I'm thinking of buying a Kubota L3130 Hydro 4wd or a New Holland TC35. I have 67 acres mostly hay that will be bailed by someone else. Would like to do some brushhogging, cutting grass around ponds, and light duty farming carrying and moving of dirt. I would also like to put a front end loader on it. Wife says it's up to me! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I don't know if one brand is better than the other on maintenance or even dependability. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Has anyone had problems with either one. Does anyone have some good advice on which will last me a lifetime. Any help with this matter would be greatly appreciated. Totally confused /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Torn-Kubota or New Holland? Horsepower?
- Thread starter Harv57
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thcri
Elite Member
Harv57,
Welcome to TBN. If you got some time please fill out your profile so we know where abouts you from.
Harv, I think you will find here that both Kubota and New Holland make a pretty darn good tractor. Either one of them will give you good long lasting reliability. I think you will see as the posts continue that the dealer your are most comfortable with is the one to go with. I would go out and drive both of them. Get to know both dealers a bit and you will start to get comfortable with one or the other. You might find priceing a ways a part and you might find them comparable. Kubota is a good tractor and that is what I started out looking at. My problem was the dealer, first the closest one was 60 miles away and when I was there he bad mouthed New Holland so bad I had to go see how bad one was. I ended up buying the New Holland, I liked the dealer, I liked the price and I liked the ergonomics of the New Holland. But there is many stories here the other way also. I am told the Kubota L3130 is fairly new and a lot of people praise them. Go get both of them under your seat and try them out.
Keep us posted.
murph
Welcome to TBN. If you got some time please fill out your profile so we know where abouts you from.
Harv, I think you will find here that both Kubota and New Holland make a pretty darn good tractor. Either one of them will give you good long lasting reliability. I think you will see as the posts continue that the dealer your are most comfortable with is the one to go with. I would go out and drive both of them. Get to know both dealers a bit and you will start to get comfortable with one or the other. You might find priceing a ways a part and you might find them comparable. Kubota is a good tractor and that is what I started out looking at. My problem was the dealer, first the closest one was 60 miles away and when I was there he bad mouthed New Holland so bad I had to go see how bad one was. I ended up buying the New Holland, I liked the dealer, I liked the price and I liked the ergonomics of the New Holland. But there is many stories here the other way also. I am told the Kubota L3130 is fairly new and a lot of people praise them. Go get both of them under your seat and try them out.
Keep us posted.
murph
Anonymous Poster
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I know exactly what you mean, only I was trying to decide between the L3130 and the TC33D. After spending hours reading the excellent advice on here on TBN, I went shopping. I was impressed with both tractors and found them to be fairly equal (at least as far as a newbie like me could tell). Prices were roughly the same, and I felt both the NH and Kubota dealers would provide good service. The deciding factor was driving each tractor. On the TC33D I just didn't feel comfortable, like I was sitting on top and ready to fall off. The L3130 just felt more stable to me. I guess that was a long way to tell you that I think you should find a tractor you are comfortable with and the rest will take care of itself. I would rather pay a few more $$$ or put up with a dealer that is kind of a jerk than be driving something that I didn't quite like when I bought it. Like you said, you want it to last a lifetime. Don't be afraid to check out some of the other brands too, although blue or orange will definately serve you well.
Good Luck !
Good Luck !
Anonymous Poster
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Hi,
Like the othes have [will say] said, both are good. Orange may recommend orange and blue will prefer blue...
If you end up going orange, I would consider the L3430. Same size, more HP for the future...but it is your money and you know best what is best for you! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Like the othes have [will say] said, both are good. Orange may recommend orange and blue will prefer blue...
If you end up going orange, I would consider the L3430. Same size, more HP for the future...but it is your money and you know best what is best for you! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
grandad
Platinum Member
Welcome to TBN, Harv. Just in case you haven't got into the details of these two particular tractors all that far yet, you are comparing two somewhat different machines, at least where horsepower is concerned. The Kubota L3130, with 30 HP is in the same HP class as the TC29's. The L3430, same chassis with a little more HP (and a few more $$!), is probably more directly comparable to the 35 HP TC35.
Stating the obvious, this would be meaningful with certain sizes of implements. A 33-35 HP tractor will drive a slightly larger bush hog than a 30 HP one will, for example.
