Are tractors with cabs becoming the norm?

[DABSGT]

i just priced a 9960 kubota cab 4x4 fel for $58,300 vs a 9960 4x4 rops fel for $49,750.so theres about $9000 between an open station and cab.

If you go with after market save about half of cab cost.

 

[Threepoint]

The final, but unneeded, deciding factor for me, is that a cab is too tall for my heated garage. I can fold the ROPS and at least start with a warm, dry machine.

Yep, sounds like a small thing, but cab height relative to garage, barn door or shed height can be a game changer, and it's best considered before taking delivery. Two inches too tall might as well be a foot if it won't fit. One of the reasons (among others) I went with Kioti's NX series last Spring rather than the DKs that were on close-out, was that Kioti has lowered the overall height profile by a couple of inches. With a DK I would have had to modify my garage and barn door headers and trim to get under cover.

 

[Reg]

Is a tractor without a cab becoming obsolete?

It used to be that most tractors did not have a cab and that a tractor with a cab was somewhat of an exception. Slowly, cabs have gained in numbers and acceptability and now I wonder if a tractor without a cab will become the exception and that almost all tractors will have cabs in the future. Today I drove by a Deere dealer and out of maybe 30 tractors all had cabs but a couple.

What do you think? If you have a cab would you ever go back? Is a cab that great? Is a cab the wave of the future? Hint---I'm thinking of buying a cab tractor.

Yes, for much the same reason that it can be hard to find a car/truck on a dealer's lot WITHOUT (list: heater, radio, windshield washers, automatic transmission, electric windows, electric door locks, remote starter, n-way electric driver's seat, on and on,,,,)
It is about MARGINS (market push), not consumer wants/needs (market pull).

 

[Threepoint]

Yes, for much the same reason that it can be hard to find a car/truck on a dealer's lot WITHOUT (list: heater, radio, windshield washers, automatic transmission, electric windows, electric door locks, remote starter, n-way electric driver's seat, on and on,,,,)
It is about MARGINS (market push), not consumer wants/needs (market pull).

I can see this for convenience items, but an OEM cab runs $6K to 8K on a CUT. Hard to push that for the sake of tissue profit, no matter how sweet the margin, unless it's something that the customer really wants. Just having a bunch of them on the lot doesn't strike me as much of a stimulus to create that demand.

 

[bumperm]

If you go with after market save about half of cab cost.

True, but from the few I've seen, factory cabs are better integrated (air conditioner, heater, radio, wipers, defrost, controls, fit and finish) with the tractor and more nicely done than after market offerings.

I like open station too, but I'll take the cabbed version, thank you!

 

[kiotiken]

Yep, sounds like a small thing, but cab height relative to garage, barn door or shed height can be a game changer, and it's best considered before taking delivery. Two inches too tall might as well be a foot if it won't fit. One of the reasons (among others) I went with Kioti's NX series last Spring rather than the DKs that were on close-out, was that Kioti has lowered the overall height profile by a couple of inches. With a DK I would have had to modify my garage and barn door headers and trim to get under cover.

Ah man, you shouldn't have said that, I had no idea. My DK is 1/2" to tall to fit in my garage and you're right, it might as well be 2 feet to tall. Cab roofs are expensive, trust me...

 

[kiotiken]

If you go with after market save about half of cab cost.

I've had both, they're not the same. I'd go open station with enclosure that can be removed after the winter or factory cab. Aftermarket cabs are very loud and hot. Ear protection with built in radio, removing the doors and adding a 12 V fan do the trick, but factory cabs are still a lot more comfortable. Aftermarket cabs don't seem to affect resale values much and factory cabs do.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I drove both my tractor today - my Kubota BX23 and Kioti DK50SE with cab. The weather was beautiful and I enjoyed both of them. But I enjoyed the cab when the wasps started buzzing around outside it.

And in the summertime when it's often 100 degrees outside and/or the mosquitos are thick, I'll take the cab any time I can.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I drove both my tractor today - my Kubota BX23 and Kioti DK50SE with cab. The weather was beautiful and I enjoyed both of them. But I especially enjoyed the cab when the wasps started buzzing around outside it.

And in the summertime when it's often 100 degrees outside and/or the mosquitos are thick, I'll take the cab any time I can.

I think the cab added about $5,500 to the cost of my Kioti. It's been worth every penny.

 

[grsthegreat]

now that i have the cab, ill never go back.

today it was rainy, cold (dropping to 20's) and windy. i worked in tractor with heater and wipers going.....stayed dry. got job done. happy.