Help! First tractor - Deere vs Kubota vs New Holland

[ArtVandelay]

• If you like great quality, reliability, ergonomics, go for Kubota.

• If you like green paint, and uhh............yeah green paint, go for Deere.

I don't think New Holland are quite in the same league as the other two when it comes to CUTs.

 

[aesanders]

• If you like great quality, reliability, ergonomics, go for Kubota.

• If you like green paint, and uhh............yeah green paint, go for Deere.

I don't think New Holland are quite in the same league as the other two when it comes to CUTs.

Where do you get your information?

 

[aesanders]

Thanks for the responses guys!

Ok, so...
The amount of mowing I guess will be a lot. 8 ft between rows for now (though future plantings may be less…say 7 or 6 feet – so I need to consider tractor width). I am dry-farming and will want to clean-cultivate between the rows for the first year or two to help establish the vines (I don’t want any competition for the water). Tilling will occur after rain between rows to help prevent evaporation – so it will be a light tilling, only an inch or two into the top of the soil. Again, tilling between the rows, ultimately over the whole planted area (25 – 30 acres), but only about 5 acres for the first year or two. I do have some slope, not sure of the grade, but enough to warrant weighted tires, for sure.

I have thought about money left over for implements. This is why I am considering a gray-market tractor from EFC Construction (EFC here on tractorbynet). My only concern is parts availability. It may be fine as long as he is in business and can supply the parts for my tractor, but what do I do if he closes shop in two years or something… Also, those tractors don't have ROPS, factory warranties, etc...

Paying over MSRP is crazy...I would never do it for a car, and I don't plan on doing it for a tractor...the Deere dealership is a little loopy...

I think for cost, at this point HST is a luxury I can't afford. I'll learn to deal with a gear drive.

I hear what you are saying about the differences between the brands. I was just trying to get a handle on long term cost. For example, there is a Mahindra dealer about 45 miles south of me. I could probably get the tractor I need at a good price, but I am unsure how I feel about parts availability.

But you guys do think that the 30 hp range is ok for my needs?

You've got a bunch of varied tasks some of which would be better for a smaller machine and some better for a larger machine. I'd probably go the used route as well and get a larger roughly 30-40 pto hp tractor to start with.

 

[Mighty Dodge]

They're all good brands. The main reason I went with Deere is because there are 2 dealers within 12 miles of my house. I do a lot of my own maintenance but if I need parts or dealer service I don't want to have to drive to timbuktu.

 

[DmansPadge]

• If you like great quality, reliability, ergonomics, go for Kubota.

• If you like green paint, and uhh............yeah green paint, go for Deere.

I don't think New Holland are quite in the same league as the other two when it comes to CUTs.

Whatever you do.... DO NOT listen to advice like this!

 

[RoyJackson]

• If you like great quality, reliability, ergonomics, go for Kubota.

• If you like green paint, and uhh............yeah green paint, go for Deere.

I don't think New Holland are quite in the same league as the other two when it comes to CUTs.

Art...no offense, but your first post was about...5, 6 weeks ago and you had very little, if any, knowledge of tractors at that time. You made several posts asking about the Deere 990 and decided, for whatever reason, to go with Kubota. Kubota's are nice...but they have their problems just like any other machine or tool.

You've probably never sat on a New Holland, so why would you write such a response?

New Holland (Shibura is the manufacturer) is a pretty nice tractor...every bit as good a quality as a Kubota. Although I looked at Kubota first (BX2200 was a good fit, sizewise)...ended up buying a used Deere (cost was the consideration...not color). When I was looking for a tractor for more power, I wanted another Deere, but the New Holland TC-30 was my second choice..and, yeah, I looked at a B7800 Kubota too. The New Holland had the most robust front axle of any of them. But, again, $$$'s made the choice with a nice deal on a lightly used 790.

Around my area (south central PA), most of the CUTs are Deere or New Hollands for residential use and most of the small contractor machines are Deere and Kubota, Deere far exceeding Kubota. That's a subjective study and not scientific at all.

Metropolis_488
I surely wouldn't go grey market. There's little dealer support and parts can be difficult. If you're OK turning a wrench and can figure things out without a manual...well, it's risky still as parts may not even be available in the United States. I'd say you're better going used then grey market. Again, that depends on your skills.

 

[Builder]

• If you like great quality, reliability, ergonomics, go for Kubota.

• If you like green paint, and uhh............yeah green paint, go for Deere.

I don't think New Holland are quite in the same league as the other two when it comes to CUTs.

Based on your vast knowledge, right?

 

[GA WTDeer]

• If you like great quality, reliability, ergonomics, go for Kubota.

• If you like green paint, and uhh............yeah green paint, go for Deere.

I don't think New Holland are quite in the same league as the other two when it comes to CUTs.

Crickets..............

 

[ArtVandelay]

New Holland specs seem to be usually less than Kubota and Deere, when comparing similar PTO hp.

 

[GaryCrowell]

If you're going to use it to make money, get an ag tractor. All those you mentioned are compact utilities I believe. They're the newest rage for the mini-ranchers, kind of a cross between a real tractor and a lawn mower. I'll get flamed for saying that, but there's some truth to it. They're nice to look at, have all the gucci gauges and easy operating gizmos like HST, and tend to be a boon to the tractor dealers as real tractor sales decrease as family farms get snapped up for condo development and mini ranches. What they aren't is made for long term work, they're not as heavy duty as a real ag tractor, all the gucci stuff will break in a few years and they'll get traded in on the newest model with even more gucci stuff on it. They're made to use for a couple of years and get traded in on a newer model, kind of like the mentality of automobile manufacturers. Ag tractors on the other hand tend to last for years and years, are build very sturdy, and have less complicated systems that are easy to fix. They're made for the long haul and aren't as disposable as the CUT's. Think of the old ford 9N's that you might see sitting in the barn around old farmsteads out in the country, 50 years old and still getting the job done. The benefit to ag tractors is that often they're less expensive than a CUT due to the lack of gucci accessories that drive the price up.

Stay away from the grey market and second tier makers. Parts availability is the reason. All tractors break. Some break more than others but all will break sooner or later. I don't care if the dealer has a good service center or not, anyone can work on a tractor. What I do care about is whether or not I can get parts for it. If I can get the parts I can get it fixed. You'll always be able to get parts for a deere, kubota, new holland, or massey. All bets are off on a grey market tractor and no one really knows whether or not mahindra, kioti, montana, century, branson, etc will be in business a few years from now. Parts availability is the real reason you want a first tier brand, the others might make a decent tractor, but let someone else be the guinea pig when they need parts, not you.

I think you'd be well served by 45 or so horsepower basic ag tractor from any of those makes you mentioned. Don't forget massey ferguson if they have dealers nearby, they're a first tier brand also and make a fine tractor.