Kubota 47% -- John Deere 19%

[smstonypoint]

A few years ago Kubota got into a lot of trouble with over rating horsepower and I believe they still wont take their tractors to Nebraska to have them properly tested by an independent company like most other color of tractors. Just something to think about.

Here's a listing of the Kubota tractors that have been tested by the University of Nebraska lab: Other Manufacturers | Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory | University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

It is my (mis?)understanding that tractors above a certain HP have to be tested at the lab before they can be sold in Nebraska.

Steve

 

[Garrett Wiggins]

Here's a listing of the Kubota tractors that have been tested by the University of Nebraska lab: Other Manufacturers | Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory | University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

It is my (mis?)understanding that tractors above a certain HP have to be tested at the lab before they can be sold in Nebraska.

Steve

Been a awhile since I have been to the site. One thing is strange, but worth noting. Johndeere sends almost every tractor in for testing and Kubota just sends a few. I wonder if Kubota only sends that ones that will pass for true horsepower ratings. Johndeere fills the whole page with tractors they send. I don't think the location of the test, I am assuming Nebraska, has anything to do with where those tractors can be used. I think that is just where the third party test them at, but I am not 100% sure on this.

 

[coralhead]

Yea, best I can tell, in the under 80hp CUT segment, Kubota and Yanmar are the only two tractor companies left that build the entire machines from the ground up.

Maybe Kioti as well? I'd have to research it.

Kukje Machinery (Branson) builds their entire machine.

 

[daugen]

My local Kubota dealer has two of the largest M7's on their lot, biggest tractor they have carried likely, even when they were an IH dealer for ages.
I'm sure Kubota put pressure on them to buy them, get them out in front of folks. Huge tractors, dominates their yard. And they aren't generating a lot of interest apparently.
I was told quietly big ag was "down" and commodity prices were down so at least in this area, the big equipment was not moving. Last Fall the local Massey
dealer told me the same thing. In other words a contracting market not an expanding one. Deere's sales are very indicative and while you'll never catch a sales guy
saying business is bad, in the larger commercial ag market, which I honestly know little about, that's two locals who have indicated negative trends. Now for us SCUT and CUT guys,
the market may be expanding, particularly second and third world. And I'd say India was pretty close to "1st World" now; look at their naval vessels, their military with atomic weapons
and their cities. And don't forget Bollywood. India has to feed a huge amount of people so farming there has to be big. Same thing in China and there you might be going all the way down in the market to folks who used to use a mule or cow. The issue is small plots, and therefore the need is different. Does China or India have a "big Ag" market at all?
Borneo? now that's 3rd world...when the monkeys are jumping on your hood.

 

[BAP]

Would you mind sharing which brand tractor you sell? if not I understand. Your totally right about a tone of BX to one 200hp tractor of any brand. That's one of the points I was trying to make about market share. Depending on how you pull the numbers will depend on what result you get. I am sure Johndeere uses dollar numbers to get their inflated market share and Kubota uses units to get their inflated market share. Which ever measure gives them the best results. I have all of respect for Kubota they make good tractors. Mahindra does go after that 75hp and less market no doubt. Mahindra sell a lot on price. I believe they are about 3 grand less off the top of either deere or Kubota. Mahindra uses ALOT of old technology, but for someone who puts less than 50 hours on their tractor in a year; the color of tractor hardly matters.

How do you get "INFLATED" market share by using number of units sold? From the replies to this thread you can tell who ones what brand by their replies. I have owned a lot of John Deere tractors over the years but they have shot themselves in the foot by not producing their own small tractors made in the United States. Also, they have forced many old, smaller dealers out of business and small rural areas. Instead of traveling 20-30 minutes to a dealer you now have to travel 2 hours to a dealer in my area.

 

[Garrett Wiggins]

My local Kubota dealer has two of the largest M7's on their lot, biggest tractor they have carried likely, even when they were an IH dealer for ages.
I'm sure Kubota put pressure on them to buy them, get them out in front of folks. Huge tractors, dominates their yard. And they aren't generating a lot of interest apparently.
I was told quietly big ag was "down" and commodity prices were down so at least in this area, the big equipment was not moving. Last Fall the local Massey



dealer told me the same thing. In other words a contracting market not an expanding one. Deere's sales are very indicative and while you'll never catch a sales guy
saying business is bad, in the larger commercial ag market, which I honestly know little about, that's two locals who have indicated negative trends. Now for us SCUT and CUT guys,
the market may be expanding, particularly second and third world. And I'd say India was pretty close to "1st World" now; look at their naval vessels, their military with atomic weapons
and their cities. And don't forget Bollywood. India has to feed a huge amount of people so farming there has to be big. Same thing in China and there you might be going all the way down in the market to folks who used to use a mule or cow. The issue is small plots, and therefore the need is different. Does China or India have a "big Ag" market at all?
Borneo? now that's 3rd world...when the monkeys are jumping on your hood.

