Carrying out the majority of farm work late in the evenings or early in the mornings meant that part-time mixed Mayo beef and sheep farmer Mike McHugh needed a reliable tractor to get the work done.
“We don’t have a big holding but as I work full-time outside the farm, I needed to have a reliable tractor that I could hop into and do my few bits around the yard as quickly and as safely as possible,” the Hollymount man explained.
“Until I bought the new 5100M in 2016, I was running a Case 4230 with a front-end loader. This 85hp tractor was a UK import and was breaking my heart. It was giving constant issues. Towards the end, it was 50/50 whether it would start and the similar odds to whether it would stay going or not. I spent around €5,000 on it in three years.”
Tom, Mike and Peter McHugh.
Initially, Mike was on the lookout for a clean, used tractor. After looking at a number of machines and considering the trade-in allowance and finance rates, he figured he would work out better in the long run with a new tractor.
Over the winter of 2015 and 2016, Mike and a neighbour looked at and priced a range of tractors. This included Kubota, Valtra, Claas, New Holland, John Deere, Massey Ferguson and Case. He was after a basic 100hp tractor with a front-end loader.
I needed to have a reliable tractor that I could hop into and do my few bits around the yard as quickly and as safely as possible
“All the tractors I priced were within the €58,000 to €72,000 price bracket (including VAT). In the end, it came down to John Deere or New Holland. I went for the John Deere as the New Holland had the big door, which I was afraid of,” Mike said.
“I looked at a 10-year-old John Deere with around 8,000 hours on the clock in a local dealer’s yard. It was evident that it had a lot of hard work done,” he noted.
"I love the control layout, it’s very simple, anyone can hop up in it and find their way in no time. Visibility is also top notch," Mike explained.
“The tractor, with a front-end loader, was priced at €41,000 with a finance rate of around 6%. I then priced an equivalent size and spec new John Deere with a front-end loader. It was priced at €63,000, with 0% finance once I paid down a certain percentage. After securing €10,000 for my trade-in, I registered for VAT and claimed a further €12,000 back on it. This, in combination with the tax incentive, led me to the decision that it was a no-brainer to go for the new tractor with a warranty and the 0% finance.”
Performance
Mike took delivery of the tractor in July 2016. He noted that the tractor hasn’t given a day’s trouble, but that it’s only clocking up in the region of 350 to 400 hours/year.
Versatility and compactness were top of Mike’s agenda. This was important as his farmyard is a bit restricted, and the fact he uses it for cleaning out sheds with limited access means he needed a nimble tractor. The 5100M ticked all the right boxes. He said that it’s also quite low to the ground, making entering and exiting the cabin very easy.
Mike finds that the 5100M is “really nimble around the yard.”
“The tractor is really nimble around the yard. To be honest, it’s probably a little on the light side for hauling bales around on the front-end loader. The only fault I have with it is that I find the lift to be a little on the finicky side. Other than that, I can’t fault the tractor.
“The front-end loader is very easy to put on and take off. It only takes a matter of minutes. I love the control layout, it’s very simple, anyone can hop up in it and find their way in no time. Visibility is also top notch. This is something that is important for operating in yards that are tight for space. The cab is very roomy and really quiet when the tractor is working.”
The tractor has a 70l/min flow rate with two spool valves, which is all Mike needed. Powered by a 100hp four-cylinder John Deere engine, it has plenty of power, even when pulling a low loader full with hay. In terms of fuel consumption, Mike said it does 350-400 hours/year on €1,000 worth of diesel.
Lift controls on exterior.Versatility- very nimble in tight spaces.Lots of pulling power.Dislikes
Lift is a little finicky.Bit light for front end-loader.Full service is expensive. Specifications
Model: 5100M.Year of manufacture: 2016.Engine: Four cylinder John Deere PowerTech.Horsepower: 100hp (74kW).Transmission: 32F/16R (40km/h).Hitch lift capacity: 4,441kg.Weight: 3,900kg (without loader).Front-end loader: H260.List price new: €70,000 plus VAT.
