Price Check Comparing some Kioti estimates

[Dawgrin]

Hi all,

I have been a forum lurker for over a year now, but this is my first post.

First off, thanks for building this great community and helping out tractor newbies like myself. We have about 25 acres in SE Indiana and have been here for almost 2 years now. I have just recently convinced my wife that getting a tractor would mean getting done more things on the property that she (and I) want to get done. I have been pricing tractors on and off for a while now, but I have very little info on Kioti prices. I asked for some estimates from a couple dealerships in my area and this was the result.

Kioti Comparisons - Google Sheets

Some of these are quite different pricewise. Are these prices fair for the tractor and options? Should I be considering other options?

Thanks for taking a look!

-Jon

 

[Wellarmedlamb]

Welcome! I've been researching tractors for months. I'll be getting a backhoe so you can figure $6k+ for the backhoe alone.

My quotes were:

$28,000 - CK4010 HST TLB with every add-on added + 2 remotes, filled tires and no third function.

$33,000 - NX4510 HST TLB with 2 remotes, filled rear tires and no third function.

Was given the same price as you for third function installed.

 

[paulfun9]

Lets say I want the Dk4510

From the first dealer add the things I would still want like filled tires, floor mat and Telescoping lower links it seems the price would still be around 3grand less than your second price. Guess it just seems too simple to me but the guy who saves me money on the same product gets my business.

 

[DieselBound]

NX5510HC with loader, filled rears and three remotes AND taxes came to about $36 for me (last October).

If prices are close I'd look to do business with the better dealer. New stuff comes with issues and a responsive dealer in such situations is worth the extra cost. I only had one nearby Kioti dealer, and while not highly rated I went with them figuring that I'd "help" them be the "better" dealer: so far they have seemed to get better; with me they've been very good- I make it a point to make it all about a partnership- I buy my filters and most fluids (except engine oil- I'm standardized for all my equipment) from them.

 

[Dawgrin]

@paulfun9 I agree with you for the most part. Both dealers seem pretty good. I think whoever can get me the best deal will get my business. From the replies here it seems estimate #1 is a legit good deal for an NX4501 HST. Is that fair to say?

That being true, what additional options would be good to have on that tractor? I really and a newbie when it comes to working with these machines, so I am not really sure what things I should be on the lookout for. I know i will be doing lots of work with the loader (moving soil, gravel, snow, etc.), I have a driveway close to a mile long to maintain as well, so I will be doingmlots of box grader work. And I have a fair amount of pasture and trails to keep mowed, as well as the occasional tree to drag around.

Thanks again for your help all!

 

[DieselBound]

How much grass/brush do you expect to end up having to mow? As I increase my grass area I'm thinking more about getting a flail: actually thinking of getting a smaller one for the B7800 so that my wife can mow- easier for her to deal with than a rotary; for a while longer the NX with a 6' rotary is tasked with doing the touch stuff, more clearing (and mowing too).

Might look at a planer/grader rather than a box blade if you have a lot of driveway to grade. Box blades, however, are almost indispensable, in which case sometimes even though they may not be optimal for grading one can accept that fact, make do. Also, box blades are great for ballast. In general the heavier the box blade the better. I got a 7' 1,200 lb one for my NX and have found that I have little use for the [hydraulic] rippers because the thing will really dig in (it'll roll sod!): having an hydraulic top link REALLY is an asset here (and can also be one for mowing- not optimal, but I've found I can at least work some ditches thanks to the hydraulic top link).

How much material do you expect to have to move? I bought a [used] dump trailer because I had a HUGE project that required a lot of material and I was moving it nearly 1/2 mile. At some point efficiency really drops as distance increases. Had I not had access to this material, which was/is free, the dump trailer wouldn't have been on my list. Again, it really depends on your long-term needs.

I made DO with a Kubota B7800 for nearly 6 years, on 40 acres that had LOTS of brush and wood debris. It wasn't until year two (or three?) that I discovered toothbars. Life would have been MUCH easier had I had one from the get-go. Also, it wasn't until about year four that I got around to putting ballast in the rear tires: I made sure to get ballast in my NX's rears right up front!

I have a lot of heavy chain and a great choker cable for moving tree trunks around, though I don't end up using them all that much as I try to cut and split on-site and load into my crates (after which time I don't touch the wood until I'm pulling each piece out to toss into the wood stove). I did, however, move some trunks for easier processing, used my grapple (estimated the trunks to be 2k+ lbs).

One has to really asses what one is going to be doing. Again, I made DO with a scant 30hp, small-framed tractor for nearly 6 years. When I went to purchase a bigger tractor I KNEW exactly what I needed it to do (and I've been putting it to good, hard use).

