Help, I am about to by a Kubota!

[rtimgray]

Hey Buck - I, too, commend you on being an informed and (more or less) impartial poster. I am a bit curious, and wonder if you would share, what you paid for the Mx5000. It sounds like you got a good deal on a good tractor. When I spoke with the Kubota dealer, and told him what I was looking at, he pointed to the M4900 and M5700. However, he was way more interested in selling the machines on his lot than getting me what I really wanted. I'll agree that the M4900 is a little larger tractor (it's about 6 inches longer, 150 pounds heavier (4wd only), 6 inches wider, and 4 more net hp, 7 pto hp), but I think that it is the most comparable tractor to the DK45. It might be more fair to compare it to the DK50 - like you did. I was quoted a price of $17,500 for the DK50, so that was $2,000 more than the DK45 and I didn't think that 5hp was worth that much. However, the DK50 would still be $2,000 cheaper than the M4900 4wd that I was quoted. I would like to have heard some about the Mx5000, and maybe my research was a little incomplete (so shame on me), but you would think that the Kubota dealer would have tried to make the comparison to make a sale. Then again, the dealer didn't have an Mx5000 on the lot. Any way, to make a long story longer, I again refer to my list of quoted prices and will stand by my conviction that (at least in my area), Kiotis of comparable size and features are cheaper than Kubotas of comparble size and features.

Alan - don't get your feelings hurt over this thread. I would count myself very fortunate if the worst that I am ever called is a liar. I am very much in line with Vince, in that I don't mind folks that show facts, make geniune comparisons, and state their opinion - that's what forums like this are for. It does bother me when someone "passes along things they've heard". There is an old saying that goes "Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see..." You should possibly consider that not everyone is as experienced as yourself and may lend too much weight to things that you've heard and passed along. It's great that you've spent 3.5 years on the board, and I hope you spend many more and spend some time in the Kioti neighborhood. I would also encourage you to go to a Kioti dealership, drive some Kioti tractors, and try to be objective in your comparisons. I expect to sway you away from Kubota no more than I expect pigs to fly. But still, it could be educational for you.

I also don't doubt that prices for tractors vary widely (and wildly, probably) throughout this great nation of ours. I was just more concerned with what the prices were near my little piece of paradise - and Kioti won. Don't get too worked up about a little bit of tractor conversation - let's save that for football.

Take it easy

Tim Gray

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Wolbert....I didn't intend to disagree with anyone,,just wanted to let Hoosier know that it pays to look around. I am lucky that my job allows me to visit with lots of landowners that own various makes and models of tractors. I have yet to get on one regardless of the make or color that was not a good tractor, seat time is always enjoyable. Like I stated, there is no doubt in my mind that the DK 50 would have made me a great tractor..I just found a Kubota that was quite a bit cheaper with all the features that I wanted.

Northcreek... yes all three models that I priced were 4wd. And yes the Kioti's transmissions are fully synchronized, while my MX5000 is not, this was not a big selling point for me since I was raised on an oliver 550, IH 300, several 8N's, Ford 2000 and most recent beast was a AC 185. Guess you might say I am used to "Shifting Gears". You are also correct on the MX5000 being lighter, but I wanted the extra PTO HP(44 vs 38), will be using a 7 ft. bushhog. Guess the point I am trying to make is that there were trade offs on each tractor and the MX5000 was almost exactly what I was looking for and at a better price. As for as me looking at spec sheets,,LOL, ask my better half,,accused me of repeating tractor specs in my sleep before I made my purchase. Finally, as for your last statement my friend, yes Kubota brought out the MX5000 to compete in price...the dealer went over all the things that were different between the MX5000 and the M4900 with me in detail. Bottom line was with all the spec sheets, haven driven all three, knowing what I wanted to do with the tractor and staying within my set budget the MX5000 ended up being parked in my barn.

Tim Gray...Would be glad to tell you what I paid for my MX5000, 4WD, FEL, one remote spool, R4 tires, and a canopy.
Out the door price was $20100.00. The DK 50 was priced to me at $21,600 exact same setup. I also agree with you on your statements about the Kubota dealers,,I talked to 9 different dealers,,kinda of like car dealers if they have one on the lot it is the greatest thing in the world, but if they don't well they have this model that is even better. I found several dealers with MX5000's and the price range was astounding, but found this to be true with JD, NH and several others.