Carrying out the majority of farm work late in the evenings or early in the mornings meant that part-time mixed Mayo beef and sheep farmer Mike McHugh needed a reliable tractor to get the work done.
“We don’t have a big holding but as I work full-time outside the farm, I needed to have a reliable tractor that I could hop into and do my few bits around the yard as quickly and as safely as possible,” the Hollymount man explained.
“Until I bought the new 5100M in 2016, I was running a Case 4230 with a front-end loader. This 85hp tractor was a UK import and was breaking my heart. It was giving constant issues. Towards the end, it was 50/50 whether it would start and the similar odds to whether it would stay going or not. I spent around €5,000 on it in three years.”
Tom, Mike and Peter McHugh.
Initially, Mike was on the lookout for a clean, used tractor. After looking at a number of machines and considering the trade-in allowance and finance rates, he figured he would work out better in the long run with a new tractor.
Over the winter of 2015 and 2016, Mike and a neighbour looked at and priced a range of tractors. This included Kubota, Valtra, Claas, New Holland, John Deere, Massey Ferguson and Case. He was after a basic 100hp tractor with a front-end loader.
I needed to have a reliable tractor that I could hop into and do my few bits around the yard as quickly and as safely as possible
“All the tractors I priced were within the €58,000 to €72,000 price bracket (including VAT). In the end, it came down to John Deere or New Holland. I went for the John Deere as the New Holland had the big door, which I was afraid of,” Mike said.
“I looked at a 10-year-old John Deere with around 8,000 hours on the clock in a local dealer’s yard. It was evident that it had a lot of hard work done,” he noted.
"I love the control layout, it’s very simple, anyone can hop up in it and find their way in no time. Visibility is also top notch," Mike explained.
“The tractor, with a front-end loader, was priced at €41,000 with a finance rate of around 6%. I then priced an equivalent size and spec new John Deere with a front-end loader. It was priced at €63,000, with 0% finance once I paid down a certain percentage. After securing €10,000 for my trade-in, I registered for VAT and claimed a further €12,000 back on it. This, in combination with the tax incentive, led me to the decision that it was a no-brainer to go for the new tractor with a warranty and the 0% finance.”
Performance
Mike took delivery of the tractor in July 2016. He noted that the tractor hasn’t given a day’s trouble, but that it’s only clocking up in the region of 350 to 400 hours/year.
Versatility and compactness were top of Mike’s agenda. This was important as his farmyard is a bit restricted, and the fact he uses it for cleaning out sheds with limited access means he needed a nimble tractor. The 5100M ticked all the right boxes. He said that it’s also quite low to the ground, making entering and exiting the cabin very easy.
Mike finds that the 5100M is “really nimble around the yard.”
“The tractor is really nimble around the yard. To be honest, it’s probably a little on the light side for hauling bales around on the front-end loader. The only fault I have with it is that I find the lift to be a little on the finicky side. Other than that, I can’t fault the tractor.
“The front-end loader is very easy to put on and take off. It only takes a matter of minutes. I love the control layout, it’s very simple, anyone can hop up in it and find their way in no time. Visibility is also top notch. This is something that is important for operating in yards that are tight for space. The cab is very roomy and really quiet when the tractor is working.”
The tractor has a 70l/min flow rate with two spool valves, which is all Mike needed. Powered by a 100hp four-cylinder John Deere engine, it has plenty of power, even when pulling a low loader full with hay. In terms of fuel consumption, Mike said it does 350-400 hours/year on €1,000 worth of diesel.
Lift controls on exterior.Versatility- very nimble in tight spaces.Lots of pulling power.Dislikes
Lift is a little finicky.Bit light for front end-loader.Full service is expensive. Specifications
Model: 5100M.Year of manufacture: 2016.Engine: Four cylinder John Deere PowerTech.Horsepower: 100hp (74kW).Transmission: 32F/16R (40km/h).Hitch lift capacity: 4,441kg.Weight: 3,900kg (without loader).Front-end loader: H260.List price new: €70,000 plus VAT. 
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