New Holland TC45DA vs Kubota L4610

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

I found this thread looking through the recent posts, not through the NH section.

I'll admit it any day of the week that my old NH was a great tractor, it just was. When I went to get a new tractor (moved from SSS to hydro + HP) the new hydrostatic models didn't have the features that the D models had back in 2001. Poor showing by NH in my book. Right now my Kubota is in the shop for some warranty work and I asked them to check the relief pressure on the loader hydraulics. We'll see if it was set low and we can get a bit more oompf. It might be the additional weight of loaded tires of the New Kubota that does not let me throw it around with the front bucket like the NH did. Note, I did have 440# of wheel weights on the NH but now I have 1000+ pounds of liquid ballast. That is a significant difference.

You need to take what Messiks said about parts into consideration, but there are a lot of people out there that would seek that tractor out because of the features it has. (I am assuming this has the dual range hydro with the buttons on the joystick) So there are the positives and negatives to buying the older model.

Another thing. I got a chance to run a Kubota L4740 with hoe a few months ago. Hoe was super tight, no slop. The valves on the hoe made it a dream to use. Capable of real nice feathered control. I have never used the NH hoe, it may be similar but that experience definitely left an impression. I've used plenty of excavation equipment (up to 26,000# excavators) and I would rate it right up there.

To STx, I have not tried to lift the new tractor at idle but I do not think it would have any issues at all with it. I know for a fact that the NH would lift it at idle. No need for 1500 RPM.

Don't know if I am helping the matter or not. Probably just muddying the waters even more.

 

[WM75Guy]

All you guys are suggesting New Holland for good reason but how much of this can I say is because this is in a New Holland forum?

I also came across it looking at all new posts, not forum specific. The same question is posted in three forums. In the General Buying/Comparison forum there are 22 replies, in the NH forum there are 10 replies, and in the Kubota forum there are 0 replies. Maybe us NH owners have more to brag about. :cool2: That should help to stir things up. :stirthepot:

 

[bspeedy]

Wow - two great choices. I consider myself only slightly biased. I currently own an Kub L3710 and a (Shibaura) Ford 1700 and have previously owned a TC30 and grew up with the Ford / NH's. My feeling is you cannot go wrong with either tractor. Take a look at each one and buy the one that has been taken care of the best. Hard to tell the condition by the pictures, but one of them will likely have detailed service records, show evidence of being properly lubed and cared for, and generally just feel like it's been used more gently. From the pics, I just get a better feeling about the Kubota. Perhaps it's the condition of the bucket or the hours and date written on the hydro filter that lead me to believe that the owner was a meticulous person. Only an in-person inspection can give you true confidence, though.

Good luck.

 

[OutBurst]

Wow - two great choices. I consider myself only slightly biased. I currently own an Kub L3710 and a (Shibaura) Ford 1700 and have previously owned a TC30 and grew up with the Ford / NH's. My feeling is you cannot go wrong with either tractor. Take a look at each one and buy the one that has been taken care of the best. Hard to tell the condition by the pictures, but one of them will likely have detailed service records, show evidence of being properly lubed and cared for, and generally just feel like it's been used more gently. From the pics, I just get a better feeling about the Kubota. Perhaps it's the condition of the bucket or the hours and date written on the hydro filter that lead me to believe that the owner was a meticulous person. Only an in-person inspection can give you true confidence, though.

Good luck.

Thanks! Tell me more about your experience with the L3710!

 

[bspeedy]

Thanks! Tell me more about your experience with the L3710!

I thought you'd never ask...

I really, really like the L3710. It is 4wd with a LA681 loader, gear drive. Purchased it with about 600 hours and it has just over 700 on it now. I've added SSQA to the loader which is a must. Like my last Kubota and my NH, it has proven to be a reliable workhorse. It is heavy enough to do some real work, doesn't use too much fuel, loader is super stout. Most of my past experience was with 25-30 hp CUTs, so this tractor at 38 hp feels amazing. I personally like the xx10 series for their mechanical hour meter and dash as well as simple layout and lack of expensive electronic doo-dads. My wife is very comfortable on it when mowing our 4 acre lawn with the 90" bush hog brand finish mower. I've owned almost all major brands of CUTs and this one is a keeper. The only replacement for it will be a cabbed tractor sometime in the distant future. One area that it loses to my NH tractors is accessibility under the hood. NH are readily accessible with the hood open. Kubota has a fixed upper hood that must be un-bolted, with side panels that detach from the tractor. A bit of a pain to service. Not a deal breaker by any means.

That said, I have hundreds more hours on NH / Ford machines than Kubota. No bad choice in this equation. Sorry to the guys loyal to other brands, but I feel that Kubota Grand L's and Shibaura-built New Hollands are the best CUTs ever engineered and built.

 

[bspeedy]

Having said all that, I would just as readily own the comparable NH tractor - probably a TC40.

Can you buy them both?

::thumbsup:

 

[OutBurst]

Can you buy them both?

::thumbsup:

I sure can - mind gifting me another $15k so I can make it happen? I promise lots of pictures!

I really think this is coming down to price - is the Kubota worth $2,000 more?

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

Either one would make a great tractor. I think you have to operate each one to see.

Drive them both around. See if they have a pile of dirt for you to dig into with the front loader. See how the loader controls feel. See how you like the treadle vs. seperate go / go backwards pedals. Run the backhoes. Check for slop and see what level of finesse they offer.

Specs are only on paper. There is really no substitute for getting in the drivers seat.

 

[bspeedy]

[QUOTE

I really think this is coming down to price - is the Kubota worth $2,000 more?[/QUOTE]

As a satisfied Kubota owner, I don't think so. NH has the pluses of the canopy and the OEM backhoe. Both of these are $ adders. Couple hundred more hours are not a deal breaker, although I like to buy machines with less than 1000 hours. You should get many years of service from either.

I'm with the other posters - don't worry as much about the money (easy for us to say). Get the one that feels the best and 'fits' you better.

 

[bspeedy]

[QUOTE

I really think this is coming down to price - is the Kubota worth $2,000 more?[/QUOTE]

As a satisfied Kubota owner, I don't think so. NH has the pluses of the canopy and the OEM backhoe. Both of these are $ adders. Couple hundred more hours are not a deal breaker, although I like to buy machines with less than 1000 hours. You should get many years of service from either.

I'm with the other posters - don't worry as much about the money (easy for us to say). Get the one that feels the best and 'fits' you better.