3130 or 3430?? Value in the Kubota Name??

[rufus]

I'm now back trying to peg the best sized tractor for my needs and also feeling a bit torn about the old "most bang for your buck" issue. With our 40+ acres of ledgy, sloping forest and meadow I figured a 30 HP tractor at least. I was sized a 3830 by my local Kubota dealer but the sticker shock brought me back down to the 3130. I really like it and thought I got a fair price but now I've looked at a Mahindra 35 HP tractor (it's either a 28 HP or 35 HP with Mahindra) with a bigger loader for $17,500. (I was quoted $18,400 for the Kubota 3130DT w/ 723 FEL (FST tranny like the Mahindra) . I arrived more at the 3130 because of the price while also thinking it will suit my needs okay. But now I'm wondering if I shouldn't be looking at the 35HP size?? The 3430 is essentially the same size tractor but with a few more HP than the 3130. If I were to stick w/ the 3130 and save some bucks, will I miss those 3 HP down the road in years to come? and is it worth (I'm guessing as I didn't get a quote on the 3430 DT) the $1500 more at least for the Kubota 3430??.

Also, I found the Kubota to be certainly a nicer tractor as far as the seat, belts, panel, small details and overall feel but the Mahindra 3510 is heavier by 661 lbs than the 3430DT, the loader has a higher capacity (1,870 lbs. vs. 1,970 lbs for the Mahindra) and is $900 less than the 32 HP Kubota I looked at (I didn't get a price for the 3430DT). I definitely like the orange one better but what would I be paying the thousands more for?? How big are all of these differences ?? Are there a lot of other differences between these makes of tractor that I'm not aware of besides the color and where they're made? and is the Mahindra a better value for the price or are the Kubotas that much better and worth the extra bucks?? Being as this would be my first tractor purchase, any input would be greatly appreciated!!

oh yeah!... btw ...the Mahindra dealership is offering 0% APR for 36 months while the Kubota is 2.99% for the same period! Whew! Lots to think about!!

 

[varmint]

Wow, Rufus, I am surprised no other forum member has already replied to such a tantalizing question! I am no expert, but a someone who has had an older Kubota ('87 B8200) for a year, and looked at a lot of other tractors out of curiosity, I will offer my opinion: I have been impressed with the materials and engineering that Kubota uses, and the way my tractor has worked perfectly whenever I use it, mostly with a loader and scraper blade to do road service. On the other hand, when I visited a Mahindra dealer with a friend, both of us were un-impressed with level of engineering/workmanship and material quality we saw. The older, used tractors looked like hell, with rust, faded paint and signs of premature wear. That said, who knows how the used tractors had been used. India is not know for state of the art metal manufacturing, and Japan is... For a little more, you can rest easy down the road.

 

[5030]

Rufus:

I got a chance to look over a Manhindra that was stripped of it's sheet metal at a local R&D shop a few weeks ago. They were designing a new seat (of all things) and I understand why after I talked to them.

Anyway, the Manhindra compared to my 5030 HSTC is no comparison. I can't compare apples to apples as the Manhindra was a 2wd model, 65 horsepower whereas my Kubota is 4wd, 52 horsepower, but..
The Manhindra is overall a much cruder machine. Castings are rough, paint is rough and the overall design is somewhat dated. The seat, if you want to call it that, is right out of the dark ages with no padding, little travel and no adjustment. I sat on the tractor and the controls didn't feel comfortable to me, whereas the Kubota controls fall right place.
I can see why the Manhindra is a heavy tractor. The castings being somewhat crude probably have extra weight to them.

It would be a no-brainier to me if I was comparing orange to metallic violet?? The orange would be my choice. Besides, 2.9% over the life of the loan, assuming 60 months would only come out to a couple hundred bucks. Not that much difference for a better engineered tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Dave___in___CT]

Hi...


No question I'd go with Kubota...

I wonder if parts and service for a Mahindra tractor would be available 3 months from now... never mind 10 years !

The most expensive part is the one you can't get ! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif


Dave...

