Who is #1 in compact Tractor sales?

[weedsportpete]

If only Kubota would make X 1/9s, we'd have the quality, the sharp looks and something that would be able to tow itself to the garage.. I had three of the X 1/9s, I'm probably only going to have 1 Kubota. But I'd have bought a JD or a NH if it was priced competitively. Even a Kioti.. The local dealer had such a huge markup, and such little interest in pursuing the sale, that I gave up early. It was price that decided it for me, but all the positive reviews here (and just ordinary discussion/questions) made me comfortable with it and makes me a supporter. I doubt I can add to this discussion, except to agree with those that say that pricing is a big factor, and that quality is not the only factor in sales.

 

[MossyDell]

Brilliant, Tres. You described exactly why I got forever burned on American cars---a Vega in my case. Not that I haven't been burned since. I feel my F150 is junk compared to Toyota.

Before Doc gets his panties any more in a twist, let me say I am a KUBOTA man who currently owns and uses a DEERE. Kubota created the compact tractor market and has continued to offer quality and innovation the others cannot quite keep up with. My father (who as a pilot bombed Japan in WWII) bought a little 13 hp Kubota for his nursery business many moons ago. We used that sucker constantly for 12 years without problems.

I traded it for a B2150 when I got a larger property. That tractor also served well for five years before we moved to Deere country. I got a JD970 that has been a decent basic tractor. It does leak tranny fluid all over from the loader remotes, but that may be common.

Anyway, when I say basic I mean like Kubotas of 15 years ago. For instance, my Deere has lousy sway chains on the lower links that use primitve pins that are HARD to adjust and are always getting bent or lost, and my local dysfunctional Deere dealer (a better one is an hour away) cannot ever find me the right size.

Kubotas have driven innovation and ease of use and sophistication into all brands and models, because those slick little orange suckers really reflect that our time is much more valuable. Farming is now part-time for the most part, and lots of people have country places. Not as much time to dick around with crude tools. Deere has copied this approach in most of its line, but I don't know about the newer ones. Their basic Japanese tractors seem crude but at least sturdy. Their new top-end Japanese tractors smell a bit too American . . . gimicky and cheap.

Mossy Dell

 

[cowboydoc]

Why is it always the kubota guys that say that the kubota is best and everything else is inferior? Then when deere or nh guy says something negative about kubota you guys go to the insult category. Most of the deere and nh guys always say that all three are great machines but the kubota guys start resorting to these type of threads where there is more insulting than there is worthwhile discussion. They are all good tractors and they all have their problems. I don't know why we have to keep resorting to this kind of 2nd grade bashing. Why don't we just keep to the facts and the fact that we're supposed to be polite and respectful. I'm not saying I am all the time just that this kind of crap is not for this site. I've deleted my derogatory post you guys do what you think is right.

Mossy Dell. You criticize deere in the beginning of your post for not being up to par with what the "part-time" farmer wants. Then when deere steps up to the plate and revolutionizes their compact tractor line to be completely user friendly and designs it specifically for the "part-time" city folk type to drive, that's not derogatory just making a point that they made it simple enough and more like a car to drive so there was very little learning curve, you bash deere for that. Then you criticize deere for being gimmicky and cheap. I'm sure if kubota would have done the same as deere is doing, which they are with their new 5000 series, all computerized, you would be singing a different tune. The new deere series is not a gimmicky piece of junk. Deere did their homework and it's a great machine. Now kubota is following the exact design and coming out with a complete computer and electronically run tractor as well. If it was such a bad design why did kubota copy it? I applaud both of them. They keep raising the bar time and again which only serves to give us better machines to drive.

 

[Buster57]

You hit the nail on the head!
I owned a Vega and a Pinto.
The crappy workmanship, sleazy salesmen, and complete disregard for the American people and the American economy made American car manufacturers absolute villains in my opinion. I continuously state my opinion to GM about every 3-4 years (depending on mileage) when I purchase another German automobile.
I hope Mohammed doesn't get mad but my opinion of the domestic automobile manufacturers is "screw 'em. They still want to screw us!" That position will probably never change. And to add insult to injury-I still have not seen quality and reliability of any American automobile close to my Beamers. This simply reinforces my opinion.
I do like all three of the major CUT manufacturers. They have integrity. Too bad we can't transfere some of that to the auto swines!

 

[HayDR]

Computers & Tractors

Guys,
I have a 2040, 2240 & a 4055 JD. Two of them were made in Germany 20 years ago and the 4055 was the last of the true American made iron to come out of Deere. If one mouse chews one wire in too and it shorts out, then the computer is dead in the water. Yes, you weekend guys want sexy little iron to play with and game boys on the display. I grew up with Allis-Clalmers and IH. The JD were put-puters and hard on hay implements. So until Deer introduces the 820 & 1020 the FORD and MF guys laughed, where is Ford now? But I remember that first 820 JD the paint was good and it produced 45 PTO hp on the dino. JD rated it only 38 but after that the farmers around here saw what it would do those Deere were showing up at all my friends fields. Just give me a 1020 & a 4020 JD and I can do anything with those tractors. Those JD raised me and my gerneration and put me through college. This is why my 80 year old father will not let me bring a Kubota on our land. NO THING RUNS LIKE A DEERE

 

[scurvy]

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

his panties any more in a twist

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/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[TresCrows]

Dittos, yeppers, when my wife's Jeep doesn't start it is the little blue Toyota with many, many, many thousands of miles on it that comes to the rescue. Jeep may be good off road but sorry to say I fear my little blue unstoppable Toyota would embarrass most any JEEP 'ceptin the most highly modified and my Toyota is stock. It will go anywhere it is pointed, anytime, any weather, ac blasting out cool air and when you get back on the road--there are no rattles---none. I just may be living in the past but my association of GM and similar Amurcian manufaturers is forever tarnished, make mine a 'bota and a Sony please. J

 

[ebeacham]

Guy's
Just thought I would put in my 2 cents worth...
Like many of you I have been leary of American craftsmanship. I have had a Honda Automobile for 12 years and it rattles less today than my friends buick which is one year old. Nevertheless I just purchased a 2002 F-250 diesel so I could haul my tractor. We all have to weigh our wants and needs to what we can or want to AFFORD. I did a lot of research and "listening" here on TBN and came to the conclusion that most all CUT's are basically the same. Some have more bells and whistles but the engines, loaders etc are all made by a handful of companies. With that in mind I set out to get the most out of a dollar from a dealer I could get along with. I settled on a Mahindra 4110. After all that, if money were no object I still would have bought a JD even though I believe the Mahindra is of equal quality. Why, do you ask? Simple. Reputation. Most all the farmers I know use JD and are happy with them. Not only that they have been using them for generations, which says a lot to me.

 

[Egon]

It would appear that John Deere has got the jump on emisions control which will be an ongoing factor for all equipment.

It would be interesting to see what the breakdown of compact tractor sales is from different farming type area's

Egon

 

[JATO_RaT]

I think that when it comes to the engines in these compacts, they are all fairly equal. I really like both Kubotas and Yanmars in particular. While Kubota touts its enviromentally friendly engine (E-TVCS) as being in compliance and actually exceeding Californias strict emissions requirements, I'm pretty sure the Yanmar is right there as well or close to it. Both are used in a variety of other brands.

As far as large farming goes, in my area, it would undoubtedly be John Deere. Their presence in farming in Northern California is huge. You gotta figure these farmers are going to be pretty picky about getting a reliable tractor that won't nickel and dime them to death. You also see some Case.

Rat...