JD5025 - Kubota 7040 - ?

[threeman]

Messick that is one of the biggest cons of me buying a 9540 is the larger foot print vs the 54/5525. Or at least bigger than the TN75. The 9540 is wider than the TN by 6". Seems to be wider than the JD by 4". I have some equipment that I would consider going bigger but mainly its just bigger it seems.

The JD's here do not have loaders on them. Friend down the road has a 5325 rops model that i could get on I guess. I hate to drive two hours just to get on one, and that would only be if gamble has one rigged.

 

[rutwad]

I have friends with Kubota M7040 and M9540. Both have good things to say about their tractors. Another friend has a JD 5525 w/FEL and 6420. Nothing negative about these, except once when the narrow 5525 and FEL made for an unsteady situation.

Kubota has a large amount of experience in compact tractors. I am not sure how long they have been making larger tractors, but the Mxx40 series are only about 2 yrs. old.

Farmers, auctions, farm equipment sales magz. all have JD green from front to back with the occassional orange scatterred in. But JD has made the larger tractors for alot longer, and they have a entire range of tractors not even offerred by Kubota.

I THINK if I were buying, I would look at how much I would be demanding from my tractor. If I were using it on a regular basis and under heavy applications, I would PROBABLY go green.

I have never buckled down and got ready to purchase, but I considered talking to a local contractor before buying. I have noticed a fleet of Kubota tractors bush hogging the interstate ROW's, and I have also notice a fleet of JD's doing the same. Maybe it's a different contractor, but if the same guy just changed fleet, then he would have many hrs. on both orange and green.
I would put some value in his opinion since I would mostly be bushhogging.

Everyone has their favorite features, and one of my most favorite features that I like to look for is $$$$$$. So operate both, find your likes/dislikes, then weigh them out vs. the $$$$$.

My friends 5525 has the 24 spd with is an expensive option and the dealer said it was not worth the $$$. He may be right, but since I did not have to pay for it I really enjoy the extra gear options.

Maybe next week I can spend some time on the 9540 and see how I like it. Best I remember, it was vinyl/plastic interior and the JD was cloth, comfy. More like a car, pretty quiet too.

If I remember correctly JD's 4720 cab is sealed. The 5525 may be as well. Kubota also maybe, but it may be worth considering if you are in dusty conditions. I had ran a unsealed enclosed cab skid steer, then I stepped up to a JD 9520 and they could not pry my hands off it's steering wheel. I was not giving it up for somebody else to operate! It's mine! The dust would be boiling up outside, yet clean and dust free inside.

I probably caused more confusion than help, sorry.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I have friends with Kubota M7040 and M9540. Both have good things to say about their tractors. Another friend has a JD 5525 w/FEL and 6420. Nothing negative about these, except once when the narrow 5525 and FEL made for an unsteady situation.

Kubota has a large amount of experience in compact tractors. I am not sure how long they have been making larger tractors, but the Mxx40 series are only about 2 yrs. old.

Farmers, auctions, farm equipment sales magz. all have JD green from front to back with the occassional orange scatterred in. But JD has made the larger tractors for alot longer, and they have a entire range of tractors not even offerred by Kubota.

I THINK if I were buying, I would look at how much I would be demanding from my tractor. If I were using it on a regular basis and under heavy applications, I would PROBABLY go green.

I have never buckled down and got ready to purchase, but I considered talking to a local contractor before buying. I have noticed a fleet of Kubota tractors bush hogging the interstate ROW's, and I have also notice a fleet of JD's doing the same. Maybe it's a different contractor, but if the same guy just changed fleet, then he would have many hrs. on both orange and green.
I would put some value in his opinion since I would mostly be bushhogging.

Everyone has their favorite features, and one of my most favorite features that I like to look for is $$$$$$. So operate both, find your likes/dislikes, then weigh them out vs. the $$$$$.

My friends 5525 has the 24 spd with is an expensive option and the dealer said it was not worth the $$$. He may be right, but since I did not have to pay for it I really enjoy the extra gear options.

Maybe next week I can spend some time on the 9540 and see how I like it. Best I remember, it was vinyl/plastic interior and the JD was cloth, comfy. More like a car, pretty quiet too.

If I remember correctly JD's 4720 cab is sealed. The 5525 may be as well. Kubota also maybe, but it may be worth considering if you are in dusty conditions. I had ran a unsealed enclosed cab skid steer, then I stepped up to a JD 9520 and they could not pry my hands off it's steering wheel. I was not giving it up for somebody else to operate! It's mine! The dust would be boiling up outside, yet clean and dust free inside.

I probably caused more confusion than help, sorry.

