I was wondering about what models of Kubota and JD you were looking at. I was at the kutoba dealer the other day and he was setting up a M5700 with a subframe mounted backhoe that went under the frame and eventually tied into the front end loader framework. I have no experience with this set up but it looked extremely stout.
When I started looking at tractors the TN75 was the first one I looked at, good dealers in the area, great financing, and nice tractor. I liked how the NH FEL was a skid steer quick attach system since I have a skid steer and could interchange the front attachments. I also like the joystick controls on the NH. They were shorter and, I thought better placed than the kubota. On the Kubota M series of that size they use there own quick attach which is different than the skid steer universal. I asked why that was and the dealer said that with that size of loader they had to go with a stronger hookup. I don’t know.
The other part of the story is my friend has been keeping his Kubota 2001 M8200DTC at my place this winter so I have been using it occasionally. The M8200DTC is a cab model and with the doors closed you can’t hardly hear the engine. Even with the doors open it’s extremely quiet and very smooth. When I tested the TN75 I couldn’t hardly talk to my wife from the driver seat without raising my voice loudly. The three-cylinder engine on the TN just wasn’t as smooth and quiet as the kubota 4 cylinder. End the end I started looking more seriously at the Kubota. After calling everyone in almost every dealer in Oregon and seriously dealing with the finalist in the group. My closest dealer got me a M9000DTL for 2 thousand cheaper than the TN75 or the other kubota dealers M8200 or M9000 and the same price as the M6800. It’s an awsome tractor, more than I originally started looking for but how could I pass it up.
So shop hard it can really pay off. By the way I did try and deal with the local JD dealerships. They were nice but quoted me outrageous prices (5 thousand more for a 55HP tractor). They also took down my name and said they would start looking for what I wanted. Well six weeks later I still haven’t heard from them again.
Last thing, I love all the new tractors that I looked at. I have a friend who’s dad just bought 2 TN75’s with FEL and cabs for their family orchard. They have been very impressed with them. It is a really hard decision. Price, specs, dealerships, attachments, all must be considered. You will be very happy with any of these tractors.
Eric