I know that you asked about options for the tractor, but until you know what implements and uses you're going to be using your tractor for it's really hard to say what options make sense. I've mentioned some implements to help think about tasks (when you step through tasks is when you can best translate to options and equipment needed).

 

[paulfun9]

As far as the tractor is concerned

If HST cruise control is nice to have if you have long runs where constant or steady speed will be needed
Long hours means I want comfort so the floor mat is important for me
Loaded rear tires are best for safety reasons
I really like having telescopic lower links on the three point, makes hooking up things so easy I have no need for any of the other quick attach offerings on the market
Other than that the list you have is good for basic useable needs based on my example given with the DK4510

So basically if dealer number 1 can save you 3 grand with the added options that is where I would be spending my money and the tractor would be very useable to start off with.


Like Diesel Bound points out I like the Grader/Planer or LPGS over a box blade for long driveways

Tooth bars for the bucket, grapples and forks are some very handy things for anyone with lots of property and a loader. Just don't kill the bank trying to buy everything at once. Focus on a tractor that is set up for the attachments at affair price as the most important thing and if the money is there then look at the attachments but remember many things like box blades, scarper blades and even LPGS grader blades can be had used at a fraction of the price of new. Being new each attachment will be a learning experience so pushing for too much with the purchase can leave some with a poor performing attachment even if the tractor is right.

.

 

[Dawgrin]

Might look at a planer/grader rather than a box blade if you have a lot of driveway to grade. Box blades, however, are almost indispensable, in which case sometimes even though they may not be optimal for grading one can accept that fact, make do. Also, box blades are great for ballast. In general the heavier the box blade the better. I got a 7' 1,200 lb one for my NX and have found that I have little use for the [hydraulic] rippers because the thing will really dig in (it'll roll sod!): having an hydraulic top link REALLY is an asset here (and can also be one for mowing- not optimal, but I've found I can at least work some ditches thanks to the hydraulic top link).

I had always been told that the grader box was the way to go when working on the driveway, use the teeth to get that top level of gravel loosened up and take out any big pot holes and then use the blade to level and smooth. I am also putting in a new 200' section of driveway where I will need to break up some hard soil and move a lot of dirt around. Figured I could at least get things nice and loose with the box and then come back with the loader to move stuff to a pile.

I am having trouble figuring out where to find a heavy box like that. The ones I am seeing (72") are like 400-500 pounds and I am not sure if that is enough or if I need to invest in something bigger. Same with the rotary cutter that the dealer I am working with is trying to sell me on. He priced a Bushhog BH6 cutter which, when I look at the specs seems pretty light weight. I like the specs on the BH16 much better, but I am not sure if that is what I really need or not.

I can be a bit indecisive when it comes to a big purchase like this and i always seem to be swinging between "I want to get the best and toughest thing I can get" and "wow that is a lot of $$"

 

[DieselBound]

I bought a new box blade only because I could not find a good used one. PM me and I'll let you know where I got it. Hard surfaces definitely need a heavy implement. I've found that rippers/scarifiers make for great brakes! Doesn't take much to have a box blade with rippers down dig in and stall you out. This is where an hydraulic top link is essential (and one sets the rippers shallow).

Bush hog I got used. REAL used; but, it's near Medium Duty (one has to really research to fully understand what the various classes are here; there's no industry standard, but once you understand what's different in the different "classes" it become more obvious- look to the leading manufacturers to know what's really "heavy duty," "wedium duty," "light duty" etc.): it's about 1k lbs, 6', (90 HP gearbox) Bush Hog brand. $800, but I had to buy a new PTO shaft and get the tail wheel bracket welded (and reinforced): it's mentioned in my thread http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kioti-buying-pricing/369313-my-nx5510h.html

Being indecisive just means that you're not being hasty. Read around in the Attachments section in this site, it has some great info to help provide others' experiences. Case in point, after reading up about PTO augurs I decided to NOT go that route and instead rented a skid steer with an augur: fencing project; I got the augur stuck a few times- had I not had the ability to reverse, as is the case with PTO-driven augurs, I don't know what I'd have done; yes, many people manage, but for me I had a big project and I had to slam it out quickly; I won't hesitate to rent power/the right tool for the job.

 

[Dawgrin]

Interesting that you mention how useful that hydraulic top link is. Both dealers I spoke to told me that it would be useless for that application and that size tractor. I am not sure why they would say that, it seemed like a pretty great feature to have when you have to adjust a heavy implement on the back but I don't know much...=p