Comparison Understanding the Sub-Compact tractor choices.

[murphy1244]

While the SubCompact (scut) market has in recent years been an active part of tractor sales . . a more interesting detail would be if sales this year by brand are changing compared to last year ? In other words, are some brands taking marketshare away from others or are numbers of sales growing because buyers are actively adfing new purchases and expanding the total scut sales for everyone?

Recently in another thread, a poster said a very small Massey dealer had sold 14 units in 2015 and already by August this year they were over 50. Obviously the market has a bunch of dealers and brands in it that werent in scut sales 10 years ago. Has it been a bubble or a healthy expansion of the market ? If that tiny Massey dealer I referenced went from 14 ladt year to already 50 this year . . Is that negatively effecting thevareas kubota and jd sales etc. etc. ?

Anyone hearing info on scut activity at their dealerships ?

The Massey dealer here dropped them and went to Mahindra after 58 years.

 

[AxleHub]

The Massey dealer here dropped them and went to Mahindra after 58 years.

I'm often surprised how much tractors are influenced regionally. And maybe even influenced by category/size in a brand as well. A dealer I know personally had a long history with J.D. for mowers and scuts and cuts. They sold them well yet all of a sudden J.D. wanted to push them to take on large inventory quantities and after decades they were forced to switch to another brand.

Small and Mid sized family operations have a lot of pressure from some of the bigger names as corporate owned entities push into regional areas much as it happens in farms too.

In my 50 mile radius . . We have virtually no Mahindra dealers and no Kioti or TYM or Branson and only a single smaller LS but numerous family owned Kubota/Massey locations and frequent corporate j.d. dealers.

 

[quotejso]

So which size is better on hills and slopes. A bx, b, or L

 

[postalnut25]

C. Often comments are made about "buying bigger than you think you need". But isn't that logically more a "rush to purchase" or a "weak research effort" than it is an actual understanding of "the needs" ?

D. Lastly, I believe SubCompact prospects and buyers need to factor in some issues that many threads don't seem to mention. Some examples are:

1. Finding implements and attachments engineered and built for SubCompacts rather than every choice being the general market. As an example . . a full set of forks that weighs 100 pounds and a general market set that weighs 225 pounds is a 125 pounds payload difference for a SubCompact . . that's a lot of difference on my tractor . . yet many don't even know products exist like that.

2. Transporting a SubCompact requires less vehicle and less trailer.

3. Space to store is less . . yet PROPERLY chosen, SubCompacts can comfortably accommodate small bodies or 6'6" 350 pounders alike.

chime in on these points above or as I start mentioning some brands and models.

Hi Axlehub,

I wholeheartedly agree with point C. I researched for about 7 months before I purchased. I ended up going with the Kubota BX2370. The particular Kubota dealer I used wasn't the closest, but he took the time to really hash out what would work for my one-time projects and my long term needs. The local LS & Massey & Yanmar dealers tried to push towards a bigger tractor. Kioti was no-existent on customer contact, and Mahindra was 95 miles away. The Mahindra dealer was very knowledgeable and helpful, but it's just too far for something that is only going to see pampered residential use. Once my landscape construction is complete, I would have no use for a bigger tractor, and no ability to get it inside my garage, either. I would've needed to sell it and get a zero-turn and a large snowblower.

With the BX series, it fits into the same area that my previous mower and snowblower fit in the garage. Keeping it inside is a bonus. I was able to get the quick connect bucket and front blade, and my dealer is putting on the third function valve so the blade will power angle. I also got the mid-mount mower. My main concerns for the next decade or two is to mow the lawn and clear the snow. I will add a three point fertilizer spreader and a tow-behind sprayer for the weed control.

I have a few smaller projects to complete, like rocking the drainage ditch between the house and the road, and building a few raised flower beds and one retaining wall. A bigger tractor would be better for the rock work, but I'm only moving 140 tons. Once that is moved, the need for a bigger loader is severely diminished.

The last thing that helped push towards the SCUT was the ease of use. My grandpa lives with us. Since my wife and I both work the graveyard shift, he does the snowblowing. It about kills him. With the Kubota, he was able to drive and operate it quite easily, and it will help him help us in the long run.

 

[nightdevil]

Bx.... Bwahahaha

 

[postalnut25]

^^^
The John Deere dealer right across the highway from my dealer just couldn't be bothered. He insisted that he knew more and the only thing I would need is a loader and a rotary cutter. He also was ridiculously expensive.

Grandpa was a LIFELONG (83 years old) John Deere guy until we went shopping around. He's happy we ordered the Kubota.

 

[gwhouston]

I’ve had my MF GC2310 TLB since 2006. I can’t ever recall a time that I lost steering or had a slow steering response when using the loader. I use them simultaneously when scraping, digging, moving loads, etc. Now as a general rule, it’s not in my nature to abuse the machine either. The only complaint (small at that) I have ever had with my MF is the lifting capacity (it is a Sub C of course). My backhoe operations have always been great even in our concrete like soil. I used to use the mmm but have bought a true mower instead. Never any problems although that has no hydro needs. Anyway just my 2 cents here at happy acres.
Greg

 

[2ndhalf]

Bumping this thread.... decent deal on a essentially new Massey SCUT for anyone near Ohio. I bet it could be bought for under $9k.

215 Massey Furgeson GC175 - $9