Buying Advice Thinking of a Kubota... why choose Kioti?

[bearhawk]

...Just a word about Batchelder, Eric who seemed to be working in the garage at the time was great! He spent about an hour with me explaining everything, letting me drive them and giving me quotes. If it comes to dealerships, even though they are on the small side, they really give you a good feeling about dealing with them...

The Batchelder's crew is certainly a good bunch of people.

 

[KBEAT]

I was also comparing the Kubota B3030 and the Kioti CK30HST about 5 years ago. I ended up with the Kioti and have never regretted it . The whole operator platform and controls on the Kioti felt intuitive and more open compared to the Kubota to me, plus the fact that the abilities of the Kioti were better suited to what I was going to do with it. As mentioned above, your comfort level with your dealer can make any purchase like this either a winner or loser.

Good luck with the search, I think overall they are all pretty good machines.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Kubota B3030 or B3000 (the latter replacing the former) both with Cab.

small detail here... but in this size, there is no real competitor to Kubota. No other company offers a factory cab with A/C in this HP or frame size. There is also a B3000 that just came out thats marginly cheaper if your looking to save some bucks.

 

[Dmace]

I went to Batchelder in Lebanon, ME this weekend and drove the CK20 with cab and the CK30. The cab on the CK20 albeit smaller than the one on the CK30 was very comfortable. The CK30 didnt have a cab but it felt awesome, very sturdy and powerful.

Just a word about Batchelder, Eric who seemed to be working in the garage at the time was great! He spent about an hour with me explaining everything, letting me drive them and giving me quotes. If it comes to dealerships, even though they are on the small side, they really give you a good feeling about dealing with them.

I haven't seen evidence that Kiotis are that much cheaper than what I was quoted by the Kubota dealer... maybe that's because the Kubota was a pretty competitive price. However Batchelder/Kioti offered things like free delivery, free tire filling, free quick attach bucket... all points that again sway me to the Kioti.

I bought my Kioti from Batchelder's back in 2005 and couldn't have been happier. They are a small outfit but very customer focused unlike the John Deere and Kubota dealerships that were so "busy" I felt like I needed to take a number like a grocery deli. They weren't "busy" with customers either, just didn't want to give the time of day to a guy in Carhart's and a Dodge trucks hat.
Also, Batchelder's has come through whenever I had questions and the one problem I had which was just a loose quick-disconnect on the loader. They even posted photos here on this forum while putting the tractor together for me. They also included many things with the sale like the 50-hr service ($350+), loaded tires ($200+), upgraded 16" backhoe bucket ($100), welded hooks on the loader bucket ($50), large stabilizer feet for backhoe ($75), delivery over 40 miles away ($200+), coolant line heater ($40), etc...
As far as price, make sure you note the standard options like rear remotes, suspension seat, adjustable 3-pt arms, cruise control, etc... which cost more as options on other tractors. Plus the warranty is much better as well! For instance, Kioti even covers the loader and backhoe for one year where Kubota does not cover any attachments...

 

[harleyboy]

Gittyup
I couldn't say it any better.
HB

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

For instance, Kioti even covers the loader and backhoe for one year where Kubota does not cover any attachments...

yea, thats not true. Attachments are 1 YR as well.

 

[5030]

small detail here... but in this size, there is no real competitor to Kubota. No other company offers a factory cab with A/C in this HP or frame size. There is also a B3000 that just came out thats marginly cheaper if your looking to save some bucks.

One problem Kubota has is that they have poor air conditioning on their smaller cab tractors. Even my M9 and the 105 needed an auxillary electric cooling fan on the underhood condenser becaue the airflow through it isn't enough, especially when it gets a bit of chaff on the radiator screen.

It appears to be a design flaw in radiator air ducting across the entire line.

On an enclosed cab tractor, refrigeration of the operator is of paramount importance on hot days.

 

[ham]

Ditto 5030.

Kubota airconditoners don't keep up after about 85 degrees unless you pull in and soak and clean everything down.

 

[TripleR]

The AC's on our L5030 and M8540 work well for us well into the mid to upper 90's; don't know about anything higher than that.

The AC on our Case CX80 was cooler when new, but didn't hold up well over time.

I have not run any others tractors to compare, bur for Missouri weather, we have no complaints.

It was 95 yesterday and I was very comfortable.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Yea, I would not say we have chronic complaints about the A/C with PA weather.

I do think I recall though seeing some temperature difference figures that did not strike me as being huge.