Kioti NS6010 HST CAB vs LS MT357 HCAB : which one to buy ?

[The Gaul]

First post here, so bear with me

Situation : 25 acre ranch in Central Oregon, 14 acres hayed.

Looking for a general purpose tractor to help me complete some chores and projects. Want to buy new and keep it for decades to come. Not completely ready yet to take care of all of the haying myself, but as a minimum want to be able to load the bales (90lbs , 3-string). Might add more tasks in the future, but balers are expensive.

Property is in reasonable shape, no big hills or uneven stretches. There is a need to remove quite some rocks and smoothen certain areas.

As said, trying to make a choice between the 2 units above, definitely want a cab (extreme temperature swings in CO). I'm paying cash, and a 1,000$ more or less does not change my decision toward one brand or the other.
Right now I'm getting following quote : 41,800 for the LS and 43,500 for the Kioti, both of them with the loader included.

Initially I was really leaning toward the Kioti, since it seems to have this quality image. Having said that, the LS comes out strong on paper, in certain areas trumping the Kioti. Being familiar with high performance cars however, one never knows which standards are applied...

My current thinking :
Kioti Pro : quality reputation, stronger front axle, bit of a wider stance, bigger wheelbase
Kioti Con : PTO power slightly lower and lifting capacity lower (on paper)
LS Pro : better equipped, doubles as the New Holland Boomer (a premium product), more remotes, windshield wipers, manual regen,...
LS Con : didn't 'feel' as sturdy (not based on any objective measure), not the same quality reputation
Any input would be welcome, I can be swayed any direction.
Other question : how difficult is it to install additional components (e.g. remotes) after delivery ? I'm not that familiar with tractors/hydraulics, but I do maintain 3 cars and 4 motorcycles all by myself


Thanks !

 

[Torvy]

One thing I noticed about the LS models is that their FEL tend to have a bit lower lift heights. This will make their max lift appear greater. You would need to see the whole lift curve to make a direct comparison. Of course, if you don't need to lift any higher and the amount works for you, it really doesn't matter.

 

[cathy liebchen]

Buy the better dealer

 

[The Gaul]

Same dealer. He's been around since 1975, 5 miles away from the property.
Carried LS for 4 years, Kioti since April. Seems to want to get me into the LS, but that may be because of his margin structure.

 

[The Gaul]

One thing I noticed about the LS models is that their FEL tend to have a bit lower lift heights. This will make their max lift appear greater. You would need to see the whole lift curve to make a direct comparison. Of course, if you don't need to lift any higher and the amount works for you, it really doesn't matter.

Lift height may be important once I start moving hay in the barn. Great observation.

 

[D&D]

First post here, so bear with me

Situation : 25 acre ranch in Central Oregon, 14 acres hayed.

Looking for a general purpose tractor to help me complete some chores and projects. Want to buy new and keep it for decades to come. Not completely ready yet to take care of all of the haying myself, but as a minimum want to be able to load the bales (90lbs , 3-string). Might add more tasks in the future, but balers are expensive.

Property is in reasonable shape, no big hills or uneven stretches. There is a need to remove quite some rocks and smoothen certain areas.

As said, trying to make a choice between the 2 units above, definitely want a cab (extreme temperature swings in CO). I'm paying cash, and a 1,000$ more or less does not change my decision toward one brand or the other.

Other question : how difficult is it to install additional components (e.g. remotes) after delivery ? I'm not that familiar with tractors/hydraulics, but I do maintain 3 cars and 4 motorcycles all by myself


Thanks !

lot of tractor to lift 90 lb bales Hydraulic add-on remotes and valves aren’t difficult, understanding the terminology and size difference gets a little tricky sometimes. Routing lines can be a bear.
LS vs Kioti, well K comes before L so....If you’re going to buy a different brand have/can you consider the TYM line also?
Personally, they all have issues. Which ones you may or may not encounter are kinda based on sheer luck anymore. Biggest problem I’ve had with LS is documentation, parts support and lack of response. So far, Kioti has been better because I haven’t needed to go past the dealer for support.

 

[The Gaul]

lot of tractor to lift 90 lb bales Hydraulic add-on remotes and valves aren’t difficult, understanding the terminology and size difference gets a little tricky sometimes. Routing lines can be a bear.
LS vs Kioti, well K comes before L so....If you’re going to buy a different brand have/can you consider the TYM line also?
Personally, they all have issues. Which ones you may or may not encounter are kinda based on sheer luck anymore. Biggest problem I’ve had with LS is documentation, parts support and lack of response. So far, Kioti has been better because I haven’t needed to go past the dealer for support.

Thank you. As said, there's quite some projects aside from lifting 90lbs bales The last thing I want is come to the realization a year from now that I don't have enough HP.
So, from what I understand you are quite happy with the Kioti ?
We have a TYM dealer about 30 miles from here, but I've never been attracted to the Branson/Tym offering, might be brand positioning. Should I consider it ?
Also, while I could afford Kubota, I do not think it is worth it to pay the upcharge for a hobby farm.

 

[Torvy]

I spent almost 2 years looking in depth at every brand with a presence within 80 miles or so of me. (14 brands) From a bang for your buck standpoint, the TYM is about the best deal out there. That being said, the dealer can make or break the deal. If you have an average or better TYM dealer, give them a look.

 

[IndyIan]

I think the NS is the return to simpler tractor more like the DK40/45/50SE, which I think is a good thing. With either tractor, get the dealer to add the remotes you need as part of the deal. I suspect some of the install is under the cabs?
Also think what hay format you might get into, there will be some round balers that won't be happy with 47pto hp, but also there are many that will run in that range too. It will never pay with new(er) hay equip to do just 14 ac, but maybe you have a few neighbors with similar size farms? Or get old hay eqp, or get into small squares if there's a good market for them?

 

[The Gaul]

You are correct, it doesn't make economical sense to invest in a baler, for now I would just keep on using a neighbor's contracting services. Having said that, my own tractor would be a first step toward more independence from a very unreliable local employment/contractor market. Bend Oregon is a more upscale market dominated by equestrian facilities. Some of those (spoiled ex-PDX or California) people even like smaller batches of 60lbs bales, delivered to the barn. It's really a **** show down here, where you have to be able to be self-sufficient and do all your own maintenance, etc...