Kubota L4060HSTC vs JD 4044R

[Luke'sScreenName]

I'm in the market for a well priced used BH92 and I'm not that far from you... If you bought the used machine we might be able to pre-arrange for me to buy the hoe from you. Just a thought.

 

[Boondox]

Luke - Having tried both the 3760 and the 4060 I really like the smoothness of the 4 cylinder 4060.

 

[Boondox]

This morning I had a chance to test drive both tractors. Both are really nice machines and they are fairly evenly matched. The Deere looked like routine maintenance would be easier with all the filters within easy reach. I also liked the twin pedal design as the Kubota treadle pedal has grown to enormous proportions over the years. The remote hitch assist controls were easy to use and the cast 3PH parts were massively overbuilt. But there were no telescoping link arms so if the hitch assist ever failed I'd be worse off, the fuel filler was so high up on the left rear fender that in my golden years I'd need an elevated platform to reach it, and the cab (while well appointed) felt cramped compared to the Kubota.

Pluses for the Kubota were the spacious cab, fantastic visibility, quarter windows that could be opened when the AC and heater were not needed, easy to reach fuel filler, greater clearance between the tire and fender (important for those of us who use ice chains in winter) and the biggest of all is that HST-Plus which I've really come to appreciate on my L3240. The 3PH components are clearly not as beefy as the Deere's, but I've had four Kubotas and none of them had any failures back there. It also costs $2500 less than the Deere.

I guess I'm leaning toward another Kubota.

 

[Boondox]

This afternoon I went over each tractor in detail, including extended test drives. And I have to admit I like the Deere 4044R cabbed more than the Kubota L4060HSTC. It was a bit bumpier ride because of the shorter wheelbase, but felt planted even when I put it in 4WD and climbed the 40 degree slope behind the dealership. The ergonomics were better, the controls easier to understand (less navigating thru the options), and the dealer really knew his product inside and out. When talking to the orange salesman I felt like I was dealing with one of the clueless workers at a big box store. I was concerned about losing the HS-Dual Speed function of the Kubota, but the Deere salesman pointed to a steep incline and tossed me the keys. The 4044R handled the slope quite easily, the extra HP over my current L3240HST making a huge difference. The spacious cab I found so attractive in the Kubota wasn't so attractive today; the extra space is between the seat and the steering wheel so unless you have a huge beer belly it's not of much use. In fact, I had to move the seat so far forward to comfortably reach the wheel that my visibility to the 3PH was impacted.

The starting prices were thousands apart, but by the end of the day each tractor was within $100 of the other. Green clearly wants this model to attract orange customers!

 

[BlueToy1]

Get the one you like, sometimes a color change is a good thing. I'm moving to a larger property soon and have been thinking of switching to a 4066R, so I appreciate hearing your likes/dislikes on each.