Buying Advice John Deere compared to Kubota

[Rustyiron]

I think I phrased my post poorly. Basically, I intended to say that I doubt you'll find a Yanmar tractor identical to a JD tractor with just different colored paint. I was so impressed with the Yanmar tractor I owned that was in JD paint that I tried to seek out a Yanmar tractor for my next upgrade sized tractor. No Yanmar dealer could come up with anything close. I don't know if they didn't build such a machine or just didn't import it to the U.S. I have nothing but complete respect for Yanmar. If yacht builders trust the same engine as I had in one of my JD tractors in a million dollar sailing yacht, I think they are probably of the highest quality; at least engine wise. Then, like Kubota, if the engines are so good, why would the rest of the unit not be?

About 18-20? years ago I was ready for a new tractor and my next door neighbor's sold Yanmar tractors. We had a Deere dealership in town, but I got a shiney new 336DT (Yanmar) , it was the same as a JD1050 spec wise but the Yanmar had a wet sleeve motor and a Porershift Trans. that the 1050 did not! The 1050 was my 336 with different sheet metal and paint.
I do wonder why they jumped out of the US market back then.

 

[johnrex62]

I can relate my own personal decision was based on price. I was looking at an "estate" capable tractor to do mowing and light utility work on a small property.

My first visit was to a Kubota dealer just because I knew where he was and had to go find the other guys. The Kubota dealer evaluated my tasks and told me I would be well served by something as small as a B3200 and still not buying too much as large as an L3400. I looked at tractors in that size range for comparison. I decided on an L3700SU after all was said and done.

I was new to tractors so I had no usage preference or familiarity factor to deal with. So no winner from that perspective, all would be new and different.

Mahindra did not "look or feel" as nice as the Kubota or Deere and was actually a little higher than the Kubota when financing was considered. ( I started out to buy used and changed my mind after the zero down zero percent financing was trotted out). Nothing really derogatory, like poor fit or finish....just not on the same level.

I did not find a Kioti dealer in the area to look at.

Deere pricing was about 35% higher than Kubota for a cash deal and did not offer competitive financing in house. The two dealers I went too also did not work as hard to make me comfortable and one even seems a bit upset that I had questions about the tractors and felt the need to ask them.

Price was the biggest factor for me, comfort with the dealer was significant, but I would probably have suffered through a less than enthusiastic dealer to get a better price if I had to. Thankfully I didn't have to!

As far as resell value, one of the things I was shocked to learn is that the 3-5 year old Kubotas were being offered at a nearly the same price as the new Kubotas and were going fast. Since there was no appreciable used discount, that pushed me toward the new purchase even more.

I can't say that I saw the same for Deere, but I also did not see as many used CUT Deere products. Most of the Deere I saw were either lawnmowers or harvest tractors, or very old utility tractors. The few CUTS I saw were similarly priced as the Kubotas with respect to the new tractor pricing. That is to say they cost more then the used Kubotas by around 30-35% and the new Deere were also 35% higher than the new Kubotas. So about the same resale value ratio between the two when I was looking, but a few more Kubotas available.

If not for the prices, I would have been happy either way, assuming I could get financing since I did not have enough cash saved when the tractor need made itself known.

 

[Buster57]

Choose a size and implements you want then buy the dealer not the color

Excellent advice.

I would also take a hard look at the lay of the land you will be using it on. For me 90% of use will be on my property or next door neighbors. It is very steep so I need to have enough HP for the heavy 64" LP rototiller. Other people with flatter land may need more weight.

Having owned several of each JD and Kubota I look at use first, and then price. I am about to buy a 3038e just for these reasons. As of today Kubota does not have a similar offering. 4 years from now (after the tax deduction is pretty much gone) I will look at both again.

