Buying Advice Overall best tractor?

[gerard]

Thanks for the input, I will be waiting for more. Give me some place to start!

OK, you want a starting place? Here's a straight answer from a very happy kubota owner who bought his 10 years ago new, has 1000 hours on it, does almost all the maintenance himself, and has not had any major issues with it. That said, if I were looking now, I'd seriously look at a kioti dk40. Less $ than comparable kubota with better specs and more features that are standard. (1 remote on rear, a rear 3 pt hitch control, telescoping lower arms, quick attach bucket with skidsteer style quick connect, and a quick disconnect loader with crazy lift capacity). You can get all these things on the other colors but they cost you and it all adds up. Except the dual 3 pt controls, I haven't seen anyone else offer that and it's a nice feature.
When you move up to the DK40, you also get the 4 cylinder engine which is a plus. BTW - Kioti makes the bobcat tractors, just different paint colors and a bigger dealer network.

That said, read all the posts and see what issues people are having with there tractors. I did that when I bought and went with kubota because it seemed like people had less complaints than the other colors. Not totally sold on kioti but the value and extra's definitely have me looking at them.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I'm pretty sure MtnViewRanch meant to search the Chinese forum on this TBN site, as in click here: Chinese Tractors - TractorByNet.com

Yes sir, sorry I should have put a link, :ashamed: thanks.

 

[TheRealWorld]

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[TheRealWorld]

Thanks for the info on kioti dk40, I will look at it. Where are they made?

 

[PapaPerk]

My goal was to see if anyone would say good things about the cheap tractors, like the Chinese ones. I did not want to target that line, because I only wanted a Cheap one if it was going to be reliable. I am looking at the 50 HP range. Thanks for your help

Would you rather have Harbor Freight tools or Craftsman, Snap-On, Mac, etc? Cheap tractors are like cheap tools. Junk.

If you want to save money buy a low hour used standard sized farm tractor of good brand like John Deere, Ford, or Kubota. You'll have pro quality and reliability.

But for sub-compact I would only buy Kubota. Of course everyone has their own opinions.... but mine is right! Hah!

 

[PapaPerk]

If you woulda said Farmall, I might have agreed with you Just hard to beat a "letter series" Farmall.

I have also had Kubota, and now New Holland. Was a time I might have made a cute satement like that, but I have found other tractors match up to the Kubota.

Besides making fun statements, it really is a good thing to try as many tractors as you can.

Ummm I currently own 4 farm tractors... each of a different make. I've tried a lot over the years...

 

[whitedogone]

Thanks for the info on kioti dk40, I will look at it. Where are they made?

KIOTI - run ahead of the pack!

 

[Ford tractor]

From my Farmall expierience, I have wondered, will anyone be restoring old Kubota's and New Hollands 60 years from now? Will parts be available like the 1930-50 JD/AC/Ford/IH are now?

Easy answer. Nope to not many. The Ford N series and the slightly newer hundred series sold well over 1/2 million machines. That's a big drawing base of mostly interchangeable parts. No modern line up comes close, so there won't be the market pull to make the parts needed to restore and use them (other than the show case / parade restorations).

 

[Gale Hawkins]

My goal was to see if anyone would say good things about the cheap tractors, like the Chinese ones. I did not want to target that line, because I only wanted a Cheap one if it was going to be reliable. I am looking at the 50 HP range. Thanks for your help

I totally agree if you are looking for a reliable 50 HP tractor with parts and service now and into the future look a USA made farm tractor. $10K will buy a lot of tractor. A three cylinder 8-speed Ford 3000 would be awesome and not broken down with old age. Some of these are still coming on the market where the owners are now in their 80's and they are NOT worn out. Ford is just one example of that class of farm tractor.

This year we got the wife's dad's 1976 265 MF that had 1227 actual hours and stored in the shed for the most part. It is not in mint condition but very nice.

I have adjusted the valves, took the radiator to the shop for a professional cleaning and testing (it was fine) and while I had the skin off I replaced the water pump too.

Buying a known brand of used tractor is not the same as buying a used car with 200K miles on it. Our 60 HP tractor that is 40 years old with under 1300 hours on it is functionally new and if kept up will be a functional tractor when it turns 100.

In the end it is your decision but the better quality you buy now will pay off down the road. If I was going to buy a new tractor today I would check out what India had to offer. They have millions of these small tractors that will be working for many many years so parts will not be a problem I expect. Best of luck.

 

[LHS Inc]

I am brand new here, but would like to know what you all would recommend for price and reliability and parts? I am looking for a 40 HP 4X4.

We always had JD on our dairy farm (out of the business since 1998) but I've had a Kubota ZD28 grasscutter for the last 8 years and I will get another one when its time. I got it over a JD mainly for the cheaper price and I know its a good piece of equipment. I always thought I would get a Kubota tractor because the dealer is the best around and I knew they would be cheaper. Come to find out about 2500.00 cheaper. I drove the JD 3520 ehydro 37 hp for a day and that was it. Money didn't matter at that point.

I did give the Kub dealer a fair chance to come up with something comparable but they just didn't have anything. I drove the one they did have and IMO the hydro pedal and brake placement suck. I guess you could get comfortable with it but if you drive an ehydro its over, case closed. Its enough to keep you busy with whatever attachment you're working without fighting the handling of the tractor.

As others have stated and its true parts and service are as important as anything. As I've always said about grasscutters all the major brands are good and its where you live to the closest dealer or how far you want to drive that seems to make the sale. I rented the JD 3520 with an overseeder and drove it for 8 hrs and I was sold on it. The reason being I have a lawn care company and what I need in a tractor is just what this tractor offered. I went to the rental center and saw just what attachments the tractor used and it made my decision an easy one. It helped too that they keep getting the same model when its time to to get new ones. Try your local rental center and see what they have been using. The guys that work in those places that service and deliver seem to have no problem telling you what they think of the equipment. It's a good place to start.

JD's website was far and above Kub's. The info I could get on the JD site I couldn't get on the Kub site. That too made a big difference in my getting the JD 3520. The site seemed to answer all my questions