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Newbie advice between JD2305 BX2305 and GC2300

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gball7
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 43 North Carolina
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2007-12-02          148901

Hi all,
I'm yet another newbie who found TractorPoint while looking for info on SCUTs. We'll soon be proud owners of 4 acres (1/2 of it pasture, other 1/2 yard) in NC, and I've narrowed my tractor search -for MMM mowing, FELing, and garden tilling- to the JD2305, MF GC2300 and the Kubota BX2350.

I've read many opinions about these three on previous posts, but have a couple questions to add:

One; does anyone know if the "limited" cat. 1 hitch on the JD will accept a run of the mill posthole digger ? Say a 42" or smaller 36"? One short term project would be to rent a digger, to add another pasture fence in the side yard, for the dogs, and I assume the JD's limited cat. 1 would accomodate, but seek any observations/facts on this.

Two; the JD dealer is just 8 miles up the highway from the property, while Massey-Ferguson is 40 miles away, and Kubota 40 also. As long as the JD dealer is friendly and has consistently good service, does close proximity add anything extra/ tilt purchase decision toward JD, just by virtue of easy access if questions arise/service is needed?

Three; Just in general, could those who own any of these three machines chime in on thoughts about them-- advantages, perceived disadvantages, things they do well, things to take note of?

Thanks in advance. Great forums on TractorPoint, and looking forward to getting opinions.
Mike G.


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2007-12-02          148904

Welcome to Tractorpoint :)

A posthole digger needs a good lift height to be useful so a standard post hold digger probably won't be too useful. I'm not sure if they make special diggers for those small machines but it's hard to see how the lift height would be adequate unless the digger had a completely new design.

Can't help you on your choice, but I will say that if all other things are equal the dealer being close would be a big plus. But if the JD guy has a bad rep it would be worth driving. The dealer can make all the difference between a happy owner and a disgusted one. ....

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gball7
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 43 North Carolina
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2007-12-02          148905

Thanks for your reply, KW. I'll need to do more research on the close-by JD dealer's rep for good service (on not good service), since I feel like the simplicity of being geographically close is swaying me toward purchasing from them at this point. Mike ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-12-02          148908

As usual KW's given some more good advice. Along that line, get your ducks in a row so to say, and see the guys that are farther out. Tell them you are considering buying from them but the 40 mile drive doesn't please you. SO see if they will pick up and drop off your machine before you commit. FYI, my New Holland dealer 15 miles away promised me they would do that but fell short after the sale of two machines from them. Why? Cost mainly and not really too motivated ("hey we got more work than we can handle--so bring it here and wait about a week")But---the other NH dealer is only 4 miles but is PIA. Guess it comes dwn to the lesser of two evils. That's from a service standpoint. From a buying standpoint, don't let the JD dealer know necessarily where you live (so that you don't want to let him know that you don't want to drive the 40 miles to the other guys)--the price will be harder to negotiate. Things may not be so dog-eat-dog in your area as it is here near Detroit. ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-12-03          148912

I'll just repaeat a short form of my old sermon on dealers. These guys are right, a good or poor dealer can make or break your enjoyment of a new, or used tractor. All three have a quality product, and 40 miles isn't a real big distance, but no matter the brand all will need service at some point down the road. Resist the urge to drive a state or two away to avoid the sales tax or chase a false bargan then have the local dealer put you on the bottom of the list when you need service. I suppose that by the book this isn't supposed to happen, but if I were a dealer it sure would. Hey EW, you must have taken your easy to get along with pill today. Frank. ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-12-03          148913

Frank: Me? Me thinks YOU have doubled-up on your pills hahahaha
Frank ar you still banned from ALL the dealers in the tri-state area? Did they drop all the charges? tehehe
Your serve! ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-12-03          148914

EW; No not banned at all dealers, I even stoped by a BLUE dealer the other day, real nice guys, (and Lady), she even held the door for me, in and out. No free peanuts there, must not be close enough to Christmas. Frank. ....

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2007-12-03          148917

I ran a regular PHD from my BX22. It fit, but just barely. That was before there were a lot of implements specially sized for this class of tractor.

You should have no trouble these days finding a PHD that fits and functions on any of the three models you mention.

BTW, the only problem with the BX and the PHD was the length of the auger.

In terms of distance, 40 miles is not too far to go if you develop a good relationship with a dealer. I have three dealers I trust. All are more than 40 miles distant.

I have had three small tractors over the last 7 years and none have had any need to return to a dealer except to add extra hydraulic ports or other optional equipment.

....

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2007-12-03          148931

Welcome to the forum Mike!

I ran a Kubota post hole digger on my first compact tractor which was a B7100. I would guess that has about the same ground clearance as what you are looking at. As stated, the only issue was the length of the auger, mine barely cleared the ground but never really presented a problem as those things (the auger part) are not mounted solid.
....

