Kioti NX vs Kubota L

[crazyal]

I started looking at the Kioti tractors but because dealers around me were useless I couldn't get straight answers about a front mounted snow blower I gave up. Since then most of them are gone and a new, much better dealer has the Kioti line. The Kubota dealer was kind of "they are out there, go look" attitude so i didn't really look too much at them at first. Then while out of state I stopped in at another dealer who had a B series with a front mounted blower in front of their shop. That salesman was real busy but gave me a few minutes of instructions on how to use the more advanced features (I've operated lots of equipment so I knew all the basics) and let me play a little with a Grand l (the basic L's didn't have a mid PTO so a front blower wasn't an option). I kind of got the idea of HST+ but you really need a little seat time and some experience doing loader work to realize just how great it is. So when I bought my Grand L I didn't fully understand the HST+ and the videos didn't really mean much to me. So for the first few months I didn't use it. Like others said, if you don't have it you won't miss it. However while doing loader work and having to shift between L to scoop up dirt and M to transport it to where I wanted I tried the HST+ and I was sold. To me it's a feature for those who don't mind spending the extra money.

Think of it like power windows in a car. Almost nobody needs them but being able to just push a button and have your window open while you fumble for quarters at a toll is real nice. Being able to lower and raise any window from your driver's seat is great. It's just less work. HST+ is the same thing. Not needed but a nice time saver.

As for buying a Kubota, I would shop around. First I would go to the Kubota website and do the "build my tractor". That'll give you a price. a really good dealer will sell you the same tractor for about 15% off list price. If you don't mind not buying from a local dealer then there are dealers that ship tractors and will give you a great deal.

At the end of the day I'm sure I would be happy with a Kioti but now that I have HST+ I wouldn't get a tractor without it.

 

[930ck]

I have a GL 5740 Kubota with hst+ , had a hard time spending the extra money for it over the other tractors I was looking at but decided that what ever I bought I was going to own it for awhile. I am sure the other tractors would have been fine but I have gotten a lot of use out of the hst+ features, mainly the hi-lo and stall guard . I do call it my mid-life crisis tractor.

 

[holeycow]

If you are an inexperienced tractor owner, a good dealer is more important than the brand. With more experience the dealer is less important

If you are the person who always gets your car serviced at the dealer, never does anything mechanical or physical, doesn't know how to read or search the incredible amount of information available these days, and just plain doesn't want to look after any equipment yourself then I would agree with that. Or if you have physical limitations or enough money to not care how much things cost, only how convenient something is then I would agree with that

Not all equipment is created equal and not all pieces built by a manufacturer are necessarily as good as another model from the same manufacturer. The key is to try at all costs to buy a known good model. If you are going to look after it yourself, then don't worry so much about the dealer. As I said, once the warranty is up you are on your own anyway. Any good local heavy duty mechanic should be able to deal with any major issues. And likely cost less and quite likely do at least as good a job, maybe better. Most times issues with good equipment is minor and it is easier, more convenient and faster to fix those problems yourself.

You will not likely find the attachments you want all in one place. Manufacturer "A" might make a great mower but a lousy tiller. Buy his mower and get a tiller somewhere else.....

You are not "buying a dealer". You are buying a machine from a manufacturer through a dealer. The manufacturer warranties new equipment and that warranty is honored by any decent dealer. Some decent dealers offer warranties on used equipment.

Anyone who changes their oil on their car and deals with some minor mechanical issues from time to time like idk; a starter replacement or a tie rod end or some such is perfectly capable of looking after a tractor. Those people should realize that.

Most equipment is far easier to maintain than a passenger vehicle these days because every part is more accessible and decent equipment is built to be that way. Vehicles can be a right pita now days to do even simple maintenance. Tractors and implements, not so much.

So I don't agree one bit. You are buying a machine. Hopefully the right one for your needs and a good example of the breed. It will more than likely never see the dealer again if you have an aptitude for looking after the machine (and you have merely average "luck of the draw"). Hopefully your local dealer is a good one, cause that can't hurt (but it is a couple of things down the list). You'll probably very rarely even see the dealer.

Usually minor things with new equipment have to be addressed. A leak here, an adjustment there. Stuff that any person with a brain and a few tools (and this barrage of info called the internet) can look after in a few minutes.

In keeping with the jist of this thread I would say that my Kioti was assembled and checked very well at the factory. The dealer's installed things were ok, but required some re-adjusting and leak fixing by me. And I would say they are an excellent dealer. I would definately buy from them again. They were the nearest Kioti dealer; only 6 hours away,lol. I guess i could have spent 25-30000 more for a fancier tractor of a bigger brand (still not real close). I decided to save 30 grand and buy a great machine with a lot less potential to go wrong.

