Both compact · John Deere against Massey Ferguson

John Deere 3039R vs Massey Ferguson 2M.50

John Deere 3039R

John Deere

John Deere 3039R

~$35,898

38.2 hp engine · 29.8 PTO−22% to the shaft
Massey Ferguson2M.50

Massey Ferguson

Massey Ferguson 2M.50

~$35,771

48.8 hp engine · 38.1 PTO−22% to the shaft

The Massey Ferguson 2M.50 lists about $127 lower; the Massey Ferguson 2M.50 carries 38.1 hp to the PTO against 29.8; the Massey Ferguson 2M.50 lifts 1,880 lbs on the loader against 1,393; the Massey Ferguson 2M.50 buys more PTO horsepower per dollar, 1.07 per $1,000 against 0.83.

John Deere 3039R and Massey Ferguson 2M.50 compared row by row. A highlighted cell takes that row on the stated rule: more power, lift, capacity or flow, or a lower price.
SpecJohn Deere 3039RMassey Ferguson 2M.50
Price~$35,898~$35,771
What that price isMSRP, base buildMSRP, base build
Size classCompactCompact
TransmissionHydrostaticPower Shuttle
Engine hp38.2 hp48.8 hp
PTO hp29.8 hp38.1 hp
Loader lift1,393 lbsat the pivot pin1,880 lbs500 mm ahead of the pin
Three-point lift2,194 lbs24 in behind the lift points3,307 lbs24 in behind the lift points
Hydraulic flow15.3 GPM12.7 GPM
Drive4WD4WD
EngineYanmarIseki
Weight3,005 lbs4,035 lbs
Fuel tank10 galnot published
4WDYesYes
Front loaderYesYes
Cab availableYesYes
HydrostaticYesNo
Power steeringYesYes
Cruise controlYesNo
Warranty6 yr / 2000 hr powertrain5 yr powertrain

A highlighted cell wins its row on the rule named above the table: more power, lift, capacity or flow, or a lower price. A lift row is left unwon whenever the two makers measured in different places, or where either of them did not say — a figure quoted at the pivot pin and one quoted 500 mm ahead of it describe the same loader and differ by roughly a third, so ranking them against each other would invent a result. Prices are typical list and move with dealer packages.

From owner discussion and long-term write-ups

What owners of each one say

John Deere 3039R

What they like

  • The turbocharged 3TNV86CT pulls 38.2 hp from 1.6 L, and the PowrReverser gearbox takes 32.8 hp to the PTO against 29.8 with eHydro - three horsepower the gear option gives you for free
  • 2,194 lb at 24 in. behind the lift points handles a 6 ft rotary cutter, which is the implement most buyers at this size actually want
  • 15.3 gpm total pump flow with 9.1 gpm reaching implements, so a backhoe and loader on the same machine are not fighting each other for oil
  • A factory ComfortGard cab with air conditioning is on the option sheet - nothing in the 3E line below it can be ordered with one
  • Cruise control is standard with eHydro, which matters on the long mowing passes this size of machine gets bought for
  • Six years or 2,000 hours of powertrain coverage, among the longest terms offered on a compact tractor

What they complain about

  • Final Tier 4 compliance here runs a diesel particulate filter, so there are regeneration cycles that a sub-25 hp rival sidesteps entirely
  • The 320R lifts 1,393 lb at the pivot pin but 1,005 lb measured 500 mm ahead of it, and the forward figure is the one that governs a loaded pallet fork
  • Deere's published base list price of $35,898 is a bare tractor; dealer 'starting at' quotes that look cheaper usually have a 320R folded into them
  • 10 gal of fuel on the open-station build is thin for a machine that will spend a full day behind a cutter
  • Choosing the cab forces eHydro - the 12F/12R PowrReverser is an open-station-only option

Massey Ferguson 2M.50

What they like

  • 3,307 lb of lift 24 inches behind the ball ends, up 30 percent on the 1M.40 and enough for a heavy rear blade or a three-point spreader
  • A four-cylinder 2.4 L Iseki rather than the three-cylinder in the 1M frame, so torque delivery is smoother under a cutter
  • 38.1 hp at the PTO on the 12-speed power shuttle, which is more than the whole engine output of the 1GC range it sits above
  • The power shuttle version lifts 3,307 lb where the hydrostatic manages 3,086, and Massey publishes both rather than quoting the better one
  • Air-conditioned cab optional at 4,398 lb, with Classic and Deluxe cab trims offered
  • At 4,035 lb in ROPS form it is heavy enough to hold a loaded bucket down without ballast that a lighter compact would need

What they complain about

  • The cab build is $8,726 more at $44,497 and the Deluxe Cab $48,212 - well past what the 65 hp 2606H utility tractor costs
  • 1,880 lb at the loader is only 10 lb more than the 1M.40 below it, so the front end does not scale with the engine or the hitch
  • No fuel tank capacity is published anywhere for the 2M range
  • Choosing the hydrostatic costs both lift capacity, down to 3,086 lb, and 1.9 PTO horsepower
  • Massey names no loader model and publishes no warranty term on the M Series page
John Deere 3039R spec sheetMassey Ferguson 2M.50 spec sheet