Buying Advice Buying a cab tractor and how dealers react

[mljenkins]

Just out of curiosity, for those that have purchased compact cabs lately, how do your dealers react? I have found it difficult to find cab tractors in my area, and when I talk to the dealers about the JD 4R and Kubota L60 series tractors they all tell me they don’t move but a few a year if that. It seems a lot of the sales people are not as familiar with the options and hence it takes longer to price them out.

Just curious if this is the normal experience for purchasing the higher end tractors or if it just some of the dealers I have been to. I worry about service capabilities as well if they are not used to seeing them around. I realize most of the sales are probably on the M and L series without the frills, but are the nicer tractors really that rare?

I’m looking at trading my current tractor to get HST and a backhoe as my needs changed after moving our farm last year. I figure if I’m going to pay the money and be using it a lot, I would rather cut out other things and be more comfortable when working around our small farm until it’s paid off.

Matt

 

[rademamj]

I recently purchased the Kioti CK4010SEHC compact cab. My dealer here in Texas has a balanced inventory of both cab and noncab tractors. Texas got insanely hot this summer; and AC equipped Cabs were needed to avoid heat strokes and insure safety of the driver. John Deere, Kubota, Case, New Holland, Mahindra and many others sell compact tractors with cabs. And the dealers and service and parts departments all seem to handle the slightly increased demands of a cab equipped tractor. I predict 60% of tractors sold in next 3 years will be cab enclosed tractors. Imagine snow blowing and clearing a road in the middle of a major snow storm; and your warm and comfortable inside the cab. Or bush hogging the ranch at 103F degrees. Comfort equals safety.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

I was just at the Kubota dealer the other day and they didn't have any 60 hp and below tractors on their lot with cabs and the JD dealer across the road for them didn't either. I'm guessing a person would have to order it with one. My guess is that the small ones, 60 hp and below would cost to much with cabs compared to the non top three brands are costing with cabs.

 

[DieselBound]

I'm thinking that the Koreans sense the way the winds were blowing. Seems like more of the Korean manufacturers have a fairly decent offering of cabbed models. My Kioti NX5510's cab is nice, I'm very glad that I decided to go with a cab: cab cost me an extra $3k, which I thought insanely low (and is why I jumped on it).

 

[lpigott]

The larger the tractor the less % of the cab is of the total cost. My Kubota dealer is a very large dealer and sells tons of machines and keeps a huge inventory but even through he had at least 6 or 8 M7060s on his yard with cabs, every one was basic besides that. Basic meaning they were all 8 speeds with single rear remotes. I personally can't imagine someone not seeing the value added that comes with many of the option packages. When I asked about it they said it was because most buyers do not do their homework and just price shop against the blue and green tractors. Out of the compact tractors they only had one B2650 on the lot with a cab and said it was a special order from someone that backed out of it and it had been sitting for a while because of the price differance. It only had a 54" MMM instead of the 60" or 72" so that would not be desirable for most either. Bottom line is, don't worry about what is on the lot but rather get them to order just what you want and you will be happier, it will be worth the wait.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I'm thinking that the Koreans sense the way the winds were blowing. Seems like more of the Korean manufacturers have a fairly decent offering of cabbed models. My Kioti NX5510's cab is nice, I'm very glad that I decided to go with a cab: cab cost me an extra $3k, which I thought insanely low (and is why I jumped on it).

That does sound like you got a great cab deal. I guess a cab cost especially the AC/Heat part are about the same where it is a $50K tractor or a $200K tractor.

I am excited about our 'new' Ford 3000 with no roll cage or horizon exhaust working in tight places like around the low limbs at the edge of the woods. Locally some of the huge tractors set outside to the cab is more like a tractor barn.

If I had to work with temps below 40F much I would want a cab. I had to skip the cabbed version of our backhoe because it made it too hard to get off and on for example.

 

[mpham]

Most of the dealers around here have a good mix of cab and not cab in inventory. I love my cab all winter! Air conditioning works great in the summer too.

 

[jenkinsph]

Just out of curiosity, for those that have purchased compact cabs lately, how do your dealers react? I have found it difficult to find cab tractors in my area, and when I talk to the dealers about the JD 4R and Kubota L60 series tractors they all tell me they don’t move but a few a year if that. It seems a lot of the sales people are not as familiar with the options and hence it takes longer to price them out.

Just curious if this is the normal experience for purchasing the higher end tractors or if it just some of the dealers I have been to. I worry about service capabilities as well if they are not used to seeing them around. I realize most of the sales are probably on the M and L series without the frills, but are the nicer tractors really that rare?

I’m looking at trading my current tractor to get HST and a backhoe as my needs changed after moving our farm last year. I figure if I’m going to pay the money and be using it a lot, I would rather cut out other things and be more comfortable when working around our small farm until it’s paid off.

Matt

I bought a Deere 110tlb with the Laurin aftermarket cab in 2005. While it is rather noisy everything else about the cab has been good. So in 2009 when buying a large compact it was easy to choose the 4520 compact cab tractor. The factory cab on the 4520 is quiet and quite comfortable. Both Kubota and Deere have nice cab tractors and there are many other brands to choose from too.

 

[oosik]

I have taken the opportunity to check tractors at JD, NH, Kioti and Kubota. JD & NH have about a 50/50 mix. Kioti and Kubota tend to have more cabbed units.

 

[plowhog]

A while ago, I narrowed my tractor search down to a cabbed Kubota L6060. Although one dealer in the area always has at least 25 tractors in stock, they never had a cabbed model for me to look at. Another dealer got a cabbed L6060 on the lot as a customer's special order. I went and looked at that tractor, but wasn't allowed to drive it. I respect that but it was still disappointing as neither dealer had an open station L6060 either. So my experience is that cabbed Kubota's are mostly special order, compared to what sits on the lot for you to look at.

I did look at a Massey Ferguson 1759 cabbed tractor that was a repo. That was a great deal except it was shuttle transmission and I wanted HST. But I got to drive it and felt very comfortable in it. I wound up ordering the same model except HST-- Massey 1758 cabbed model. I've been very pleased with it. When brush hogging, I'm amazed to watch the dirt and bugs fly while sitting in clean air and air conditioned luxury comfort. :laughing: