The short answer from this John Deere 3038E review: the 3038E is the strongest tractor in John Deere’s economy 3E line — a 36.7-gross-horsepower compact with a turbocharged Yanmar diesel, 30 PTO horsepower, and the 300E front loader rated to lift 1,186 pounds. New 2026 machines with the loader are advertised around $28,692 to $28,950 cash at southeastern dealers, while well-kept used examples typically run $17,000 to $28,000 depending on hours, age, and attachments.
This John Deere 3038E review covers the full spec sheet, engine and transmission, loader and backhoe compatibility, realistic new and used US pricing, and comparisons with the 3032E, 3025E, and Kubota L3901 — every figure drawn from Deere specs, current dealer listings, or owner reports.
John Deere 3038E Review, Features and Price
In this John Deere 3038E review, the 3038E sits at the top of Deere’s 3E economy range: the same frame as the 3032E and 3025E, a straight-talking open-station layout, and horsepower that steps up with each model. Where the 3025E serves light property work and the 3032E covers the middle, the 3038E is the machine for 5- and 6-foot implements, regular loader work, and long days under load. It is assembled in Augusta, Georgia, with a 6-year/2,000-hour powertrain limited warranty.
Key Features, Configurations and Intended Uses
This John Deere 3038E review starts with how the tractor is configured. Open station only — no factory cab on the 3E line — with foldable ROPS, color-coded controls, and a two-range hydrostatic with Twin Touch pedals that eliminates clutching. A foot-actuated differential lock is integrated into the brake pedal for extra traction.
Intended uses: maintaining 10 to 40 acres, 5- or 6-foot cutters and mowers, box-blade grading, tilling, loader work, post-hole digging, snow removal, and light backhoe digging. Deere also offers the iMatch AutoHitch quick hitch plus an optional two-spool rear hydraulic remote kit that owners doing grapple work appreciate. The video below is a dealer walkaround of a 2022 3038E showing the station, controls, and loader up close — a useful visual companion to this John Deere 3038E review:
Compared with the fancier R-series Deeres, the 3E line trades gadgets for value — and buyers browsing this John Deere 3038E review should know that. What you get is a bigger engine and heavier implement capability than the 1 and 2 Series machines, which is exactly what the extra money buys. Owners on TractorByNet forums describe the 3038E as a good economy-based tractor that handles mowing, tilling, loader work, and snow work without complaint, while noting the narrow frame can feel tippy on side slopes — the most repeated caveat in this John Deere 3038E review’s owner research.
New and Used Prices by Model Year, Hours and Condition
This John Deere 3038E review found new pricing refreshingly easy to pin down. Greenway Equipment listed the 3038E with the 300E loader at $28,692 cash, or $383 per month with $0 down and 0% for 84 months. TriGreen Equipment advertised new 2026 3038E machines with the 300E loader and third-function hydraulics at $28,950 cash in Tennessee and Alabama — both prices verified for this John Deere 3038E review within the last week of October 2026. Other dealers list closer to $34,000–$39,000.
The 3038E has been in production since 2008, with the current generation running from 2013 onward; original prices were $14,869 in 2009, about $21,900 in 2018, and $23,108 in 2020. Used, Machinery Pete shows listings from about $9,200 to over $57,000, while a 2012 machine with 647 hours, loader, and backhoe was recently advertised at $17,999 by a Maine dealer. As a rule of thumb for this John Deere 3038E review: 500-plus-hour machines run $14,000–$20,000, 200-to-500-hour machines $20,000–$28,000, and late-model low-hour examples push toward new prices. Price the attachments into your offer, and ask for DPF service history, since the 3038E carries a diesel particulate filter, as detailed in our 3038E maintenance and reliability guide.
John Deere 3038E Engine, Horsepower and Specifications
The headline numbers in this John Deere 3038E review: 36.7 gross horsepower and 30 PTO horsepower from a turbocharged three-cylinder Yanmar diesel, a 7.5-gallon tank, and a two-range hydrostatic transmission.
