John Deere 325 P-Tier vs Wacker Neuson ST45

John Deere

John Deere 325 P-Tier

$76,000

4.6★ (70)

Wacker Neuson

$76,000

4.2★ (70)

Quick take: The Wacker Neuson ST45 has a higher rated operating capacity (4,500 vs 2,590 lbs).

✓The 74 hp Yanmar deliberately stays under the emissions threshold that would require DEF, so ownership stays simple with no fluid to buy or dosing system to fail.
✓Vertical lift with a 126-inch hinge pin height places 2,590 lbs over tandem dump truck sides - the core task mid-frame CTLs get bought for.
✓The P-Tier cab is a genuine step up from the 325G: bigger door opening, more interior volume, better sealing, and quieter at full throttle.
✓EH ISO joystick controls are standard with adjustable boom and drive response, letting each operator dial the machine to their preference.
✓Optional high-flow hydraulics open up mulchers and cold planers that the small-frame 317 P-Tier can never run.
✓Ride control smooths loaded travel across rough ground, keeping material in the bucket at transport speed.
✓The 325G it replaces was one of the best-selling CTLs in America, so parts, service knowledge, and attachments are everywhere.
✓Free JDLink telematics plus Deere's dealer network make fleet tracking and resale straightforward for multi-machine owners.

✗The 74 hp ceiling means it gives up real pushing and mulching power to 100+ hp rivals like the Takeuchi TL11R3 and Cat 275.
✗A well-optioned cab machine with high flow crosses into the low-$80k range, close to larger and more powerful competitors.
✗The mid-frame undercarriage still costs real money to maintain - budget for tracks, rollers, and idlers by 1,500 hours of hard use.
✗Operators report the standard-flow 21 GPM circuit limits snowblower and trencher performance unless you pay for high flow up front.
✗The vertical-lift linkage has more pins and bushings to grease than radial machines, adding a few minutes to daily checks.
✗New P-Tier electronics and the touchscreen display are more to go wrong out of warranty than the simpler G-Series setup.
✗At 9,500 lbs plus trailer it pushes past what a half-ton pickup should tow, so most buyers need a 3/4-ton or larger truck.
✗Early-production P-Tier machines have limited long-term reliability history compared to the thoroughly proven 325G.

✓A 4,500 lb rated operating capacity and 9,000 lb tipping load put it in genuine large-frame territory - it forklifts pallets of sod and block that mid-frames refuse.
✓The 134.8-inch hinge pin height is one of the taller lift heights in the class, clearing high-sided dump trucks and hoppers with ease.
✓The 74.3 hp Kohler KDI needs no DPF and no DEF, so a big machine stays refreshingly simple to run and maintain.
✓Kohler's 4-year/4,000-hour engine warranty on top of 2-year/2,000-hour machine coverage means the expensive bits are covered longest.
✓This platform has been in production longer than the uni-body models, so it has more accumulated field hours and known reliability.
✓The cab is roomy with good sightlines to the bucket edge, and controls are available in H-pattern or ISO joystick.
✓Self-leveling and ride-control features are available to protect palletized loads over rough ground.
✓It typically prices well below 100 hp flagship rivals while lifting just as much.

✗With only 74.3 hp moving a 10,267 lb machine, it's tuned for lifting rather than aggressive dozing - operators who push hard wish for the ST50's extra power.
✗Standard 22.1 gpm auxiliary flow is modest for a large frame, and even the 31.4 gpm high-flow option is midpack.
✗The Series-II design predates the uni-body machines, so service access and cab refinement feel a generation older.
✗Wacker Neuson's sparse dealer network is riskiest on a large frame that working crews depend on daily.
✗Resale values trail the big four brands by a wider dollar margin at this price point.
✗At over 10,000 lbs it needs heavy trailer capacity, a cost some step-up buyers underestimate.
✗Limited factory tech - no grade control and basic displays - for contractors accustomed to flagship-level electronics.
✗Brand-name attachment packages and dealer-installed options are fewer than what Bobcat or Cat dealers can spec.