There is some truth to the large Ag equipment going down, but that was started about 2-3 years ago and has gotten a lot better since then. The problem was that to many dealers were pushing volume and saturated the market with large Ag. Had to many people trading tractors every 2 years on a set amount and to many leases that were in 2 year contracts. There were lots of bruises being had when you have used inventory on the lot with to much money in them.

 

[daugen]

I wish Kubota made a 300hp straight six diesel for my truck.

However...in the game of who owns whom, is Kubota
owned by Toyota? I know Aisin the exceptional transmission company is owned by Toyota.
Too bad Honda never tried to get into this market. I know they fooled around with garden tractors and maybe they had a small
diesel market over there. But there's another very high engineering standards company whose engines have always been
cutting edge. Look at their GX series of small engines, marvelous stuff.

Instead we get Daedong and other strange named, but also very good engine manufacturers in our SCUTS and CUTS and we sort of scratch our head
and hope the dealer has the parts we need. My choice was between Kioti, JD and Kubota. The Kubota was a little cheaper than the
JD and the dealer was the nicest. Plus Kubota is a remarkably well trusted brand now. I doubt there are major delays in getting Kubota parts.
In fact if there were any delays at all that would not be good for any of the large builders. I bet more than a few folks have changed brands when they waited a month or two
for a part on an almost new tractor.

Btw, my understanding is that Daedong is a really good diesel engine, which is one reason why Kioti is doing so well.

Tractors are fairly similar at certain levels. Having an exceptional engine I think could
get a buyer's interest. Unfortunately now what is most getting attention is DEF and regen issues.
I'm sure mostly operator error in many areas but make things
more complicated and user errors can't help but go up. I'm delighted I own two tier IV interim tractors.
They don't stink and they don't smoke. All good social qualities...

I could not be happier with my Kubota, other than a rough ride and unimpressive loader power. It has never had
so much as a hiccup in almost five years. And it drives so easily and the treadle makes loader work so easy.

I want to know when someone is going to build a 100 hp treadle M5 Kubota equivalent. Why can't they build a heavier duty hydrostatic to work
with a treadle? They seem to have all just stopped at about 70hp a long time ago. I always wondered why even with the fuel penalty why someone
doesn't scoop the market on that. I have a 57hp tractor and if I wanted to move up, and go to 80 to 100 for much stronger loader power,
I have to learn how to use an entirely new transmission. I know they aren't hard, but why give up on foot pedals?

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Here's a listing of the Kubota tractors that have been tested by the University of Nebraska lab: Other Manufacturers | Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory | University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

It is my (mis?)understanding that tractors above a certain HP have to be tested at the lab before they can be sold in Nebraska.
Steve

It has sounded to me like the Nebraska test lab is a bit of a political tool in the tractor business. Deere funds it heavily. There are international standards and international testing labs that Kubota partisiptes with, but for some reason Nebraska chooses not to accept those results. I've heard its a very expensive and time consuming process to get at a tractor though their lab. Nebraska is not a huge market for the size equipment Kubota typically sells, so for them its made more sense to only run though the higher volume models and ignore the rest where they can't justify the expense. Every dealer has a Dyno, I can't tell you the last time I heard of any new tractor not turning at least its rated PTO HP. A company would be in court in a heartbeat.

 

[daugen]

wouldn't it be nice to have John Deere (or anyone) build something we can afford with a Cat engine and an Allison transmission?
wake me up I'm dreaming

 

[smstonypoint]

It has sounded to me like the Nebraska test lab is a bit of a political tool in the tractor business. Deere funds it heavily. There are international standards and international testing labs that Kubota partisiptes with, but for some reason Nebraska chooses not to accept those results. I've heard its a very expensive and time consuming process to get at a tractor though their lab. Nebraska is not a huge market for the size equipment Kubota typically sells, so for them its made more sense to only run though the higher volume models and ignore the rest where they can't justify the expense. Every dealer has a Dyno, I can't tell you the last time I heard of any new tractor not turning at least its rated PTO HP. A company would be in court in a heartbeat.

To add to the confusion, here's what the UN lab has to say.

The University of Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory (NTTL) is the officially designated tractor testing station for the United States and tests tractors according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) codes OECD codes. Tractors are tested in the country of manufacture. Twenty-nine countries adhere to the tractor test codes (including non-OECD members: China, India, the Russian Federation, and Serbia) with active tractor test stations in approximately 25 of those countries. Reciprocity agreements with the codes require that once an OECD test report is officially approved, it must be accepted by all participating countries.

Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory | University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Steve