Buying Advice Kubota, Kioti, John Deere, Bobcat, Mahindra or Massey Ferguson Which one is best??

[TripleR]

It sounds as though you are well on your way to finding the right tractor for you, all mentioned are good quality and while I prefer Kubota, I don't see any brand as "better" than the other; we own Kubota, Case, John Deere, Ford and Massey Ferguson.

We own a backhoe, but it is an older model and we find it easier to rent than keep it running or spending the money on one. Some people find them worth the money either by their utility or convenience, only you can decide that.

After trying the "one machine does it all" for a long time we gave up and use two, OK three. I understand cost can make this impossible, been there.

If I was buying one tractor for your listed need, it would be a Kubota B3030 or equivalent in one of the other brands. It will be a compromise, but as close as I can think of without getting two machines.

If you are not familiar with tractors, renting something for a weekend can give you a point of reference.

Good luck.

 

[tvc221]

To answer the question on the backhoe price: It depends on how much the tractor is really, if the tractor is really expensive with just a loader ($18,000 and up) then I will likely not get a backhoe with it. If it is less than that I would consider it.

So far I have been very happy with the G1800 Kubota, I have had the 4WS model for years now and for the past 6 years it was becoming a real hassle to start. I got another used one (not 4WS) which seems to be in tip top condition. I would get another Kubota again just because I know the dealer and I know Kubota is a quality product but the B series is so light I t might not be good for what I want to do.

 

[KYDan]

I like everyone else have my preference of tractors and I am a Kubota fan. My current one is the MX5100 4WD, HST, FEL, etc. I had the L2900 before this with FEL and backhoe. It was a perfect tractor for 14 years. When I sold it a let the backhoe go with it. I could not justify the expense and for my needs the 3 point hitch backhoe did not have the reach or capacity that I needed. I also had a Landpride 60" finishing mower which I also sold with the tractor. What some of the other posters are saying is true. A multi-purpose machine is great, but it does not do some jobs as well as dedicated machines. I mowed my lawn and runway with the finishing mower for 8 years and then bought a commercial zero turn mower (JD 757). I never put the finishing mower on the tractor again until I sold it. I bought the larger tractor to use for mowing rough fields and pasture, but mostly for cleaning out my ponds and to dig dirt and expand the runway as well as other landscaping and honey do projects. I sold my 14 year old Kubota for 1/2 what I paid for it new. Something else to consider when you purchase is resale. In the smaller utility tractors I have had Fords and then Kubota. I love my orange paint. I have a good, close, and reasonably priced dealer and that makes a big difference. Take the time to read the threads about different machines and make your decision based upon what you think is the best value for you. A good dealer with knowledge and a good repair shop, parts inventory and good mechanics were a must for me. Good Luck and enjoy the process it can be frustrating, but also a lot of fun. If it's not too far for you wait awhile and attend the National Farm Machinery show in Louisville, Kentucky. It is the largest indoor farm machinery show in the world and has a lot of equipment to look at, sit on, and drool on if you must.

 

[Depmandog]

My experience was a bit different than yours - I was using a 706 Farmall (ag tractor) for my property, but when I started having problems with the 706 - I started looking for a smaller tractor that could take care of my property (roughly the same size and needs as yours except for finish mowing). I started looked at the 30hp machines, but they were too small for my liking. I looked at the 50+ HP machines - and unless I wanted only 4 tires and a steering wheel - I too envisioned eating "grass" due to the high prices of the new units.

So I began searching for a solid used unit, and found a 6 year old Kubota L5030 GST 4x4 with FEL that only had 330 hours for about 60% of the new price. A machine that is big enough to do some fairly serious work, and with 330 hours it is barely broke in!!

The L Series had some options that I desired, the 4x4 and the FEL was a must and I got the transmission that I wanted. (and the turning radius is an amazing 9.5')

The point of my post - you can find some great barely used tractors out there if you look long enough. Don't be afraid to look for used - then you can afford to get EXACTLY what you want. (Well ok - I would have liked a cab, but sometimes you have to know when to say no!!)

Happy hunting!!

PS - make sure you check to see if they have kept up with the maintenance schedule - I verified it with his dealer.

 

[TripleR]

My experience was a bit different than yours - I was using a 706 Farmall (ag tractor) for my property, but when I started having problems with the 706 - I started looking for a smaller tractor that could take care of my property (roughly the same size and needs as yours except for finish mowing). I started looked at the 30hp machines, but they were too small for my liking. I looked at the 50+ HP machines - and unless I wanted only 4 tires and a steering wheel - I too envisioned eating "grass" due to the high prices of the new units.

So I began searching for a solid used unit, and found a 6 year old Kubota L5030 GST 4x4 with FEL that only had 330 hours for about 60% of the new price. A machine that is big enough to do some fairly serious work, and with 330 hours it is barely broke in!!

The L Series had some options that I desired, the 4x4 and the FEL was a must and I got the transmission that I wanted. (and the turning radius is an amazing 9.5')

The point of my post - you can find some great barely used tractors out there if you look long enough. Don't be afraid to look for used - then you can afford to get EXACTLY what you want. (Well ok - I would have liked a cab, but sometimes you have to know when to say no!!)

