John Deere similar to 'Bota L2800HST?

[Carl Bill]

Ok, here is where I am on the tractor shopping. I took the day off to go visit a few local (if you can call it that) dealers.

I got the written quotes on Kubota:
L2800HST w/FEL: $15,900
L2800 gear w/FEL: $14,900
Both are current "Xtra Power" with 30 HP Engines

Written quote for MF:
1529 gear w/FEL: $15,900
1532 gear w/FEL: $16,900
(they didn't have an HST model on the lot, so he encouraged me to drive the "shuttle shift" with loader to show me that I really don't need HST) prices seemed high for gear tractor.

Written quote for JD:
3203 HST w/FEL: $16,600
3320 HST w/FEL: $19,750
(3203 has a fixed ROPS)

Being that I had already gotten a "verbal" on teh Kubotas last week, I didn't go there first, so the JD dealer wants me to bring the written quote so he can give me his "best" price. He says he wants to be competitive, so I am going back tomorrow morning.

But, I really do not expect the JD prices to match the Kubota's. For one thing, it is still not an exact "Apples to Apples" comparission. The Kubota has features the 3203 does not have: fold down ROPS and cruise control. The Deere has a little bit more HP. And I believe I will be expected to pay more for the green paint.

I think MF is out of the game now at those prices for a gear tractor.

So, tomorrow I will see what happens. Kioti Dealer is a little bit too far to drive with the time I have, although I keep hearing that they have a free loader deal going on. Not sure if they are in the ball park even with that deal.

Thanks for any comments or input.

Carl

 

[Carl Bill]

John Deere salesman took the day off today.

Stopped in at New Holland, the only had one salesman working and he was too busy to talk. I looked at what they had... including the new Cub Cadet/Yanmar's... but no salesman available to tell me what I was looking at.

I said it before, but buying a tractor is no easy thing as compared to a car.

I am wanting to buy a product. I have ability to pay or finance. Why do they make it so hard to take my money? I wasted a vacation day yesterday and drove a lot of miles to get several written quotes so I would have somthing to use to negotiate. I am really starting to think I should just go back to the best price so far at my first stop last week - the Kubota dealer - and buy the L2800. But now, after driving a MF 1532 with shuttle shift, I am wondering if I could actually get by with a L2800 gear with shuttle shift and save another $1k????!!!!! $14,900 is doable over the $15,900 HST.

I was also thinking that the JD guy wouldn't be able to get near the Kubota price anyway..... I believe he would drop a couple of hundred and then tell me that I would have to pay for the "John Deere" quality, green paint, etc.... But I can live without green paint and the "plastic hats".

Oh well.... At least I can say I tried. Can't afford another day off work to piddle with a tractor purchase.

 

[Sweats62]

Not so much trying to defend the 3203 here, just giving a little insight from the eyes of an owner. I haven't yet, in over 250hrs, experienced a problem with a rigid roll bar. In fact, that bar has saved my head from many a swinging, spike laden honey locust branch. I guess if I had a foldable I'd find some reasons why it was better. Also, I'm not sure what JD's stance is on 3203s with more than the 300 loaders but my tractor came with the 300X and I've had zero problems with it. I've used it extensively with everything from dirt to 2" rock and neither it nor the tractor has hesitated at all. Like I say, just a little insight. Hope you're happy with your decision regardless.

 

[Carl Bill]

Not so much trying to defend the 3203 here, just giving a little insight from the eyes of an owner. I haven't yet, in over 250hrs, experienced a problem with a rigid roll bar. In fact, that bar has saved my head from many a swinging, spike laden honey locust branch. I guess if I had a foldable I'd find some reasons why it was better. Also, I'm not sure what JD's stance is on 3203s with more than the 300 loaders but my tractor came with the 300X and I've had zero problems with it. I've used it extensively with everything from dirt to 2" rock and neither it nor the tractor has hesitated at all. Like I say, just a little insight. Hope you're happy with your decision regardless.

I appreciate the info.... I am not at all knocking the 3203, I am just getting tired of the method of trying to get the best tractor deal. My little Kubota has a rigid ROPS and I have no issues with that, but on a much taller tractor, I see a potential use for getting it into the barn without taking out a door/header.

I just would like to see an easier way to get "apples-to-apples" tractor info and get the best price without having to get "written quotes" from each dealer, and then taking that as a negotiating tool to the next dealer to get them to quote a better price. Then making another round of working the deal on the one you really want.... if you have an ideal choice.

I already have 2 orange machines, so I am starting to think it is fate that the best price I have gotten so far (and the first one at that) is orange. (My first orange machine is actually a Scotts 23 HP Kohler "made by John Deere" lawn tarctor). So out of the 2 I already own, one is "green" under the skin. I buy all my parts... (starting solinoid, steering linkage, blades, filters, etc) at the local John Deere dealer (the one that sells mowers and small implemets). So I feel like I am half way green now, but the big tractor may end up orange like the other two from where I am sitting right now...

 

[Carl Bill]

Went with the Kubota L2800HST w/FEL. $15,900.00 was the price.

John Deere dealer never called me back. I tried to stop in and see if he could deal, but he took the day off. That is ok, but I didn't have the time to work his schedule.

MF was also too high and did not appear to be willing to negotiate. Kioti said he would match the Kubota price with a CX or CK 35 hst. But he was too far to drive for the time I had available.

So Kubota got my $$$. That is ok with me, I feel familiar with the Kubota stuff. But I would have liked to have an American brand... JD or MF... to keep my cousin from giving me a hard time...

I can deal with all that though. Orange will fit in well next to the other 2 tractors in the barn.