Opinions on Kioti's long term stability/viability in the US market?

[WesternMN]

I think that resale value depends on several factors, brand being just one. If your tractor is a desired size, with desired features, and priced competitively, it likely will hold its value.

I hear you on this point.

When I look around for a late model, low hour used 50-60 hp.compact tractor with cab, hydro, FEL, ac, 4 wd, I don't find much. And most of them that I do find are Kubotas with an asking price at or above the price of a new Kioti of similar spec. Does this lack of used inventory that meets these criteria mean that there isn't much demand therefore not many of them in the marketplace? Or does it mean that there is a high demand and they either don't make it to the used market or sell quickly when they do?

I'd suspect the latter and believe that the demand for tractors in this category will continue to grow along with the small farm, hobby farm, alternative type farms that I believe will be a big part of the agricultural future of this country.

 

[paulfun9]

I hear you on this point.

When I look around for a late model, low hour used 50-60 hp.compact tractor with cab, hydro, FEL, ac, 4 wd, I don't find much. And most of them that I do find are Kubotas with an asking price at or above the price of a new Kioti of similar spec.
.

Right there is why so many think the resale value is low. In actuality most of what they are looking at is a much Higher original price transferred to the next buyer but the average loss for the original purchaser is still just about the same.

Myself I would be more worried about the resale of the other two. I am looking for a cab tractor and used isn't out of the question so I have stopped and looked at a couple but with prices that reflect New from the other brands and nothing besides the color or name plate to try and justify the price I have turned away several times not even bothering to make an offer. One guy asked me to make an offer and he was very surprised that I immediately put his JD at the same value of a used other brand tractor and was dead serious when I told him I wouldn't pay a penny more. He still didn't sell it as of yet so I would assume that others are starting to think more like me comparing them for their actual merits rather than some hype created years ago that doesn't really hold as true as it once did.

 

[VTland2clear]

Kioti is a great brand and I think they are giving the old stalwarts a run for their money. I quickly found that the used market was inflated because of the new Tier 4 Final emissions controls. So I bought new, and have been really happy, and don't plan on resale.

 

[Ricn]

We looked at kioti very hard for several months thinking they are as people say, a very good brand. After looking at JD, Kubota,LS and NH we bought the Kubota but in reality could have bought kioti and been happy. Kioti is here to stay is my opinion. My neighbors have bought two just this year, several more have bought Kioti as well. We have a dealer close by who is trying very hard to make his customers happy, so far he has succeeded..

Ricn

 

[MinnesotaEric]

New member here, great forum! I've been browsing over the last few months as I've been shopping for a new smallish tractor.

I've kind of narrowed it down to a Kioti NX series and I've got what I believe is a very good price on a NX5510HC but I'm a little concerned about Kioti and their long term viability in the US market. One of the things that really makes me wonder is that more than one of the dealers that I've been looking at still have 2014 models in stock and here we are, approaching the 2017 model year.

Is this something to be concerned about or is this fairly normal in the tractor world? I'm not concerned so much about being able to fix a broken down machine in the future, my main concern is what would happen regarding resale value should Kioti sudden pull the plug on operations in the US. For those who plan to buy a tractor and run it forever, resale value isn't much of a concern. I tend to shop hard, buy right and re-sell things while they are still relatively new so for me resale value in relation to purchase price is very important.

(as one might expect, both the John Deere dealer and Kubota dealer that I talked to indicated the same, that resale value would be very poor if I chose to go with a Kioti)

Since you asked: Random thoughts.

Kioti is doing a land-grab for market share. Parts are easy to get, and we have dealers that will blind drop ship without double mark-up on shipping.

I wish Kioti corporate understood their CUT market customer better. By that I mean we all bought land, than clear or manage the land, dig holes, plow or grade driveways, and so forth. We're not farmers, and if we are doing any farming, it is completely on the hobby side. Tractors are tool carriers. With that in mind it sure would make it easier to buy a Kioti if Kioti offered a factory 3rd function in their NX series so we can run a grapple, 3-in-one bucket, or a snow blade out of the box. In 2014 my dealer didn't have the experience to sell me a 3rd function forcing me to build one myself. Neither could they help me with a hydraulic top link, or a hydraulic side link. The factory listed only 2 rear remotes, but 3 can stack and fit. Hopefully this knowledge is getting passed along. I wish Kioti would take a page out of the UTV value add business model by offering more accessories like chainsaw holders, tool boxes, chain holders, or offering to sell the front fenders sold everywhere else but here in the states. On the plus side, Kioti is learning though and is now offering a block heater. Go team!

Ask for a sweet deal on a 2014.