Happy hunting!!

PS - make sure you check to see if they have kept up with the maintenance schedule - I verified it with his dealer.

Pretty much how I wound up with my used L5030 HSTC a couple of years ago. I got tired of running our 80 HP tractor between farms and now have the BX2660 and 5030 here and JD2305 and M8540 four miles away on another farm.

 

[DennisFolsom]

The backhoe was a major factor in my decision to buy used instead of new. For what I would have paid for a new 30 to 35 HP tractor with loader, I got a 43 HP JD 4600 with loader, hoe, and a snowplow. The tractor only had 435 hours on it when I bought it in early August this year.

For me, this turned out to be a good fit, as I use the backhoe a lot. I am gradually improving my land, pulling out rocks and stumps. I have also done a couple of other backhoe jobs on my property. I like the flexibility of being able to use the hoe whenever I want to, even if I only have a couple of hours available that day.

While I like my John Deere very much, I am not opposed to other colors. I could have just as easily bought any of the other major brands, if I had found a similar deal on it.

Dealer proximity for parts support may be more important than the brand itself. I have used JDParts.com to look up parts and print the diagrams, which I have taken with me to the dealer when I bought parts. In the most recent case, I ordered a part over the phone through the dealer after looking it up on JDParts. It was not in stock at the dealer, but I had the part in 3 days.:thumbsup:

You're the only one who can decide what's right for you. Good luck in your tractor search!

 

[Depmandog]

Pretty much how I wound up with my used L5030 HSTC a couple of years ago. I got tired of running our 80 HP tractor between farms and now have the BX2660 and 5030 here and JD2305 and M8540 four miles away on another farm.

TripleR

Wouldn't by chance have any PDF manuals for your 5030 would you? Would really like to find the service manual on the cheap.

Thanks

 

[crazyal]

I think you need to narrow down the size you want first. Some of what you have listed are going to favor a smaller tractor (mid mount mower for example) while digging rocks is where a larger tractor will be needed. It's rare that only one tractor will fit all your needs perfectly. So put a number next to each task as to how important it is to you. Once you do that then you can get a few model numbers to focus on.

To answer your question, I think they are all good and it comes down to which features you value that will make one the best for you. Once you have a size (HP, physical size, and weight) in mind then it will make for much easier tractor shopping.

 

[TripleR]

TripleR

Wouldn't by chance have any PDF manuals for your 5030 would you? Would really like to find the service manual on the cheap.

Thanks

Sure don't, all I have are the Operator Manuals that came with it originally. There is a separate one for the tractor, cab and loader.

This will give you a general idea.

I can try to take a picture of the service intervals if that will help.

Kubota L-40 Series Service

 

[kiotiken]

I agree, try as many as you can to get a feeling for the difference between them for yourself, it's fun and it's free.

My current tractor, Kioti CK 30, has less hp than my last tractor, JD 955 (30 vs. 33), but weighs significantly more and is significantly more capable. Of all the other differences and improvements of the CK 30, the one I've noticed the most is what the tractor can do because of this extra weight. HP doesn't do you any good if you just sit there spinning your wheels and the only thing that's going to stop that is the size of the tires and the weight of the tractor.

On the same subject, no 30 hp tractor is going to work with a 1 ton (2000 lbs) trailer. You'll have to check that it's only 1 ton since most utility trailers have a 3500 lbs axle and most trailers physically big enough to hold a tractor will be tandem axle. That said, my CK 30, with loaded tires, FEL and Woods BH, according to the dealer, is around 6400 lbs, making it too heavy for even a tandem axle (with 3500 lbs axles) trailer (weight of the trailer itself counts!).

I'm partial to Kioti, and I got that way by trying every brand that had a dealer within an hour and a half drive. Hopefully, once you've done the same, you'll like your tractor as much as I like mine and be partial to that brand.

Since you mentioned Kioti and Bobcat, the tractors are virtually identical, made by the same company. The difference is mostly in the FEL. Add Landini and McCormick to that list, all made by Daedong. Shop the dealer and the price (mostly the dealer, that's worth a lot more than a couple hundred either way), not the color.

Also, save the money on the MMM and go with a commercial used zero turn mower. None of these tractors will have a tight turning radius, especially compared to a zero turn mower. Also, for cutting the lawn, weight is no longer your friend, you want something that doesn't rut the lawn, press the grass down before cutting it and sink into soft spots, especially your septic system (I won't drive my tractor on the septic bed). If you don't want to go that route, consider a rear finish mower instead. Since you have a lot of trees, you can back the mower under the trees instead of trying to drive the whole tractor under there. You can also back the tractor to the edge of a ditch and have the mower fall away and cut the steep slop without the risk of rolling the tractor.

Last point is that I wish I looked at the CK 35. I never got a quote so I don't know how much more it would have been over my CK 30, but I'd take the 5 hp if it was a reasonable amount.