Which one to buy?

[jjeff]

Hi I like to overanalyze larger purchases and appreciate opinions. In the market for a 3 ton mini for my small xmas tree operation and property maintenance, I will be selling my wood max chipper has 30 hrs on it and 3point great bend 651 bh I completed most large clearing projects so may sell my JD 326 skid steer with some attachments has steel tracks over tires and is an overkill for what I now need it for. I will be getting either a small flail, rotary cutter or mulcher for my future purchase, 12gpm or less on the aux hydro, around 500-600 lb weight on the end of the stick. narrowed it down to Kubota U25, or U27, unsure of major differences between the two besides auto shift hi lo on drives and 1/10th of a horsepower, tekuichi TB230, JD G26 or a Bobcat e26. Will get a thumb for it. All my quotes I received are fairly close, I believe no models listed have DPF or regen, I don't want an enclosed cab, angle blade etc. Used market is terrible especially on Newer Machines with hours are more than new in some cases and finding actual specs for older grayer market machines with lower hours weighing around 6k that can handle 12gpm on the aux hydro's seems impossible. Experience with these brands or these models is appreciated or if I overlooked a brand or model someone has experience with.
Thanks J

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Hi I like to overanalyze larger purchases and appreciate opinions. In the market for a 3 ton mini for my small xmas tree operation and property maintenance, I will be selling my wood max chipper has 30 hrs on it and 3point great bend 651 bh I completed most large clearing projects so may sell my JD 326 skid steer with some attachments has steel tracks over tires and is an overkill for what I now need it for. I will be getting either a small flail, rotary cutter or mulcher for my future purchase, 12gpm or less on the aux hydro, around 500-600 lb weight on the end of the stick. narrowed it down to Kubota U25, or U27, unsure of major differences between the two besides auto shift hi lo on drives and 1/10th of a horsepower, tekuichi TB230, JD G26 or a Bobcat e26. Will get a thumb for it. All my quotes I received are fairly close, I believe no models listed have DPF or regen, I don't want an enclosed cab, angle blade etc. Used market is terrible especially on Newer Machines with hours are more than new in some cases and finding actual specs for older grayer market machines with lower hours weighing around 6k that can handle 12gpm on the aux hydro's seems impossible. Experience with these brands or these models is appreciated or if I overlooked a brand or model someone has experience with.
Thanks J

Interested in a KX-71-3? Only 133 hours on it. PM me for info.

 

[m7040]

I have the KX 33-4 Kubota with thumb and angle blade. Use it for maintaining the forest plantings and general work around the farm. It works great for me with a smaller bucket for general work and a 36 inch bucket for cleanups and grading. It works very well on lifting trees, branches and anything else you want to lift. One thing to be aware of it is slow. If something needs to be moved some distance I will use the Kubota tractor. But digging, grading, pushing over trees, lifting etc is amazing

 

[4570Man]

I think you’re probably expecting too much from that class machine to run a 600 pound head at full reach especially over the side.

 

[jjeff]

I think you’re probably expecting too much from that class machine to run a 600 pound head at full reach especially over the side.

Thanks for your insight, thought about that. I'm not expecting to do extensive deforestation with it or even cutting steep ditchbanks, and I'll probably be slow and steady like everything else I undertake LoL the fact it's a compact 3ton machine allows me to manuever closer to what I need to do minimizing collateral damage vs running a tlb or 75hp skidsteer . I am still amazed what I was able to do with a 1ton+ 10 HP mini ex without any attachments.