Comparison Looking at buying new tractor, LS vs Kubota

[art]

For what you have listed as needs I'd say a hydro would be a must have although some are content with gear for your uses gear drive users would be in a minority.

Hydro's can adjust to conditions far faster then a gear drive can and are more user freindly. Might there be other people to drive your tractor? The hydro's do cost a little more but they often equal out as a clutch job or two will level the lower cost of a gear drive quickly.

For the size of your property I'd say you wouldn't want much bigger as many have worked the same size with sub-compacts for mowing and loader work.

Most mowers shoot for well less then 75lbs per horsepower so not to compact soils to much and hinder root growth of grasses..

At the price of fuel today many people are looking at the cost and more weight costs more to move! After the landscape work is done the tractor will probably just be mowing the bulk of the time. I'd buy for the mowing, that is where your hours will be!!

 

[houstonscott]

There is now a thread on a buy back of a Grand L Kubota, is that a first? First buy back of a tractor I have read about, just saying the bloom is off the rose for Kubota.

HS

 

[Elkins45]

So a dealer buying back a single vehicle condemns the whole brand? I'm guessing you don't drive a Ford, Chevy or Dodge then?

 

[beppington]

One of the most important considerations by the way is going to be if you like and trust the dealer. Are you going to be small potatoes to him or will he truly care? This factor is not going to be brand dependent but Kubota does tend to stick their noses up a little higher than the rest.

This is not my experience at all. I'm very pleased with my Kubota dealer. From the first time I stepped on their lot, they were very attentive but never gave me the hard sell. I finally had to say, "Well, I'm ready to buy one." Then later I broke the 3PH rear-end cast housing (my own fault for over-doing it pushing backwards with a box blade), & they repaired it lickety-split (under KTAC insurance). Then a small weld in my 3PH lever's linkage broke, & they fixed that, too in a timely manner, under warranty. No noses are in the air at all at my local Kubota dealer.

 

[Dargo]

There is now a thread on a buy back of a Grand L Kubota, is that a first? First buy back of a tractor I have read about, just saying the bloom is off the rose for Kubota.

HS

You must be kidding, right?! What brand tractor do you own, or do you own one? If the manufacturer of that brand hasn't ever bought one back, I'd avoid them like the plague. Good customer service is half of the equation. Without any debate, Kubota makes one of the premier tractors in the world. There is no tractor company in the world that has ever built tractors that have never broken.

 

[Dargo]

Will admit thought the Mitsubishi engine is really tops and superior to any Kubota engine. The S4s in my U5030 is a world class diesel.

HS

I very seriously doubt you'll get many people to agree with you on that statement. Why don't you take a poll? I'd bet over 90% of the people will disagree with you.

 

[Monster5601]

houstonscott is a troll. :smiley_aafz:

 

[Turbys_1700]

The local Kubota dealer here sells Massey and just took the LS line in last year...
I've not talked to him but I see his stock daily as I drive by going to work...
He seems to be moving some of those LS units as his inventory has changed...
I wonder how he is marketing those 3 brands and how they compete with each other...
I would assume that the MF's are higher priced than his Kubota's which are higher priced than the LS's...
My only concern with the LS's is that would he keep the brand 25 years like he has Kubota and Massey...
I don't see how LS can gain market share around here if they are priced the same as Kubota...
In my mind, they would need to be 10% to 20% less than a comparable sized Kubota to gain market share...
And further complicating the matter is that the local New Holland dealer is now stocking the new LS made Boomer line...
These two dealers are only 2 miles apart...
Don't you just love it...

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

they would need to be 10% to 20% less than a comparable sized Kubota to gain market share....

10% would not do it, 20% would... IF there would be a brand that was 20% less we'd probably take a crack at it... however that does not seem to exist.

 

[houstonscott]

Well I think the pricing is close to 25%. Here is what I found when I bought an LS U5030, compared to Kubota.

I got 3.3L engine, first Kubota in line with that much displacement is M6040.
Now lets compare, M6040 comes up short on loader, 2400lbs vs. 2900lbs for LS
Rear hitch on Kubota is 3300lbs, LS is a little over 4000lbs.
4x4 is standard on LS, extra on Kubota.
second rear remote is extra on Kubota standard on LS.
self leveling is standard on LS, extra on Kubota
LS has 16 speed trans, Kubota has 8.
Weight both are 4600lbs.
LS works class I and II attachments, not sure on Kubota.
Now the Kubota has 67hp vs 57 for the LS but the S4s engine by Mitsubishi in the LS is a world class engine in all sorts of equipment all over the world and is hands down a better diesel. Just means its not being pushed as hard and would be a 5000+hr engine between rebuilds.

Kubota is 40K, LS was 28K and came with a box plow and HD 72" mower. Not a wonder their selling.

HS