Are Kiotis Kubotas?

[yellowsocks93]

Hi, I was browsing at Kioti tractors and they look just like the Kubota models. Are they made by kubota? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Nick
990 4x4

 

[banjobj]

no they are not /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Docsknotinn]

I personally like the Kioti far better the the Kubota. A VERY nice machine for a better Price.

 

[stvman]

Rumors and lawsuits are flying over this issue. When Kioti first came to the US the story was that they were producing old Kubota patented tractors. They were behind enough in technology to not be a threat to Kubota. Now it seems they are chomping on Kubotas heels a little and Kubota is suing them over patent infringement over several things including color. (Kioti recently went from the ugly blue castings they use to have to the same color of Kubotas castings) A few Dealers are also being sued for perpetuating the myth that you are buying a discounted Korean built Kubota.

It is obvious Kioti is not stupid. If you are going to build a great tractor you shoot for what you believe to be the highest mark.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, till you start eating someone elses lunch /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[knucklehead]

Without prejudice, because I own neither, but simply from observation, it seems that Kioti is to Kubota as Taurus is to Smith & Wesson. They are making each other better, although neither will admit it.

The apparent lesson from both is Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way.

Waddaya know....competition actually works!

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I just saw a picture of the new Kioti's and they are changing the looks of them some. I have not followed the entire line but if they make them all look like this one then maybe they will be ok. These look sharp. Of course for all I know this could be how the DK 55 has always looked since I have never paid much attention /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Link to picture here

Edited to change inline picture to a link to reduce width of post which affected entire thread width.

 

[Docsknotinn]

Can I borrow that for the week end ?? I'll bring it babk. Honest ! Knuclehead, Based on the defective Taurus models I have had to return I would hope that Was a poor ananagy. Not to mention they Taurus and smith are made in entirely different countries and the two tractors are made in the same. That's just my experience so it doesn't seem like a compliment, lol. I know others have had better luck than me though.

 

[Boondox]

Nope, just a good marketing strategy on Kioti's part. They were an unknown. They needed to be in the spotlight till their products' features and quality came up to par. They seem to be making it, and will IMO soon develop a solid reputation of their own so the "imitation" of Kubota will no longer be necessary.

Pete

 

[Robert_in_NY]

You could borrow it if it was mine, got it from Kioti's website. Better then the staged photos with white backgrounds don't you agree /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[rtimgray]

Not to mention they Taurus and smith are made in entirely di <font color="blue"> </font> fferent countries and the two tractors are made in the same

I have no idea where the guns are made, but if you are talking about Kioti and Kubota, they are not made in the same country (as best as I have heard). Kubota is made largely in Japan with some manufacturing/assembly plants in America (Georgia?). Kioti is made in South Korea with parts warehouses and a sub-assembly plant in the US. I know I saw on Kioti's website that they had a groundbreaking for a new building, but I haven't read the article to see what the building is going to be.

The Kioti's seem to be great tractors (I love my DK 45), but so are all of the Korean imports (Century/Branson, Mahindra compacts, Millenium/Scorpion). These tractors represent probably the best value in new compact tractors on the market (that means most stuff for less money). Of course, it depends where you shop. There was a fella that was looking at Kioti vs. Kubota and he got a Kubota MX5000 comparably equipped to a Kioti DK 50 for less money, and those are pretty similar tractors. In my case, the Kioti was about $2000-$4000 less than a comparable Kubota.

I really doubt that Kubota's lawsuit has wheels, but you never know. Of course, it's bound to bring at least a little publicity to Kioti and I think somebody said (was is P.T. Barnum?) "There's no such thing as bad publicity."