Comparison Kubota B3200 or Kioti CK30... What to do, what to do...

[gregfender]

It looks like my JD 1070 is going to be sold so now I have to figure out what the replacement is going to be. I had narrowed my choices to 3; Kubota B3200, Kioti CK30, and Massey Ferguson 1529. I drove the Massey today and ruled it out...the ergonomics were just all wrong for me. The B3200 drives nice looks like it would be simple to work on, but I am a little concerned about vibration at PTO speed. I haven't driven the CK30 yet, but spent some time today sitting in the seat and I liked the layout pretty well. It also has position control for the 3pt lift.

All things considered, I am leaning toward the Kioti, but I gotta drive it and I am wondering if it might not be too heavy. I will be doing a good bit of mowing, but I am also going to be doing a serious bit of landscaping as well. I got rid of the JD 1070 because it was too heavy for finish mowing...having R1 tires didn't help either. The CK30 is only about 200 lbs less than my JD, but I like the smaller size frame.

Truth is, I don't think I could go wrong with either. The problem I have (and it's a good problem to be stuck with) is the Kubota dealer (18 miles away) and the Kioti dealer (50 miles away) are excellent. Also, the prices are comparable. It would make the choice easier if one of the dealers was acting like an a** or the prices were all out if whack on one.

I guess I'm not really asking for advice, but if anyone wants to toss out a good word about their machine, feel free...but no bashing!

Thanks, folks.

 

[murphy1244]

4 year warranty

 

[joshuabardwell]

I don't think there's any question that both are excellent tractors. You won't go wrong whichever you pick. The Kioti certainly has features that the Kubota lacks, like the position control, extending lift arms on the three-point, and other amenities that aren't found in the Kubota line until the Grand L series. All that being said, if you are concerned about weight because of finish mowing, I would lean towards the Kubota. I have a Bobcat CT225, which is similar to the Kioti you're considering, and it is just too heavy to devote to finish mowing, IMO. Granted, I have R4 tires instead of R1, but it always leaves trampled grass, and if the ground is the least bit wet, it leaves ruts at least some of the time. I would be concerned if I drove it over the same path basically every 2-3 weeks during the summer that the repeated weight would affect the soil and the grass. If you thought your JD was too heavy, and the Kioti is similar in weight, I think you should go with the Kubota. The CK30 is about 1200 lbs heavier than the Kubota. For a lot of tasks, that extra weight would be a real boon, but mowing isn't one of them.

 

[ddb123]

Of those choices, I like the Kioti. I would have taken a CK series over a B series if I had gone with a tractor that small. Are you concerned about having a well-manicured "show lawn," or do you just have a "yard" like most folks? No prejudice either way, but if you just have a yard, then go with the CK. I finish mow with 5,000 lbs of tractor and my yard is fine. The B will tear up your lawn just like the CK if you make sharp turns. That's about it. Even the B is heavy enough that you don't want to mow a day after a rain if tracks are a concern. What kind of tires are you getting?

You are in NC where (I assume) it is dry and hot all summer like here in MO. That means you don't have to mow every week. I wouldn't worry too much about the weight. My preference of the two would be the CK by a long shot. If you go Kubota, check out the B3300 if you don't need the mid PTO.

 

[chim]

A lot depends on your ground when it comes to mowing. I am a Kubota fan, but if I had to pick between the two you listed, my first choice would be the Kiioti. Less than a year ago I went from a B7500 to an L3200. The B7500 was a nice rig, but it was just a bit too light or short on horses fequently enough to make the change. I mow a neighbor's 1/2 acre lawn when I do my own and she's happy with the job it does.

I have a creek in the front yard that comes out of its banks 4 or 5 times each year. The L3200 doesn't make ruts as bad as the B7500 did. It's obviously a heavier tractor, but with the R4's the weight must be distributed over more square inches. The L series is more comfortable to run and pulls the 6 foot finish mower more easily than the B pulled a 5 footer. On both tractors removing the entire loader is so easy I never have it attached unless I'm using it.

I believe most people who complain about tractors messing up the grass mow with the loader on. One guy I was talking with said he only removes the QA bucket to mow because it makes his tractor short enough to be manouverable. That still leaves a lot of weight with the loader frame hanging on there.

