Strengths Green color

Weaknesses Overpriced

Overall Don't be a sheep, drive other models and don't get caught paying for a paint job

Strengths This is an update to my earlier post. I LOVE this tractor. It is my 3rd JD. In the last 2 years, I have purchased a 318, a 322(which I had intended to have my Father-in-Law build a loader for,) and now this tractor. I purchased my previous 2 tractors used (20 years old and in need of restoration) and decided that a new one would help in the maintenence and upkeep area of my available free time. Having a new tractor that is under warrantee frees me up to "tweek" the older tractor, and play with it! I sold the 322 and kept my 318 as well as the 2305. This spring, while doing our annual mulch "extraviganza," even my wife (who I had to bribe with a new Mercedes in order to get the tractor) was amazed with it's ease of use and the speed with which the job was completed using the 2305. Her comment was profound. She said that she doesn't know how we ever did this without the use of 2 tractors. On the surface, she gave me her blessing to keep the 318,(which was reason enough to celebrate) on a deeper level, she told me something I have waited almost 10 years to hear... I was right! I have discovered that the tractor isn't really too big for my needs, but the FEL makes it a little awkward to mow in some of the tighter areas of my lawn, but that is what the 318 will handle with it's 38in deck. I am set for the forseable future and loving every minute!

Weaknesses

Overall Eventually, I will purchase some property and build my dream home. When this happens, the 2305 will be on the small side for my needs as a tractor, but it will be quite well suited to mow a big yard with. When this happens, I will probably be in the market for a larger utility tractor, and my 318 can just be a run about machine.

Strengths I decided to buy a Deere after comparing the 3 major competeing brands and I was impressed by the Deere and my dealer. I looked at Kubota BX 25 but this dealer was unwilling to bring the price down, The Yanmar Cub Cadet was eliminated almost immediately by the attitude of the dealer and the fact the FEL seemed hard to remove. I also looked at a Case but it did not impress me and I could not have a backhoe fitted right away. So the win was by default as the 2305 won with easy to remove FEL and the fact that I could run the tractor with the FEL, backhoe on it and the mower and not have to remove anything. I wanted turf tires as the majority my work with the tractor will be in my 2 and half acre yard but it needs a lot of work, The yard has poor drainage and needs to be redone with new drainage hence the need for the backhoe. I am impressed with the ability of this tractor to go anywhere I need on my property and to do so smoothly, I am one that will test the limits of a machine and I have yet to discover them on my Deere. It mows excellent and then digs tenches really well considering its size. The FEL will and can carry all the mulch for my wife's raised flower beds and does it easily and right after I bought the tractor in March it snowed about 6 inches and the FEL was really valued as it cleared my driveway and sidewalk without even working up a sweat. This is the most efficient tractor I have ever owned and it sure does the job I needed it to.

Weaknesses The breakout force on the backhoe could be a little higher but after all it is on a Subcompact tractor.

Overall I would buy it all over again.

Strengths I actually own an X748 and just wanted to expand on what Mike was talking about when he compared the 2305 to the X748. I agonized over which one to buy and chose the X748 because about 85% of my usage would be for mowing. The biggest differences between the two are that the 2305 comes with Cat 1 hitch and rear 540 PTO standard, and the 2305 has a two speed range that the X748 does not. I would recommend to prospective buyers to go with the 2305 if you plan to do any more than about 60% use for mowing. The addition of PTO and 3-point lift to the X748 drives its price higher than the base 2305, and you still have only a single speed range, although I find it is plenty as the hydrostatic drive gives infinite ground speeds; maybe there is more torque available at slow ground speeds with the 2305 setup, I don't know. I am in the process of adding the lift and PTO to my X748 so I can get a tiller for my gardening. I am wishing that I had gone with the 2305, but at the time I was shopping, there were more incentives available to me to get the price down on the X748, and the dealer nearby who had both models available wasn't willing to give me a better deal on the 2305 (came with the 60" 7-Iron deck) than I could get elsewhere on the X748. I got the SE version, and the seat alone is worth the extra price. It adjusts for operator weight and works very well to smooth out rough terrain, and has armrests which are handy when mowing large tracts (they flip up when not needed).

Weaknesses Just price points between models. No lack of power, I love the diesel.

Overall I have another J-D I use at my mothers (325) and this makes my 4th total J-D I have owned. The 1st two were ancient when I bought them and I finished wearing them out, although I'd love to have the 110 back to restore (a 1970 model) Although the color paint J-D uses on its implements is expensive ( I think some are a bit overpriced) I will always be a Deere tractor owner.

