What is the general opinion on Kioti?

[JayCat]

Originally Posted by sqdqo

What is the general opinion on Kioti and how do they compare to say Kubota or John Deere?

I have rented mostly Kubotas (loaders, backhoes, & excavators) over the last few years. Our family has owned Ford, MF, Oliver & Case over the years. I was looking for a CUT and started the research phase. After looking & researching for about 6 months, the Kioti kept coming up positive.

What I found was if you looked at the comments for the Kioti's for the last 4 years or so, they really seemed to have the most common complaints taken care of. Many of the complaints seem to be from before that time.

I really liked the standard features and the "heft" of some of the parts under the tractor compared to the other brands.

In the midst of my looking, I accidentally discovered the Bobcats. Test drove them & couldn't keep my self away from it. It followed me home!

[Ken45101]

Originally Posted by Dmace

The confusion there is that Doosan sounds a lot like Daedong which is the parent company of Kioti. Both companies are based in South Korea, it's funny that both companies were founded in 1947.

Probably 1947 was the start of rebuilding after WWII and the emergence of new industrial companies.

Perhaps the confusion comes from Bobcat tractors are rebadged Kioti.

Ken

[jimmyj]

Regarding the split brake, I should have mentioned I have an HST. The only way I can figure is to use the cruise control so my foot is free of the gas pedal.

Still love this thing though.

[Ken45101]

Originally Posted by jimmyj

Regarding the split brake, I should have mentioned I have an HST. The only way I can figure is to use the cruise control so my foot is free of the gas pedal.

Okay, understand now!

My B21 has the split brakes and HST and NO cruise control. I haven't figured that one out yet!

Ken

[Dmace]

Originally Posted by Ken45101

Okay, understand now!

My B21 has the split brakes and HST and NO cruise control. I haven't figured that one out yet!

Ken

I found that I could only use the split brakes in forward motion as I can put my heel on the rocker pedal forward and my toes to push the brake. It requires a size 12 shoe but it works. Cruise works but only in forward, the cruise control on my Kioti does not work in Reverse, that's probably a good thing.

On a side note, Kioti's 4yr warranty is the same parts and labor coverage for personal and business use and 2yr bumper to bumper coverage with no engine hour restriction. Apparently Kubota thinks their tractors don't last as long in commercial use so they cut your already short 2yr warranty to just 1yr and there is a 1500 hour restriction which is most likely to come first in commercial use cutting your warranty even more. I'm not just picking on Kubota either, John Deere only warranties their tractors for 2yrs or 2000 hours and 3yrs or 2000 hours on the drivetrain. It does not look like John Deere changes your warranty coverage for commercial use versus personal use.

[Duffster]

Originally Posted by Dmace

No, Bobcat was created in 1947 by Edward Gideon "E.G." Melroe and started off named The Melroe Manufacturing Company. It was sold in 1995 to Ingersoll-Rand Company of Woodcliff Lake, N.J, sold to AGCO Corporation in July 1998 and then sold to Doosan Infracore of South Korea in 2007.

The confusion there is that Doosan sounds a lot like Daedong which is the parent company of Kioti. Both companies are based in South Korea, it's funny that both companies were founded in 1947.

I thought I had read on a heavy equipment site that there was a connection between Doosan and Daedong, other than them both being S. Korean.

What year did the Bobcat tractors come out?

[coobie]

Originally Posted by whistlepig

Kioti is getting in to the premium tractor price range now. They are not a bargain tractor anymore. I have read many good reviews about Kioti's. I think they make an excellent tractor. So it's best to test drive and find what suits you best.There isn't that much price difference between a Kubota, John Deere, Kioti, and New Holland. The difference in the way these tractors operate will make a hard day a lot shorter if you chose the one you like best.

I beg to differ on price difference between Kioti and Kubota.When I was looking at compareable tractors in 2008 (kioti dk40se & Kubota 4240 both with front end loaders the Kioti was $7,000 bucks cheaper.coobie

[Dmace]

Originally Posted by Duffster

What year did the Bobcat tractors come out?

I believe Bobcat started selling the DaeDong tractors in Spring 2008. Wallace posted the announcement for us that was dated July 31, 2007.

[greggh]

Originally Posted by Duffster

Isn't Bobcat and Kioti owned by the same company?

I think that the tractors are manufactured by the same company in Korea and are separate companies in practice.

[triumphtbone1]

Gosh< I just love my Kioti DK40SE.......looked at several major makes but the Kioti really "fit" me well....and still does. I smile everytime I start it up....does a superb job for me...great fit and finish...smooth power....use for around the farm chores...."bush hogging"....snow removal....tree limb clean-up (added a grapple attachment...quick attach...love it)....dirt moving ...etc.. ....I really like the quick attack system for changing out bucket to grapple,,,so convenient....good luck....THUMBS UP from me