help/advice, used L3010 or new L2800

[okie350]

I have a L3010 HST and it has been a great machine would like to have another one. 500 hours is nothing. I have put 300 hours on mine in 2 years, mostly pulling the finish mower and now have 550 on it.

$1000 bucks is a $1000 bucks. but whatever you decide enjoy the machine

 

[rogueRiver]

kobta -
Thank you very much for your insight and helpful info.
----quote---
"Good Luck whichever way you go. Remember too...you can always walk away, and keep looking. There's always another one."
-----end quote----

My wife and I were saying the same thing last night. But on the other hand I am so anxious to get something I am not thinking clearly. Half of me wants to just do it the other half is saying to wait until a better deal comes along. I have seen good deals from time to time but they go quickly of course.

 

[IslandTractor]

The L3010 is a proven machine and sounds like a great bang for the buck on a low hours tractor. The L2800 has less power, size and some issues with the PTO which may or may not have been completely resolved by Kubota.

 

[rogueRiver]

The Gardener -

Thank you for the thoughts to consider. your posts are helpful. I have been thinking a lot about tractor access to different areas, and how tippy these tractors might be on un-level ground.

 

[rogueRiver]

okie350 -
I like hearing good things from the people who own these tractors. So far I am leaning towards the l3010hst. but still confused. Less $ for the 3010 but then there is the 0% and warranty that kubota offers + the "new factor". I don't know how much weight to put on the warranty issue. Seems like kubota is pretty reliable and if the 3010 made it this far...? But then 0% for the L2800? Then people like yourself, IslandTractor and others seen to speak highly of the 3010. I rather buy the better machine. Is the 3010 truly a better machine? Oh I forgot for a second, I would like to try to keep the best resell value just in case. 2002/3 vs. 2007. Will it be harder to get the value out of the 3010 being that it is not a stealer deal and will always be a 4-5 year older tractor than if I get a new one? But I guess it also doesn't make too much sense to get a lessor tractor just in case I need to sell it.

I'll stop here my head is spinning but it does help (therapeutic) to talk it out.

Thank you everyone. Keep it coming. I'll let you all know how it works out.

 

[IslandTractor]

I rather buy the better machine. Is the 3010 truly a better machine? Oh I forgot for a second, I would like to try to keep the best resell value just in case.

I think most would agree that the L3010 is the "better" machine, after all it is a Grand L and cost more to begin with. The L2800 is a capable no frills entry machine for someone who needs more than a B series 7800.

Regarding resale, I would imagine that your L2800 would loose considerable value the minute you drove it off the dealers lot. You could not pass on the zero percent finance so there would not be that inducement either. The L3010 is already considerably depreciated so you would more likely get a good chunk of your money back should you sell it after keeping it in good shape. As others have noted, 500 or even 1000 hours is simply nothing for these well built, well tested and respected machines. People in my part of the country pay "stupid" high prices for well maintained used Kubotas so you are unlikely to lose your shirt with either tractor.

Kubota has many strengths as a company but one of their Achilles' Heels is that they skip on entry level machine features just to avoid internal competition. For example they don't have position control on the B7510/7610/7800 even though virtually every other manufacturer includes that on entry level machines. They do this presumably to push customers to buy the more expensive B2630/3030. I don't know the L2800 that well but would be concerned that some of that same marketing driven product design might have had an effect on function and reliability. There has been an issue I alluded to earlier with the PTO on the L2800/3400 and that seems another example of dumbing down an otherwise good machine in order to push customers to the Grand L.

I still vote for the L3010

 

[Nik]

Yous should take a look at the new Grand L series for comparison purposes and see what price you get on a new Grand L close in horsepower tto the l3010. You may find the features on the new grand L even more appealing.

 

[kbota]

Yous should take a look at the new Grand L series for comparison purposes and see what price you get on a new Grand L close in horsepower tto the l3010. You may find the features on the new grand L even more appealing.

The current production tractor that is comparable to the L3010 is the L3240.
A new L3240 HST 4x4 with FEL will cost $20k +/-

His "Low mileage" L3010 is $5k less, and still a fine tractor. That's a 25% discount to new.

Make the dealer an offer 10% below asking.....maybe ask the dealer to "eat the taxes",....see what happens. At a minimum, insist the dealer provide a 90 day drive train warranty. This protects you if something serious goes wrong in the first 20 hours. Being a "new to you" machine, you will use it a lot for the first couple of months. If he refuses a 90 day warranty, then walk away.

My 2 pennies.

Good luck

 

[kbota]

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken, but comparing tractor hours to your vehicles mileage is a ratio of 100 hours = 5000 miles roughly.
(I realize this is like comparing apples to peacocks, but just to make a point....) so, 500 hours would be roughly comparable to 25000 miles.

Is this a fair analogy ?

 

[IslandTractor]

Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken, but comparing tractor hours to your vehicles mileage is a ratio of 100 hours = 5000 miles roughly.
(I realize this is like comparing apples to peacocks, but just to make a point....) so, 500 hours would be roughly comparable to 25000 miles.

Is this a fair analogy ?

Close enough.