Yanmar Diesel Engine, Rated HP, PTO Power and Transmission
Power comes from the Yanmar 3TNV86T-NJT, a 1.568-liter (95.68-cubic-inch) three-cylinder, liquid-cooled, turbocharged diesel. Deere rates it at 36.7 gross horsepower (27.4 kW) at 2,500 rpm, with 30 PTO horsepower (22.4 kW) and 77.2 lb-ft of torque. One detail buyers love: the 3038E’s engine is actually smaller in displacement than the naturally aspirated engines in the 3025E and 3032E — the turbocharger delivers the extra output. That turbo-on-a-smaller-block setup is the single biggest talking point of this John Deere 3038E review’s engine section.
Emissions are Final Tier 4 with a diesel oxidation catalyst and diesel particulate filter (DPF). Soot burns off passively during loaded work, the ECU triggers active cleaning automatically, and if cycles are interrupted the display requests a parked cleaning. Owner reports confirm the system — including ECU code 3719 derates from soot after prolonged light-duty idling — so anyone reading this John Deere 3038E review should plan to work the tractor under real load rather than puttering. Fuel consumption varies by task; our 3038E performance and fuel usage guide breaks down gallons-per-hour by job type.
The transmission is a two-range hydrostatic with infinite forward and reverse in each range, controlled by Twin Touch pedals — no clutching. Low range suits mowing, tilling, and loader work; high range is for travel. The owner’s verdict recorded in this John Deere 3038E review: two ranges are enough for most property work.
Dimensions, Weight, Fuel Capacity, Hydraulics and Lift Capacity
The 3E frame is compact but heavier than the 1 and 2 Series, which gives the 3038E its planted feel in loader work. Here are the verified John Deere 3038E specifications from Deere’s published data:
| Specification | John Deere 3038E |
|---|---|
| Engine | Yanmar 3TNV86T-NJT, 3-cyl turbo diesel, 1.568 L (95.68 cu in) |
| Gross engine power | 36.7 hp (27.4 kW) at 2,500 rpm |
| PTO power | 30 hp (22.4 kW), independent rear 540 rpm |
| Fuel tank capacity | 7.5 gal (28.5 L) |
| Approximate shipping weight | 2,668 lb (1,210 kg), open station |
| Wheelbase | 62.7 in (1,593 mm) |
| Hydraulic system | Open center; 5.3 gpm implement + 4.0 gpm steering, 2,500 psi |
| 3-point hitch | Category 1, position control; 1,356 lb lift 24 in behind link arms |
| Powertrain warranty | 6-year/2,000-hour limited (whichever comes first) |
| Assembly | Augusta, Georgia, USA |
| Key takeaway | Most power per dollar in the 3E line: turbo Yanmar, 30 PTO hp, 2,668-lb frame |
John Deere 3038E Attachments and Implement Compatibility
Many buyers choose the 3038E for attachments: the 300E front loader, the 370B backhoe, and a 3-point hitch that runs 5- and 6-foot implements comfortably on 30 PTO horsepower. Every factory attachment also fits the 3032E and 3025E, since all three share the 3E frame — all verified against Deere spec sheets for this John Deere 3038E review.
Front Loader, Backhoe and Compatible Mower Options
The factory match in this John Deere 3038E review is the John Deere 300E front loader: 84 inches of maximum lift height, 1,186 pounds of lift capacity at the pivot at full height (845 pounds measured 500 mm ahead of the pivot), and 1,704 pounds of boom breakout force. A mechanical self-leveling version raises capacity to 1,283 pounds, per MachineFinder’s in-depth 3038E overview.