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2007-12-03          148934

Here is a link: note the shorter augers. ....


Link:   

Click Here


 
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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2007-12-03          148935

Another link for other sub-compact stuff: ....


Link:   

Click Here


 
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gball7
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 43 North Carolina
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2007-12-03          148941

Fellas,
Thanks very much for the good replies. I've been out of the mix more than 1/2 the day, at the home inspection for the property in question (for which we're looking at a quality SCUT). About 3 acres of pasture, and some fences to rearrange/reconfigure from previous owner's horse demands, to fencing for our dogs. The four stall horse barn on property will be perfect for storage, and is plenty wide/doors high enough for ROPS/large enough for storage of our future SCUT.

PHD advice/votes of confidence will come in handy.

And points well-taken on not letting close JD dealer know about geographical proximity of property, vs. MF and 'Bota dealers further away.

Also, during the home inspection, I found another potential chore for an FEL---- the inspector says slightly more backfill against the house (which has a basement) is needed to prevent downslope, and hydraulic/rain buildup next to the house during major rain events.

Wondering if anyone on the forum has used their FEL for such duty (adding fill dirt, packing it up against the side of the house to allow for downslope away from the house, and packing it down using down-pressure from FEL bucket-- against a brick house facade)? If so, please let me know how well this worked. There's plenty of fill actually on the back pasture of the property, so doing this sort of fill work wouldn't be a problem.

Thanks again,
Mike G. ....

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candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1932 North Dakota
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2007-12-03          148944

Mike G,

Yes, I've used the loader and bucket to move dirt up against the basement walls. It works very well.

My only suggestion would be not to attempt to pack the soil after moving it up against the foundation. Use a tiller (any tiller) to break it up and make it easier to finish with a rake, by hand.

If you have gutters and downspouts on the house, rainfall won't be a serious problem for you. You can simply use the additional fill dirt as a flower garden, or for shrubs, which is why you won't want to pack it down too much. Nature will pack it for you. (use wood chips or other such material to help keep the soil loose)

Be careful when using the loader next to the house. Use the lowest gear range, and don't attempt to move too quickly. You'd be surprised how much damage you can do to the house, should you accidentally make contact with it.

Additionally, I would suggest that you carefully evaluate the size of tractor you'll need. There is a tendency to purchase very small tractors, due to the cost savings.......but this can sometimes (often) come back to haunt a fella. Buy a tractor just a little bigger than you think you'll need. It will do everything a smaller tractor will do, and a WHOLE LOT more.

Joel ....

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gball7
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 43 North Carolina
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2007-12-04          148954

Thanks Joel. I'm glad you mentioned gutters/downspouts. This house has both and so most water should be channeled well away from the foundation. I plan to put a rain barrel under one of the downspouts... we're in a drought and that water would be great for the garden in lean times.

Will likely still do some light fill around some key spots, and have already located the "fill" for the job. There's a slight hump of ground next to the barn, a berm really, that I could cut down some. Would likely just cut some soil out of it, leveling it somewhat, then FEL-haul soil around to front of the house for the fill operation. Good point on using care near the house. I thought last night when I was posting this of what could happen if contact was made between FEL and house-- gave me the willies. If I were to size-up one,
I would definitely be thinking the 2520. Looks like a great machine. The JD dealer just up the road has both sitting out front, so might have a look at the larger one before making the decision. Regards,
Mike ....

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nosteiner4me
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 113 ohio
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2007-12-04          148957

qball...spend your money on a 2520 or the 2320 the 2305 has a limited pickup capability at 3pt of only 681 lbs
versus the 2520 picks up 1433 lbs.
the 2305 has a small hydraulic pump 5.2 gallon per minute
the 2520 ...........................10.5 gallon per minute
The 2520 and 2320 both have much larger tires and you will be happier on bumpy ground with larger tires.
The front loader on the 2520 and 2320 picks up more.
I went with the 2520 and was worth every penny.
I just got my hat in the mail yesterday.
Good luck with your purchase. ....

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gball7
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 43 North Carolina
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2007-12-04          148968

Nosteiner,
Good info on the 2520. Can you give me a generic (as I know many local JD markets vary in the 'going rate' for new machines) going rate for the 2520 vs. the 2305? On the perifery I've been eyeing the 2320/2520s, but worry that they're many more 1000's in price. Can you give me info based on your purchase market? Am I talking $1000. more, or $5000. more for a 2520 vs. 2305? I think my dealer in northern NC would be making good deals (small town, lots of mid to large sized machine sales), but would be nice to get the price info where you're located. Thanks,
Mike ....

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candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1932 North Dakota
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2007-12-05          148971

Mike,

Between now and the time that Nosteiner4me gets back to you on this, please pay a visit to tractorhouse.com .

