So why do you buy Kubota? Even though Roy says JD's best? :)

[poldies4]

I tried to buy a new Kubota B series back around 1982 but the deal went sour when the financing fell through .
It was 23 years later in 2004 before i was ever again in the financial position to afford A Kubota so i bought a new 2004 BX23.
After 23 years of lusting for a Kubota I wasn't about to let green or any other color rob me out of the moment.

Similar for me, luckily I only had to wait about four years. I felt like the Deere dealer wanted to keep trying to sell me a larger unit. I wanted a small scut, only have three acres, and have a lawn mower, so I felt that even a 2305 would be a little bigger, and more expensive than I wanted. I was taking advantage 0% so Kubota had much better options. I found that for me the BX1860 hit a spot that Deere could not fill. To me in my limited tractor knowledge the 1860 was not a glorified lawn mower as the x700 series of the Deere was. I'm sure that the real tractor owners will scoff at me calling a 1860 not a glorified GT, but for those of us with simple tractor needs, and who are used to maintaining small acreages with a rake, shovel and wheelbarrow will confirm that this size tractor fills a niche that Deere missed.

About two weeks after I purchased my Kubota, a good friend decided he wanted one as well. He has significantly more property than I, 15 acres, and decided that for him the JD 2320 was a good fit. It is an awesome machine, not comparable to my BX. As he continues to compare the two, I continue to remind him that we had different wants/needs from these machines, and they are in fact intended for different uses.

I love my Kubota, and with a good local dealer, very competitive pricing and great financing options added to a good quality product made it an easy decision for me. I felt good knowing the the machine I was buying was made completely by the company that put there name on it. Engine, Kubota...Chassis, Kubota....and so on. I like it when a company builds its own product, seems like the way it should be?

 

[TripleR]

Naw, DiezNutz. After searching for half an hour or so I was finally able to figure out how to adjust the seat. But anybody who thinks there's no difference in the operating position "feel" between a 6' person with the seat all the way back and a 6'4" person with size 14 boots with the seat in the same position wouldn't understand what I meant, I suppose--or maybe I didn't explain it well. With some compact Kubotas (the B2630, which I otherwise really liked, is a good example) the forward HST pedal fit my boot toe fine; but to go backwards required lifting the entire weight of my leg off the pedal and moving my boot toe to the rear end of the rocker pedal. Because of the combination of a fairly low seat height and limited rearward seat adjustment, it was impossible for me to stretch my 68 year old Achilles tendon far enough to press the rear HST pedal all the way down without shifting my entire leg/foot. I could only get about 1/3 to 1/2 travel on it. What's the point of paying for HST for loader work if I have go through gyrations like that? Heck, I might as well clutch and shift every time and save the HST expense.

I didn't try the L or M series, I'm sure they have more room, but I wasn't interested in those lines, only the mid size B's. All other things being more or less equal, JD's twin side-by-side HST pedals simply worked for me where other setups don't. The difference is meaningless to many, it meant a lot to me.

That is why I recommend people try them all out as what may "seem" like a small issue can sure get big over time, especially at our age.

 

[TripleR]

I compared the M8540 to the JD 5525 and there was a huge difference in the cab sizes. In the JD I was able to get the 2nd seat that allowed me to take my son with me while working. He really loves it and, that alone, would have been enough to make the difference. The power, ride, drive, ergonomics etc. of the tractors were both fine for me. Just the far larger cab on the JD sent me back to JD this time.

That annoyed the Kubota dealer because I'd probably spent over 150k with him over the past 6 or 8 years, but he understood my decision (which is why I'll certainly shop him again next time around). I wonder if Kubota ever caught on and increased the size of their cabs enough to offer a "companion" or "training" seat in their cabs? I honestly have no preference over either tractor otherwise.

We just bought an M8540 a couple of months ago and no, the cab is no larger. We had room in our Case CX80 for a buddy seat which one of my sons used with his youngest. Our local Deere dealers are not people I will buy from, so we went with the Kubota. I agree, both are really good tractors.

