How did you first discover Kubota?

[EastTexFrank]

When we moved here 10 years ago, I had a JD 318 yard tractor that came with the house. It was a good little machine but it had been "heavily" used. After 3-4 years it finally gave up the ghost and died. We had an old JD 820 and MF 275 at the farm and my inlaws were well known at the JD dealership in town so, after doing all the research, I went to them with my shopping list for a CUT (4000 series I think), FEL and rear finishing mower. When I got there, the salesman kept me waiting for 30 minures while he sat with his feet up on his desk discussing fishing with his buddy. I asked to see the manager and when he came out I handed him my shopping list and told him that is what he just lost because of his salesman's attitude. He didn't seem all upset because I honestly think that they preferred to deal with the larger farm machines and ranchers. I left and drove to the Kubota dealership a little further away and bought a B2400 with FEL and Befco rear finishing mower. I have since bought a PHD, Kuhn tiller, box blade, sprayer, Befco spreader & 4' Bush hog from the same dealer. In over 6 years I have put 1300 hours on the B2400 without the slightest hiccup. I love that little machine. Even my wife will use it ... very occasionally.

Since then we have bought 2 Kubota riding mowers and a M5700, FEL with bucket and hay forks, PHD and 6' Rhino for the farm from the same dealer and at the end of last year I got a Grand L4740 with cab, FEL with bucket & grapple and 6' Bush Hog for the house from another dealer.

So over the years that original salesman's attitude has cost the JD dealership quite a bit of money for 3 tractors and implements and 2 garden tractors. Before I bought the L4740, I did go talk to them again since the dealership had changed hands but they just couldn't match the price of the Kubota dealership about 30 miles away. It's a pity in a way because I have no particular loyalty to "orange" even although all of their equipment we have has never given us one bit of trouble and I hope that continues for the next 20 years. No reason why it shouldn't.

 

[UpstateSC_Papi]

TBN
As city boy building in country I knew zero about country living but I was sure I would need a tractor because just about everybody had one.
Trying to learn about country life led to countrybynet which led to TBN and Orange.

Same here! Building now on 6 acres that is part of an old cow farm, so lots of grass, privot (spelling) and some trees. Love the decision I made!!

 

[pitt_md]

Many years ago I was looking to buy a house with 5 acres. The old guy that owned the place had a really old looking tractor in his barn. I asked about it and he could not shut up about how great a tractor it was. It was a Kubota. He told me he had owned it for 13 years and only had to replace a belt in all that time.

 

[groundcover]

First came across them in the 70's. Grew up on a plant nursery,mostly IH and MF but we replaced a IH cub with a 175 Kubota with a 59" woods MMM,could run that thing wide open all day on three gallons of diesel. Moved to NH in '87 to buy a greenhouse that came with a 185 DT with a FEL ,amazing what you could do with that little machine. Traded that for a 3010 GST ,Powersteering ! Man that was living ! Just traded that for a 5240, Cab heat,AC, think I died and went to heaven !

 

[Jimmyp5]

A friend recommend it to me, he has a "big one" and loves the dealer. Not sure of what I needed or really wanted. Used TBN to whittle it down a bit, but was sold when I went to buy and the dealer told me nope, lets take a ride out to your place and let me see what you need. That told me I was going to love this dealer... I was going to buy more tractor than I needed.

 

[N80]

I bought 250 aces about 6 years ago that absolutely wiped out my general budget. Had no desire for a tractor. Didn't even see them as interesting. But, it became quickly apparent the my B-I-L who lives next door was not interested in mowing my roads and little fields with his 14' mower on a regular basis.

It became clear that I was going to need a tractor and a rotarty cutter.

I figured my maximum budget and was no going to exceed it by a penny. Went to many dealerships. Did a lot of research. Had always heard Kubota made quality equipment. But then I discovered the JD 990. Plenty of hp, very basic, within budget. Just perfect. Priced it at local dealership.

But, then I visited local Kubota dealership and found L4400. Very similar to JD 990, but with very slightly better specs. But, it cost less! And right at that moment JD's 0% financing deal expired and Kubota's was still on. Folks at York County Kubota were very nice. Worked the price down even more and it was a done deal. Three years later and I'm still happy as a clam with my little orange tractor. I've had no significant problems (that I didn't cause). And of course I've learned that it does a lot more than mow. I can't imagine owning property without one now.

 

[RayCo]

I'll try the short version.

I was the youngest of four boys growing up. We had a C-series (I think?) Wheel Horse tractor for cutting 1 acre of grass. In addition to cutting the grass, we used to beat this tractor to death taking it on joy rides, as you'd expect four young boys to do. Eventually, my stepdad replaced the tractor with a plastic John Deere. Without going into details, it was junk. So, ever since the age of 12 or so, I thought Wheel Horse tractors were great, since the one we beat took SO much abuse and lasted for years.

