"I previously owned a gray market Yanmar with a live power take-off for about 5 years and really liked the performance of it. I purchased my 3005 because I wanted a newer tractor with a good local dealer and this tractor is just about same as my old one. There were no power take-off speed options and I have discovered the hydraulics are not quite as strong. I have been well pleased with my John Deere."

"My tractor is a John Deere 3005 with a 300 loader and Frontier RC2060 rotary cutter. I have 31 acres, approximately half timber/home site and half pasture. This is a versatile, reliable tractor used for cutting hay, small stump removal, hauling firewood, and dirt work. It has a tight turn radius that comes in handy while maneuvering in wooded areas. It had light usage at first, but I am retired now and am using it more frequently. It has been very reliable so far. I am well pleased with it."

"Purchased this machine for upkeep on the new property. I am a simple person and like simple but hard-working equipment. Have right at 5 acres of ground that had 3/4 acre of overgrown honey locust trees. Those have been cleared out now thanks to the 3005. It will also help us hard-scape part of the back patio and assist with moving several tons of gravel and mulch. In the cold season it will be primary device to clear snow from 1/2 mile of driveway and level-B access road if the need arises. Implements I have acquired already consist of: - John Deere 300 loader w/standard 60" bucket - John Deere RB2060 rear blade w/skid shoes - Spee-Co post hole digger w/9" auger - King-Kutter 60" all gear driven roto-tiller - Custom altered Snow-Bear 84" snow plow now quick attaches to the 300 loader arms."

"Overall I love my tractor. Plenty of power to run my 5' brush mower even in heavy stuff. It has started every time in all weather conditions with the exception of when it's original battery died. Only shortcomings are it's weight, it's on the light side, and the hydraulics are not very strong. Other than that I think a hydro-static trans might be more convenient when doing a lot of FEL work. Only mechanical issues I have had other than the original battery leaking acid everywhere is that sometimes the guages won't work when I first start it up but after a little bouncing around they usually do. Overall very happy with it. "

"I have had intermittent problems with both the coolant temperature and fuel gauges not operating. Some time one will work while the other does not. Sometimes they will both not work and after a little time they start wiring again. I have taken the interment panels out several times looking for a bad connection in the wiring harness/plugs nothing found. Could this be a bad 3 AMP diode? Lights, flashers all work fine."

"I actually love the rumble of this guy when he starts up, actually sounds like a heavy, no-nonsense diesel engine. I specifically got it to replace my aged Ford 1700 because it was a little old fashioned---metal fenders and geared. Since I hadn't bought a tractor in years I did not realize that R4 tires did not suit my use as well as R1s. So although R4s are listed as an option on the JD web site, they all come equipped with R4s unless you specifically ask for R1s. That was my first issue. The second is that there are only two gear ranges (I was used to three on my old Ford). This is plenty going forward, but leaves you with only two speeds going back, a second gear equivalent in high range (often too fast) and a crawler in low range (often too slow). I really would have liked one in between. "

"So far it does every thing I want it to. Wish lift capacity was higher but it gets the job done."

"This is a great tractor for small acreage owners. This tractor has great power for pushing snow and moving dirt. I also use this tractor for wood cutting with the fork attachment on the loader. I cut the logs in 4 foot lengths and haul the out on the forks. "

"I have had this tractor for a few months and love it. I went with the manual transmission. I use it a lot for getting firewood. It really maneuvers great in tight places. "

"Starts easy and runs great in all weather so far. Engine has plenty of power, runs my 5 foot rotary mower with no problem. Only disappointment is that the hydraulics are kinda weak."