Bad mouthing a Kioti?

[JbirdNC]

So I've been closing in on my first tractor purchase (CK35HST TLB). I've really been thorough in my consideration of Kubotas, JDs, Mahindras and MFs. One thing I noticed during my numerous discussions with dealers, is the elitism of JD and Kubota dealers. I was talking with 2 Kubota dealers this past weekend and when I mentioned Kioti to them they were completely blown off by the suggestion. One told me it's like "comparing a Kia to a Cadillac". My conversation with the JD dealer was basically the same. However, when talking to 3 different Kioti dealers, they were all respectful of the other brands and said I would be happy with any of them if I bought them over a Kioti. I like that in a dealer. It's amazing that Kubota and JD dealers just shut down any notion that a Kioti is a good tractor. When I press them for evidence or details to support their opinion, all I ever get is "Korean" or " I knew someone that had a problem with one". When I bring evidence of all the glowing reviews and forum feedback on the Kioti line, they are speechless. This tells me this is just name-brand mumbo jumbo and that there isn't a really good argument against buying a Kioti. I just wanted to start this thread so that if others had similar feedback from their shopping experience, they could share it here to help out other newbs that we're perhaps getting the same BS speeches during their shopping.

 

[murphy1244]

Yep, heard the same crap. Also the resale BS. I don't use my tractor as a bank.

 

[JbirdNC]

Oh yea, heard that today also... "Nothing wrong with buying a Kioti as long as you plan on KEEPING it". When I asked the Kubota dealer today why he didn't think the Kioti was a good tractor, he said he had a used one once and the guy he sold it to "had problems with it". When I asked what problems he had, he had no answer other than to tell me that HE had personally never had any experience with a Kioti (yet he had such a strong opinion against them). I don't mind good, fact-based arguments against something, but I can't stand the mindless " I just prefer to stick with the big 2" nonsense.

 

[Threepoint]

I'm sure you'll find others that have had similar experiences, but I really think it comes down to the particular salesmen, and even the particular dealerships, that you talk with. Early this year I was about to order a new Kubota "Grand L" L4760 from the same dealership where I bought my first two Kubotas. Then I started investigating the new NX series Kiotis, and ultimately went that way. The Kubota folks were not at all disrespectful of Kioti, and I really appreciated that. I think the classy salesmen and dealerships know that what goes around usually comes around.

 

[RDrancher]

I don't think there's anything inferior about Kioti tractors. I'll take a hard look at them when I get ready buy a new one.

 

[RollingsFarms]

My only reason I won't own a Kioti is because there aren't any dealers around me. Not even close. I'd at least like to see one in person and sit on it and check it out but all I can go by is pics and what's said on here. I'm the same way with Mahindra as well as other brands, there just aren't any dealers close to me. That's the only "bad" thing I can say about them though and why I never recommend them if someone asks me because I'm clueless on them myself!

 

[tman1020]

Before I bought my tractor I looked at Kubota also. When I mentioned kioti at there lot as one of my other potentials they were more like oh **** I just lost another deal.

 

[rmorey]

I agree with Murph, my tractor's not a bank and my banker won't plow my driveway. Just how I like it!

 

[KiotiKowboy]

I looked at Kubota before buying my Kioti DK50SE HST. Frankly, the Kubota was a nice tractor but cost much more for less. I love my Kioti and have no regrets whatsoever.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

I actually liked the Kioti CK30 a little better than the similar Kubota and JD because it had more features like adjustable draw bars at a lot lower price. The only down fall was the dealer was 40 miles away and has only been in business just over 5 years. I ended up buying the MF 1529 because the specs were very close to the Kitoi and the price was only about 500 more. However, the dealer is only 5 mi from my home and has been in business for 75 years. Service and support were the most important to me because I am new to tractors. There are a lot of good tractors out there but sooner or later they will all need parts and service. A strong dealer can make or break an experience a lot more than the brand of tractor.

 

[KiotiKevin]

Here's my take on Kioti; I shopped around 10 years ago for a tractor, looked at the other brands and found (in my opinion) that Kioti was equal to if not better built than both Kubota & John Deere and cost less. I had a CK25 HST for 10 years and the only problem I had was a leaky seal in my left front wheel housing 4 years ago, the dealer is 3 hours from me but services this area regularly. They fixed it in my back yard and it cost me a total of $168 parts, labor, & taxes included. On resale you can take this fact to the dealer lots, I paid $19,500 ten years ago had 550hrs on it, traded up to a 2014 NX4510 and got $15000 for my trade. I shopped all around Atlantic Canada on the original price of the NX and there was no inflated price to accommodate the sale. To prove my pricing point you can find my old CK25 with Sims cab on Proudfoot Motors, New Glasgow website TLB for $22,995. I love my new Kioti. Bring on the snow eh !!!
Kevin

 

[Parkanzky]

Badmouthing is a huge turn-off for me from a dealer. I'm in the middle of tractor shopping (As it happens, I have it narrowed down to the JD 2032R or the Kubota B3350 right now). There are two JD dealers and two Kubota dealers within a reasonable distance of me.