Strengths I have posted them before this is an update to more changes I have made. I bought an army surplus ammo can and mounted to the right side above the fender under the ROP light. I painted it JD Green and it looks factory. I keep pins, wrenches, pliers ect in here as well as gloves. I also cut down the left side yellow handle and drilled out and replaced the knob. Now I do not get caught on it when I get off.I also filled the seat rubber springs with black silicone to stiffen it up so it would not drag on the rear lever. I did eventually heat up the lever and bend it farther from the seat.

Weaknesses It has a few as everyone mentions but most can be fixed to meet your personal desires.

Overall I love it if you want to discuss ideas e mail me cribcooler@sbcglobal.net

Strengths Power to spare. This tractor will do ANYTHING I could ask of it. For my needs it is border-line overkill, but my .75 acres has lots of terrain and anything less would struggle. I needed the front end loader for helping to spread mulch. I typically do about 60 cu. yards annually, and trying to do this with a shovel and wheel-barrow SUCKS! The issue came down to price. The X748(virtually the same tractor, smaller package) with similar attachments would have been $2000.00 more. This, along with the tremendous incentives, (48 months same as cash)made this decision an easy one.I am not sure why JD has marketed it's line this way, unless they A: want to sell more 2305's B: Have you over a barrel because most homeowners wouldn't dream of buying a tractor that you have to "Grow Into" C: They are trying to "Phase Out" Heavy duty Garden tractors What ever the reason, the 2305 is a cabable and hard working machine and even though it is a little larger than a garden tractor, I am sure I can find plenty to do with it.

Weaknesses Size. It seems to me that it is too big for a typical homeowner in a subdivision, and undersized for the typical property owner. It has PLENTY of power, and makes up for it's small size by packing all types of features standard. It does feel a little tippy without ballast, but with fluid in the tires, and 400 lbs of ballast on the 3 point, it is VERY solid. Don't even think of running the FEL without ballast.

Overall Overall, I have few complaints. The tractor is on the big side for my needs, other than that, it is ideal for my property

Strengths A very hard working little tractor. Pulls a 4ft tiller by King Kutter, 4ft finish mower, 5ft bushhog and a 5 shank all purpose plow. The all purpose plow needs to be taken back to 3 shank. Overall I give this tractor very high marks.

Weaknesses Because it is so narrow, I feel unsafe when on a hillside no matter what the grade. I am a very large person and the seat belt will not reach around me. Talking to the dealer & to John Deere I got NO satifaction as NO seat belt extension or longer belt is avabile. I moved the anchor point of the seat belt to the front bolt of the roll bar. At least I can now fassen the seat belt. The only other problem I have had is the wires for the cruse control under the tractor got caught on something while bushogging and got pulled out.

Overall I am very pleased that I chose to go with the John Deere 2305. Improvements would be a wider spacing on the rear wheels, longer seat belt or seat belt extension and a 3 speed transmission.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Overall I don't have a review but I've been reading others' and wondering why no one on this forum knows how to spell. Are these real owners or foreigners hired by J-D to write glowing reviews?

Strengths This is a nice little tractor. The front loader is one working little unit but the backhoe has some cheap hydrolic lines that needed replacing the second year that I owned it. The tractor can go anywhere and plenty of power.

Weaknesses Not easy to get into and seat bottoms out. This tractor is one working unit in the summer but is not for winter time use. The first winter I owned it, the fuel would jell up even with an additive. The tractor sat most of the winter even though I needed it to move snow. I finally was able to run it by mixing kerosene 50/50 with diesel fuel. Not very good for the tractor but the only way it will run in below zero weather. The second winter the hydrolic system which is also part of the transmision went to hell. Tractor sat most of that winter. This winter the tractor ran half of the winter but died yesterday 1/30/09. It just stopped running and I am hoping that it is just the battery. I alway thought that once a motor was running that the battery made no difference but was used only to start the vehicle. I am told that todays vehicle rely on the battery to run also.

Overall The tractor is a nice tractor with plenty of power, when it runs. Not a cold weather piece of equipment and I do think that I will try to sell it. I gets old fast when you are trying to remove snow in frezing temps and your equipment does not start or run.

Strengths update to rcf89 on 12-23-08, problem with three point hitch appears to have been solved just before i picked backup from dealer, JD TECH informed tech that was working on tractor that they had had problem with three point hitch control valve on some tractors and authorized replacement of valve, three point hitch is much more responsive now and hitch speed control valve in front of seat acutually makes a difference in drop speed, didn't seem to affect at all before, tractor seems to function better on FEL & transmission now,

Weaknesses

Overall