Buying Advice Kubota vs Branson

gravelman · May 28, 2020

EddieWalker said:
I have a Century, which is the same thing as Branson. For awhile they where making both brands and having dealers compete against each other. That was crazy, so they cut out the Century line and now it's all Branson. If I can find parts for it, they are listed as Branson. When buying, I felt that the $4,000 more for the Kubota that had same HP and drive train was too much. While my tractor has been a beast and done more then I expected it to, it has also been very difficult to keep it running with the problems of dealers constantly closing. I've pretty much replaced everything that broke with after market parts, including tearing out all of the wiring and redoing it myself with just the basics. For the last couple of years before doing that, I never knew if I could get it started, and how long it would take me to find the newest issue. I feel that if I had gone with Kubota, I would have had more support from a dealer, and I would be able to find parts a lot easier. I wish I could say that they have gotten better, but it just seems like they are still opening new dealerships that last a few years and then disappear, and the online sources for parts are harder and harder to find. My guess is that I will have something break that I cannot find a part for, something simple like a starter, and that will be the end of my tractor.

Ok on that... and that is a real concern of mine... you get what you pay for. I have had great luck with my Kubota 2650....so why should I change!!

ptsg · May 28, 2020

Parts are available out there. Of course, it's a much smaller brand (not to be read as worse, which is definitely not) with a growing dealer and parts network. Kubota was also smaller at on point, then they grew up.

Most of the times, it a matter of the owner move out of the comfort zone and contacting different dealers as most of them will likely ship whatever you need to you. That being said, they are working on a tool on the website that lets you see all the parts list and numbers.

Branson is not a cheaply made tractor, yes you pay let but that doesn't mean it's a tractor made on the cheap. As you may noticed, they invest little to nothing on advertising which leaves them a good margin to sell tractors for less money. It also comes standard with a lot of features that are extras on other brands.

Totally opposite on what happens with Kubota, you pay for an overpriced tractor and you don't necessarily get more with it, unless, you pay even more for all the extra features.

5030 · May 28, 2020

Slowpoke Slim said:
Well this will likely turn into a brand vs. brand drama, which I plan on staying out of.

I will only point out to gravelman that the 25 series Branson does come with extendable lift arms and adjustable lift arms on both sides of the 3 pt.

I have had mine for 3 years now. Still very happy with it. I have not in the past, nor will I in the future use mine as a bulldozer though. I don't consider mine "loud", but I'm almost never in High range on the HST.

It always does on here... I'm staying out as well. For me, it all distills down to who sells locally and for me, it's Kubota but then I don't think Branson even offers a 100 horsepower FWA ag based tractor anyway. They could but I've never looked as there are no dealers locally.