I built my house on 4 acres in 2003. Shortly after, a friend of mine moved into a house, and the previous owner left 2 tractors behind when he sold the house. My friend informed me that the one tractor was a Wheel Horse, he had no use for it, and if I wanted it, I could have it if I could get it off his property. So, I went and got it. It was a 1973 18 Auto, which is the first of the D-series. This lead me to learn about 3pt hitches and opened my eyes as to what could be done with some helpful machinery around the property. It came with a grader blade, a snowblower, and a mower deck, but all I used was the grader blade. And I bought a plow for it later. I did lots of grading and trail-carving in the woods.

Meanwhile, my father-in-law was living out back of me with a Ford 5000 (?) industrial tractor with a loader and a backhoe. This was an old 30HP tractor that had its limitations, but it also had lots of capbilities. So, that was the eye opener for me about how useful a loader and backhoe could be.

I struggled for a couple of years trying to maximize the usage of a 30+ year old Wheel Horse, and added another one along the way - a D-200. I never really accomplished anything of substance with these tractors, and with having a brand new house sitting on a plot of dirt, I wasn't going to be able to do what I needed to do. So, I turned to the trusty Internet and started reading and reading and reading and reading and reading. This, of course, led me to discover Kubota products as well as the common competing brands.

I toyed around for a while trying to take the cheap route of buying older equipment, but the struggles I had with keeping the Wheel Horses reliable and trying to find parts really led me toward wanting something new. Then my father-in-law came home with a Case 580 Super L with extend-a-hoe one day, and could not stop talking about how it wasn't just nice to have a much more capable machine, but more about how it was nice to have something reliable and turnkey. So, last summer, my wife (who conveniently already had the mindset of every home owner should have a backhoe thanks to my father-in-law) and I said screw it, and we got a BX24.

Like everyone else, the only regret is not getting it sooner! I have definitely found limitations with this machine, but when I'm stuck with something I can't handle, there's a Case 580 outback.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I enjoy the "hunt" of researching and finding the best for the best price of what I'm wanting to buy. I've had riding mowers before but they seem to be disposable equipment to me. I bought 5 acres of hillside with Kentucky's beautiful view and lots of Ky rocks and bolders. I knew I needed something rugged to start mowing it and domesticating it. Decided I needed a "tractor"! Started asking people I knew or saw in their yards that farmed or had tractors about their tractors and what they did with them and what about the "stuff" they attached to the back and what it did. Asked why one tractor over another and found no real brand loyalty. None knew much about Kubota other than people they knew that owned them liked them. They said a 4wd would pull a 2wd of twice the size and hp. Couldn't understand that an 18hp mower was not the same as an 18hp deisel tractor but they all smiled, looked at each other and said there is a difference. Concluded I needed a small 4wd. On to dealers. None of them seemed to interested in educating a buyer on what to buy and/or why. So I picked a size I thought I needed from research on internet (having researched the actual users of which none owned a Kubota but had nothing bad to say about them). My experience was $2000 to $3000 more for blue or green with no apparent reason for the difference and Kubota was offering financing incentives. So I bought a BX2200 with fel. Figured fel was probably a waste of money after I got rocks and trees cleared. The Bx was so good with the fel, but a little slow and low that I traded it a year later for a B7800HST with fel. Wife decided she wouldn't drive B7800 (to big) so I bought her a BX1500 to help me mow. 3years later I've traded the B to a L3240HSD which is sitting on the dealers lot in a crate to be assembled this coming week. Course I bought "stuff" for front and back of tractor. Well 4 years later and I'm still moving rocks and trees and dirt and stuff with the fel so guess it wasn't a waste of money. I only mow about 3 acres but it's not flat and it's not smooth so I have to have something that is rugged. First rfm (Jolle)couldn't handle the job and had to get a more rugged and heavier one to hold up (landpride). Anyway I am now a brand loyal Kubota owner. I also bought a Kubota gas mower to mow a flat mobile home park last year. My neighbor who has similiar land and built when I did (4 years ago) bought a Cub Cadet which he traded for a zero turn which he traded for a BX1800 which he traded for a BX22xx with fel. He now seems satisfied. Course he is anxious to see my new L3240 when I get it!!! Guess the dealer has more of them.

 

[vvbigbb]

When my 1949 Chockshutt 30 finally gave up, I looked at replacing it with a compact American made tractor, but found the were all made off shore. Some were very nice looking and some were very ergonomic and the Kubota's were neither, but were very utilitarian and a little cheaper. I bought the M5700 in 2000 and had about 600 hard hours on it in 2015 when I replaced all the factory hydrolic hoses, hydrolic oil and seat (not very good materials in the seat), of course all the fluids and joints are are checked all the time. I would easily recommend one. I forgot, the 5 cylinder purr's like a kitten and gets great fuel milage

 

[chocolatehaul]

I was looking for something small to take care of ten acres now fifty acres. Having had a number of lawn tractors and walk behinds, I was looking for something that could do it all. Kubota with the BX series looked like one tough machine. Decades later and 1100 + hours. This machine has done it all. Helped dig a basement, blow snow ,dig and cover pits, cut lawns and fields, fill trenches and lift and move countless tons stuff.. firewood, gravel ,driveway maintenance, garden tilling you name it. It will do it.!! Now that I am retired I use it more than ever. I keep thinking a B would work better in the woods but the BX still gets it done. Just takes a little longer.