Kubota L3901 vs Mahindra 2638

[Blackgreyhounds]

Try to get a quick hitch or pin-style telescoping sway bars +/- extending lower arms if you plan to be switching implements on the 3-pt hitch.

 

[tradosaurus]

Well I finally made a decision today. Signed the papers on a new L4701. Will be delivered week of the 22nd.
Thank you all for your insights and opinions. Will post some pictures once it's here...

The L4701 will definitely do what you need but I don't understand why you aren't getting the MX4800 for a few dollars more?

 

[rScotty]

Well I finally made a decision today. Signed the papers on a new L4701. Will be delivered week of the 22nd.

Thank you all for your insights and opinions. Will post some pictures once it's here...

Hmmm..... OK, a similar tractor to the older JD1050, but newer of course. That is exactly what you said you wanted originally. It will be interesting to hear your comparisons. Our Kubota has performed so well for so long that I'm afraid we just kind of take it for granted now. Which transmission & tire option did you get?

When we decided to upgrade from the old JD to a more modern tractor it took us a long time and many trips to wean away from the JD dealer. Finally we went with a Kubota and it has been a remarkable machne. Just right, perfectly reliable, and has enabled us to get more of the work we enjoy doing in spite of an aging body. It really couldn't be much better.

OK, I'll admit that sometimes I do look at the bright orange paint and wince, but less now than for the first ten years. While I'll probably never quite get over that color, it does blend well with pumpkins....if we had any pumpkins.....

What finally make us decide to change from JD to Kubota was a realization that ever since their Yanmar era, JD had changed many of the things they considered important in a compact tractor.... while we had not. That's probably a compliment to them rather than to me.... , but true. Kubota had continued improving the things we liked about the older JD, while JD had taken a more consumer-oriented path. Time will tell who got it right.
rScotty

 

[tradosaurus]

Hmmm..... OK, a similar tractor to the older JD1050, but newer of course. That is exactly what you said you wanted originally. It will be interesting to hear your comparisons. Our Kubota has performed so well for so long that I'm afraid we just kind of take it for granted now. Which transmission & tire option did you get?

When we decided to upgrade from the old JD to a more modern tractor it took us a long time and many trips to wean away from the JD dealer. Finally we went with a Kubota and it has been a remarkable machne. Just right, perfectly reliable, and has enabled us to get more of the work we enjoy doing in spite of an aging body. It really couldn't be much better.

OK, I'll admit that sometimes I do look at the bright orange paint and wince, but less now than for the first ten years. While I'll probably never quite get over that color, it does blend well with pumpkins....if we had any pumpkins.....

What finally make us decide to change from JD to Kubota was a realization that ever since their Yanmar era, JD had changed many of the things they considered important in a compact tractor.... while we had not. That's probably a compliment to them rather than to me.... , but true. Kubota had continued improving the things we liked about the older JD, while JD had taken a more consumer-oriented path. Time will tell who got it right.
rScotty

Hard to believe JD brags about having a plastic hood. If I wanted a plastic hood on a tractor I would go to a toy store. :laughing:

 

[rScotty]

Hard to believe JD brags about having a plastic hood. If I wanted a plastic hood on a tractor I would go to a toy store. :laughing:

Now that's interesting. I've got a toy tractor...It has a steel hood. We've almost come in a complete circle. But you're right. JD's use of plastic was one of the things that turned me off.

I'm not consistant, though. 'Cause I feel the same way as you do about plastic hoods, but not so sure about other parts. Looking at my JD310 backhoe - it has plastic fenders and they work fine (5674 hours).And I like the plastic canopy on my Kubota. Both are hollow structures thick rubbery impact resistant plastic and are about 2" thick with lots of support ribs connecting inner and outer skins.
You can't damage either one with a hammer. I gotta admit that iIt's pretty good stuff.

I can remember the first time I saw a car with a plastic dashboard and how we all laughed. To this day, plastic car interiors look cheap to me.
rScotty

 

[RonSwanson]

Plastic hoods make a lot of sense. Things will bounce off rather then dent. But with a tractor you aren’t trying to save weight so I could see the hesitation. I trust plastic frames for my guns, I’m sure it’s fine for a hood.

 

[rScotty]

Plastic hoods make a lot of sense. Things will bounce off rather then dent. But with a tractor you aren’t trying to save weight so I could see the hesitation. I trust plastic frames for my guns, I’m sure it’s fine for a hood.

I gotta agree that plastics makes sense when it's good material, double thick and reinforced like the stuff on the Kubota canopy. Surely plastic for gun frames is better yet. So there is no doubt that the companies can make good plastic parts if they want to.
I'm kind of wonderingjust just what kinds of things in Arkansas might fall from the sky hard enough to dent a tractor hood? I guess it all depends on where the tractor lives. Where we live, the sun really eats up plastics, but the air is so dry that steel doesn't rust much. No rust problem to speak of , and also there's not a lot of heavy things falling from the sky.....

 

[STERLING351]

So my search hasn't gotten any easier... Once I started toying with the idea of the L4701, I looked back at the John Deere 3039R and also may consider jumping to the Kubota MX4800. Prices by me are as follows:

All priced for HST tractor + FEL unless stated otherwise

John Deere 3038e - $22,500 +tax
John Deere 3039R - $29,500 +tax (includes mid PTO and 1 set rear hydro)
Kubota L3901 - $24,800 +tax
Kubota L4701 - $29,800 +tax
Kubota MX4800 - $30,500 +tax (estimate 10% off MSRP)

For those prices what would the Mahindra dealer charge you for a 2555 cab? I got mine with a 6ft brushhog and box blade for $30k

 

[chim]

............................................I'm kind of wondering just just what kinds of things in Arkansas might fall from the sky hard enough to dent a tractor hood? I guess it all depends on where the tractor lives....................................

My guess is that material falling off the back side of the bucket has more to do with damaged hoods than the location

 

[RonSwanson]

My guess is that material falling off the back side of the bucket has more to do with damaged hoods than the location

That and in the woods branches and whatnot fall all the time. Point is it doesn’t really matter. I hear a lot of people say “well I would have gotten a Deere but those plastic hoods.” Really? Either you are making excuses or you are picking tractors for the wrong reasons.