30HP or 35HP?

[lawn_king]

Both make very good machines. 5 hp is substancial, you will notice 5 horses. Im partial to kubota as i have worked them in my business for a decade and they have proven to be superb! Only kubota offers the hydrostat plus tranny?

 

[coobie]

I am looking at buying a new tractor in the next week or so. Contenders are a Kubota L3240 w/FEL, for $16,600, a Kioti CK35 w/FEL for $14,220, and a Kioti CK30 w/FEL for $12,900. All with loaded Ag tires. On the Kioti, the loader is "free" til end of Feb. Kubota dealer is 8 miles from home, Kioti is 85 miles. Both dealers have good rep.

My use for the tractor will be moving a bit of dirt/sand/gravel/snow, creating and expanding food plots by removing tag alder clumps, 3" to 4" trees, etc..
I have a 6 foot cultivator for breaking up the ground, will also use a 6.5' disc, 6' back blade and a 5' brush hog to keep plots mowed. Ground is quite level and pretty light(no clay).

Is 30HP enough, or should I spring for the 35HP? Not very familiar with the Kioti, but haven't found anything negative. What do you think?

Thanks, Al

I shopped Kioti DK40se with fel and Kubota grad L4240 and mahidra 4110 and a few other brands.I ended up with the Kioti,no regrets yet.coobie

 

[Valorum]

Having just gone through this process myself, i'd recommend you sit on each model and operate it and see how you like the layout of the controls and pedals etc. The specs are probably close enough that the things like ergonomics and such become what may help you settle on a model. No sense in having a tractor of which you don't like climbing into the seat and playing with it

 

[acy]

I really appreciate the responses so far. I am getting the shuttle trans, whichever brand I get. The Kioti dealer would charge me $42 to pick up and $42 to deliver if repairs are needed. He is a "5 Paw" dealer. I have driven the L3240 around the lot a bit. Tomorrow I am going to the Kioti dealer to check them out. I think the price of the Kubota, $16,600, is a good deal, but $2,400 extra for much the same capability is quite a difference.
I am sure the Kubota would have better resale, but I am not planning on getting rid of it(my pickup is 15 years old and still going strong). I want to be sure to get what I want now, so in a couple of years I'm not wishing I had done something different. Thanks again, Al.

 

[coobie]

I really appreciate the responses so far. I am getting the shuttle trans, whichever brand I get. The Kioti dealer would charge me $42 to pick up and $42 to deliver if repairs are needed. He is a "5 Paw" dealer. I have driven the L3240 around the lot a bit. Tomorrow I am going to the Kioti dealer to check them out. I think the price of the Kubota, $16,600, is a good deal, but $2,400 extra for much the same capability is quite a difference.
I am sure the Kubota would have better resale, but I am not planning on getting rid of it(my pickup is 15 years old and still going strong). I want to be sure to get what I want now, so in a couple of years I'm not wishing I had done something different. Thanks again, Al.

IMHO a tractor is a long term investment,get what you want now and hang on to it for many years to come.coobie

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Don't rush into the purchase, sit on and get a feel for all the models that you are considering. Maybe even look and sit on some makes and models that you haven't considered. Just about all the tractors these days are pretty good machines. If it were me, I would look at everything within whatever I considered to be a comfortable driving distance. Your driving 80+ miles to look at Kioti, stop and look at other makes that might be along the way. If none, that's OK too, just give everything that's in the radius that your looking at a chance, that way you will know for yourself which tractor fits you best. Like you said, you plan on keeping this tractor for awhile, you don't want to get the wrong one, look at them all, besides it's fun to look at all of them.

Good luck

 

[john_bud]

I realize this forum started out as a Kubota forum, bit I just don't see any evidence to support the fact that either Kubota or John Deere make better tractors than New Holland. Are there reliable satistics to prove this or is this just an opinion? If I go to my dealer who sells both Kubota and New Holland, I see equal numbers iif not more Kubota tractors split.

Andy

Read my post, the answers to your question are already there.


Also, Kubota sells what, 35:1 to 50:1 the number of units that NH does in the scut, cut and ut classes? The entire NH product line has changed manufacturing hands several times in just the recent past. Who knows where they are manufactured today? (I don't).


If you want to post some contradictory sales volume, customer satisfaction, warranty claim or reliability data --> I would love to see it. So would many others here. That information is kept close to the vest by the companies and I for one have not seen it, but would like to.

jb

 

[smfcpacfp]

I realize this forum started out as a Kubota forum, bit I just don't see any evidence to support the fact that either Kubota or John Deere make better tractors than New Holland. Are there reliable satistics to prove this or is this just an opinion? If I go to my dealer who sells both Kubota and New Holland, I see equal numbers iif not more Kubota tractors split.

Andy

If I wanted a New Holland, I would have to travel a minimum 4 hours. The local JD abd Kubota dealers are 15 miles away. Maybe there isn't a new Holland dealer near him to even make it a consideration.

 

[Lunk]

Both make very good machines. 5 hp is substancial, you will notice 5 horses. Im partial to kubota as i have worked them in my business for a decade and they have proven to be superb! Only kubota offers the hydrostat plus tranny?

Ditto on the 5 hp difference. As has been quoted many times here:

"You rarely hear of anyone complaining about buying too big."

That being said - A 30hp tractor will do what you outlined...

My .02

Lunk

 

[polo1665]

I realize this forum started out as a Kubota forum, bit I just don't see any evidence to support the fact that either Kubota or John Deere make better tractors than New Holland. Are there reliable satistics to prove this or is this just an opinion? If I go to my dealer who sells both Kubota and New Holland, I see equal numbers iif not more Kubota tractors split.

Andy

When I was tractor shopping my local Kubota/New holland/Case dealer wouldn't even show me a New Holland. Steered me directly to the Kubota line. I guess I thought this was kind of strange because I was trying to compare all brands that were close enough to consider. I didn't end up buying either and am extremely happy with the tractor I did buy, but I am still confused by that salesman. Trying to sell the more expensive tractor I guess.