Hi guys,
I went to the Farm Equipment Show in Toronto, and was disappointed not to see John Deere or New Holland there. Kubota had a nice display, including the
B2320. I have decided to move up to a compact tractor. For not much more, I get foldable rops, heavier frame, proper transmission cooler, etc. etc. I've got it down to either the JD2320 or the Kubota
B2620. The price on these two tractors is almost identical.
I have to echo some of the comments I have read on the Kubota forum. The overall design of the new B is fantastic, but they fell short on some of the finishing touches. The Deere 2320 (which is two years old now) has better: PTO engagement; position control; beefier frame; larger loader and 3pt capacity; one piece cowling; brush guard folds down to allow easier access to the engine for maintenance; the loader comes standard with the quick attach bucket; IMO, the brake location is much better on the Deere. The imatch system on the Deeere is a bonus too, especially with the drive over deck.
The engines on the two are almost identical in terms of displacement. This gross horsepower thing is bogus - I'm assuming that the Deere has more, or at least equal torque.
The plastic cowling on the Kubota looks sooo cheap. Those side panels look like something I would find on my son's plastic toys, not a tractor. Its a good thing Kubota is super reliable because these things were not meant to last if you had to remove them very often.
So given the above, why would I even consider the Kubota? One answer, the three speed hydro. The operator platform is better on the Kubota than it is on the Deere. Why does the Deere's loader stick have to come out as much as it does? The new B's operator platform is super nice. The Deere's isn't bad, but its not as roomy.
As I mentioned before, I have a big hill in my yard. I have heard from others on the forum that the 2320 can't mow hills in high. How fast is low on the Deere? Am I losing that much in terms of speed. Will it make a big difference since I have a lot of trees, and not a lot of open runs? How easy is it to switch from low to high, and back again? I'm primarily going to be using the tractor for mowing. I suspect that the Kubota would perform better in this capacity, I would just leave it in medium and let her fly, but I like the features found on the Deere. I'd be interested to hear opinions from others who have the 2320, on their experience with mowing hills, and how fast or slow the Deere is in this regard.
If I am not satisfied that the Deere will perform well in terms of mowing/climbing hills, then I will reluctantly go with the Kubota. I would feel better about it if the Kubota was one to two thousand dollars less than the Deere - but they are exactly the same price - I feel like I'm getting ripped off. I think that Kubota really missed the mark here. With a few added features here and there, they would have a machine that would be unmatched by the competition.
I'm sure that someone will say that I can move up to the 2630 series to get all the features that I'm complaining about, but then I would be spending a lot more money, and I'm at the limit of my budget. And why would I - Deere seems able to offer these features at the same price (minus the three speed hydro!).
Any comments/suggestions would be appreciated.