Buying Advice New Tractor Help - Kubota B2601 or Deere 3025e

[Dadah]

I am new to the forum and also just bought a 3025e, 4 weeks ago. As of today I have 21 hours on it and it has done everything they said it would and everything I need it to do. I did not compare. I went with John Deere from the get go. I have the loader, pallet forks, 5 box scraper, 5 bush hog, PHD 100 with 9 auger and 3 point receiver hitch. I致e spread and leveled 25 tons of gravel, dug/covered 450 of power/water ditch, cleaned 150 of hedgerow and repaired one of the 4 barns on the property. Oh, I bush hogged about 1 mile of over grown lane and dug a few holes to repair some of the fencing. All of this on 1 and 1/4 tanks of fuel, about 11 gallons. If you need any more info, just send me a PM.

 

[Geotech]

I started this thread because I can't settle on a Kubota B2601 or a Deere 3025e. I know they are not in the same class which is why it makes comparing difficult. Those are my two options because of cost (I am also not driving all over NY state to all sorts of dealers. I could get them for the same price with same outfitted implements. I could couldn't care less about the peddles. I have the room for the bigger deere and I know the kubota will meet my needs (my back and legs are my current tractor), I also don't need creature comforts.

My question is since they are the same cost is the deere good enough to go bit bigger or is the smaller kubota so good and JD3025E unproven that I go for the smaller kubota?
Thanks!

Between those two, price and all other things equal, it's a no brainer to go with the 3025e. Too bad your options are so restricted.

 

[kthompson]

I can not compare the two but I have a Kubota B2710 and like it and my brother in law has the 3000 series JD and I like it. To me the JD is more stable even working in on slopes we don't have. It feels heavier and I liked it better than my Kubota B2710. It did take few minutes to get use to the side by side pedals after hours over the years of using the Kubota rocker pedal but fine both good. Big reason HST don't have simple easy to change direction in pedal design is transmission does not need to be jerking back and forth with not a chance to relax between the directions.

My Kubota does not have fel but the JD did and I had issue with turning to watch box blade of my right leg operating the fel. Did not like that. The JD does have two ranges where my Kubota has three but found no problem in the JD with the two over mine's three ranges. In honesty seldom use the lowest range on my Kubota, very seldom.

I have made three to me major tractor purchases over the years with doing heavy research each time. From my experience I DO NOT WANT A TRACTOR who has no dealer with in an hour or so drive I can not use if needed. If need be I want a shop that knows what they are doing and can trust. A tractor is totally different purchase than a car is for most people, most people will keep them for many years twenty plus. In my twenty five or so years of tractor ownership never regretted buying Case, Kubota or JD for each of their brands are still there to get parts. There are other brands who have looked at that are totally gone now...I firmly believe there is too many brands in the current market for all to survive. My brother had one of those and have friend with another. While over all the tractor was still good parts even simple ones became major issues. I think your search standards makes sense.

One thing would suggest if you can, sit on each tractor. Operate it as much as you can. Leave it and go do same with the other. Then do it again in reverse order. Each time you touch them you will pick up on some aspect of the machine. Do compare the lifts, you want a lift you can totally control and stop it anywhere in height. Do read the specs. One made comment you can not raise and curl the JD bucket at same time. I did not notice that on my brother in laws JD and I am use to fel on bigger JD which does curl and lift at same time. Maybe something JD has changed.

I have had very good service from my B2710 and also have a M6800 tractor. Overall they have been good machines but they are not perfect. Sheet metal will rust if scratched and my JD fiberglass will crack. Both are labels you will be able to sell if you ever want to and at premium compared to some brands.

 

[Jchonline]

Hello,

I am buying my first tractor and enjoying and agonizing over the search. I would use it for maintaining 150' gravel driveway (snow removal in winter/grading in summer), cutting and moving firewood around our 5 ac lot and general landscaping and projects around yard. Keeping x500 for mowing.

I have both a Kubota dealer and Deere dealer close by, so will be going with either of those.

My two options based on my budget are the Kubota B2601 or the Deere 3025e. I have quotes from both dealers that are only by only a couple hundred dollars apart (Kubota actually a bit more).

I like the size of the Deere, it feels more tractor like, but I am concerned that the "e" in economy means cheap or breakdowns at some point in the future.

What do you think?

Thank you!

A few things I noticed about the E...No mid mount mower option. The R series has this. The steering wheel may not adjust forward/back...the add says the R does so I am wondering if the E does or if this is an R only feature.

Two range HST on the E series, 3 range on the B2601. Drive these to see if you feel the middle range is of benefit. For me it was.

I would strongly advice a SSQA on the FEL for future compatibility. Deere has a proprietary system that I can't stand. It is another way to force you to buy their stuff. You will loose some lift capacity, but what if you want pallet forks or a grapple at some point? SSQA makes this a very easy swap out.

B2601 has quick detach loader. Double check this, but it looks like the 3025E is more difficult to remove if at all. This may or may not matter to you. Examples of scenarios where taking the loader off would be of benefit: MMM use in tighter spots, brush hog uphill and extra weight of loader bogs the machine down in taller grass.

 

[Diggin It]

Deere has a proprietary system that I can't stand. It is another way to force you to buy their stuff.

Which is one of the reasons I didn't go green.

 

[Geotech]

Deere's "proprietary" system is supported by most makers of things you'd buy for your FEL. I dont think you'll have a problem needing to buy things direct from JD.

 

[Huskerfan]

Go one bigger. Get the B2650. You forget about the treadle in 5 minutes, becomes reflexive.

 

[check]

Go one bigger. Get the B2650. You forget about the treadle in 5 minutes, becomes reflexive.

I agree. Lovely machine. If I was starting from scratch now (with more wealth than I had back in 2008), I would have probably bought the B2650. And I, too, like the single pedal treadle.

 

[Rock Crawler]

The B2650 is a machine that really punches in a weight class higher than you would expect on paper. It's truly a beast in sheep's clothing. I've been doing insanely hard labor, track loader work for 300 hours using my Bigfoot B2650 and at the end of each day it looks at me as I'm closing the doors, smiles, and says... "Thank you. May I have another?". It's been 10 months of beating on this thing and you just can not stop it.

 

[Jchonline]

Deere's "proprietary" system is supported by most makers of things you'd buy for your FEL. I dont think you'll have a problem needing to buy things direct from JD.

Yes, many times at extra cost.