Why Kubota over others?

[danisiri]

Hehe...I'm not particular to a color. I just see folks that swear by Kubota, and since they make their own tractors, I figured I would ask why folks like them so very much.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I started a forum called what's the best brand of tractor, for that very reason and surprisingly nobody boasted about color on there, in other threads they did.

I have had debates with fanboys of colors on here, never do I find an answer past they just fancy the brand, they can't ever prove that one brand sticks out as a clear winner in capabilities and price.

It's an endless circle of debate, the biggest one that comes up lately is the ol JD garden tractors vs. debate.

A lot of guys out there won't own anything but a JD riding mower and boast about how there the best on here.

To each is there own I guess.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

To each is there own I guess.

Yes, you are correct in that. I buy what I choose to buy. Nobody's business but my own.

 

[Oldoak]

I don't believe there is one BEST brand of tractor. It all depends on what the tractor is being used for. Once that is established, it then goes deeper than manufacturer. What series and model within a particular series?

I also don't believe in "brand loyalty". I buy what suits my needs best.
For my particular applications, it's my Kubota L4200 CUT and my J.D. X758 GT.
I don't say they are the BEST. I say they are the best for me.
If I replace my nineteen year old Kubota, a Yanmar may be in my future.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

I don't believe there is one BEST brand of tractor. It all depends on what the tractor is being used for. Once that is established, it then goes deeper than manufacturer. What series and model within a particular series?

I also don't believe in "brand loyalty". I buy what suits my needs best.
For my particular applications, it's my Kubota L4200 CUT and my J.D. X758 GT.
I don't say they are the BEST. I say they are the best for me.
If I replace my nineteen year old Kubota, a Yanmar may be in my future.

I'll buy that x758 after your done with it. I would deff like to own one.

 

[Oldoak]

I'll buy that x758 after your done with it. I would deff like to own one.

Sorry, BorkeFarmerJohn, I'm afraid you won't want to wait that long, if I keep it as long as the 318 I had (37 years). Just like I thought the 318 was tops when I bought it, my new X758 is TOPS.......in my opinion.

 

[robertm]

...I'm curious on folks' opinions on why they went with Kubota over others, given the premium price. Are they really that much more reliable?

Thanks all!

I'm in my fifth Kubota, and while I am in a much different tractor class than you, as I need B's and BX's, I have NEVER found Kubota a PREMIUM price over the green colored tractors. I've never looked at the other brands that are newer in the market, but the Green on every try have been between $3,500 and $5,000 MORE than Kubota. This is on $20,000 tractors, so 25% less for the Kubotas in my case was a deal breaker for the Green. It may be my local, but five strikes, and they're out.
I prefer the stout and direct engineering of the Orange in the subcompacts. The other color seems to try and achieve a compromise in creature comforts and options over designing their units to include simplistic functional and over-engineered components. That's my opinion, but most everything on the Orange seems to be a step up in durability and design for the important features, not pretty knobs, tilt wheels, fancy stickers, etc.

 

[BrokeFarmerJohn]

Sorry, BorkeFarmerJohn, I'm afraid you won't want to wait that long, if I keep it as long as the 318 I had (37 years). Just like I thought the 318 was tops when I bought it, my new X758 is TOPS.......in my opinion.

I don't mind having your sloppy seconds .

We can reassess this in 10 years, I'm broke so all I could do right now is window shop .

5.5 years left on the tractor and 17 years left on the house, until then I'm not buying nothing.

 

[danisiri]

Gonna go try out some Kubotas tomorrow with the wife.

 

[Code54]

I have had several and they all have been trouble free and worked great. I have sold a few and had an excellent return on my investment so I am very comfortable buying their equipment.
Also in my case the difference between the Kubota's purchase price and other brands was not a big difference, shockingly small really.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I don't own a Kubota but the dealership that my dad worked for many years ago took them on after the demise of Allis Chalmers. They sold a lot of units and typically once it left the dealership they never saw it back again unless it was for routine maintenance. Kubota did a great job in marketing their tractors offering low finance options for would be owners back in the late mid to late 90's. With great product support and top notch reliability, they set the standard for the compact tractor market. The just run and run and run and run. Their success and growth has allowed them the opportunity to purchase Land Pride and Kverneland, two companies that produce excellent products in the hay and landscape/mowing industries. Around here Ford/New Holland had the majority of the compact tractor market in addition to quite a few grey market Yanmar's until Kubota came on the scene.

 

[Steve1300]

My neck of the woods offers LS, New Holland, JD, and Kubota. I wish there were Kioti and Yanmar dealers with equipment in stock, but there aren't.

If I did not buy Kubota, I'd probably focus on LS. Save money that way.

 

[danisiri]

My neck of the woods offers LS, New Holland, JD, and Kubota. I wish there were Kioti and Yanmar dealers with equipment in stock, but there aren't.

If I did not buy Kubota, I'd probably focus on LS. Save money that way.

Yeah. I got a lemon on my LS, lol....so not sure if I want to give them another shot.

 

[montelatici]

Kubota invented the category of sub-compact tractors in the U.S. I bought my first Kubota in 1985, a B-5200. The local dealer was a longtime Ford tractor dealer and had added Kubota on a whim. I owned the B-5200 for almost 25 years and sold it for the same amount of dollars that I paid for it. I have bought 3 more Kubotas, 2 from the same dealer and they are super reliable, although the heavy use of plastic on the BXs I own is not something I am happy with. Kubota is a safe bet for reliability and parts availability.