 

[cuzncletus]

I've been through this question defending another "brand name" product I own vs. the cheaper competition. IT'S NOT WHAT IT COSTS YOU TO BUY IT. IT'S WHAT IT COSTS YOU TO OWN IT. You need to closely examine resale. If you amortize your tractor over ten years, what is a Kubota going to be worth over a Mahindra? Your difference in resale is about three times your purchase savings, by my thinking. Parts availability? I dunno about Mahindra, but that brings us to will you need parts? Kubotas enjoy a very enviable reputation for reliability. Down time on the job? Frustration (blood pressure) factors? All these can make $1500 look like chump change in just a couple of days.

For these reasons, I would stretch my dollars to buy any of the big three and avoid the new brands on the market; Long, McCormick, Mahindra, etc. I bought orange because it was the biggest bang for my buck. I have no specific brand alllegiance.

 

[5030]

cuzncletus:

We depreciate our tractors and implements over 5 years and then turn them over anyway.

Like you, it has been my experience that name brand implements and tractors always bring a higher resale than off brands whether on trade or outright.

That is why we only have tractors and implements that are nationally recognized, that, and the fact that established parts and warranty service is just as important.

We always buy from local dealers and we deal with every local dealer around here. I cringe at a "long distance" relationship when you are down and need a part RIGHT NOW.

 

[lamarbur]

Mahindra/Long and others do well here in the NE BECAUSE the big three are way out there!! I would have bought an L 48 or JD 110, however, you're not talking a few hundred diffferent. You're talking a number of thousands different.. I already know the story of higher business costs here as I was self employed 18 plus years. There is a big difference in covering that added 8% or so higher than average costs, which on a machine sale may be 1200- 1300 and that of charging 6 thousand plus higher than other areas..I don't question that Kubota is a great tractor, I do say that a few dealers, at least the majority of them in my area, have their noses so high in the air, I don't understand why they don't drown.. I find them snobbish, better than anyone else, best product in the whole world, just ask them, (no one else has a right to compete) and you pay their outlandish prices or find something else. This is also why people like Carvers have been stopped from shipping tractors to this area. Too bad when he sells, including shipping costs and still is 6 grand cheaper. Kubota if anything, should be helping the dealers or at least publicly announcing a reasonable lists price. I believe this would enhance their dead sales in this area and may in the short, and long run, help dealers sell. Instead, they cut of Carvers and others legs and think these dealers in NE will do better. Now that I vented, maybe you can see why like myself, bought a Mahindra. And funny this, it does everything my neighbors NH does of not more.

 

[5030]

lamarbur:

I wasn't trying to bash any particular brand, and I wasn't aware of that particular scenario in the NE. I don't understand how Carvers can be excluded from shipping Kubota into your area. Has the parent company set that mandate??

My observations of the Manhindra are my own based on my personal observations of a particular tractor that I had a chance to go over in great detail in conditions other than at a dealer. Actually, there is a Manhindra dealer just north of me in Milan, Mich.

"My" observations are just like I stated in the previous post.

Again, I wasn't trying to ruffle anyones feathers.

 

[jwcinpk]

I too have been shopping new tractors to hay with. Now if I had to pick today my choice would be Mahindra hands down. However they are heavier, they are still heavier and nothing gets hp to the ground and converted to traction like weight. I geuss it's crudeness that makes them lift more front and rear than the others too. Mahindra is here to stay PERIOD. They have already started increasing their price a tad because they are doing so well. If you sit down and compare specs Mahindra will come out on top every time. I know I've done it over and over. Mahindra is actually one of the larger tractor manufacturers in the world so I doubt parts will be a problem. Unless I am forced to buy used due to lackof money after all my other projects are done I will buy new and it will be Mahindra. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif There is one other orange tractor you should look at also. KIOTI. Now that said I'm in no way bashing a Kubota, they make a great product they're just too high.

 

[stvman]

Im not shure what Mahindras you were looking at but the TYM's are Iseki castings just like the ones used on Masseys. I have not experienced any substandard castings on the ones I looked at.Many of the Japanese manufactured tractors are using Korean foundrys for their castings. If there is a quality gap it is closing more every day. Steve