Comparison between the B3030HSD and JD 3120

[DayDreamer]

I'm down to the final days before buying. Please review the attachment which shows the differences between models. The comparisons between back hoe and loader are below:

Manufacturer: John Deere
Model Loader: 300CX
Lift capacity (pivot): 1598 lbs
Lift capacity: 1122 lbs

Model Backhoe: 448
Digging force using
Bucket cylinder: 3730 lbs
Digging force using
dipperstick cylinder: 2435 lbs
Digging depth
2 ft bottom: 105.0 in

Manufacturer: Kubota
Model Loader: LA403
Lift capacity (pivot): 1091 lbs
Lift capacity: 783 lbs

Model Backhoe: BH75
Bucket cylinder: 3339 lbs
Digging force using
dipperstick cylinder: 2097 lbs
Digging depth
2 ft bottom: 91.0 in



Currently, the JD quote is $5100 higher than the Kubota. My questions:
1. Are the spec differences worth more money?
2. If so, how much?

The main use will be for installing approximately 300 feet of retaining wall with heights from 4 to 12 feet. Lot is sloped at a 45 degree angle that will need to be terraced. There are around 30 tree stumps that will need to be dealt with along the way.

I started this project out with an Orange hat, but, I think maybe it’s turning Green. Help….

 

[JimMorrissey]

Day,

Why are you turning green from the specs....Can you shed some light on your decision process?

The BH75 looks like a real nice unit.

 

[Rick_Morrell]

Daydreamer:

Looks like you're comparing apples and oranges. From the specs, the JD 3120 is a little closer to an L3130 than it is a B3030, which might justify the $5,100 price difference. You may want to quote an L3130 with a similar configuration, or go to the next model down in the JD line to get a fairer comparison (maybe a 4210). Ultimately, I think you'll want to have your dealers let you demo something on your site (good time to see how your dealer relationship might unfold). You might find some other factor which will drive your final decision (e.g. maneuverability around obstacles, perceived power, etc.). Good luck, they're both nice tractors - I wouldn't kick either one out of the barn.


Rick

 

[Bob_Skurka]

DayDreamer, this is a tractor mis-match. Both are just different types of machines. Think of the B3030 as a 12-oz finish nail hammer and the 3120 as a 20-oz framing hammer . . . both will drive nails, but both are suited for different types of work.

The B3030 is an ultralight tractor in the 30hp class, it is a small 30hp machine, has lower capacities, lower weight and is a great tractor for maintaining landscaping, lawn mowing, etc. It is an OK tractor for constructing landscaping.

Consider the 3120 essentially the opposite type of machine at about 1000# more weight, great at constructing a small estate, OK at maintaining it. I agree with a previous post that the JD3120 is more similar to the Kubota L3130 than it is to the Kubota B3030.

JMO, but you need to decide what your long term plans are to determine which tractor is better suited for you. Are you buying the tractor to build the retaining wall/pull the stumps? If so, then what will you use it for when this summer is over and those tasks are done? If you have more heavy work to do, I'd look at the beefier machine. If your big projects are going to be done when these are completed, I'd want to consider if the tractor will still be suitable for the property after that point.

 

[Rolando]

Price and compare the L3130 with the LA723 loader and the BH90 backhoe. Those specs will make the John Deere and Kubota tractors very comparable and I think you'll find that the price spread will still be significantly in Kubota's favor.

 

[chatcher]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...Currently, the JD quote is $5100 higher than the Kubota...)</font>

I recentyl went through the process of choosing a new tractor, and I know it can be very confusing. The different manufactureres don't make exactly equivalent models, and price differences are hard to reconcile, never knowing whether the difference is due to the different specs, different brands, or different dealers. As others have said, these tractors aren't very closely matched, so price comparison isn't very telling.

My advice would be to forget about pricing at first. Actual price differences for "apples to apples" equivalent tractors are extremely low among the big three brands, assuming finding dealers willing to deal at similar profit margins (though this isn't always easy). I would expect brand differences to be in the hundreds, not thousands. (Dealer differences can be much more!) First choose the exact tractor you would want if price was not the issue. Everyone has different needs, for some, larger frame and heavier weight is an advantage, for some a disadvantage. Some need higher HP in a more compact package. The manufactureres do a good job at producing a bewildering array of choices. Once you have your ideal tractor selected, then figure out what tractors most closely match it in the other brands. Then go price shopping and decide what changes you would be willing to make for the cost difference.

In my case I started looking at the JD 3X20's, then Kubota L3X30's, and finally ended up buying a NH TC35DA, a much larger tractor. I initially thought I wanted the best tractor I could get with under 60-inch width, to use with 60-inch FEL, box scraper, and brush hog. I wanted larger diameter tires for mud, and later decided the 60-inch width limitation might cost me too much in stability on the hills. Once I began considering 72-inch wide attachments on the larger size tractor, the choice became much easier, and once I found the right dealer the TC35DA sold itself.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is not to get too fixated on pricing until you've done enough research to determine exactly what you want. If it then turns out you can't get it at a price you want to pay, you can start compromising to lower the price. And don't count on one dealer's quote as an indication of what you would have to pay for a particular make and model, even if you know you will end up buying from that dealer for other reasons.