Kutota parts prices outrageous

[oosik]

I loaded up on oil & filters at the local Kubota dealer in 2017. Kubota oil was $16 per gallon in their 2.5 gallon jugs. Engine oil filter - $15. Hydraulic oil filters - $22 each. Air filters - inner, $11 outer, $20. Fuel filter - $28.

 

[oldballs]

How could a "fuel filter" possibly cost $28.00?........................just wondering?

 

[Industrial Toys]

Buy one for your Jag. $28.00 might work out to be the tax!

I have a friend that until recently had a small engine business. He was telling me about a customer that went berserk over being charged $4.00 for a generic small engine fuel filter. No wonder, my friend was happy to get out of that business.

 

[RjCorazza]

I am not opposed to using aftermarket parts, including filters (from a select few manufactures that have been mentioned here).
That said, the very first time I used an aftermarket hst filter on one of my ZD mowers, I had immediate operational issues.

 

[Oldoak]

As others have noted, the equipment manufacturers don't make their own filters, they outsource them to one of the filter manufacturers.

True. But are the filters then just relabeled or manufactured to different specifications which the various equipment manufactures specify?

I have in the past used Napa Gold filters for years without any issues. Although I always use the equipment manufactures name brand filters while still under warranty.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Well for starters, most OEMS don't make their own engines, so it probably gets a little complicated.

 

[oosik]

Well ------ I don't know. I change engine oil and filter every year. I use all Kubota stuff. Never had a problem. The problems some have and tell about here on TBN makes a filter and a little oil seem somewhat insignificant.

A funny story. I just bought a 2018 Ram Power Wagon. It's now got 1000 miles on it and I LOVE it. The other day a fellow at the gas station came over and said - " And what kind of mileage do you get with that huge truck?" I could see that he was upset because he just knew I was burning lots of gas.
I just patted the side of the truck - looked him straight in the eye and said - "I'm getting 5 MPG with this beauty".

My God - the shocked look on his face. It simply MADE my day. He sucked in a huge gulp of air - didn't say another word - turned and walked back to his car.

My average mileage for the first 1000 miles - 14 mpg.

 

[Oaktree]

Well ------ I don't know. I change engine oil and filter every year. I use all Kubota stuff. Never had a problem.

Well, for the prices you paid for your OEM stock it hardly pays to go aftermarket. Good deal!

 

[Industrial Toys]

You should have told him, BUT you are going to get it CHIPPED, cause you NEED more power and it will bring the good gas mileage down somewhat.

 

[oosik]

It's all I could think to say to the smart azz, at the moment. Besides, I don't know CPR.

IT - the more I read you post - the funnier it gets. It's the best belly laugh I've had all week.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I drive an 08 Dierra Diesel that I bought on sale from a Bankrupt GM. Crawling under that thing, seeing the heavy def and axles, I feel ashamed to have driven that thing, now for 200 KM, mostly for my own personal transportation. Hey, it gets the same fuel economy as my previous 6 and 8 cyl Dakotas.

But, no one can tell me, or convince me anymore, what's real and what's not! Maybe a Smart Car is irresponsible over the bicycle I SHOULD be riding!

 

[crazyal]

Do the aftermarket filters have a magnet on them? My stock HST filter has one on it. Sure it's expensive but unlike a car your tractor gets worked most of the time. I would like to get 6000 hours out of mine (I'll most likely be dead by then) so a few extra bucks isn't really that big of a deal.

 

[Gary Fowler]

How could a "fuel filter" possibly cost $28.00?........................just wondering?

That is another Kubota gouge. The first time I bought a fuel filter for my B26, I almost had a coronary when they told me the price. Also you can buy the filter housing, filter and o-ring for just a few dollars more. OH YEAH, the filter requires a new o-ring for an additional $2 charge, so about $30 to change the fuel filter.

 

[RickB]

That is another Kubota gouge. The first time I bought a fuel filter for my B26, I almost had a coronary when they told me the price. Also you can buy the filter housing, filter and o-ring for just a few dollars more. OH YEAH, the filter requires a new o-ring for an additional $2 charge, so about $30 to change the fuel filter.

Messick’s sells the B26 fuel filter for $18 which means most Kubota dealers who do not mark up parts well beyond MSRP will be within a couple dollars of that. We routinely change that filter at my shop without replacing anything else.

The most common reason I find for replacing the two orings is the last person who changed the filter threw out one or both orings with the old filter.

 

[MHarryE]

Let’s see, I paid $16,000 for my RTV and feel I need to save $20 for an oil change every couple years?

 

[ultrarunner]

Nobody ever mentions that the dollar, (yours and ours) is going to helll! A family restaurant, modest chicken lunch for two, yesterday, without beverage, booze or desert, with tip is $40.00!

Could be it's own discussion...

The purchasing power of the Dollar continues to decline...

Some of the local Independent Shops post $155 hourly rate and medical is often over $300 an hour plus travel...

Sometimes I am able to cross reference OEM... like when the paint can be scraped off and I see the OEM under it...

The PM kits really cost... one of the sterilizers is $2500 for a small cigar box of PM parts... mostly filters and O-rings...

 

[Ortimber]

Let’s see, I paid $16,000 for my RTV and feel I need to save $20 for an oil change every couple years?

My thought as well. The cost of ownership (of anything) has to include proper maintenance IMHO.

 

[jjp8182]

The oil is the life blood of the engine and hydraulic system. I don't think the filters are merely a "screen" to keep some piece of metal FOD, from circulating through your engine, I'm guessing it's a more precise science. Maybe not. But with major repairs having gone into the stratosphere, I would prefer not to take a chance.

It is and it isn't a more precise science. Essentially they are "just screens" to filter things out (depending on the filter design) the real "magic" is more in how small of things they need to filter out and how fast they need to do it for a specific engine design. So with the increases in engine performance over the years (both for power and emissions controls) the trend generally seems to be tighter tolerances, and smaller orifices for injection... which usually means the entire thing becomes more sensitive to smaller particle sizes, even if the fuel/fluid flow rates need to be kept higher.

While tractors may (or may not) be in the same situation as reciprocating diesel aviation engines, through my engineering work with aviation I've seen what improper filters can do to a piece of hardware -- so while I don't know that the designers made the right filter choice I also don't know the specifications they were aiming for or why.....

So given that and the cost of replacing a damaged/prematurely worn-out engine I'm personally more inclined to go with their filter decisions (like you said) as it's easier/cheaper than trying to reverse engineering their design in order to make an engineering-based decision....

 

[tradosaurus]

Let’s see, I paid $16,000 for my RTV and feel I need to save $20 for an oil change every couple years?

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Recently, I was getting all the filters for the 250 hour service. I have an LS, but no dealer within 250 miles. All of my LS parts cross over to New Holland. So, figuring I could save the shipping costs, l would just get all the filters from NH.

The LS engine oil filter was just over double cost of the NH ($22 vs $10.21)???
The LS HST filter was $24, vs $39 for the NH. ???
The LS hydraulic filter was $31, the NH was $33.

Now the kicker....both of the fuel bowl filters were about $8.... There is a fuel "pre-filter", just a simple plastic filter with an in and out...looks just like the one on my lawn tractor. Both LS and NH want $57 for it....WHAT THE !!!

That's gouging at it's finest! Absolutely REDICULOUS! I will be getting one at TSC for under $10.