 

[conkli48]

I was torn when shopping for my tractor, I wanted a sub 30 hp and shopped around alot, within 15 miles I have a kioti, Kubota, Case, New Holand/Mahindra and john deere dealers. Within 30 miles I have, a Massey ferguson and an LS dealers. So I had lots of options all fairly close by. Most dealers are fairly well established being around for 20 years or more. When it came down to decision time for me it was Kioti and Kubota. My dad bought last summer a new kubota MX5200 for his seed business and for doing our hay. It is a great tractor, he wishes it was a little heavier as even with weighted tires still struggles with some of his large pallets. But does better than his old massey ferguson 202 workbull. He enjoys it and has put on 60 something hours now and does everything he wants out of it. I looked like i said at kioti and kubota, ultimately I was down to a L2501 kubota and a Ck2601 kioti, very similar tractors in class. The kioti was Quoted to me 4000 dollars under the kubota and offered 72 months vs 60 months 0% interest. So for me it came down to price as well as the kioti had a few more features that were stock and not options. Is it going to be a equal machine, time will tell, I doubt it, but the Kioti dealer really wanted to sell me a tractor and spent over an hour and a half with me, kubota dealer gave me 5 mins and a brochure and a rough quote. The Kioti dealer was smaller and more family oriented and great people, the kubota is a bigger farm business and still has great people, but leave it to me to try and support the little guy. That being said, if kubota would have just been 2 grand more, I would have done kubota. And in my dads experience its a great machine and does most anything we ask of it.

 

[DK35vince]

I was torn when shopping for my tractor, I wanted a sub 30 hp and shopped around alot, within 15 miles I have a kioti, Kubota, Case, New Holand/Mahindra and john deere dealers. Within 30 miles I have, a Massey ferguson and an LS dealers. So I had lots of options all fairly close by. Most dealers are fairly well established being around for 20 years or more. When it came down to decision time for me it was Kioti and Kubota. My dad bought last summer a new kubota MX5200 for his seed business and for doing our hay. It is a great tractor, he wishes it was a little heavier as even with weighted tires still struggles with some of his large pallets. But does better than his old massey ferguson 202 workbull. He enjoys it and has put on 60 something hours now and does everything he wants out of it. I looked like i said at kioti and kubota, ultimately I was down to a L2501 kubota and a Ck2601 kioti, very similar tractors in class. The kioti was Quoted to me 4000 dollars under the kubota and offered 72 months vs 60 months 0% interest. So for me it came down to price as well as the kioti had a few more features that were stock and not options. Is it going to be a equal machine, time will tell, I doubt it, but the Kioti dealer really wanted to sell me a tractor and spent over an hour and a half with me, kubota dealer gave me 5 mins and a brochure and a rough quote. The Kioti dealer was smaller and more family oriented and great people, the kubota is a bigger farm business and still has great people, but leave it to me to try and support the little guy. That being said, if kubota would have just been 2 grand more, I would have done kubota. And in my dads experience its a great machine and does most anything we ask of it.

As far as the Kioti all I can say is I've owned a DK 35 for 16 years, 2050+ hours. Never been back to the dealer, never gives me any issues and just as tight and strong as it was when new. Nice tractor.
That said, my dad owns a Kubota L3000 and an L 4600 and likes them

 

[SDT]

I have purchased two new Kubota tractors in succession.

Kubota dealer is but six miles away. Even after eight years and three tractors I find Kubota dealer proximity and quick response to service requests valuable.

KTAC insurance is well worth purchasing. (Kubota Tractor Acceptance Corp.)

Agreed.

My CNH/Kubota dealer is only 4 or 5 miles away and they have treated me well.

I've bought a new M9960 and a new L6060 from them within the last 18 months or so and knowingly paid too much for both of them.

I am willing to spend, somewhat more to deal locally, especially when the dealer appreciates my business.

My CNH/Kubota experience has been MUCH better than my disastrous Massey Ferguson experience.

SDT

 

[SDT]

I don't own a Kubota but the dealership that my dad worked for many years ago took them on after the demise of Allis Chalmers. They sold a lot of units and typically once it left the dealership they never saw it back again unless it was for routine maintenance. Kubota did a great job in marketing their tractors offering low finance options for would be owners back in the late mid to late 90's. With great product support and top notch reliability, they set the standard for the compact tractor market. The just run and run and run and run. Their success and growth has allowed them the opportunity to purchase Land Pride and Kverneland, two companies that produce excellent products in the hay and landscape/mowing industries. Around here Ford/New Holland had the majority of the compact tractor market in addition to quite a few grey market Yanmar's until Kubota came on the scene.

Agreed.

Kubota has done for the small/mid size tractor market what Toyota did to the automotive market in the 1970s/1980s.

SDT

 

[SDT]

So it's the emissions that's driving the price up and not brand or even model.

If trump repeals the tier 4 emissions the market on those tractors will drop faster than an anvil threw a glass floor.

Agreed.

SDT

 

[danisiri]

Agreed.

My CNH/Kubota dealer is only 4 or 5 miles away and they have treated me well.

I've bought a new M9960 and a new L6060 from them within the last 18 months or so and knowingly paid too much for both of them.

I am willing to spend, somewhat more to deal locally, especially when the dealer appreciates my business.

My CNH/Kubota experience has been MUCH better than my disastrous Massey Ferguson experience.

SDT

This is where I'm headed as well. The Kubota I want is about $7K more than the comparable LS. $7K seems like an acceptable premium to get a nearby dealer/service center and a good parts network.

My LS is still in the dealer's shop, nearly a month later, waiting on an ECU that is supposedly delayed. I'm at the point where I'm just gonna go to Kubota and buy the tractor and sell the LS whenever it shows back up, if it ever does, lol.