 

[Johnbro]

I realize I'm in the minority here, but I think basing a decision on the dealer is whacked. I'm on my tractor several hundred hours per year, at the dealer maybe 2 hours per year. So the tractor is 100x more important to me than the dealer. Now, I would be reluctant to buy anything (tractor, car, dishwasher, etc) from any dealer who I thought was 1) a slimebag, or 2) about to go bye-bye. But to pick the dealer instead of the tractor doesn't compute to me: a mediocre tractor from a great dealer is still a mediocre tractor.

 

[JDOneDay]

I realize I'm in the minority here, but I think basing a decision on the dealer is whacked. I'm on my tractor several hundred hours per year, at the dealer maybe 2 hours per year. So the tractor is 100x more important to me than the dealer. Now, I would be reluctant to buy anything (tractor, car, dishwasher, etc) from any dealer who I thought was 1) a slimebag, or 2) about to go bye-bye. But to pick the dealer instead of the tractor doesn't compute to me: a mediocre tractor from a great dealer is still a mediocre tractor.

I agree with you 100%. In my opinion, the only time a dealer should be the deciding factor is if the tractors/price/features are the same in your mind and you can't decide looking at those factors. Very rarely will that happen.

 

[ultrarunner]

I agree with you 100%. In my opinion, the only time a dealer should be the deciding factor is if the tractors/price/features are the same in your mind and you can't decide looking at those factors. Very rarely will that happen.

For me it was the lack of Dealer input that started me in a new direction.

I think I would have been happy with a Deere and really didn't know much about Kubota other than the orange color.

As mentioned... I made appointments and cold called several Deere Dealers and couldn't get the time of day... I was talking to the receptionist or parts guy. True it was during harvest time.

The one salesman that called me said he would be very busy for the next couple of weeks and anything could be ordered... didn't have anything in compact or subcompacts to show... special order only.

When I called the Kubota Dealer.... I was speaking to the owner and he had maybe 50 various units on the lot... several BX's ready to go and larger.

Being new to this segment... a dealer that could only sell by special order was not what I was looking for.

 

[SixHoeBob]

When Kubota starts putting the brakes and separate pedals for fwd/rev on opposite sides as well as a smooth operating 3pt. hitch, Kubota will be the answer. Until then, try all of the non-Chinese tractors.

 

[bp fick]

When Kubota starts putting the brakes and separate pedals for fwd/rev on opposite sides as well as a smooth operating 3pt. hitch, Kubota will be the answer. Until then, try all of the non-Chinese tractors.

OK. Many folks prefer the pedal arrangement, as you apparently do. That's reason enough for folks to not buy a Kubota. However, others actually prefer the treadle system, like it enough to make Kubota sales huge. Take it or leave it, that's fine.

Have "some" Kubota's had a jerky 3 pt? Yup. It's an undeniable fact. But not all, as this post suggests it is a universal Kubota issue, and it is not.
When Deere, Kubota or anyone else, always, 100% of the time, maintains a perfect batting average, we'll all take note.

 

[SixHoeBob]

My thinking is as follows; If we hold Kubota's proverbial hand to the fire they will tend to improve their product. If we tell them they are great, they will cut more corners. I can live with the treadle pedal, I run a 3410 HST on occasion. But why are the brakes and the travel control on the same side? Cruise control
combined with dual brakes is a recipe for disaster. The jerky 3pt hitch is a elcheapo design based on the assumption that most owners will not realize it is wrong. If enough people turn away from Kubota after the buyers point this out to the dealers, Kubota will improve their product(s). Deere will respond by improving the design of their product, as will the other manufacturers. The overall result is a better product for the end user. I have no problem with telling Deere what is wrong with their product, as well as their competitor's products. I also run a 955 JD. The 3410 is a lot beefier than the 955. Same hp, both HST.

 

[TripleR]

Not even going to get into the brake location, but the 3-point hitch on all three of our Kubotas are smooth with no jerking. The only jerking of which I am aware are on the Lxx00 Series and I won't defend that, but it is not representative of all Kubotas.

I have yet to understand why Kubota still has a clutch on their HST models.

I honestly don't view on brand better than the other and we have owned JD and still own one. I love their Ag tractors especially.