EDIT TO ADD - Rear tires are loaded

 

[tc18ny]

I recently bought a b3200. One of the reasons I picked it was the same thing you are thinking about - the weight. I also will be finish mowing the yard and it gets wet here sometimes. I plan to remove the fel when mowing to keep the weight down. I like that the b3200 has the size and horsepower I want with a lower weight than most tractors this size. I haven't used it to mow with or with any attachment yet, just fel to move firewood and snow so I can't really comment on the vibes at pto rpms. The kioti is a nice tractor, I looked at those too. The weight was the deal breaker for me.

 

[DK35vince]

I finish mow with a DK 35 w/loaded rears and my yard is fine.

 

[tem00]

My exact same situation. I like the fact the B3200 has a belly mower option.. Seems Kioti no longer offers this. I have 10 acres to finish mow, and 7 to Bushhog. My Kubota dealer is a little lower price too. While I do like the extra features and size of Kioti, my BX has been so stable I think I will stay loyal to Kubota and local dealer is great.

Weight is a concern in wet summers when grass gets smushy, but helpful when grading road. Still like the B3200 though.

It looks like my JD 1070 is going to be sold so now I have to figure out what the replacement is going to be. I had narrowed my choices to 3; Kubota B3200, Kioti CK30, and Massey Ferguson 1529. I drove the Massey today and ruled it out...the ergonomics were just all wror me. The B3200 drives nice looks like it would be simple to work on, but I am a little concerned about vibration at PTO speed. I haven't driven the CK30 yet, but spent some time today sitting in the seat and I liked the layout pretty well. It also has position control for the 3pt lift.

All things considered, I am leaning toward the Kioti, but I gotta drive it and I am wondering if it might not be too heavy. I will be doing a good bit of mowing, but I am also going to be doing a serious bit of landscaping as well. I got rid of the JD 1070 because it was too heavy for finish mowing...having R1 tires didn't help either. The CK30 is only about 200 lbs less than my JD, but I like the smaller size frame.

Truth is, I don't think I could go wrong with either. The problem I have (and it's a good problem to be stuck with) is the Kubota dealer (18 miles away) and the Kioti dealer (50 miles away) are excellent. Also, the prices are comparable. It would make the choice easier if one of the dealers was acting like an a** or the prices were all out if whack on one.

I guess I'm not really asking for advice, but if anyone wants to toss out a good word about their machine, feel free...but no bashing!

Thanks, folks.

 

[Gittyup]

I don't think there's any question that both are excellent tractors. You won't go wrong whichever you pick. The Kioti certainly has features that the Kubota lacks, like the position control, extending lift arms on the three-point, and other amenities that aren't found in the Kubota line until the Grand L series. All that being said, if you are concerned about weight because of finish mowing, I would lean towards the Kubota. I have a Bobcat CT225, which is similar to the Kioti you're considering, and it is just too heavy to devote to finish mowing, IMO. Granted, I have R4 tires instead of R1, but it always leaves trampled grass, and if the ground is the least bit wet, it leaves ruts at least some of the time. I would be concerned if I drove it over the same path basically every 2-3 weeks during the summer that the repeated weight would affect the soil and the grass. If you thought your JD was too heavy, and the Kioti is similar in weight, I think you should go with the Kubota. The CK30 is about 1200 lbs heavier than the Kubota. For a lot of tasks, that extra weight would be a real boon, but mowing isn't one of them.

Joshua has it right. It is a bit of a paradox. On the one hand you need weight for ground engagement/excavation, on the other you want light for mowing. I am in a similar situation. I opted to dedicate my CK to ground chores: going for weight, saving money on HP not needed for those types of chores, and gear tranny. For mowing, I use a JD 425 AWS. It's fast, fits everywhere, and leave near zero weed eating afterward. I do have a wide open pasture that could be mowed with the CK and would do it without much turf damage.

Your soil type also plays a role. My property is a lot of clay that easily gets sloppy in persistent wet conditions holding the water in the top 6-8" or so, yet is hard as a rock when dry. It's just not good. In sandy or loamy soils that don't hold the water, the heavier tractor might work out pretty good.

 

[murphy1244]

Greg, Buy the Kioti and don't look back.