JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450

   / JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450 #1  

canoetrpr

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2005
Messages
2,382
Location
Ontario, Canada
Tractor
Kubota M7040 cab/hyd shuttle - current, Kubota L3400 - traded
I lost out on the last two used machines that came available that were within my budget. I have two new prospects and I will need to move fast so your input is appreciated.

1. 2000 JD 4400 - 583hrs, no rear remotes, hydro transmission. Turf tires but dealer will swap them with industrials from another tractor for me for a not unreasonble fee.

I found this machine at a JD dealer about 4 hours away from me. He says it is a one owner machine owned by a 65 year old famer who too meticulous care of it and was only used for mowing not landscaping.

2. 1996 Kubota L3450 - 340 hours. one rear remote, mechanical shuttle transmission - forward gears can be shifted on the go. Industrial tires.

I found this machine at a Kubota dealer 2.5 hours away. It was used on a hobby farm and very little based on the hours.

Both machines have a loader. Both machines are in a similar hp range I understand - 37 to 38. I'm guessing that both will handle a 6 ft rotary cutter ?

I would much prefer hydro.

I have 16 acres of pasture and the machine will be used basically to bush hog the pasture and keep it open. From talking to neighbours, I'll probably have to do this 5 to 6 times a summer since I don't have horses yet. Eventually we might get horses or the odd cow or two and it might help if the tractor was capable of moving the odd bale of hay around.

All I have are pictures so far. I will see the Kubota in person tomorrow. Not sure if I'll get a chance to see the JD in person. I might just have to bite the bullet and make the 4 hr trip. But I have to act fast so I might have to do this without getting down there to see it.

I have driven the 3520 JD and really loved it over the 3000DT Kubota I drove. I suspect the 3520 is close to the JD 4400 in feel and the 3000 DT is probalby not close to the L3450.

Wrt. dealers. I am MUCH more comfortable with the JD dealers in my area. They are professional, well set up - I toured the service area and generally I felt very comfortable there. Salesperson was very adept. She knew the 3520 inside / out. Not the same experience at the local Kubota dealer. Just not the same level of comfort.

I suspect that these tractors are going to come in very close in price. I just got the JD quote - these are CDN$.

18,500 - which is 3000 off what they listed it at.
+ 320 for tire change
+ frieght (waiting to hear on this)
+ bush hog.

The Kubota is listed at:
18,900
+ freight (waiting to hear on this).

don't have any discount information on the Kubota yet.

Unfortunately I will not be servicing at either dealer that has these machines.

Thoughts?
 
   / JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450 #2  
I see this as a close match that depends entirely on your preferences and how comfortable you are on each tractor. For this amount of money, there is no way that I wouldn't find a way to make the trip to see & drive both tractors. They both have low hrs, though the Kubota holds a slight edge here. What brand loaders do each tractor have on them? I'm making my assumptions based on a Kubota loader and JD loader on the respective tractors. You say you would prefer the hydro on the Deere to the sync shuttle on the Kubota, and if this is something that matters deeply to you, then Deere is the way to go, since it is the only choice with a hydro. Dad had a Kubota L2850, which is the 3450's little brother, with this transmission. After a few hrs on the tractor, the transmission was very easy to use, as you just step on the clutch and shift, either gears or from forward to reverse and vice versa. His 2850 never gave a minutes trouble, though he used it very little. I personally would give the edge to the Kubota L3450 because it is physically a larger tractor than the Deere and as such will more comforably handle a 6' bush hog with it's added size and weight. The Kubota already has r4 tires on it, and is much more tractor for virtually the same price as the Deere (+ shipping of course).

Again, if hydro is a must, then the Deere is the only choice; otherwise, the Kubota strikes me as much more tractor for the same money.
 
   / JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Here are pictures of each - doubt that someone is going to suggest one over the other just based on these but what the heck:

JD 4400
JD4400341541.jpg


Kubota 3450
KubotaL3450.jpg
 
   / JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450 #4  
I like a tractor with HST. The <font color="green"> JD </font> 4400 also has a removable loader. Probably a couple years newer.
 
   / JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450 #5  
Both are likely nice machines and *if* well-maintained still youngsters on the hours, but I have to wonder about the pricing. JD's configurator shows a brand-new 3520 with 300x, hydro, R4's, and a extra rear remote for just under $24K list. I haven't paid too much attention to typical discounts this past year, but in the past *most* folks used to be able to get around 15% off of that, some areas of the country do better, some worse. That would mean a net price around $1500-$2000 more than your quote on the five-year old 4400 for a brand-new full-warranty tractor.
 
   / JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450
  • Thread Starter
#6  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( That would mean a net price around $1500-$2000 more than your quote on the five-year old 4400 for a brand-new full-warranty tractor. )</font>

Hi Tim: I'm up in Ontario, Canada so my numbers are in CDN $ which is why they seem high :). In addition, new tractor prices are higher here than in the U.S. even after conversion so used ones are more expensive than in the U.S. also.

After conversion that 4400 works out to about $15500 US. Which I think is still a decent deal compared to used prices in the U.S. To be quite honest I expected this JD 4400 quote to come in about two or three thousand higher than it did. Guessing that dealer being in a farming area and well away from the big city here is whats helping.
 
   / JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450 #7  
Duh. Missed the Ontario address. That makes the numbers seem much more palatable. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

The 4400 should indeed feel alot like the 3520 - they're more alike than different under the skin, outside of the newer series Yanmar diesel.

Parts should still be available to add a 3rd remote SCV to the rear, and it's not a very expensive kit.
 
   / JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Bear in mind that the Kubota has rear remotes (it is a set, not one I just found out) but the JD does not.

Now I'm guessing that this shouldn't make it or break it for me as remotes can always be added and with me primarily bush hogging for now, all I need is position control which both have - correct?
 
   / JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450 #9  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( all I need is position control which both have - correct? )</font>

The JD4400 certainly does, and I'd imagine the K3450 does as well.

As far as rotary cutters go - the 4400 was only rated for a 'medium duty' five-footer, (Deere MX5 or equiv.) or a 'light duty' six-footer (Deere LX6 or equiv.) More a weight/balance thing than hp. However there are folks here on TBN with JD4300/4310 models running Deere MX6 "medium-duty" cutters (1100 lbs all up) successfully (keep the loader on).
 
   / JD 4400 vs Kubota 3450
  • Thread Starter
#10  
You are probably right Tim. Didn't realize that the JD might come standard with remotes.

The one thing that confuses me is that the dealer is suggesting I go with an LX5 rotary cutter because of weight rather than LX6, where as the Kubota dealer says 6ft is going to be just fine. Sounds like the Kubota may be heavier.

Another question. JD dealer is quoting me on both the JD LX5 and a Land Pride 5ft cutter. The LP is about 35% cheaper - thoughts?
 
 
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