Are you guys Kubota fans?

funwithahoe · Jul 17, 2010

Just got my b3200 and after being almost too scared to accept delivery of it because of some of the posts on this forum. Although there is a lot of great info on this site there are also some of the most critical people on the planet here!

I guess I notice a little vibration (maybe Kubota fixed this problem on the newer ones) and I do here some whining from the hydrostat but man it seems like a super well engineered machine to me.

Oh and from the other threads - I already drove around with the break on so don't feel bad.

Took me 6 min. to take the laoder off and the mower seems easy to take off. Haven't put the blade on yet but looks like they engineered it so you can take the mower off and put the blade on without tools.

Shantycoke · Jul 17, 2010

Mr. Funwithahoe,
I didn't even consider a Kubota until I used my neighbors to move some dirt. I had a '49 Farmall, which I still love, but it just didn't do the job. Honestly, I have had no regrets. There was a little "trash talk" between another buddy and myself, since he bought a new J.D. at the same time I got a Kubota. Now when we have our little "beer nights" in the basement of my barn, he has to sit on my Kubota. Seems he's not quite as satisfied with his green toy as I am with my orange one. I think you will be happy with your purchase. The harder you use 'em, the better they work.
Good luck,
Pat

Larry Caldwell · Jul 17, 2010

I have been driving farm tractors for over 50 years, and my current Kubota is my first. I'm not a fan of any kind of tractor, but the new ones are sure nicer. Other than the 4WD, and diesel instead of gasoline, my Kubota is not significantly different from the Massey-Ferguson 35 that I drove back in the '60s.

If you want your tractor to last, drive it like you own it. Learn to treat it like a horse or a mule - you aren't done until it is taken care of. Check the fluids, clean the radiator, tighten any loose bolts, fix any leaks and do a thorough equipment check at the end of the day. Any fool can tear up a piece of equipment. An experienced operator will have far less trouble, because he takes care of his tools. Never skip a scheduled maintenance, and never skimp on maintenance because it's not scheduled.

There is one firm rule that every equipment operator and truck driver memorizes on their first day: NEVER LUG A DIESEL ENGINE! With the throttle wide open under load, keep the RPMs above 80% of the maximum RPMs. For example, if your maximum engine RPM is 2600, never let it lug below 2000. When you get below that you will drop off the power curve anyway, and lugging a diesel will hammer the rod bearings right out of the engine.

art · Jul 17, 2010

You just bought a great tractor!

There are many people that come on to this board that have a good knowledge of all makes of tractors and some that only have very limited use of one brand or another and yes they are all different and have things that they excell at at.

TripleR · Jul 17, 2010

Like Larry Caldwell, I have been driving tractors for over fifty years though I haven't farmed since the early seventies. I pretty much like all tractors, but lately seem to have gravitated more to Kubotas.

I believe some complaints from new owners are due to lack of experience and unrealistic expectations of tractors in general.

jnyost · Jul 17, 2010

I just purchased a new B3300SU and LOVE it!. I've had my B7100HST for over 5 years, my father-in-law has had his B2910 for 4 years, and he had an old B8200(?) before that. None of these have required significant maintenance. We always maintain them, and they never disappoint.

I love green and orange, and wouldn't choose one over the other, but I did feel like I got more for the money from Kubota. When purchasing a zero turn the opposite was true. I purchased a deere because it was a better machine for the money.

msgtblack · Jul 17, 2010

Had Dad's Ford 9N for the last two years working it hard. Got a new L2800 a week ago, put 12 hours on it grading and mowing. This one has the HST. Phenomenal difference going from the N.

Very much a fan so far.

davatk · Jul 17, 2010

funwithahoe said:
Just got my b3200 and after being almost too scared to accept delivery of it because of some of the posts on this forum. Although there is a lot of great info on this site there are also some of the most critical people on the planet here! I guess I notice a little vibration (maybe Kubota fixed this problem on the newer ones) and I do here some whining from the hydrostat but man it seems like a super well engineered machine to me.

Oh and from the other threads - I already drove around with the break on so don't feel bad.

Took me 6 min. to take the laoder off and the mower seems easy to take off. Haven't put the blade on yet but looks like they engineered it so you can take the mower off and put the blade on without tools.

Congratulations on the purchase, and glad the vibration does not seem to be an issue. And yes, I am certainly a fan of Kubota's. My experiences have been on large and small Fords, Massey's, Internationals, and Deutz. Personally the Kubota is at least as well built as any of those IMO.

So, you do know that you are supposed to post pics of your new purchase don't you !! Let's see'm ! :thumbsup:

Grandad4 · Jul 17, 2010

funwithahoe said:
Just got my b3200 and after being almost too scared to accept delivery of it because of some of the posts on this forum. Although there is a lot of great info on this site there are also some of the most critical people on the planet here!

Like anything else, the web has its good points and bad points. One of the bad things is that one opinion gets amplified all out of proportion because it goes all over the world. So one individual with an ax to grind can tilt the plans of thousands of buyers, either pro or con. At the same time, the same actions can help buyers make more informed decisions, which is obviously a good thing.

You would hope owners would not go into a rant on the net over really minor issues, that sales departments wouldn't try to manipulate the market with phony reviews, etc., and that prospective buyers would not get the jitters over the one-sided opinions of one or two people unloading about something.

I'll bet you are going to enjoy that new tractor... hope you can share pictures and stories of its use.

KubieTwo · Jul 17, 2010

TripleR said:
Like Larry Caldwell, I have been driving tractors for over fifty years though I haven't farmed since the early seventies. I pretty much like all tractors, but lately seem to have gravitated more to Kubotas.

I believe some complaints from new owners are due to lack of experience and unrealistic expectations of tractors in general.

I think there are a lot of people on all the brand sites that absolutely should not own tractors. You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned the lack of experience and unrealistic expectations. I do not see how many of these people have ever purchased a piece of equipment, a tool, a machine, an automobile... of any kind that they were satisfied with.

However, some coming on these sites are looking for input to help them learn to use their tractors, they get what they need, they contribute, and many of their concerns vanish. Others just stick around and complain.

A lot of us have operated tractors whose brands disappeared long before many visiting these sites were born, and I for one am still amazed at the things I got done with what would today be considered by most of these critical people to be too slow, too unsafe, too difficult, and just too unusable. Many of us are older and don't realize how bad we must have had it. Even our newer tractors aren't perfect in every way, but we knew that when we bought them...used or otherwise. Yet we do what we need to do or hire out those things we can't. We are happy with what our equipment did rather than upset for what it didn't and we don't constantly look for problems that don't exist. Our diesels rattle and our pumps whine, but we think that is acceptable. Forgive us for our shortcomings.