Hardin Farms
Well-known member
So back in the fall/winter last year, I had asked for some advice on buying an M9540 Kubota. Well, one thing led to another and that deal fell through. Spring rolled around and I was still in the market for a tractor. A friend of mine owns a LS dealership and I have always been impressed with the product he sells, but I have never been able to swing a new one. Finally the right used one came along. 2010 LS P7030 with cab/air and hydraulic power shuttle. The tractor was sold new in 2011 to older gentleman and he passed after a few years of owning the tractor and it sat in a barn for several years. The owner of the LS dealership ended up buying it and kept it to use as his personal tractor. The tractor now has almost 700 hours on it (I put the last 30 or so on it). Minus a few cosmetic issues such as lights being broken, the tractor is in excellent shape.
I like the way the tractor is set up. Im an average sized guy and the cab fits me and my 6yo son in the buddy seat perfect. I could see a bigger person having a little trouble inside the cab. The controls are ergonomically placed. It is well balanced. It has a tight turning radius. My tires are filled, so it stays planted well on inclines and slopes. I didn't think I would like the amount of "gears" it has, but I find myself using the hi and low function on the shifter quite often. (each gear has a high and low). It has an Iveco engine which is shared by some other equipment brands like CNH. My particular machine is 88hp, but other than tire size, it's the same tractor as the 97hp counterpart. The dealer did turn up my pump and dyno'd it at 97hp. The self leveling loader is nice. This tractor is HEAVY... I would guess around the 10k mark. The dealer support is excellent. I know the owner and their mechanics. I think one would be hard pressed to find a better dealer for any brand in my area.
A couple of knocks on it.. The loader functions aren't weak at all, but a little on the slow side compared to some other tractors I have operated. I don't mind this at all. The hydraulic shuttle has a little more delay than I like, but I am in conversation with the dealer to see if this is something that can be changed via computer. Hydraulic line fittings are metric which means a 45 minute drive to get a line made vs a 10 minute drive into town... which isn't uncommon for a lot of things when you live in a small town. No third function valve. We will see about parts availability from LS. This being a discontinued model, I hope they don't drop parts for it. My understanding is that it shares a lot of parts with some of the other series tractors as well. Longevity is another concern I had about the LS brand, but they aren't necessarily the new kids on the block. Their tractors seem to be holding up well and resale value is continuing to climb around here.
If LS continues building tractors like this one and they have the capacity to keep producing parts for their older models, they could be around for a long time.
I like the way the tractor is set up. Im an average sized guy and the cab fits me and my 6yo son in the buddy seat perfect. I could see a bigger person having a little trouble inside the cab. The controls are ergonomically placed. It is well balanced. It has a tight turning radius. My tires are filled, so it stays planted well on inclines and slopes. I didn't think I would like the amount of "gears" it has, but I find myself using the hi and low function on the shifter quite often. (each gear has a high and low). It has an Iveco engine which is shared by some other equipment brands like CNH. My particular machine is 88hp, but other than tire size, it's the same tractor as the 97hp counterpart. The dealer did turn up my pump and dyno'd it at 97hp. The self leveling loader is nice. This tractor is HEAVY... I would guess around the 10k mark. The dealer support is excellent. I know the owner and their mechanics. I think one would be hard pressed to find a better dealer for any brand in my area.
A couple of knocks on it.. The loader functions aren't weak at all, but a little on the slow side compared to some other tractors I have operated. I don't mind this at all. The hydraulic shuttle has a little more delay than I like, but I am in conversation with the dealer to see if this is something that can be changed via computer. Hydraulic line fittings are metric which means a 45 minute drive to get a line made vs a 10 minute drive into town... which isn't uncommon for a lot of things when you live in a small town. No third function valve. We will see about parts availability from LS. This being a discontinued model, I hope they don't drop parts for it. My understanding is that it shares a lot of parts with some of the other series tractors as well. Longevity is another concern I had about the LS brand, but they aren't necessarily the new kids on the block. Their tractors seem to be holding up well and resale value is continuing to climb around here.
If LS continues building tractors like this one and they have the capacity to keep producing parts for their older models, they could be around for a long time.
