When I was shopping the JD dealer didn't even want to talk to me. He did a basic answers to any questions and didn't even bother getting out of his chair. I think they make their living off of larger ag tractors and are happy with the people who walk in and pay what they are asking because of the colors. BTW I really like the JD green (even painted the spare room JD green :laughing
and yellow but for that kind of price difference, go with the Kubota.
That being said I think the Kubota HST+ transmission is head and shoulders above the rest. NH has the next best thing. Now that I own the HST+ the price of the JD would have to be cheaper, by quite a bit, before I would even look at it. Even now I wouldn't buy the MX5100, a very nice tractor, because it doesn't have the HST+ transmission. Ask the dealer to show you how it works or watch the videos at Messick's website.