New Kubota Owner

[hunter48820]

Hi All,
I live just outside Lansing, MI and have had a Ford NAA tractor since the early 80s. I added a front loader which has made it very useful around our 9 acres and for snow removal. But over the years, it has become fairly unreliable with various mechanical problems and was only marginally good for handling heavier snow on my 400'+ driveway on a hill.

So with retirement approaching, my wife and I decided to buy a tractor that would hopefully last us the rest of our years and one that will do a better job than the old Ford. I visited Williams Farm Machinery, a Kubota dealer in Charlotte, MI and bought a L5240 with a cab. I've only driven it a few times, mainly to get used to all the gadgets!! But I plan on putting it to work before too long. I did buy a Woods rototiller with the tractor and have a few other 3 point implements that I had for the Ford.

I'm really looking forward to using the Kubota and hope to pick the brains of some of the experts on this list as I get more familiar with it.

Message - TractorByNet.com Photo Gallery

Best, Andy Keeney

 

[Samandothers]

Verry nice tractor. You will like it after you play some and get use to the gadgets. I have really enjoyed my Grand L and would do it again. Very nice looking place too!

 

[bigbull338]

enjoy your new tractor.itll last you for years.

 

[kubotadriver4life]

Congrats!!! Thats an awsome Rig!!! I always have wanted a cab.

 

[timswi]

That's beautiful.....Enjoy it!!!!

 

[NativeSon]

What a great looking tractor!!!! You're going to have a great time on it. Be safe and keep us updated on how you get along with your new Orange machine.

Charlie

 

[hunter48820]

Hi All,
Thank you much for your kind thoughts. I really am looking forward to learning more about it. I have to get passed the "I don't want to scratch it (including the loader)!! I guess that once it is scratched up I can start using it as God intended!!

I was looking around on the Forum and came across the insurance thread. Funny, my wife had just asked me about looking into insurance just the other day. Something else for me to figure out!

Best, Andy K

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Congratulations on your new retirement "gift". Usefull and fun.:thumbsup:

 

[TripleR]

Hi All,
Thank you much for your kind thoughts. I really am looking forward to learning more about it. I have to get passed the "I don't want to scratch it (including the loader)!! I guess that once it is scratched up I can start using it as God intended!!

I was looking around on the Forum and came across the insurance thread. Funny, my wife had just asked me about looking into insurance just the other day. Something else for me to figure out!

Best, Andy K

Congratulations on your new tractor and equipment, very nice setup.

When we bought our M8540, my oldest son wouldn't drive it as he didn't want to be the first person to put a scratch/dent etc. on it. I removed that obstacle the first week.:laughing:

 

[suzy]

I wonder what the record is for breaking the first door? I suspect I hold it, as of tonight...
I got a big warning on going through gates with the doors closed and have heeded it. Too bad I was paying too much attention to placing the bale in the barn to notice the door was open and I was right on the wall... that'll teach me!

 

[Deano]

Nice looking tractor! Should service you well for years to come!!:thumbsup:

 

[hunter48820]

I wonder what the record is for breaking the first door? I suspect I hold it, as of tonight...
I got a big warning on going through gates with the doors closed and have heeded it. Too bad I was paying too much attention to placing the bale in the barn to notice the door was open and I was right on the wall... that'll teach me!

Hi Suzy, That's interesting, I think I missed that message. Where does it say that and why do they not want the door open when going through a gate? Seems to me it is just one more thing to worry about with the door sticking that far out and hinged at the rear! Just looking to go doorless!

 

[Danner]

Welcome aboard the board.

She's a beaut! Big upgrade from the NAA :thumbsup:

 

[suzy]

It was a personal message about the gates from the kubota guy who delivered the tractor. Apparently it is a common oversight. (Get out, open gate, get back in, drive through gate, knowing you will jump out again to close gate...SMASH!!) Some of my gates are quite tight-this is the first thing that will get through an 8' gate-it's very exciting (for me) to haul stuff up from the barn without going out to the road.

Will find out today the cost of the tragic oversight...and clean up the glass and haul in the rest of the hay with my one-door wonder!

 

[hunter48820]

It was a personal message about the gates from the kubota guy who delivered the tractor. Apparently it is a common oversight. (Get out, open gate, get back in, drive through gate, knowing you will jump out again to close gate...SMASH!!) Some of my gates are quite tight-this is the first thing that will get through an 8' gate-it's very exciting (for me) to haul stuff up from the barn without going out to the road.

Will find out today the cost of the tragic oversight...and clean up the glass and haul in the rest of the hay with my one-door wonder!

Thanks Suzy, sorry for your bad luck. But just figure that you've now passed that lesson!! Hope I've also learned from your lesson!!

 

[luca]

Nice. Welcome I own a house in Dewitt (downtown) But I live in Okemos.
Just wondering why you did not by from the dealer in Dewitt. Mike

 

[TripleR]

It was a personal message about the gates from the kubota guy who delivered the tractor. Apparently it is a common oversight. (Get out, open gate, get back in, drive through gate, knowing you will jump out again to close gate...SMASH!!) Some of my gates are quite tight-this is the first thing that will get through an 8' gate-it's very exciting (for me) to haul stuff up from the barn without going out to the road.

Will find out today the cost of the tragic oversight...and clean up the glass and haul in the rest of the hay with my one-door wonder!

At least you were doing something that caused it, we had the left side door on our Case CX80 blow out twice without contact with anything. We no longer own it.

 

[hunter48820]

Nice. Welcome I own a house in Dewitt (downtown) But I live in Okemos.
Just wondering why you did not by from the dealer in Dewitt. Mike

Hi Mike,
I had talked to them when I first started looking a while back but to be truthful, I didn't even know what I wanted at that time. A month or so later, I happened to talk to Williams who had a new 2010 L5240 that they gave me (what I consider) a good deal and I looked no futher. No problem with the Dewitt dealer that caused me to go further from home.

 

[suzy]

Clearly the money is to be made in parts after the initial sale. $1000 for the door and an install...ouch! Why not a cheap plexiglass version?
For anyone else unfortunate enough to experience this, the glass cleans up with a shop vac, the door hinge pops off and the gasket can be removed in one piece, the end of the handle can be duct taped to the floor and socks can be pulled over the surviving bits of hinge to prevent further loss of little bits of glass while you are bringing in the rest of the hay!

 

[hunter48820]

Clearly the money is to be made in parts after the initial sale. $1000 for the door and an install...ouch! Why not a cheap plexiglass version?
For anyone else unfortunate enough to experience this, the glass cleans up with a shop vac, the door hinge pops off and the gasket can be removed in one piece, the end of the handle can be duct taped to the floor and socks can be pulled over the surviving bits of hinge to prevent further loss of little bits of glass while you are bringing in the rest of the hay!

Bummer, Suzy. But it sounds like you are getting it taken care of OK.