove it each time you need to run other implements. I also noticed the hydro was quite stiff. It wasn't a linkage problem, I lubed the heck out of that to be sure. It did appear to be more tractor than the Kubota 2100. The only REAL problem I discovered, was trying to get a decent trade value at the JD dealer where it was purchased. I ended up with much better pricing from orange and blue, and it was the ergonomics that swayed my purchase in the end. Good luck. ....
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| Jim Youtz
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2000-09-10 19645
There is a kit you can buy from JD called a "mower locking latch" which will let you lock the mower deck up and still use the 3pt. I just installed this kit and it is very useful and well worth the $70 I paid for it. If anyone wants to know the parts # then post a message or e-mail me and I will find the info. This little accessory is so useful that it really should come as standard equipment with the mower deck. ....
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| Duane Pearl
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2000-09-10 19653
With regard to my bragging rights comment, there is something to be said for having an AMERICAN made JD... and like I said in an earlier thread, now that I know the 4100 is basically a Yanmar, the "bragging rights" don't really even come into effect. As far as the 2710 looking rugged, I agree, but it is also a bit bigger of a tractor. Same with the 790, which is the main reason I am still going with the 4100. I have some trees and stuff to mow around, and the smaller size of the 4100 is really going to help out. Someone in an earlier thread said that the 4100 was actually more the size of the Kubota 2410, which I considered, but decided that it was just a little too much money, around 2000 dollars more for the setup I am looking for. One more thing... what's all this talk of people who "already" have 100 hours on their tractor with no proplems being extremely happy? If something major goes wrong in the first 1,000 hours I would be upset. Knowing a little about engine rebuilding and diesels, I know that the average diesel tractor's engine doesn't need a work-over until somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 hours, and I have never seen a gear tranny on a tractor go bad before a diesel engine, or gas engine for that matter. I was just wondering, what is the life expectancy of one of these tractors. And I am talking about a tractor which has been emmaculately cared for, as I am sort of compulsive about taking care of my vehicles and such. ....
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| Bird Senter
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 962
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2000-09-10 19660
Duane, you're right about most of us actually having very few hours on our tractors, and the life expectancy should be just what you are accustomed to. But of course, we can only answer with what our experience has been so far. My B2710 was a year old last month and has 200 hours on it; no problems at all. Before that I had a B7100 for 4 years and put nearly 500 hours on it. The only problems were the loader slowly lowering by itself whether the engine was running or not and all 4 cylinders were replaced under warranty. Then the plastic fuel tank got a small crack and leak that I repaired. There's an awful lot of compact tractors that just haven't been around long enough to know how they'll do long term, but I have a friend who bought a used Kubota in 1972 and is still using it and thinks it's about the most reliable piece of equipment he ever owned. ....
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