Again guys my point to Hoosier and everyone is:

Figure out what you will be doing with your new purchase,
check the spec sheets to narrow that selection down,
go drive your final 3 to 5 choices
get the best price quote you can while staying within your budget.
and make your final choice.

Buck

 

[Buster57]

You have fun with your Kioti.

 

[northcreek2624]

Buck85,Good reply,we have a local clothing store whose slogan is,"An educated consumer is our best customer"you apparently are that,enjoy the new tractor and good luck...Mike

 

[rtimgray]

...and you have fun with your Kubota.

Thanks for the kind thoughts.

Take it easy

Tim Gray

 

[ChrisNJ]

You guys are making a small mistake, or just overlooking it. Kioti HAS to be less expensive than the big three. If they weren't NO ONE would ever buy them. Just plain business. In every business and product, newcomers, with little history, MUST be less $ to be attractive. They (Kioti) 'could' actually be a much better machine than others, but they will never demand it for many, many years. Look on the bright side. If they end up being a great tractor (and hence demand a greater $ later), the pioneers (here) will have not spent much at all, because their tractors will be worth about what they paid for it. However, we all now what could happen if they falter. Good luck to the pioneers. I, for one, am not a tractor pioneer because I don't know enough about them and bought a JD. Not much risk, but at probably the highest cost.

 

[rtimgray]

Chris is absolutely right. If Kiotis cost more than any other tractor, very few would be sold. But I think that there is another thing that many folks are overlooking: there seems to be an assumption that Kiotis are an inferior product to a Kubota (or JD or NH, but the JD/NH owners don't seem to get nearly as riled up as Kubota owners; must be the paint thing). In my opinion, Kioti tractors give up very little if anything in the way of quality to Kubota or anyone else. These are tractors that have good fit and finish (as do the Korean-built Mahindras and the Millenium/Scorpion tractors). Operator convenience is high on their list, as is ease of maintenance of the tractor. The removable side panels for the engine compartment are a snap, the radiator cleaning screen is well thought out, the fluid check points and fill points are easy to access, etc. I admit, the Kiotis do not yet have the proven track record of Kubota...that is something that only comes with time. However, Kiotis have been in the US for going on 17 years now, and seem to be growing in popularity. I'll admit, I see a lot more posts about problems with Kubotas than I do Kiotis. But let's be fair to the Kubota owners: There is a mountain of them compared to a molehill of Kioti owners and tractors. It a matter of the law of averages catching up (more tractors - more problems). And the Kubota owners are a vocal bunch, as anyone can tell. I really don't have a good feel, and don't know if anyone does, what the amount of problems with the different brands are proportionally speaking. However, I am sure that the Kiotis will stack up extremely favorably against their competition. I'm afraid that Kiotis will soon not be competing against Kubota merely by price, but soon by name recoginition, and the price of the Kiotis will rise. I just hope that enough people overlook Kioti until I have a chance to get the DK65 Cab tractor - then let the prices rise.

My compliments to non-Kioti tractor owners who post informed, respectful messages. You guys are great. Of course, this is the most action the Kioti board has gotten since the "...isn't worth the risk..." thing.

Take it easy

Tim Gray

 

[buppy69]

Speaking of the relationship to numbers; back in the 70's Volvo advertised that it was the safest car on the road. The reason being that it was in fewer accidents than other cars. The reason it was in fewer accidents was because there were fewer of them compared to other makes.

Along the same lines, when everybody went on the health food craze, Kentucky Fried Chicken advertised that its chicken now had 10% less fat. The reason being that they started using chickens that were 10% smaller!

Eugene

 

[northcreek2624]

Thanks Eugene,Now I'm 10% smarter...I think??.....Mike

 

[buck1]

Ahhhhh, there's the secret...in the parentheses (). They are cheaper (in your area). Not so when I bought my Kubota. I got my L3710DT for much less than a comparable Kioti. As a matter of fact, I saved enough money to buy the two implements I currently have. I was a bit skiddish about the Kioti dealer. Turns out he went out of business about a month ago. I'm confident both models are good ones but my point is make sure you compare apples to apples, test drive both under the conditions they'll be used, and you'll end up with the right tractor for you. That's the important thing. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif