Kubota or John Deer

[3Ts]

I have one of each. The Kubota is 38 years old (L235) and the only problem has been to replace the water pump and maybe do that again in the near future. The front crankshaft seal also needs to be replaced. The JD (5055E) is is 13 years old and after disconnecting the cold start sensor it starts and runs well. I prefer the transmission on the Kubota. The machining of the internal gears seems to be much better. The JD feels like the gears were cast and then assembled without cleaning up the parts that mesh - this is only perception to try to describe the feel of the tractor. However, I got the JD for ground engaging and would have had to go to a 70 HP Kubota to match the weight of the 55 HP JD.

They are both good and reliable tractors. Be sure to drive each one, the layout of the controls and the amount of space you have are very important.

 

[tradosaurus]

On the way to the Yanmar dealer I stopped in a kubuta store and kicked a few tires. I looked at a L3301 I think it was. Right away I knew that was what I wanted. They wanted right at $31,000. That was taxes and the other little charges that they all add on and a new spreader box too. If I financed it you could take the $1200.00 rebate and also they had a $300.00 rebate on the secong implement for a $1500.00 total rebate. That knocked it down to somewhere in the $29,000.00 range. I was almost ready to do the deal when I asked him about used tractors, he didn't have any but he said they had a L2501 in delaware that only had 52 hours on it with three years warranty left on it. He showed me a pic of it and it hardly looked used at all, all the paint was still left on the bucket. I thought about it for awhile when he said, I'll have it sent down here so that I could take a look. 25hp vs 33hp is a lot in some respects but in my case I don't think it will matter much. I'm going to look at it good when it gets to town and decide then.

If you can get the L2501 at a good deal (say ~$20K) the frame and loader capacity is the same as the L3301 and L3901. Buy the turbo kit from Rdrcr for $3K to get the L2501 up to 35 hp at the PTO.

 

[mx842]

When I was selling Kubota and New Holland compacts, customers would come in looking, not sure what that wanted or needed. I would always have them operate different tractors to get a feel for the sizes and features. Had a couple come in one Saturday. They operated both a "B" and an "L" series. She ran "L" first and then the "B". When they finished, I asked them which one? She pointed to the "L". I asked why and she said that she sat higher on the tractor and could see the bucket was easier. I delivered it that afternoon. Also had a "dirt pile"
for customers to try out loaders. Nothing like "hands on".

Sounds like a solid good plan and a profitable one at that.

 

[mx842]

The L2501 is a great tractor. I highly recommend it.

Plus, if you need/want more HP, it is easy to modify for more power. My L2501 has been fantastic and is now producing 35 PTO HP with a Turbocharger kit.

Mike

That's good to know. What would a kit like that cost and what does that do to a warranty?

 

[zzvyb6]

Ask your Jane Dear dealer. Map closest dealers or parts suppliers. Consider proximity. Driving 3 hours for an air filter isn't a good use of time nor $. Stay a way from cheap parts imitation providers.

 

[mx842]

I'm also a fan of Yanmar and a bit biased but I like what was said about a good local dealer. At your age you may not be servicing the tractor long. I know you are about the age my dad was when he could no longer service things well. He had some physical limitations though.

Consider that and check out the local dealers and perhaps buy the dealer service vs. the tractor. You won't often hear me say that either.

But to answer your question as you asked it, I would go with Kubota if all things, dealers etc. being equal.

i know I'm lucky in some respects because I have friend that are older than myself that would not attempt half the stuff I have done around here. The thing is I know my limits and most folks when they get older they work smarter. My eyesight and hearing.....my wife calls it selective hearing, isn't as good as it once was and I have a few aches and pains in a few places I didn't have before but most of those were self inflicted from past incidents on a motorcycle or just doing dumb things that no normal human being would try to do.
All and all I get around pretty good but you never know when you'll get called home. I'm going to a furernal today for a friend of mine that was a WW2 vet that was 96 years old the day he passed. He was in the hunt club I belong to and he was the oldest active member of the club and hunted pretty much every day during the season, no matter how cold or wet it was he was there and would sit on his stand all day if they let him. I remember he told me the week before the season went out that this would probably be his last season but he intended to live every last minute he had left enjoying the time he had. He died peacefully in his sleep without a care in this world. I'll miss his ol war stories and the tales of his past hunts, they now will be only memories etched in our minds to remember him by.

 

[mx842]

Ask your Jane Dear dealer. Map closest dealers or parts suppliers. Consider proximity. Driving 3 hours for an air filter isn't a good use of time nor $. Stay a way from cheap parts imitation providers.

Oh my the spelling police will be along in a little bit.

 

[tacticalturnip]

The L2501 really is a great tractor; with a loader they're a real jack of all trades type, almost anyone could find a place for it in their life.

The only thing in the lineup I like more is the forthcoming L2502.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Ask your Jane Dear dealer. Map closest dealers or parts suppliers. Consider proximity. Driving 3 hours for an air filter isn't a good use of time nor $. Stay a way from cheap parts imitation providers.

GreenPartStore was my best friend when I owned my 1025R; Lord knows that United was about useless.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I love my L3560. If you found a used one, I would strongly suggest that you go at least look at and touch it. The stability is so much better than my B2650 I had. The B2650 could get tippy on side slopes while my L3560 (both with loaded tires) has been on such a side slope with the brush hog that I slid sideways down a hill and never lifted. I had the rears at the widest position on both. I also had a BX for a VERY short while and hated it. It was so tippy that it was just unsafe to use. Everything I did was in pucker-mode. The L3560 is a great machine and stability platform for it's size.

This is a Norstar Single Wheel Long Bed that is advertised as 1070 lbs, you can clearly see that it is far out front of my bucket.