Kubotas - not what they used to be.

MessickFarmEqu · Feb 2, 2005

( Messick, can you post the sales of 3130 vs the 3830 's. )

I can only speak for what we sell, 3130's are probably the most popular L-Series tractor followed by the 5030. We have sold about 30 3130's their service records are rather clean except for one faulty unit that Kubota took back and replaced for the customer because it had a bad hydro.

Youare · Feb 2, 2005

My Kubota is about 4 years old and except for a few little battle scars on the FEL bucket paint it's all what it used to be, or as goods as it was the day it was new.

As for the quality difference of a 10 year old machine and a brand new one only time will tell. Plastic is replacing some metal parts but with the advances in materials today that is a good thing.

CArs and trucks are constantly going through some material and design changes in an effort to make them less expensive to manufacture and to improve perfromance. I would guess the tractor industry is doing the same thing.

I think the same is true with tractors as it is with cars and trucks that they are being designed for greater operator comfort and style as well as work. The new Dodge does not look like the old Power Wagon nor does it ride like one or look like one. I really did like the looks of thr Power Wagon, it looked like a truck/tank and it's ride was the same.

Randy

Bird · Feb 2, 2005

( I'm very happy a lot of things aren't made the way they used to be )

Amen!!

bellweather · Feb 2, 2005

They are not what they used to be...they are better. That's the beauty of competition between the brands, it creats a kind of industrial Darwinism that stimulates innovation. As long as the various tractor manufacturers are ingaged in a fierce arms race, their products will continue to improve and deliver more features and value. We, the consumers, reep the benefits.

rbargeron · Feb 2, 2005

I've had Kubota's for 23 years and was drooling over them a few years before that. Over that time I have seen their products evolve and improve. I think everyone would agree that model for model Kubota tractors have gotten lighter in weight over that time. But whether that is good or bad is not a quality question. A lightweight efficient design can be vastly superior to a crude heavy one.

Kubota is a large and spohisticated manufacturer of a huge range of products sold around the globe, in competition with everyone else. To stay alive and prosper in their businesses, quality has to keep going UP, not down. I think Kubotas are not what they used to be - they are better.

fishman · Feb 2, 2005

Sounds like a plan to me challengertn. I personally don't think you could find a consistently bad tractor from any of the major makers. Otherwise, there would be a bunch of unhappy TBN folks.

_RaT_ · Feb 2, 2005

Dick, great post. Rat.

MrJoe · Feb 2, 2005

In some ways that's counterintutive. When you are #1 everyone is nipping at your heels. Case, NH, JD etc are all improving and trying to grab market share. I doubt Kubota is resting on it's laurels. My Case is an improvement in some ways, that would not have happened without those Orange guy's leading the pack in other ways /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

JeremyL · Feb 2, 2005

I am a happy owner of the MX5000 and while I don't have skads of experience to compare it to (previous tractor was a 1953 Oliver Row Crop), I think it is a fine machine. Smooth, powerful, quiet, comfortable, fuel efficient.

Guess that makes me a satisfied Kubota owner.