Did I happen to say you are not "buying a dealer"?

Enough on all that from me.

 

[Piston]

What he said ^

 

[MinnesotaEric]

My local dealer offers the AutoHitch on the Grand L6060.

I liked the NX cab layout more than the Grand L6060. I felt the Massey MF1758 was the strongest built in the class and I purchased an NX6010 because it was the best value.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Kapper put together a nice montage of jobs he has done with his Kioti NX tractor.

 

[Nromes]

Definitely shop some more and sit on as many as possible to see what's the right fit.
I ended up with LS xr4040. I am very pleased with tractor.
Most of my shopping I looked at Mahindra, JD, Massey, and Kubota. From the quotes I got from each dealer I literally got a cheaper price for 40hp LS than 30hp of all previous mentioned. If you into saving $ like me, definitely consider LS.

 

[PineyWoods]

Nope.
He'll have questions, need advice, comsumables. Then he'll be looking for attachments and "customizations." All things a relationship with a good dealer will help. ESPECIALLY after the warranty expires.

What is it, about once a week?... That someone get on TBN with the "help I went out of state to safe a hundred dollars on my tractor and now.... Sound familiar? Or how about the "help, I bought my tractor from this small dealer and not they've gone out of business/changed brands again and now no one close by can/wants to help me".

All just my opinion / my experience of course.

Ok, I am, admittedly, a total n00b to tractors. But, I was in the retail car business for 8 years and know a thing or two about a dealership. I dont get this way of thinking. Dealer, dealer, dealer. Baloney!

If i bought a F150 from a dealer 10 miles east of me, the dealer 5 miles west of me would be happy as a clam to have my service, parts or accessories business at any time. He'd be happy to have me come in regularly just to ask questions because he knows I cant spend a dime unless I am IN HIS STORE. Dealers make way more money from parts and service than they do from sales. Way more. Triple what you think and then it's still more than that.

If a dealer would ever turn away your service - warranty or customer pay - or parts business because you bought from someone else, you dont want to rely on him, anyway.

If you find a dealer you like, give him the opportunity to match your lowest quote. If he passes, ask him of he would still like your parts and service business. He would. If a dealer gets pissed off because you price shopped him, you dont want him. They all know the game.

The same goes for the cash is king baloney. Dealers may have cash incentives OR finance incentives, they may have cash incentives AND finance incentives. You can almost always find out which on the manufacturer web site. Heres a secret: the finance company pays them cash. They dont care either way, as long as you take metal off their lot, they see it as a win.

Do dealers buy business? Sure they do. Some times it makes sense. If I sell x amount of unit abc I get y amount of unit def. If I sell more this year I get more next year. Etc.

The bottom line is you have to decide what you are willing to do to save a buck, just like they have to decide what they are willing to do to get a customer and move a unit. No hard feelings. It's just business.

 

[Piston]

Well stated Pineywoods. I use 3 different dealers for when I want to go buy parts and look around at tractors. I didn't buy my tractor from any of them, yet they are all still happy to take on my business.

It's funny that so many people stress the importance of the dealer when buying a brand new tractor. When you start talking about used tractors, dealers don't seem to matter.

 

[Wormwood]

Kioti seems to be a good brand, however, you may want to look at the message boards and see what kind of issues they have. Keep in mind all you're going to read is people havings problems, no one that has a running Kioti or Kubota is gonna stop by and start a thread "my tractor runs great!"

For me in my situation, I stuck it out with Kubota. I owned an L3901 for less than a year. I took a bath selling it, however, I blame myself for no doing my homework & trying to think like my family does regarding what Daddy wants. The L3901 on paper looks to be a good tractor, however in reality, it's far weaker in performance. You can make an engine, (especially a diesel) output whatever HP you want, simply add more fuel, but you HAVE to have the rest of the tractor built to handle it. Considering the following, the best advice I can give..

Test drive, operate, and read until you know more than the salesman and most importantly any HP or minimum ratings you may have in your head as the least you'll accept.... add to it! For me, I needed to double it!! I know that sounds crazy but believe me buying a weak tractor and then turning around and having to sell it only to buy what you thought was too much tractor is a nightmare!?!?! Besides, I've never read a post that said,

"God, I hate my tractor, it has too much power!"

Or

"Jeez! I wish my FEL wasn't so strong, I always scoop up more than I need and have to tip the bucket over to pour out the excess, oh the misery!!!!"


The only thing worse than over buying a tractor is under buying one. True misery is having a tractor that won't do the things your wife & family expects and see's other husbands doing else where. It's difficult and expensive enough trying to convince the family that your back can not do the things manually that you did when you were 20-25 years old, so when you get the family's approval, don't short change yourself.

Wormwood