What are the differences between the -2,-3 and -5 machines? Are the -5’s much better?
Are you asking about EX or ZX series machines?
I’m sorry, I’m asking about the ex series
The EX-2 and-3 are basically very similar. The -2 series was Hitachi's first venture into using computers and had a fair amount of issues. The -3 series had most of those issues resolved and were a very good machine but they are now 25 years old and most of them will have electrical issues caused by bad wiring harnesses and the harnesses are no long available from Deere/Hitachi. I have also found other components getting more difficult to find. Unless you are very good at electrical diagnostics and repair I would stay away from these two series. The -5 series was by far the best series of the three, I've had more than a few operators tell me they preferred the -5 to the newer Zaxis series. Hitachi to Deere series were: -2&3 Hitachi's were E series Deere's with a serial number break between the two, the -5 Hitachi became the first metric series Deere's when they started using the same metric number designation as Hitachi.