Deere 650j or 700j

I'm looking to get my first dozer and not sure which way to go here. I will be using it to level and widen roads, level fields, and maybe build a pond. I looked at a 650 a couple years ago and should have pulled the trigger but didn't, so here we go again. I have never been around a 700 but have found a nice one with low hrs. for not much more than a 650. I appreciate any input you guys can give me, as I am pretty set on John Deere since I have a strong relationship with the dealer nearby.

Since it sounds like your gonna be mostly in a wide open area doing a good bit of heavy pushing I'd go with the 700. I've only ran a 700j once while building a pond and it was a pushing SOB. But, I'm more partial to the 650j myself. I do most of my work in the woods so it helps me have the smaller, lighter dozer while building or scrapping roads, pushing log landings, fire lanes, or doing a little rough raking, especially as wet as it is around here.

A 700 will do everything the 650 will do, but the converse cannot be said. I've owned both, and have the 700H now. It is quite a bit more tractor than my 650 was. But the 650 lgp was easier to move with a dump truck and non-air brake pintle hitch trailer, which I cannot use with the 700.
I can throw the 700 on the job with my bigger dozers to rake and burn, or even help move (limited) dirt when we are doing that. The 650 is a great logging road dozer and a finishing dozer, but not a production machine.
That being said, if I were only going to have one dozer for personal use or small construction sites, it would be a 650H or J. It will do all you need to do probably, and as your first dozer you will find it easier to operate and do quality work. It will go places that will bury the bigger dozer, and if you do get it stuck you can get it out easier.
The 450 and 550 are too small; don't even consider them. The 650 is probably the ideal dozer for the one man operation or individual landowner. That's also why they hold their value so well.
For the bigger production jobs that you might have to do, hire them done by someone with D6 to D8 size dozers.

I had a 650G, now have a 650H. I have some hours on a 700H. The 700 is a lot more machine. Dont expect a 650 to blow threw a tandem load of dirt like a 700 will. I would probably prefer the 700 but I bet it is roughly worth $50,000 more than a 650 all things being equal. Because of that and the fact that I don't do alot of bulk dirt pushing I went with the 650. Either way get atleast an H so you get a hydrostatic machine.

I went from a 550g, to a ih 15c, and was pleasantly surprised. Biggest improvement was the pivoting track frames on the ih allow it to be a much more comfortable dozer to operate. Now I'm not sure if the 700 pivots, but I think it does, that would heavily favor the 700. I think the size increase of the 700 over the 650 is moderate, wouldn't be much of a factor, same with transportation issues. Unless I was doing tight quarter work and the increase in size limited out the 700, it would be the machine of choice. Both can counter roatate tracks & have hydrostatic transmissions, my money is on the 700.

700 is a 650 on steroids. Great street dozers. Small enough to get around with enough weight/power to push. I loved runnin 700s over 650s at the last place I was at. If it's close to the same money I'd deffinately go with a 700 if you got the means to move it if needed

Thanks guys, this was just the kind of information I was looking for. I was worried that for the size difference, it may not be worth it but it sounds like it is a great all around dozer. I will be using it in the mountains with quite a bit of rocky ground at times and steep slopes as well. I have a bobcat T-320 and a friend with a D3G if I get into something where I need a smaller machine and another friend less than a mile away with a D7 and D8 if I need bigger. I am really hoping that this is a good finish dozer as well. It is a 2006 with 3600 hrs on it and seems to be in great shape, I have been looking for quite awhile for a 650j, but anything decent I seem to find is priced the same or more than this unit. I am going to look at it next week and give it the once over, best I know how, and make my decision. One sprocket seems to be pretty sharp but I haven't got a picture of the pins so I will check all that out best I can when I get there. Thanks again for all your alls help.