Kubotas in the low/mid 40hp range

[PHILIP8N]

but in my experience the average salesman just tries to sell you whatever caught your eye.

I wonder/doubt whether most newbies get the benefit of really understanding what they are getting into before they become attracted to the sox appeal of whatever model tractor caught their eye.

By the way, don't knock Hyundai till you've tried one. Drive a Genesis and tell me you're not impressed.

The blue, green, and orange tractor salesmen I have worked with in the past have been considerate and asked the right questions to put me in the right machine or implement. They do no want unhappy customers, they want return business. I think they try harder than car salesmen and are in a different class.

Tractor research is due dillingence for any new buyer. Start with brochures, ask salesmen, test drive, ask here for advice. But come on, you have made your statements, do you need to run this into the ground any further?

You drive a HST+, and maybe I will drive a Hyundai. Don't knock it till you try it, then tell me you're not impressed.

Philip.

 

[kleetus]

By the way, don't knock Hyundai till you've tried one. Drive a Genesis and tell me you're not impressed.

oh the irony...

 

[art]

What is the price tag for the first clutch to be put in at 500 hours because the operator rides it?
What is the price of a new grille from rolling into a trailer because of not being on the brakes quick enough while dumping?
what is the price of time from being stuck at 3 mph when you could be doing it at 4mph but you don't have a gear to match?
What is the price of replacing a gear in a transmission because of an inexperienced operator speed shifting a non syncro from the line above trying to make time up?

I guess I hit enough reasons to by a hydro, anyone else want to get power steering or should we just load up the three point and make the front end light?

I haven't found a person that left a old style two range hydro and went to a three range that hasn't raved about it.

The move from a three range hydro to hydro plus is just the next step up!!!!

Where is the limit? Look at the ag tractors and where they are today!

Otherwise, lets get the horses out!!!!! We can drive those to can't we?

 

[PHILIP8N]

oh the irony...

Glad you caught that! Philip.

 

[IslandTractor]

oh the irony...

Touche. Got me there.:laughing:

 

[IslandTractor]

yes I think you should drive one before you go on acting like you know everything about it.. but some how I have a feeling you think you know everything about everything.

I provided factual evidence on why I picked what I picked, my experiences with it and that I liked it with a factual example.. all youve done is provided your jaded opinion that you perceive as fact.

Just trying to balance the fanboy element. Tough work but someone has to do it. I don't see how you can say I am jaded though. Critical, yes, but I wish someone had asked me more critical questions while I was first selecting a tractor. It is easy to get caught up by marketing materials and rah rah more horsepower tractor enthusiasts. Taking a step back and asking questions about how a given feature will provide value is hardly "providing jaded opinion".

 

[beppington]

Here's the bottom line:

1) Happy Grand L owners can be readily found on this site.

2) I'm not sure there are any unhappy Grand L owners to be found. Probably somewhere, but I can't recall any. Maybe somebody should start a thread: "Any unhappy Grand L owners out there?" to see if we can find one.

3) IT, the only person I can remember seriously questioning the Grand L's unique features, has not even operated one. Oddly he uses the juvenile term "fanboy" for those of us who are very happy with our Grand Ls.

I just hope prospective tractor buyers realize all this. And I'm not even a Kubota employee or even a stockholder!

With that, I think I'm done defending my poor ol' Grand L (not really sure why I felt the need to do so to the extent I have!)

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Here's the bottom line:

1) Happy Grand L owners can be readily found on this site.

2) I'm not sure there are any unhappy Grand L owners to be found. Probably somewhere, but I can't recall any. Maybe somebody should start a thread: "Any unhappy Grand L owners out there?" to see if we can find one.

3) IT, the only person I can remember seriously questioning the Grand L's unique features, has not even operated one. Oddly he uses the juvenile term "fanboy" for those of us who are very happy with our Grand Ls.

I just hope prospective tractor buyers realize all this. And I'm not even a Kubota employee or even a stockholder!

With that, I think I'm done defending my poor ol' Grand L (not really sure why I felt the need to do so to the extent I have!)

I know there are a few Grand L owners who were very unhappy with the seats in their cabs. I'm sure you seen a couple threads dealing with replacing them. Other then that I don't recall too many people being unhappy with the rest of the tractor.

I do understand IT's point though, I think it would go a lot further if some of you guys (not aimed at you beppington) just said you could see his point and appreciate his taking the time to point out that it may not be as much of a must have option as some of the guys make it out to be. A first time tractor buyer on a budget who doesn't know much may read some of these threads and think he needs to buy the hst+ or he will not have a good tractor and in doing so it will put him over budget or unable to afford the tractor everyone says he needs. IT is pointing out the fact that for this type of buyer it can actually be very wise to look at a more basic, simple hydro tractor and get a better value for your dollar and still be able to do everything the guys with the hst+ tractor can do.

I don't really have an opinion as I don't own a hydro tractor outside my cub cadet GT1554. I am thinking of buying a hydro utility tractor in the 30-40 hp range for my daughter to start using around the farm in a couple years. Just for the fact that it would be easy for her to be able to learn on. She already can drive an RTV1100 so I am sure she will be able to pick up driving a hydro tractor just as easily. It would have to be cabbed though just because I spoil her and want her to be safe and sound inside the cab

 

[crazyal]

Robert, I don't know of anyone here who has said you need the HST+. But the OP was asking the differences. Since the HST+ is one of the biggest differences between the models the OP listed I chimed in as to it's usefulness.

Secondly I see it differently when it comes to someone new. The biggest mistake I see posted here by new people is they bought the wrong tractor. Usually it's because they create a list of tasks they want to do and leave off the list what they have no idea they will want to do. Secondly is people who find the process confusing and miss out on the features that set each model apart.

HST vs shuttle, vs gear is an easy thing to get a sense of the differences when sitting on a tractor. HST+ is not so easy because you need to use the tractor to understand it's benefits. A loose pile of dirt at a dealer doesn't give you much of a understanding how strong a fel is or how shifting down a gear gives you more push.

Once you understand what each model has for features then you need to decide how much each is worth. For Island the Kioti had a big enough difference in price so it wasn't worth it (I'm not sure if I would spend $5k more for HST+). But unlike him the price difference between the Kioti and the GL Kubota was only about $1500 around here (between a DK40SE and a GL4240).

When I bought my Kubota I didn't fully understand the features of HST+. For the first 10 hours or so I didn't use any of them. But as I got seat time and really had a chance to try them in a real world on my land I realized how much I like them. I have no doubts that if the Kioti met all my needs and I had bought one instead I would be very happy. But now I would really miss not having HST+.

Have you even been doing a task with your tractor and thought to yourself that you could go faster but it's not worth stopping to shift because you'll just shift back down in a few moments?

 

[Piston]

Have you even been doing a task with your tractor and thought to yourself that you could go faster but it's not worth stopping to shift because you'll just shift back down in a few moments?

....many times.