Are all sub compacts essentially equal?

[cmkh3]

In looking at Sub compact tractors it seems that the tractors are all essentially equal, plus or minus a few features/dollars. Does it then come down to which dealer will provide the best support for the manufacturer or is it dependant on them selling the tractor in the first place? If so would you drive 90 minutes each way to a better dealer?
Thanks
Chris

 

[Hiltz]

When I was searching to buy a new tractor I was surprised at the range in pricing, by the dealers, for the exact same tractor. I went with who had the best price.

 

[balreadysaid]

the cheapest one I could find just moved 10 ton of pete gravel out of my basement. took full buckets and broke up concrete like block with no problem. cub sc2400 was cheaper than all other found. yes the dealer you buy from is important. but don't let one schmooze you into thinking they are better. some dealers have better service and mechanics and that really is what matters how fast you can get back on after a service or break down.

 

[Cherokee140]

In researching this myself I would say that the ability of the tractors are very close, but there are little differences that could make the difference to YOU.

Kubota has the heal toe hydrostat control...some people hate that, and want them side by side. The loader controls for the Kubota look like someone forgot to put it on...then went oh crap we forgot a lever to make the loader move....hay lets stick it here. All that said I bought the Kubota....mainly because of the dealer. There is a car dealer in town that once ran an add that said its your dealer that makes the difference....and it can be.

I would say put your fanny in as many as you can, and move stuff with them....you will get an idea....it will not be the same as spending a day on it but you will have an idea. I actually like the heal toe on the Kubota....the gear JD I have has the two brakes over there and I have noticed that half my foot is on the peddle anyway as I am use to rolling my foot to hit just one brake.

What machines are you looking at?

 

[chim]

Your thread title and the post under it appear to ask two separate questions.

All subcompacts within a certain range may have similarities. Many have either slightly or very different features and capabilities. Some brands are more well thought of than others. Prices do vary a lot between some brands.

For dealers with the exact same tractor, it is the exact same tractor. Now there are tractors by the same manufacturer with different transmissions for example, but they would be a different model. I shopped for a new tractor twice and both times dealers with the exact same tractors had prices that were quite different.

Then there are tractors with the same model numbers but with/without things like cruise control, QA mounted equipment, different tires, different capacities of loader, etc. Add to that filled tires, bucket hooks, and other dealer-added accessories and tractors that appear to be the same at first glance really aren't.

 

[GManBart]

Are all sub-compacts equal? No, there's a pretty big range of capability within that category. Take a couple of similar models and you can see huge differences. For example, a Deere 1025R is a popular model that has 18hp at the PTO, weighs around 1,500lbs and can lift 825lbs on the FEL to 71" max height. Compare this to an LS J2023 which also has 17.5hp at the PTO, weighs around 1,500lbs, and can lift 1,270lbs to 85.7". That's a huge difference in loader capacity, and lift height for machines that are otherwise very similar. You would have to go to something like a Kubota B26 to get similar loader capability. Whether this difference in capability matters to someone is a different question.

Granted, that's just one spec, but it points out that there are some pretty big differences when you start looking at various models and particular capabilities.

 

[cmkh3]

Thanks for this information. I have not looked at that many different brands because of the distance to the dealers. JD is closest, 20 minutes then Kubota at 35 minutes then it's an hour beyond that each way to Mahindra, Branson, Massey, Cub/Yanmar. The nearest LS dealer is a good 4 hours drive, each way. Makes me wonder how far do I need to go to get a tractor?
Thanks
Chris

 

[Cherokee140]

The dealer really can be everything or nothing. Even if you don't use him very often.

There are really so many different machines. Personally I put the Kubota BX, JD 1 series, Massey GC, Mahendra emax....in the same group....then a little bigger are the Mahendera max, the above talked about LS J series, JD 2....then a little bigger......you get the idea.

I think that the machines that are a true sub compact the differences are not that great.

I went to a farm show not long before I bought my machine. It was really a great place to see them all side by side. You can really see the difference between a JD 1 series and 2-3 series machines and so on. I did not specifically look at the LS tractors, but I did look at New Holland (I guess the same machine) and I don't think they make a machine that (I) would call a sub compact. To me the Sub Compact tractors are the 1 series, BX, and Massey's GC, and the little emax....the LS J are larger machines.

I think in all the ad's that I have seen they seem to compare themselves against those types of machines....and I think you will find that they are VERY close to the same. One of the posters on here did a very good wright up on the (IIRC) Massey GC and the BX....I will see if I can find it and link it to you.

But to compare a LS J to a 1 series is apples and oranges. An LS J to a 2 series would be closer.

 

[davrow]

Makes me wonder how far do I need to go to get a tractor?

For a high population area, we have surprisingly few tractor dealers.

I drove 6 hours (each way) and spent three nights in a hotel to do research.

How far you drive and how long you spend at it is solely based on how thorough you feel you need to be.

I now know that I need have zero regrets. I sat on every comparable sub-compact and compact and KNOW I made the right decision. For me, of course. YMMV.

 

[GManBart]

Personally I put the Kubota BX, JD 1 series, Massey GC, Mahendra emax....in the same group....then a little bigger are the Mahendera max, the above talked about LS J series, JD 2....then a little bigger......you get the idea.

To me the Sub Compact tractors are the 1 series, BX, and Massey's GC, and the little emax....the LS J are larger machines.

But to compare a LS J to a 1 series is apples and oranges. An LS J to a 2 series would be closer.

Apples-to-oranges? Not even close.

The JD 1025R is 102.6" long with 3pt (87.6 w/o 3pt), has a wheelbase of 57.1", and weighs 1,444lbs.

An LS J2023 is 103" long with 3pt, has a wheelbase of 59", and weighs 1,565lbs.

An MF GC2400 is 97.6 w/o 3pt, has a wheelbase of 57.1" and weighs 1,433lbs.

A Mahindra eMax 25 is 102.4' with 3pt, wheelbase not listed , and weighs 1,540lbs.

I'm not seeing the big apples-to-oranges differences you suggest. They look pretty darned comparable to me. In fact, the difference between the JD and your Kubota is bigger than the JD to any of the three others I listed.