The factory backhoe is the 370B: 82 inches of digging depth, a 148-degree swing arc, and 2,692 pounds of bucket force. A tractor-loader-backhoe package advertises around $37,000. The 3E line takes no mid-mount deck, so buyers use 5- to 6-foot rotary cutters, rear finish mowers, and flail mowers — and 30 PTO horsepower handles a 6-foot cutter where the 3032E starts to bog.
| Attachment | Key Figures |
|---|---|
| 300E front loader | 84 in max lift; 1,186 lb at pivot (full height); 1,704 lb breakout force; MSL option 1,283 lb |
| 370B backhoe | 82 in digging depth; 148° swing; 2,692 lb bucket force; 8/12/16 in buckets |
| Mower match | 5–6 ft rotary cutters, rear finish mowers, flail mowers (no mid-mount deck) |
| Quick hitch | iMatch AutoHitch; optional two-spool rear remote kit |
| Used-market note | All 3E attachments also fit the 3032E/3025E — buy used implements with confidence |
Implement Compatibility and Work Limitations
With 30 PTO horsepower and 1,356 pounds of hitch lift, the 3038E runs box blades, rakes, 5- to 6-foot tillers, augers, spreaders, and plows comfortably. The 9.3-gpm open-center hydraulic system is ample for loader cylinders, backhoe swing circuits, and grapple jaws, though it is not a high-flow setup — hydraulic motors on big snow blowers or stump grinders will run slower than on a 4-series machine. That hydraulic reality check belongs in every honest John Deere 3038E review.
Honest limitations from this John Deere 3038E review: the loader is the weakest point owners mention. One owner reported the loader “does not lift much,” and another said a full bucket of gravel will bog the loader on hills. The narrow 3E frame also means the tractor feels tippy across slopes — liquid tire ballast and rear wheel weights transform its stability. Front axle seal leaks appear in several owner reports after a few years of regular service, so used buyers should check the front hubs for weeping oil.
John Deere 3038E vs. 3032E and Other Compact Tractors
Every John Deere 3038E review eventually becomes a comparison, because the 3038E is priced just above its siblings and just below the fancier R-series. The right choice depends on the implements you plan to run and how hard you plan to run them, so this John Deere 3038E review measures the 3038E against the 3032E, the 3025E, and the Kubota L3901 on verified figures.
Differences in Power, Features and Capabilities
Within the 3E line the differences are mostly under the hood. The 3038E’s turbocharged 1.568-liter Yanmar makes 36.7 gross horsepower and 30 PTO horsepower, against the 3032E’s naturally aspirated 1.642-liter at 30.7 gross and 25 PTO, and the 3025E’s 24.4 gross and 17.4 PTO. The frame, loader, backhoe, hitch, and transmission are essentially identical across the three — buy the 3038E only if you need the power. That “more power, same machine” answer is the core buying advice of this John Deere 3038E review. Greenway’s advertised cash prices with loader ($19,999 for the 3025E, $26,149 for the 3032E, $28,692 for the 3038E) show exactly what each horsepower step costs.
The Kubota L3901 HST is the natural orange rival in this John Deere 3038E review: 37.5 gross horsepower and 30.6 PTO horsepower from a 1.826-liter naturally aspirated diesel, a three-range hydrostatic, about 2,778 pounds of operating weight, an 11.1-gallon fuel tank, and 1,433 pounds of 3-point lift at 24 inches. On paper it matches or slightly beats the 3038E in most specs and also runs a DPF — a point this John Deere 3038E review verifies from owner regen reports. Deere’s counters are the 6-year/2,000-hour powertrain warranty, the huge US dealer network, and typically aggressive cash pricing. Owners cross-shopping them usually decide on dealer proximity and price, per Koenig Equipment’s 3E comparison guide.
| Model | Gross HP | PTO HP | Weight | Fuel Tank | Advertised w/ Loader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Deere 3025E | 24.4 | 17.4 | ~2,668 lb | 7.5 gal | ~$19,999 |
| John Deere 3032E | 30.7 | 25 | ~2,668 lb | 7.5 gal | ~$26,149 |
| John Deere 3038E | 36.7 | 30 | ~2,668 lb | 7.5 gal | ~$28,692 |
| Kubota L3901 HST | 37.5 | 30.6 | ~2,778 lb | 11.1 gal | Comparable (varies) |
| Bottom line | The 3038E costs about $2,500 more than the 3032E for 5 extra PTO hp — same frame otherwise | ||||
Which Compact Tractor Offers Better Value?