I liked the cab layout of the Kioti the best. I liked how the Masseys were put together. If you're shopping, go look at my videos.

Kioti NXes need a skid plate fabbed up to protect their wiring harness, and fuel line. I ripped the fuel nipple out of my diesel tank on a 1/3" wide, three foot tall oak sapling. Or if you really want to plow into it, look at the My NX6010 thread where just about everything that can happen to a new NX series has happened.

If you want brand new NXes, MN just added two new Kioti dealers who have new inventory.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

It's not JUST the brand you need to worry about. IMO you should be (and I was) worried about the presence of a competent dealer/service within a days drive.

Almost every week there's a story on here where someone discovers the dealer where they purchased has gone under or changed brands. Then there either is not another dealer nearby, or the next closest dealer doesn't want to deal with the warrenty work.
Also, these small dealer's might have only one tech with any training. If that person leaves or is sick? You're screwed. IMO.
Lots of happy Kioti customers on here but some really unfortunate ones too. Certainly can happen with any brand but just consider the likelyhood with the dealer options in you area.

 

[WesternMN]

It's not JUST the brand you need to worry about. IMO you should be (and I was) worried about the presence of a competent dealer/service within a days drive.

Almost every week there's a story on here where someone discovers the dealer where they purchased has gone under or changed brands. Then there either is not another dealer nearby, or the next closest dealer doesn't want to deal with the warrenty work.
Also, these small dealer's might have only one tech with any training. If that person leaves or is sick? You're screwed. IMO.
Lots of happy Kioti customers on here but some really unfortunate ones too. Certainly can happen with any brand but just consider the likelyhood with the dealer options in you area.

There are a lot of Kioti dealers within a couple hours drive of me, many of whom have been in business for a very long time so I'm not overly concerned with dealer support. It was just seeing new 2014's sitting on lots that alarmed me a bit, thinking that they just aren't selling at all. But, maybe this isn't all that unusual in the tractor world, I don't know. Regardless of dealer, if Kioti pulled the plug on operations in the USA, owners would be stuck holding the bag regarding re-sale and future parts support.

 

[VTland2clear]

There are a lot of Kioti dealers within a couple hours drive of me, many of whom have been in business for a very long time so I'm not overly concerned with dealer support. It was just seeing new 2014's sitting on lots that alarmed me a bit, thinking that they just aren't selling at all. But, maybe this isn't all that unusual in the tractor world, I don't know. Regardless of dealer, if Kioti pulled the plug on operations in the USA, owners would be stuck holding the bag regarding re-sale and future parts support.

For the money spent Kioti builds a nicer machine than JD. I can't imagine them just leaving an emerging market for them just as they really start expanding. Are the 2014's on the lot pre-Tier 4 Final? Because those are desirable. Also model year is less important on tractors, those 2014's could be identical to my 2015, and the 2016. Also many people, like me, order a tractor with a specific load-out and get it shipped straight from the Carolina's to our dealership. I didn't even look at their Kioti lot, as I had test-drove elsewhere and was getting an estimate. My dealer also sells Massey Fergusson, and Mahindra.

 

[arrow]

There are a lot of Kioti dealers within a couple hours drive of me, many of whom have been in business for a very long time so I'm not overly concerned with dealer support. It was just seeing new 2014's sitting on lots that alarmed me a bit, thinking that they just aren't selling at all. But, maybe this isn't all that unusual in the tractor world, I don't know. Regardless of dealer, if Kioti pulled the plug on operations in the USA, owners would be stuck holding the bag regarding re-sale and future parts support.

I bought my Mahindra in July of 2014. It had been sitting on the lot since the end of 2012 and this from one of the busiest Mahindra dealers in the region. This tractor did not sell quickly because it was a geared tractor with ags all around. As most people wanted hydro's with R4's , this one became the ugly duckling. I got a crazy good deal on it and the kicker of it is that I am one of the few tractor owners that prefer a geared tractor anyway. I'd have absolutely no compunction to buy the 2014's your guy has sitting there. kioti and Mahindra will be around for a long time as there are a myriad of other reasons why tractors sell or do not.

 

[FatTire]

There are a lot of Kioti dealers within a couple hours drive of me, many of whom have been in business for a very long time so I'm not overly concerned with dealer support. It was just seeing new 2014's sitting on lots that alarmed me a bit, thinking that they just aren't selling at all. But, maybe this isn't all that unusual in the tractor world, I don't know. Regardless of dealer, if Kioti pulled the plug on operations in the USA, owners would be stuck holding the bag regarding re-sale and future parts support.

I am by no means an expert on Kioti, but the fact that they've spent what it takes to stay in the USA market through Tier 4 sure seems like a good indicator that they aren't going anywhere.