Kubota makes excellent tractors...but why so MUCH more expensive?

[lawn_king]

Its the decals, kubota makes great decals,well worth the extra $. Honestly, kubota builds quality in every aspect of their machines. I have used kubotas for commercial year round applications for a decade, Kubota equipment gets better and better year after year, series upon series! All the rental yards in the northeast use kubota, to me, that says it all!

 

[LBrown59]

I need to get this off my chest...

I have recently been shopping 50 HP 4wd tractors and had narrowed my selection down to the new Mahindra 35 series in either the 45 or 50 hp versions and the Kubota M5040.
After obtaining multiple quotes form Kubota dealers for a open platform M5040HD with FEL with skid steer bucket and grill guard... the cheapest quote for a 2009 model was $6800 higher than the 4535 Mahindra and $5150 higher than the more evenly matched 5035 Mahindra. Granted...the Kubota M5040 had the Hydro Shuttle which adds $1000 over the Syncro Shuttle model... a closer match to the Mahindra. But the Mahindra has a 12F/12R trans compared to the 8F/8R Kubota and weighs about 300 lbs more. Lift capacity of the FEL is comparable with shuttle buckets on both yet the Kubota has a 72" bucket compared to a 75" on the Mahindra.

I could see an extra $1-$2K for the Kubota...but not $5K to almost $7K higher... What am I missing here?
.

Extra or excessive weight is not always a good thing.

 

[LBrown59]

Maybe too late, but a lot of Kubota owners here bought through Barlows in Kentucky. I know I got a very good quote from them on my BX, the lowest, though I decided to stay local. Your a lot closer to KY than me, however. If your willing to shopped out of state, I'd given them a call too before signing papers on the Mahindra.

instructions
If you enter a reasonable, but low offer for the M5040, they should come back with their best deal. Total low ball offers may not get a response. Or you could just call them for a quote.

I wouldn't by anything before checking there.

 

[General Lee]

I got my B3200 for 2,000 less than a Massey MF1528. I got more tractor HP, bigger motor and a free rear scraper blade. No brainer for me

 

[smfcpacfp]

Owenslee,

Sounds to me like you are sold on the Mahindra, so I am not quite sure about why you posted your comments here. I would go buy what you want and be done with it. Hopefully it will meet your expectations.

 

[ovrszd]

Owenslee,

Sounds to me like you are sold on the Mahindra, so I am not quite sure about why you posted your comments here. I would go buy what you want and be done with it. Hopefully it will meet your expectations.

Yep, looks like he used this thread as the final step to buying the Mahindra. I too wish him the best with his new tractor.

 

[TripleR]

Yep, looks like he used this thread as the final step to buying the Mahindra. I too wish him the best with his new tractor.

Either that or a way to bash Kubota while appearing to "fair and balanced". It sounds as though he had his mind made up well before posting.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Like with any product it's all about Name, dealer support, and resale.

Kubota has all three nailed down, whereas other off brand name may be great and in huge numbers outside he USA that means nothing here.

I know with a Kubota I owned and bought new, used for 10 years and sold it for nearly what I paid for it 10 years earlier. Could I have done that with an off brand - I don't know?

With a 80 something Kubota I own I called the dealer and can still get parts for it even if I have to wait for them to come in from Japan.

I think most know off brands are a lot less money, but with expensive products it takes a lot for the average guy to take a chance on that product or dealer being around 10-15 years down the road.

It's all about who going to be here. With certain brands you van bet your life they will be around and others we have seen come in with huge discounts to gain a market share than close and disappear leaving the people who bought holding the bag - NO THNAKS.

For mr the added 5K is cheap insurance for what I'm buying, 1) name brand, 2) Dealer network, 3) resale value, 4) proven reliability, 5) anticipated longevity of the company being around in 10 years.

 

[Owenslee]

Either that or a way to bash Kubota while appearing to "fair and balanced". It sounds as though he had his mind made up well before posting.

That is totally untrue. Re-read my posts. I like the Kubota... a lot. I said as much. My problem was price... and I was explaining that in this thread.

Had the Kubota been priced $4000 lower...the outcome would have been totally different. But I could not justify the huge difference in cost for similar features. Thats why I started this thread here.

I was asking those who own a Kubota how to justify the additional cost. I can't accomplish that on a Mahindra forum. Some replies received were well thought out and balanced, and are appreciated. Other replies such as yours unfairly and inaccurately accuse me of Kubota bashing....and I DON"T appreciate it.

 

[Mark_in_NH]

Either that or a way to bash Kubota while appearing to "fair and balanced". It sounds as though he had his mind made up well before posting.

I think some of you guys are being a little hard on the OP. I don't see where he, in any of his posts, bashed Kubota at all.
It is no secret that Kubota makes an excellent tractor. It is also no secret that "in my opinion only" that Kubota tractors are priced higher. When I was shopping in 2003 the Kubota was several thousand $ higher.
Face it ! Kubota tractors are incredibly popular! 8 times out 10 whenever I see a compact tractor in a homeowners yard or on a trailer, it is a Kubota. Kubota knows that they make quality, popular tractors that are in high demand, therefore they can also demand a higher price.
If you want it, you will pay for it.