Buying Advice kubota vs. nortrac

[namesray]

hi. i am new to this site. i have looked at many forums here and really appreciated what i have learned and decided to join myself. i have a small business i own/operate second to my "regular" job as an equipment operator for the transportation dept. my small business is mainly firewood, but also a little of bush hogging and minor landscaping and snow plowing driveways. i am looking to expand and looking at a second tractor to help (tired of hooking and unhooking impliments, plus more efficient.) i have always run and owned kubota engines and equipment. for me they are top notch and do a great job. when looking for another tractor, i came across nortrac (which are now fotons sold by northern tool). i gathered as much info as i can readily find, but there doesn't seem to be much info out there. (more info on the jinmas northern tool sold 3 years ago) i would like more info on the new xt nortracs as you can only buy a new one from northern tool and you can't test them out without going to minnesota and i live in n c pennsylvania. the nortrac model i am looking at is the 25xt with fel. i know the genral specs but would greatly appreciate anyone who owns one for feedback. my main concern is durability. i plan on keeping all my equipment for 20 - 30 years if it works out that way (put about 150 hours a year). i am very fussy about routine maintence and i know how to properly operate equipment so those two areas are not a factor. i am mechanically inclined somewhat- change own oil/filters etc. and really think i could do a lot with the right help to get me started. the kubota tractor i am looking at is the b3300su. already own a b7800 and the b3300 replaced that model so i know a bit what the b3300 would be like. it costs approx $5,000 more then the nortrac 25xt. which with what the kubota offers is worth it, but for a second tractor not sure is necessary. leaning towards buying the kubota, but would like more info on nortracs. read a lot of horror stories on china tractors and nortrac & very few good ones, but i want the truth. (if anyone wants more info on how i will be using it i will gladly respond. thank you for any help.)

 

[Taylortractornut]

Id avoid the nortrac like the plague. I repair equipment in the winter time and Ive just gotten rid of a freinds nortrac andtold him not to bring it back. Northern is a pain in the tail to deal with on parts. We kept ordering a part in the parts book and it it was comming back as a different part. They had it labeled wrong. This tractor is owned by a hobby farmer. We just did the lift valve on it and probably gonna have to do it again. We dont have a foton dealer nearby either. This tractor ha had a time with the 4 wheel drive shifter and the steering is acting up. Id rather have one of the old Belarus tractors they used to sell. Id try the Kubota as you probably have a dealer withing 50 miles of your home.

 

[RoyJackson]

Welcome to TBN!!!

I certainly hope you take Taylortractornut's advice!! Northern Tool sells some OK stuff, but the Nortrac tractors...you could have a broken down orphan with little or no parts availability in a year.

 

[NOTV8]

Buy a Bobcat and don't look back..... Or the green, blue, red, orange.... :thumbsup: Happy New Year and good luck on your purchase.

 

[creekbend]

I totally agree with the other posts. Perhaps you will find additional info here. TractorData.com - information on all makes and models of tractors

 

[Canada_CT230]

Love my Bobcat CT230 and was $10K cheaper than a lesser model JD, KUB or NH/Case IH.

Why Compact Tractors? - Bobcat Company

 

[BethesdaEC]

They are a rebranded Chinese tractor and are to be avoided like the plague. I believe that they are Jinma tractors, go to the Chinese tractor forum and I am sure you will see a lot people talking about rebuilding engines, transmissions and differentials after just a few hundred hours. Stick to JD, Kubota, Mahindra, Kioti, Bob Cat, New Holland or Massey. These tractors will be worth almost as much as the purchase price in a couple of years, the Chinese tractors will be worth scrap metal.

Find the dealers that are near by, go in talk to them, tell them what you are looking for. Narrow it down to a couple of models and repost.

 

[Martian]

You are looking at two totally different machine qualities. A Kubota is nice, a Nortrac is not. The only brands I'd consider would be JD, Kubota, Kioti, NH, Massy, Bobcat, Case, Mahindra (I think that's all - my preference is pretty well in that order as well.) as your top tier brands. I prefer JD but would be happy with the rest. I would never spend my precious money on a Nortrac, I'd rather give that money away because I'd be spending so much in repairs that it would triple the costs.

 

[wdchyd]

I'll join this bandwagon cuz a friend bought a tractor from NT and he had a dickens of a time just to get an oil filter for the engine (while it was still new), between leaks at rear axles, hoses, connections he lost his patience

I'm sure this oil filter trouble has been straightened out since for others but he unloaded his fairly new $12k tractor for $6k just to buy a new MF.......even though he lost $ and spent more $

There are many choices of very good tractors, Nortac would be near the bottom......:thumbdown:

 

[arrow]

What I've noticed Northern do is to use employee's for their favorable reviews so in my mind, these reviews are to be taken with some salt. Unfortunately, there is also little reference to be had asking how someone else's tractor has treated them as even that has many variables. If there is very little parts support for anything, I would not go near it. I'd listen to those stories more than about the tractor as some TBN'ers have had pretty good luck with their Jinmars. This however is no mark as to what your's would be like.