I went to the bigger JD dealer first, told him what I was interested in, and he showed me their tractors. I've never purchased a tractor before, so he discussed what I wanted to do with it and helped me figure out what size would be best for my needs. I thanked him and told him that I wanted to look at Kubota and Case as well. He said, "Those are both good tractors. You'll just need to drive them and see what you like." Great experience.

Then, I went to the Kubota dealer south of me. I went in and told him that I'd been to the JD dealer and settled on the 2032R if I go that route, so I'd like to see the comparable orange tractor. He immediately responded, "Do you want a plastic hood?!?!" and "Do you want to be able to lift and curl the bucket at the same time?" I spent another 15 minutes listening to nonsense about Deere not making their own engines (I don't care as long as it's a good engine.) and every other attack he could think of. I kept trying to steer him back to the Kubotas with things like, "So show me what you'd recommend here." but all he wanted to do was badmouth other brands. A friend was with me (He has a Kubota, so I took him along to help me shop.). When we finally left, he started laughing as soon as we got out the door. I'll never go back to that dealer. If they had been the only Kubota dealer in town, I would have already purchased the JD because it wouldn't matter how good the Kubota is...

 

[k0ua]

Sales people need to learn that bad mouthing someones product unless you have solid 3rd party proof of a known defect rarely works, and is usually counterproductive. Only poor desperate salespeople engage heavily in negative advertising.

 

[pmhowe]

When I decided to buy a tractor, I looked for dealers near me. I found a John Deere dealer, and a Kubota dealer. Another 90 miles away, I found an LS dealer and a Bobcat dealer. I liked the Bobcat, but was worried about the distance for support, and the fact that it was becoming an orphan. I wanted an LS, but the dealer did not have the model I wanted, and wasn't receptive to selling me one. There were no Mahindra nor Kioti dealers nearby. I went to the John Deere dealer, but couldn't get him to give me the time of day. I ended up buying a Kubota, which I love. However, I suspect I could have gotten all the features from a Kioti, at lower price, had there been a dealer within working distance.

 

[Garandman]

Kubota dealer I'm working with in Central NH is very respectful of all brands. I've found owners to be far more chauvinistic.

Nearest dealer to my place is now Mahindra but had no stock in the model I was interested in.

 

[paulfun9]

While shopping the Kabota and JD tractors I was very up front about checking out the other brands before making a decision. It seemed to me that the kabota dealership and salesmen were far more tolerable of hearing this and didn't bad mouth the other brands. However one salesman did with very carefully chosen words warn me to pay very close attention to "SOME" of the lower cost brands but mentioned no names. On the other hand I heard a lot of flack at most of the JD shops and questioned them about specifics. As usual not a one could offer any specific problems with anything but were dumbfounded when I started to read off of a list of known existing problems that have been reported about their tractors.
I did however get an earful from many current owners on reasons why they didn't go with one brand as opposed to an other but also have to wonder where they got their input from? Because as I investigated the problems they cited I could only validate some very minor problems like the ignition switch on the Kioti.
Most of my friends who own tractors so far have been nothing but impressed with the DK40 so far. Just today while we were doing some driveway work one of my tried and true Green or nothing friends sounded almost like a kid asking his parents for some candy in the store when he offered to run the DK for a bit. The smile on his face told the story more so than any words could but he is for sure second guessing most of the things he simply repeated to me about the other brands when I was looking.

 

[TripleR]

Neither our local Kubota or John Deere dealer have ever said anything negative about other brands. I looked at Kioti when shopping, but our only local dealer keeps few in stock. My brother went out of state to get his Kioti and it's a great little tractor. Our LS/Mahindra dealership has their display lot at one location and a small "office" with no showroom some distance away, where getting help is hit and miss, nice people, but not for me.

 

[oosik]

I have Kubota, JD & New Holland dealers within a 50 mile radius. I went with the dealership that I had previous experience with and I knew could/would provide good service. I'm not going out of state for any brand of tractor or any major purchase for that matter. I did, once, on a car and it was a nightmare.

All three of these dealerships welcomed comparison shopping. I simply found that Kubota offered the best pricing and had the tractor I wanted on their lot. They also provide excellent service. The owners of the local Kubota dealership are part of a long time farming family and are tied to local farmers & their situations - not corporate goals.

 

[Wolfy]

I think you find that will all brands. Kubota does seem to be getting too expensive. I can hardly stand my Kubota dealership, the slow parts arrival and cockiness. If I buy new, Im looking at Kioti and Mahindra carefully.

 

[houstonscott]

Use TBN, search through posts of problems for both brands, look at issues and make your own evaluation. I think you will come to a clear answer to your question. HS.