IslandTractor
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2005
- Messages
- 17,101
- Location
- Prudence Island, RI
- Tractor
- 2007 Kioti DK40se HST, Woods BH
Thanks again for all the advice.
Ok just for the heck of it I did some numbers on what the DK gives you over the DS, some prices are an educated guess, taken from this thread and some others are just who knows guess (not sure how to put a cost on a few things). Again for the heck of it, I am not set in what model as of yet, you all are giving me some very good points to make the right choice.
Ok with all said, what I see that is on the DK and not the DS.
Trans, 12x12, 4 more gears, lets say $500
Rear remote... $500
Glow plug timer $75
3pt
crank leveling adjustment. $300
Telescopic lower links kit. $200
Telescopic stabilizers kit. $100
Rear lift control (rod used to control 3pt lift from behind the tractor), say $50
Driver position.
Seat. $500 (taken from a post here)
Tilt wheel. guess $200
Driver position FEL stick. Who knows, but it was a $400 option on my 1533 6 years ago, so I will go with that price.
Electronic 4x4, guess $300 (I would bet much higher)
Electronic pto, guess $300 (I would bet much higher)
I'm sure there is some things I have missed, but just wanted to see what is there on a DK over the DS on added options. So we are looking at round about $3,400 from the list I made above. I am not trying to justify going to the DK over the DS, I just did some numbers to see where this extra $4,000 (per the my dealer) could come from on the DK cost over the DS.
I am going to drop by the dealer tomorrow to get his "quoted" price on the DK, I already know the price for sure on the DS (posted already), this way we know for sure on the price, I am also going to get a quoted price on the Massey 1635 and 1643 in 12x12s and skid steer bucket (as close as I can get for a good comparison to the DK/DS), but I would have to assume the DS should be less then the 1643 and maybe a close run to the 1635 (but being the 1635 is less in HP, that's not a good comparison over a 41hp DK/DS and I wouldn't pay the same price on the 1535 for 6 hp less).
I think you are being generous in your estimates. The seat for example (I believe I was the one who quoted $500) that "upgrade" price was based on a false assumption that the DS seat was not comfortable. We have several posts from users and a dealer who state it is as comfortable as the DK seat.
Some of the other "upgrades" such as tilt wheel and automatic position on the PTO switch are hard to value as they cannot be purchased aftermarket. If you really need them you need a DK but if you don't then why bother even pricing them out.
Based on your estimates for upgrades, I would imagine, having lived with a DK for four plus years, that I would probably invest about $1000 maybe less to pimp a DS up to DK. Not much more. I'd do the telescopic 3PT links, a couple of rear remotes (probably $600 while an extra for the DK would be about $350). I'd skip the 3pt crank adjustment and just go to a hydraulic top and tilt. That would cost the same as to add it to a DK40 so I wouldn't add that dollar amount. Same for a top canopy, I'd add it to both tractors.
The only downside to the DS that I can really see is if HST is a priority. That is a non starter if you need HST but I cannot imagine that 8x8 is so much less flexible than 12x12 and the other features are things most people can live without if they are trying to maximize the bang for the buck in work capability rather than just wanting a fancy new tractor.