The value question in this John Deere 3038E review comes down to the workload. If you run a 6-foot cutter, 6-foot tiller, or a loaded 300E bucket for hours, the 3038E’s extra 5 PTO horsepower is money well spent. The roughly $2,500 gap at advertised prices is one of the cheapest horsepower upgrades in Deere’s lineup. For mostly 5-foot-cutter work and occasional loader chores, the 3032E does it for less, and the 3025E review is the one to read if the budget is tight — it covers light duty at about $9,000 less.
Against the Kubota L3901, capability is a wash — both are 37-horsepower-class machines with DPFs. The L3901’s bigger fuel tank and three-range hydro are real advantages; the 3038E’s longer warranty and typically lower advertised cash price are its counters. Or consider the 2032R review — Deere’s premium 2-series, similar 30-horsepower class, more comfort, higher price. For maximum tractor for minimum money, the 3038E wins this John Deere 3038E review’s value pick.
Frequently Asked Questions About the John Deere 3038E
These are the questions buyers ask most often after reading a John Deere 3038E review — answered from Deere’s published specs, current dealer listings, and documented owner experience.
How much horsepower does a John Deere 3038E have?
The short engine answer in this John Deere 3038E review: the 3038E produces 36.7 gross horsepower (27.4 kW) at 2,500 rpm and 30 PTO horsepower (22.4 kW), from a turbocharged three-cylinder Yanmar diesel displacing 1.568 liters. That makes it the most powerful model in Deere’s economy 3E line — about 6 gross horsepower ahead of the 3032E and roughly 12 ahead of the 3025E.
How much does a new John Deere 3038E cost with a loader?
The pricing answer in this John Deere 3038E review: recent advertised cash prices put a new 3038E with the 300E loader at about $28,692 (Greenway Equipment) to $28,950 (TriGreen Equipment, which included third-function hydraulics). Other dealers list closer to $34,000–$39,000. A tractor-loader-backhoe package advertises around $37,000. For what those numbers mean over years of ownership, see our 3038E ownership cost guide.
Does the John Deere 3038E have a DPF?
Yes. The 3038E meets Final Tier 4 with a diesel oxidation catalyst and diesel particulate filter. Soot burns off passively during loaded work, the ECU triggers active regeneration automatically, and the display will request a parked cleaning (about 20 to 30 minutes) if automatic cycles were interrupted. Prolonged low-rpm idling can trigger soot-related derates (ECU code 3719), so the practical takeaway of this John Deere 3038E review is simple: work the tractor under real load and let regen cycles finish.
What is the lift capacity of the 300E loader?
The 300E loader lifts 1,186 pounds at the pivot pin at full height (845 pounds measured 500 mm ahead of the pivot), reaches 84 inches of maximum lift height, and delivers 1,704 pounds of boom breakout force. The mechanical self-leveling version raises lift capacity to 1,283 pounds. Those are pivot ratings — capacity drops as the load moves forward in the bucket, which is why this John Deere 3038E review heard from owners that it feels weaker with a heaped gravel bucket than the spec sheet suggests.
Is the 3038E better than the 3032E?
It is more powerful, not better built — both share the same 3E frame, transmission, loader, backhoe, and hitch. The 3038E’s turbo Yanmar delivers 36.7 gross and 30 PTO horsepower against the 3032E’s 30.7 and 25. If you regularly run 6-foot PTO implements or heavy loader cycles, the roughly $2,500 price step up is justified. For lighter 5-foot-implement work, the 3032E does the same job for less money — this whole John Deere 3038E review in one sentence.
Has the John Deere 3038E been recalled?
This John Deere 3038E review could not verify any model-specific CPSC safety recall covering the 3038E in the records we checked. Some sources report a 2009 brake campaign on early 3032E and 3038E machines, but we could not verify an original CPSC release for it — treat that as reported rather than confirmed. The widely reported September 2024 brake-linkage recall covered the 1023E, 1025R, and 2025R only — not the 2 or 3 Series. Still, checking costs nothing: run the tractor’s serial number through Deere’s recall lookup or call 800-537-8233, and ask the seller for recall paperwork on any used machine.
