1970 Ford 5000 or new JD 5103?

My next option is a new JD 5103 with a loader for $18500. It has the options I want plus most of all a two year warranty. The payments are the same for both except the Ford 5000 is for a much shorter term. The worry wart that I am inside says that 84 months is much too long to pay for a tractor to use on a 30 acre hobby farm but I am sick and tired of having call my dad to bring his massey down to get some work done. I am a little uneasy about the pymts for the JD but I would pay much more and have wasted almost as much in the past getting the old ones running.
Part of me really likes the Ford 5000 since it is very sharp and will fit in nicely with my other antique types. But I think I am leaning toward getting the new one for the long term. Have any of you guys had any experience with a similar situation or had either one of these models? Please let me know.
Joel

I ended up initially buying a 50hp McCormick 4wd/ Cab/ Loader which does us great. The problem is that my wife is always using it and it"s not quite heavy (5300#) enough to pull a loaded haywagon, fertilizer buggy ( 5ton), and a few other heavy chores. We have some hills so a heavier tractor would help.

I borrowed a neighbors JD 5425 earlier this year before he sold his farm and the bigger tractor was pretty nice. I am starting to look for another tractor to do the big jobs so both of us can work at the same time. A good used tractor is often a better choice if it hasn"t been abused. Diesels run a long time before overhaul and the depreciation will already be taken.
Good Luck!

I did exactly the same as you looked at old and new machines for a long time. Ended up with a 1210 David Brown/Case, great machine does all i want but as usual things to do on it. Looked at 5's too, they were my next best bet but 4000-5000 dearer. I would say try an old machine that has a good resale value. If you run it into ground (unlikely) sell it off and try the new. New machines in that price range are not built like an older ones. At the end of the day unless your running it all the time, there is little value in new machine. Have you tried clearing sales yet? Keep looking, once you buy one you will find that you have 3 more options come up!

Regards

Mitch (Australia)

Check around valve stems for corrosion, check pto brake to make sure it shuts the pto off when cold. The weak link is the lucas generator/voltage regulator set up. If it has been converted to alternator it is a plus.

Who owned the ford before? Maybe it was beat to snot, or just needed the engine rebuilt. Offer $7000 cash (lay $100 bills on desk), bet it will be yours. How many buy tractors in the fall just before holdiays? He may have almost a grand tied up in cost just carrying it for a year.

No personal experience with either tractor and don't know about prices for 5000 Ford, except that they are a popular tractor that holds value well. While at GA farm Expo I talked to a JD salesman about the 5103, and he said it is made in India and is a minimum equipped and priced tractor. The transmission does not have sychronized gears. Having said that, BIL who could tear up an anvil has one and it has given good service.
Hope this helps.

KEH

Good Luck,

Bob