Kioti owners - Thanks... I think??

[dfkrug]

Originally Posted by RexB

Ask your nearest dealer if he has the kit and will install it, the warranty is 4 years and may transfer with owners (anyone had experience with warranty transfer to a new owner yet?)

Good list, Rex. I have transferred a warranty on a CK20H, no problem. My
understanding is that the loaders have only a 1 yr warranty. That tractor
belongs to a good friend of mine now, and it is usually operated by a hired
hand on his property. It has been used very hard and it has had no probs.

Anyway, I have purchased three CKs and none have loader cracks at about
650 hr, 450 hr, and 125 hr. I have never been contacted by Kioti re any
loader fixes. I bought my 3rd CK in 06 when the loader issue was well
known. I suspect that the cracks in KL130 and KL120 FELs have been
experienced by considerably less than 25% of units out there. I say this
not from my limited experience with 3 tractors, but with the feedback from
a dealer who has sold dozens of CKs.

Finally, would I buy another Kioti? You bet I would. The price/features/
reliability quotient still makes it about the best deal. Today I would choose
the DK-SE series with the HST, due to less vulnerable underpinnings. I DO
lust for the new GL40 Kubs with the HST-Plus, but they are considerably
more $. The CKs are still a good buy, even with the older loaders, IMO.
The DKs did not have HSTs back when I bought my CKs.

[RexB]

You're right, on the Kioti site their front loader, backhoe and implements replacement warranty is just a year. My time is up for that. Probably a smart idea, cuz us Am'uricans love to use our equipment like it was two sizes bigger than what it is, lol.

I followed your "projects" link and and the 1 yard bucket fab especially caught my eye. . . And I'm loving my Kioti too, particularly the really-handy HST autoshifting for back 'n forth frontloader work. And "Kubs". Great name!

Originally Posted by Dave from GA

I appreciate all your input folks, and I do think maybe I've overreacted a bit because happy owners with zero problems and top-notch service from their dealers aren't coming on here singing praises as often as folks who have problems.

But I did do a little more reading here and found an impressive number of people who DID a favorable post either for their tractor or service from their dealer. . . these posts probably say more FOR Kioti than the problems posts say against them.

So, maybe I was a little hasty. Kioti's back on my list and I've contacted the fellow who has one for sale and we'll see if we work it out. Otherwise, the free loader deal on a new CK35 maybe a good one too.

. . . This forum has been way more friendly and full of folks with rational and reasonable comments than any I've ever experienced. I appreciate it.
Dave

You weren't being hasty Dave, it's a big decision. You'd probably be happy with most other brands too. . . like you say it's a choice of build quality, customer satisfaction, dealers, warranty, prices, what we need to use it for, all those and more.

Good luck with your purchase, and whatever you get remember we love Pics!

[IslandTractor]

I've been on the road and am just catching up with this discussion. I would comment though that Dave from GA has hardly been inflammatory and that his initial post reflected what many of us have been saying over the past two years (it has been that long folks) since this FEL cracking business started.

Bottom line for me, as a former owner of a "cracked" KL120 which still served me very very well and as the current happy owner of a new Kioti is that there are a number of factors that need to be taken into account. From my perspective, 1) the tractors are well built, well designed and great values, 2) Korporate Kioti at the highest level still deserves a kick in the pants for a job very poorly done on both communications and coordinating a fix for the loader issue and 3) as with any brand, find a dealer that acknowledges problems and sticks with the customer rather than one who downplays or pretends problems don't exist.

The loader issue is a problem not because of an engineering snafu but rather because of the company's failure to appropriately acknowledge the problem and the continuing failure to provide accurate information to those who still have not had their loaders fixed (KL130). It is unfortunate that this gets confused with and reflects badly on the quality of the tractors.

[rimshot]

I recently purchased a new CK20S. Like the original poster, these problems caused a second look from me also. I thought however Kioti addressed the loader arm issue with a patch plate of some kind that was effective for the FEL loader arm. I don't know about the older backhoe. I believed the tractor was evolving and apparently had redesigned as these problems became apparent. None the less, my solution was to make it a point not to consider a used unit with those problem model loaders and backhoes. I purchased a new one and have enjoyed good luck for the first 100 hours.

Don't buy what you doubt in. Make an infomed decision and pray you did the right thing. Good luck in your decision process.

rimshot