Zetor versus Deere

I am considering getting a Zetor. Also looking at a 1997 Deere 6300.

They are both loader tractors with front wheel assist. I have been warned about the Turkish made Fiat front axle like Ford/New Holland and several others import.

That leaves Deere and Zetor as having OK axles.

The Deere is $39,900. The Zetor is $25,000 for a 2006.

Both are about 75 HP. DOUG

JD dealers sold Zetor tractors for a "LITTLE WHILE". Zetors are built in Czechoslovakia. Resale value & parts availability will be much better on a JD

Dealer for either or both nearby? Support is everything.

No question in my mind- go for the Deere. Zetor isn't a bad tractor, but on a loader tractor you will want dealer and parts support. I know of one Zetor in the area,and it doesn't have a loader, and it probably doesn't have a thousand hours on it. I have no idea where to even find a dealer for it. My Deere dealer is 10 miles, and the next closest is 35. And if you decide to sell it later, the Deere will sell for close to what you paid for it. You'll be lucky to give the Zetor away.

Deere dealers are in both nearby towns. Zetor is about 35 miles away.

Theres a family I know pretty well here that have bought two cab zetors both new. Ones about 20 yrs old the other is just a couple. I know they have trouble getting parts quickly but they can get them. They seem to really like them both but they also dont depend on either as an only tractor.

I think in this case,I'd probably go with the Deere,but that said,I know a guy who bought a 6300 new for a loader tractor. Had a LOT of trouble with it. Said they got the bugs out with the next series. Kinda like when they went from the 3010-4010 to the 3020-4020.

Dad bought a new Zetor fwd with cab and loader back in the 1990's clutch went out 600 hours brake trouble leaked oil traded it for a used deere same specs still have it with few problems.

Zetor did make tractors in green and yellow badged as Deeres for a while. Zetors have proved to be tougher than Deeres over here and very good loader tractors...00 series Deere were ok but had niggles the next model the 10 series made a place for Deere and then the 20 and 30 series nearly ruined it! I asked a neighbour who runs 10 newish Deeres what was wrong with the 20 series Deere....his answer..." do you want me to start at the back or the front?" Go with your own judgement, as others have said... take into account your dealers and whether you intend to keep the tractor 'till death do we part' or if you are intending to change in a few years think of the trade in allowance. At $14900 difference you could take nothing for the Zetor when the Deere is worth$14900 (in a few years time...if you know what I mean?) and still be equal !
As my Father used to say "let your head be your guide and your cheque book your rule!"
Sam

I intend to keep either tractor forever.

I am selling 80 acres back in Nebraska Nov 13 at auction.

Depends on what the sale nets out. I know about 1/2 of it goes for taxes, auction fees, advertisements, etc.

I will also keep my IH 1066 and Ford 5000 row crop. I just need a good loader tractor with MFWA assist. DOUG

Well I have a JD 6400 MFWD loader tractor that just turned over 12,000 hours. I had a hydraulic pump issue when brand new. Was fixed under warranty. Replace the transmission drive shaft and input shaft at 10,000 hours. Had a head gasket start to leak at 11,000 hours. Was going to over haul it but the cylinder walls still had the cross hatch in them. So I rebuilt the cylinder head and put in new injectors. Have not touched it since then.

This tractor is ran every day loading feed for the cattle. It handles well and is very reliable. Plus JD parts system is the best in the world. Just about any part if not is stock in two days no extra cost. Over night if willing to pay for it. Same day if I want to drive 80 miles to Milan Il.

The friend that I post pictures of every now and then has a JD 6300 open station MFWD. His is in the first 200 serial numbers. He had a few issue on the hydraulics when brand new. Mainly couplers. His just turned over 16,000 hours. It has had one drive shaft replaced and two batteries. That is all it has ever had done to it.

So you can take this as you like but I would not be bad mouthing the JD 6300s.

The biggest thing I can tell you about Zetor. Is that they change every few years. They where distributed in the US by American Jawa until about 5-6 years ago. That company got into a law suit with TYM form Korea. Now the new Zetor North America, Ltd was located in Harrisburg, PA just like the old American Jawa. Now they are moving to Jacksonville, Fl.

I worked for a JD dealer that also sold Zetor tractors. The parts system was a nightmare. Some times you may have to wait for months for parts to come from Europe. I would not ever own one to keep.

Then take into effect that the Zetor is not as nice of handling tractor as the JD. Go drive both and see which one you like. Also that Zetor will be worth about zero in ten years. Look them up on line and see how low they go. Also look at all of the low hired ones for sale that are ten years old. Why where they not used more??? Also why did they get traded with so low of hours on them??? Why are they usually on another brands lot?? You can read between the lines. The old owners got sick of them and traded/sold them.

If you pay more than 30% you ar not being treated fairly. Can I say it any nicer than that?

Auction fees are 3 percent. About 1500 in ads. Income tax is 35 percent. Title insurance split equally by myself and buyer. I figure half will be gone at end of auction, but hope for better. DOUG

This shouldn"t even be a serious question. Deere....
There isn"t a Zetor engine around this area with more than 4000 hours before a major rebuild... and there were quite a few of the damn things. The Deere may not be perfect but it"s a lot better than a Zetor.

Rod

I have a neighbour that had a 6400 that had 17000 hours on it before it needed a motor job, and this guy doesn't know how to change oil or use a grease gun. He doesn't know how to blow grain dust off of them either and it burnt 1000 hours after the rebuild. He has 2 more still working and another one that burnt at 10000 hours, but it's not the tractors fault when there is three inches of chaff on it. Zetors all seem to disapear by 4000 hours. I have a friend with a new 80 hp Zetor with 5000 hours on it. The front end 4wd casting broke. He has been waiting months for a new one. He told me he wished he had financed it with the dealer so he could tell them what to do with it.

I'd MUCH rather spend $39000 on a good tractor than I would waste $25000 on something with a poor reputation, terrible re-sale value when hours start to accumulate, and parts availability that ranks somewhere near the bottom of the charts. You MIGHT get a few good years out of the Zetor, who knows. You'll PROBABLY get a lot of good years from the Deere. If you're into gambling a lot of cash against bad odds, go for it. Myself? I don't like to waste what I've worked hard for.