Remember those Ford vs. Chevy debates? They never end, do they? Other than making sure you are comparing apples to apples, you have your eye on two fine tractors, and there are many happy owners of each. Either one will almost certainly give you many years of reliable service, and you could consume way too much energy trying to figure out which is a "better" piece of equipment. Most people here will probably tell you it's more important 1. to find a good dealer to buy from and care for your investment and 2. to decide for yourself which specific tractor feels and works best for you, regardless of what color it happens to be.
Good luck and have fun!
Stating the obvious, this would be meaningful with certain sizes of implements. A 33-35 HP tractor will drive a slightly larger bush hog than a 30 HP one will, for example.
Remember those Ford vs. Chevy debates? They never end, do they? Other than making sure you are comparing apples to apples, you have your eye on two fine tractors, and there are many happy owners of each. Either one will almost certainly give you many years of reliable service, and you could consume way too much energy trying to figure out which is a "better" piece of equipment. Most people here will probably tell you it's more important 1. to find a good dealer to buy from and care for your investment and 2. to decide for yourself which specific tractor feels and works best for you, regardless of what color it happens to be.
Good luck and have fun!
rockyridgefarm
Elite Member
I was looking at both also. But I added Green, even though I knew it was "way too high" In my case Deere ended up being the best fit, most comfortable dealer and, go figure, the lowest price.
Like has been said, drive them, and get to know the dealers. You may be surprised which really fits best.
All have a very satisfied following, for good reasoning.
Like has been said, drive them, and get to know the dealers. You may be surprised which really fits best.
All have a very satisfied following, for good reasoning.
JohnMiller3
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<font color="blue">…I have 67 acres… some brushhogging, cutting grass around ponds, and light duty farming carrying and moving of dirt… also like to put a front end loader on it… </font>
I’m wondering how you arrived at the two compact tractors you listed?
With the preliminary information provided, I’d consider a larger utility tractor, with more mass, more torque, more hydraulic horsepower (your new loader will love it!)… especially with 67 acres to work…
If you can eliminate the “hydro” option, you will get much more tractor for your money…
Give us an idea of the “dollars” the budget will allow and what you expect for your money…
I’m wondering how you arrived at the two compact tractors you listed?
With the preliminary information provided, I’d consider a larger utility tractor, with more mass, more torque, more hydraulic horsepower (your new loader will love it!)… especially with 67 acres to work…
If you can eliminate the “hydro” option, you will get much more tractor for your money…
Give us an idea of the “dollars” the budget will allow and what you expect for your money…
Egon
Epic Contributor
Is the baling going to be done by someone else for the rest of your life?
How much dirt has to moved and what type of soil are you talking about?
The future of the grass field is perhaps the main question to ask yourself when chosing tractors. Haying may require more horsepower. Otherwise either tractor would do an admirable job. Perhaps slow for moving dirt but more suitable for other jobs.
Egon
How much dirt has to moved and what type of soil are you talking about?
The future of the grass field is perhaps the main question to ask yourself when chosing tractors. Haying may require more horsepower. Otherwise either tractor would do an admirable job. Perhaps slow for moving dirt but more suitable for other jobs.
Egon
markie61
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Haying may require more horsepower. )</font>
Requires much more weight, too. In general, I know that the ClassIII Boomers significantly outweighed the Kubota L10's. The L30's weigh more now, but I don't know how they compare. Either way, I have been told that neither will bale hay safely.
Mark
Requires much more weight, too. In general, I know that the ClassIII Boomers significantly outweighed the Kubota L10's. The L30's weigh more now, but I don't know how they compare. Either way, I have been told that neither will bale hay safely.
Mark
John_Mc
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I'm not familiar with the Kubota 3130... it came out after I did my shopping.
I do know the NH series pretty well, however. I have a TC33D (smaller size to get through my woods trails). My neighbor is shopping for a TC40. If you are seriously considering the TC35, I would urge you to look at the difference in price between the TC35 and TC40. When I was shopping, it was a small step up in price ($700 or $800 if I recall) to go to the 4 cylinder engine on the TC40. It also gives you a few hundred extra punds of lift on the 3 pt hitch, and a couple hundred extra on the FEL.
John Mc
I do know the NH series pretty well, however. I have a TC33D (smaller size to get through my woods trails). My neighbor is shopping for a TC40. If you are seriously considering the TC35, I would urge you to look at the difference in price between the TC35 and TC40. When I was shopping, it was a small step up in price ($700 or $800 if I recall) to go to the 4 cylinder engine on the TC40. It also gives you a few hundred extra punds of lift on the 3 pt hitch, and a couple hundred extra on the FEL.
John Mc
