Comparison If you couldn't choose your brand tractor . . then who ??

paulfun9 · Feb 21, 2016

I really don't have any brand loyalty at all! No manufacture has ever shown me any reason to be brand loyal over the years and some have actually shown me more reasons to go to the next brand instead. Currently I am slowly looking for a replacement for one of my oldest machines and will look at everything over again and pick the machine that best fits my needs based on its own merits. Basically what I am saying is that even being happy with my Kioti DK that does not mean that I would recommend an NX just because its built by Kioti. I would only assure that the company has treated me right and I see no reason not to investigate the NX series.

With that said I am slowly shopping for a replacement for one of my oldest machines and will be looking at each and every brand all over again to determine which will be the best overall machine for the needs it will fulfill. If that turns out to be a Chinese brand then that's what it would be but the name on the side means nothing to me other than they get first look if I am happy with the last purchase.

nikerret · Feb 21, 2016

This is a very difficult answer, as it has to be qualified, in several ways.

With all the factors for my location and budget, the BX was really the only good option. If you make them all the same price for comparable features/implements, it gets really tough. The 1025R and the BX25D are equal, but each has very different strengths. In this situation, I would have got the JD 1025R w/260 BH, because it would have been my closest option that met all my needs. The local SCUT dealers are only JD and MF. And the MF guy only likes to talk $100K tractors.

I was interested in the MF GC, but couldn't get a dealer interested. The Mahindra prices were so high I never got closer than 30 feet from one (looking through a fence), so I can't comment on them. I have no idea where an LS, TYM, Yanmar dealer is, never seen any of them. The Kioti CS2410 didn't wow me, but I was looking at a used model that was falling apart. I would have been very interested in the CC/Yanmar SC2450, and about bought one, the week before I got the BX, but the seller didn't give me enough time to get there, after the closer buyer fell through. The lower headlights on that tractor are genius and I can't believe no one else has copied them. On paper, it was a fantastic tractor with great features and amazing specs. I haven't seen one, in person, though. Part of the negotiation was a couple of hours to thoroughly check out and test the tractor prior to handing the check over.

If the BX wasn't available, and I wanted new (with real prices), I would probably end up with the MF GC1720, but I would have had to have found one to test and found a dealer to give me a price. The rough prices I was given were all around $3-4K lower than the JD or Mahindra. The JD is a fine unit, but the extreme cost increase over the other offerings just isn't justifiable. The Mahindra was similarly priced to the JD, but with the nearest dealer 85 miles away. In the two years I was looking, the closest MF GC TLB was a used one around 200 miles away. The local dealer did get a GC1715 in, but wasn't interested when I inquired about it. I got to sit on it and make engine noises, though. On paper, the MF GC looks great!

If I had been looking when the CC/Yanmar was available, I believe I would have got it. Like I stated, it was a contender, as a five year old used model, against the new offerings and I probably would have it, if the seller didn't choose to let a local guy have first dibs on it.

If Kubota didn't exist, I would have likely ended up with the 2011 JD 1026R I looked at, last year, used, with a lot of great add-ons included. I strongly considered it, but in the end, I liked the very comparable used BX25 better; some of which could have been the 250 more hours the JD had and the droopy bucket and falling stabilizers on the JD. If I had bought that JD, I would have been just as happy, as I am with the new BX25D. It was a great deal, compared to a new JD.

What a great time to be in the market for a SCUT. There really are no bad options, just some better suited, for specific people, or jobs. There's really not a lot one can do over all the others without having to show where it falls short, compared to the others. Therefore, price and dealer seem to make a lot of the potential sales turn to final, satisfied owners. However, the pricing and dealer quality seem to vary wildly, from area to area and even individual location under the same dealer name. Even the used market has a ton of great offerings, many that are as good (in ways even better) than the top of the line new SCUTS.

chim · Feb 22, 2016

Last time I bought was 2012 and I seriously shopped Kubota, Mahindra, Bobcat and Kioti. The Bobcat would be sitting in my shed now if the dealer would have cooperated.

By the way, I'd expect ALL tractors to start in cold weather

AxleHub · Feb 22, 2016

chim said:
By the way, I'd expect ALL tractors to start in cold weather

Chim, I don't understand how this statement ties into something. It was separated and unrelated to the rest of your post and I didn't see how it tied into someone else's post either. ????

Citydude · Feb 22, 2016

Read post #2

Citydude · Feb 22, 2016

On my second Kubota now and if I needed another tractor, I'd look hard at the Kioti. I'd have to drive 3 hours to do so though.

AxleHub · Feb 22, 2016

AxleHub said:
If you own a tractor . . you are probably brand loyal in your viewpoints and opinions . . . some owners more than others. But lets look at it a different way for those who don't yet own a tractor.

Rather than saying why you like the brand and model you bought . . tell us what would be your second choice of brand (new unit) be . . . also include your tractor size. Note: I'm not talking about changing category sizes.

For me I got a scut . . Specifically a Massey GC1715. . . . . . . .. .

This was how this thread started . . . and its intention was to give new tractor buyers a different perspective of brand choice than is the normal method of "I really like my . . . ".

With more choices today than ever . . Every little bit helps.

But some of the responses seem to be going in a different direction than intended. In my opinion because a buyer runs into a single inadequate dealer . . thats no reason to avoid or give up on a particular brand interest. Yet thats exactly what some show in their posts.

I think we want new buyers to be determined in their search . . don't we. We don't want newbie's to feel we were weak when we looked . . We want them to understand that a single weak or lazy salesman or dealer doesn't make a brand less . . and that each brand deserves proper consideration at the least.

So I hope we can stick to the idea that if your current brand were "not available" and you needed to buy a new tractor . . . Which brand would you desire . . . and please indicate which size category you are in (scut, small cut, or large cut). Thanks.

P.S. in my search I encountered 1 to 3 poor salesmen IN EACH of 4 brands. Thats as many sales people as fingers on my hands. I certainly wasn't willing to back down on my search . . .and I'd like to think each of you existing tbn posters was at least as determined as I was to find what works for you and not what "was easy".

MF283 · Feb 22, 2016

DEALER SUPPORT Top of my list!

Having said that JD has always treated me right in my area & those that i have sent to them. In the 65 HP range, i'd look at MF if i weren't going with JD.
There's a die hard MF guy that lives close to me, works on all brands(except orange, hates them) & he is good, being a certified mechanic for a local dealer for many years, he shocked me one day by saying that if he didn't run MF, he'd run Deutz, something rarely seen or talked about in these part's.

Ronnie

oosik · Feb 22, 2016

One thing that appears quite obvious - many who have posted have more than a single dealer, for each brand, within their "acceptable" driving distance to choose from. My first tractor was a Ford 1700 4WD. My current tractor is Kubota. Both were bought from the same dealer. This dealer has treated me exceptionally well over the 34+ years I've dealt with him. There is no brand within 75-100 miles of here with multiple dealerships.

The choices I have are JD, Kioti, Kubota, New Holland - in the utility tractor sizes.

I visited and talked to all four of the dealerships and went with the Kubota for my upgrade from the Ford. If I had to purchase an alternate brand it would be JD.

My current tractor is a Kubota M6040. I place a heavy emphasis on the dealership when considering a new tractor and that is why I stayed with the same people and chose the Kubota. I have only required service once - upgraded support for the step on the Kubota - and for that they came out and completed their work at my home. The dealership is owned by an old farming family and they understand what real service & customer support means.