Click on the "less than 40 horsepower" link, near the top of the home page. Or, click on the link I've posted below.

From there you can go to the John Deere listings and compare prices between the various models. You'll get prices from all over the nation......maybe even a price from somewhere in your own neighborhood.

If you have any questions, please ask.

Joel ....


Link:   Tractorhouse.com (less than 40 hp)

 
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nosteiner4me
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 113 ohio
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2007-12-05          148978

I am in akron ohio and 2 months ago purchased a deere 2520 $13,300
cx loader 61" bucket with rear ballast $2800
72" mid mount mower $2400
Imatch rear hitch $260
Total with taxes $19953.75
I was going to pay cash but the 0% finance for 3 years
was great so i just paid off my car at 6.99 % and now
don't have a car payment anymore!
Don't know current price on 2305 but like candoarms said try tractorhouse.com , it shows them from 10,000-15000 depends what you get. The johndeere website lists the 2305 tractor alone 10,750 retail.
Your dealer should be able to beat that! ....

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gball7
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 43 North Carolina
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2007-12-06          149013

Thanks fellas,
I'll check out TractorHouse, and the local dealer prices.

Also, and somewhat offtopic, I was thinking about wintertime use of the machine, or lack thereof: Isn't it true that diesel fuel is much more stable than the gasoline you'd find in a smaller lawn or garden tractors, and therefore doesn't need to be stabilized or tank-run-dry for winter? I'm just thinking ahead for future winters, as we likely won't even have our new machine until February or March, when it actually begins to warm up a little in North Carolina.

Thanks again for your comments,
Mike G. ....

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Lwayne
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 95
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2007-12-07          149057

qball: "ALL" diesels need either a stabilizer or off road diesel fuel summer AND winter as EPA requirements have lowered sulpher content in OTR fuel, which effects lubricity. That was told to me by the local jd dealer and is also posted on some off road pumps. Good luck on whatever you decide. ....

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2007-12-07          149058

I had read that and forgotten about it until today when the tanker pulled in here. I ordered a load of 60/40 off road and could not get the old stuff. Low sulfur diesel with an additive is what I got. And it was only about 40 cents cheaper than at the pump. ....

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gball7
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 43 North Carolina
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2007-12-07          149074

Good responses once again, guys.
Re: Off road diesel---- any online resource you know of for finding the stuff in one's own state/area? I'd been thinking about this, vs. just buying at the corner store/gas station for a higher price, but wondering the best resource for finding out who sells the stuff.

Also, another 'newbie' question: Can you guys give an assessment, regarding the machines you currently own, on hot weather performance? We just moved from FL to NC, and it's beastly hot in FL during summer mowing season, but NC is basically as humid/hot as FL too in the summer, which sort of surprised me-- being 'north' by a good piece compared to Florida. It's still the south I guess.
So could you guys let me know how your machines do during the summer mowing operations, heat/overheating-wise? Do they pretty much function like a good car in hot weather- that is radiator/thermostat handling the heat regulation?
I'd read on another site that the 2305 (due to fwd placed radiator) can overheat, due to debris accumulating in the grill/radiator, and that the Kubota BX series, and the MF GC series may not have this problem as much, as their radiators are placed by the operator's area, drawing air from back to front. Thoughts on this, and real world observations?

Thanks,
Mike ....

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Lwayne
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 95
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2007-12-08          149084

qball: I don't think it's worth the effort to find where you can buy the dyed fuel (with higher sulpher) as it is seemingly becoming a thing of the past anyway. Personally, I think mine runs better with the additive. Maybe they've already lowered the sulpher in the dyed as well. As for your second question, it seems that similar models can vary widely. That could have something to do with varying work conditions but my 4720 has never had a problem with overheating on hot days no matter how hard it's working. The needle generally sets a little to the right of the middle. Incidentally, the cab heat and air on these things is incredible. It got down to -24 degrees last night and I spent a couple hours this morning moving a snow pile. I was fluctuating the heater between Low and Off when wearing just a light jacket. ....

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cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2007-12-08          149089

The off-road is the same low sulfur stuff. You just get the dye and an additive now. The only place I know of to purchase that product around here would be an oil distributor. But, kerosene can be purchased at the local pump.

As far as the overheating is concerned, I have run my tractors day in and day out in well over 90 degree heat without an issue. One time I was not paying close attention to the screen on my JD 4100 and it overheated due to some cottonwood seeds. No damage but the red flashing idiot light came on.

....

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ihookem
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 49 Allenton, Wisconsin
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2007-12-09          149139

When it's hot just make sure you keep the rdiator screen clean or it will overheat. My Bota 7510 will overheat with a dirty screen and so will most. My Bota gets hot when I run it hot in 90 degree days when I run it hard hogging and cutting tall alfalfa and weeds. ....

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