I'm in the business of commercial mowing. A smaller scale contractor at this point, but making an effort to step that up considerably in the next year. I've talked with several contractors who own dozens of tractors and do thousands of miles of interstate ROW's, and tempered that with what I've learned on my own. One of the things to consider with the buying choices a larger mowing contractor would make is, the guy signing the check probably isn't the same guy running the tractor(s). Comfort and that catch word "ergonomics" isn't the prime consideration it would be if it were him in the cab (operators seat) The list of points for buying equipment on that scale is, initial cost, expected durability, willingness of dealer/manufacturer to warranty equipment, fuel economy, and compliance with insurance saftey requirements. Those are legitimate points for an individual buying a new tractor as well, but not necissarily in the same order as a single unit private buyer. When you're buying for hired operators to make you money, comfort isn't nearly as important as efficiency and economic good sense.

 

[rutwad]

Farmwithjunk, you are right. I was looking at it from a reliability stand point. It should not take long for someone to figure out the comforts, but I hate downtime and this would be a large contributing factor in my decision.

BTW, you can get 0% for 36 months on the JD 5525!

 

[coobie]

Some things I take with a grain of salt, mostly opinions of folks on either side of the issue. Really just trying to figure out if I sould be pursuing one brand more so than the other. Tired of looking and calling.

I like the 8540/9540 tractors by Kubota alot. I have the switch on the NH that you flip to raise and lower your implement and that would be missed if I go Kubota. Other than that I would say probably be good move.

The deere gets all of the gadget awards. I like gadgets. The Ehitch works like a charm, so does the rear fender mount control for the 3pt, I also like a 3rd function remote with switch on the loader control and I havent seen that offered by kubota but maybe the make it.

I have never used either to do anything. Been on some Jd's but not the Kubotas for work that were similar. Another reason for me looking around. The TN I have is 2yrs old, nothing wrong with NH. I have just had it with the dealer and this particular tractor. Just goofy things going wrong and for 36k they shouldnt be. I am at the point where I dont trust the tractor and if something goes wrong I am always telling myself "i knew i should have got xxxx brand of tractor". So with that said I will look around to see what I can get.

threeman,you lost me on this one.You state in your first post(Quote)What seems the first one to go with in reguards to the JD and kubota!!Now you say in this post you take opinions with a grain of salt,why ask then make your own choice?Not being disrespectful just curious??coobie

 

[threeman]

I was referring to some of the answers that were posted that were mainly kind of out of line or totally off base. Nothing more.

 

[Builder]

One of the reasons I participated in this thread is because I have an inside track on a M-7040 cab 4x4 w/ FEL and it's a great deal, I just don't know if I'll have enough work for it over the next 5 years to make it profitable. I actually really wanted a Deere 5420 or 5425, but found that Deeres with 1,000 more hours and NO FEL actually cost more than a extremely low-houred 7040 comparably equipped with an FEL. I've looked at dozens over the past year. I had no idea Deere commanded so much more for a comparable tractor. I was able to borrow the 7040 and run it a while and I was pretty impressed.

I think what gets lost in a lot of the comparison threads is that everyone simply compares the tractors by nuts & bolts and price gets thrown out the window, as if it didn't matter what the cost was.

For the super rich or the ground engaging farmer, I could see buying the best and paying TOP dollar, even if the extra paid only got you a little more.

The way I see it, tractors need implements to make money and if you can save $5,000 on a reasonably comparable tractor, you's be able to buy implements to make more money. In no way would I think Deere made an inferior tractor. On the contrary, I think they give you a little more, but I don't think the extra cost justifies the slight advantages.

 

[tjkadar]

...and that is why the hay farm across the road operates with a fleet of old John Deeres. I think they've had the same 5 tractors for over 25 years and only one was bought new. It simply isn't (wasn't) cost effective to buy brand new iron, and when you're in a business, you're goal is to make a profit.

When the front tires wore out on one of the tractors, they put cheap ole car tires on it because the car tires were less expensive. What else do you need on your tedder/raking tractor?

Cost is always a consideration.

When you're running a business, you have to do what makes the most financial sense. The M7040 is a darned fine tractor... and you're right, why pay another $4,000 to $8,000 for something that isn't going to do the job any better?

We had a great dealer give us a great price on our 5425, which made buying green much more palatable. But we're a small equine operation that'll be running the same tractor for at least the next 20 years. I still had to give up my Porsche Boxster S for the tractor (caveat: minimum of a 3-year old Porsche).

 

[rutwad]

Cost is a factor, but so is creature comfort and just plain ole' "wants". Look at autos. Honda's outlast Mercedes, but some people still pay more for Mercedes.

Check JD for their new '09 tractor series.

 

[Builder]

Look at autos. Honda's outlast Mercedes

Boy, I could sure dispute that statement. I see lots of 20+ yr old 450 SLs running around, but I've rarely seen a 20+ yr old Honda.