 

[Grateful11]

I'll say this, it was never our intention to buy a Kubota until we started looking
and driving a few different brands. To us there was no comparison between
the JD 4120 and the L3940 we ended up with. From the metal hood to the auto
throttle to the seat that swiveled and the seat back that tilted we just couldn't turn
down the Kubota. We could have afforded the JD but after driving the auto
throttle Kubota there was no leaving the Kubota behind. We've got 49 hours on
it and so far so good. This was the first non-red tractor ever on this farm of
100 years. We have 6 tractors ranging from an IH 140 to over 100hp Case IH
5140 with a cab. The Kubota is becoming our favorite but there's nothing quite
like climbing up onto that IH 686 Turbo with a canopy and doing a little field work.

 

[crazyal]

I'll say this, it was never our intention to buy a Kubota until we started looking
and driving a few different brands. To us there was no comparison between
the JD 4120 and the L3940 we ended up with. From the metal hood to the auto
throttle to the seat that swiveled and the seat back that tilted we just couldn't turn
down the Kubota. We could have afforded the JD but after driving the auto
throttle Kubota there was no leaving the Kubota behind. We've got 49 hours on
it and so far so good. This was the first non-red tractor ever on this farm of
100 years. We have 6 tractors ranging from an IH 140 to over 100hp Case IH
5140 with a cab. The Kubota is becoming our favorite but there's nothing quite
like climbing up onto that IH 686 Turbo with a canopy and doing a little field work.

I haven't adjusted mine yet but there's a thread by Talon Dancer talking about adjusting the cable for the auto throttle so it doesn't rev the motor up so quickly when you step on the pedal.

 

[bxn]

I was really disappointed by the way I was treated at the local JD dealer.
They must have a cash alergy. So I drove 30minutes more to the Kubota dealer and tried one there too. They seemed to have some respect for there customers and the right machine.

bxn

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I'm a bit bigger, but the difference to me came down to the cab. I had a 5030HSTC that I really liked except that rocker pedal.

FWIW, I really like the L30 series rocker pedal.

 

[PapaPerk]

In the compact tractor market Kubota is king. The quality is unmatchable by any other manufacture. The components used are of exceptional quality.

John Deere unfortunately have taken the cheap road of late. Their large tractors and equipment are still king. But compact tractors and lawn/garden have become similar to plastic pedal tractors. Plastics that are weak, fade in the sun, and have sub par fit/finish. And with a premium price!

John Deere Lawn tractors are a joke. What happen to the good days of the JD 318 and 430 garden tractors? Now all the stuff is plastic, plastic, plastic. Blah.

John Deere is a legendary company. Their equipment from 1930 to 1970 made them world famous. Many tractors from this time period are still farming as we speak. But apparently the bean counters are now running the company instead of the engineers and farmers that made them a legend. Let's hope it changes. Until then... if I ever wear out my Kubota 3830, I'll be buying another Kubota.

 

[hawkeye08]

I'm a bit bigger, but the difference to me came down to the cab. I had a 5030HSTC that I really liked except that **** rocker pedal. I literally had to drive the machine via it's cruise control lever. My lawn isn't all that smooth and the dampening and spring tension could never be set right to keep the tractor from constantly lurching while mowing. Besides, I needed a bit more tractor.

I compared the M8540 to the JD 5525 and there was a huge difference in the cab sizes. In the JD I was able to get the 2nd seat that allowed me to take my son with me while working. He really loves it and, that alone, would have been enough to make the difference. The power, ride, drive, ergonomics etc. of the tractors were both fine for me. Just the far larger cab on the JD sent me back to JD this time.

That annoyed the Kubota dealer because I'd probably spent over 150k with him over the past 6 or 8 years, but he understood my decision (which is why I'll certainly shop him again next time around). I wonder if Kubota ever caught on and increased the size of their cabs enough to offer a "companion" or "training" seat in their cabs? I honestly have no preference over either tractor otherwise.

I think you may have posted on the wrong thread! I know why, you are used to owning the best and will return as soon as you can.
:laughing:

 

[Grateful11]

I haven't adjusted mine yet but there's a thread by Talon Dancer talking about adjusting the cable for the auto throttle so it doesn't rev the motor up so quickly when you step on the pedal.

Got a link to that thread? I searched for user Talon Dancer and found nothing.