Kubota L3301 vs L3901 - Is it just ECU tuning?

[supermegaultrachimp]

I've been looking at L3301 vs L3901. Dealer is giving me a ~$2500 difference between the models. As far as I can tell from specs and driving them both on the lot, the only difference at all between the two machines is ECU tuning.

I even pulled up the parts diagrams for both machines for the injection system/ecu and it seems like the only difference is ECU P/N.

Can you guys confirm this is correct? Is there any precedent for someone purchasing a new ECU for a 3901 ($2200) and then selling the ECU off their 3301? Or, just reprogramming the ECU somehow?

 

[flashpuppy]

Even if that is the case... you ate set to save, what? $300? At what expense though? I would imagine your warranty will be gone instantly.

Have a very hard time seeing where anyone would look to purchase your used ECM.

 

[Jstpssng]

Are you looking at HST or geared? The geared 3901 has a live PTO, whereas the 3301 doesn't. That's a moot point on the HST though.

 

[MHarryE]

The price difference may be due to how Kubota does transfers between divisions. Kubota tractors buys an engine from Kubota engines. The 3 large companies with whom I worked used a price per horsepower scale for this transfer and as the end product plant, that transfer price went into the machine cost which then determined the sale price. As an example for Tiers 2 and 3 our 150 hp and 174 hp engines were identical except for the software flashed into the ECU. Our plant paid a higher transfer price. In our case the engine cost was hidden in the higher cost of other components. Engine division used part of their reasoning being higher warranty cost but that was not justified. Design life to overhaul was 10 times warranty hours. Random failures warranty is designed to cover were no different. I would anticipate Kubota designs their power train for these similar tractors to be warranty free, except for random problems such as material flaws, manufacturing errors, for the expected warranty period for a high use tractor.

 

[supermegaultrachimp]

Are you looking at HST or geared? The geared 3901 has a live PTO, whereas the 3301 doesn't. That's a moot point on the HST though.

I'm looking at the HST product. Agreed, looks differed for geared.

 

[supermegaultrachimp]

Even if that is the case... you ate set to save, what? $300? At what expense though? I would imagine your warranty will be gone instantly.

Have a very hard time seeing where anyone would look to purchase your used ECM.

Very fair point. The market for ECUs for tractors under warranty is probably a bit weak. I probably would just wait a few years until my full warranty is expired and I had more cash and buy the new ECU and drop it in. Just like that...20% more tractor. So this means I could buy the higher end tractor whenever I want.

Does anyone know if anything about ECU programming on these units that would prevent a simple drop-in?

 

[coolbrze]

Personally I would just buy the 3901 & be done w/ it (that's why I went MX5800 instead of MX5200) but if you're that hard up for cash just get the 3301 then... Doesn't seem worth swapping ECUs to save a few bucks.

 

[DVR]

there's not much the 3901 can do that the 3301 can't.

 

[Fallon]

there's not much the 3901 can do that the 3301 can't.

The only difference is how fast you can do it. The only failing could be PTO work. You couldn't run a generator at load that required more power & you might not be able to run a chopper with some bigger wood.

 

[Ortimber]

I have a 3901 and like others have stated there won't be much difference is what it can do over a 3301 with the exception of PTO powered attachments.

I chip a lot of wood, and my tractor at times uses every bit of HP when chipping bigger branches. In fact, every now and again I'll stall the tractor. Having anything less in regards to HP would be a real bummer...

 

[cathy liebchen]

Kubota sells far fewer 3301's than the 3901.

 

[bookmyer]

I really don't understand why Kubota sells the 3301 and the 3901. Essentially the same tractor. Front end loader is the same. PTO difference is negligible in my opinion. Just cost more. I think they should just do away with one of those models.

 

[Ortimber]

I really don't understand why Kubota sells the 3301 and the 3901. Essentially the same tractor. Front end loader is the same. PTO difference is negligible in my opinion. Just cost more. I think they should just do away with one of those models.

They offer the 3301 because competitors offer one as well. It has nothing to do with horsepower necessarily, it’s a marketing strategy.

 

[Fallon]

They offer the 3301 because competitors offer one as well. It has nothing to do with horsepower necessarily, it’s a marketing strategy.

Yup. It also means they can get a premium price for the bigger HP model with very little extra cost.

Human nature often pulls you towards the middle or high end model. So by making several they can bias people towards a more expensive option even if they dont always need it.

Marketing & sales make business go round.

 

[cathy liebchen]

They offer the 3301 because competitors offer one as well. It has nothing to do with horsepower necessarily, it’s a marketing strategy.

agree- its a price point

 

[Geotech]

The purpose of the three same sized L series models is primarily for market segmentation which allows them to capture more consumer surplus/economic profits. While I would not pay for a 3901, I would pay for a 3301. Someone else values the tractor more than me and is willing to pay the 3901. If they only served up the 3901, they'd lose a sale. If they only offered up the 3301, they'd make less profit on the sale to the guy who would have paid for the 3901. Economics 101.

 

[Aprilsfool]

Even if that is the case... you ate set to save, what? $300? At what expense though? I would imagine your warranty will be gone instantly.

Have a very hard time seeing where anyone would look to purchase your used ECM.

I’m looking to purchase that ecm, if you made the decision to do that

 

[MHarryE]

I’m not sure purchasing an ECM will suffice. Generally these ECMs come without program and need to be flashed. They replaced the ECM, and flashed software into my M135GX because of my complaint of abrupt shifting. Turns out it was me, not the tractor. I was used to driving my cousin’s John Deere’s with Power Quad which have a slower clutch engagement with each power shift. In my case a new ECM came without software so the proper software could be flashed on installation. That way one ECM for M100GX, M110GX, M125GX and M135GX.

 

[cathy liebchen]

Our dealer sells almost no 3301 models it’s just a price point model no other reason for it

 

[m1garand762]

When I doubt get the higher horse power. I have a 3901!, I upgraded from an 2800 I rarely put the 3901 to is max but when I tax it I remember why I got it. If your not using the pto you’ll probably be able to get away the lesser machine I was cutting 7 foot brush today and was glad to have the ponies behind it. I could not have cut that field with my old machine