daTeacha
Veteran Member
Well, here I am again, still trying to make up my mind. Having finally decided on a pretty tight physical dimension envelope and eliminated a number of tractors for various reasons, having prices to work with and trade-in values for my B7100 to work with, I'm looking at the above 3 machines, with the Kubota last on the list due to the seat.
For the other two, based on prices obtained in the last few days, I can either go with the established brand and a dealer who has been there 40 years or with the less established brand and a dealer who has been there 4 years for very close to the same money. Looks like a no-brainer, right? Not quite. The established brand will also include running hydraulic lines from the rear valves to the mid-point where the loader lines connect so I can easily add an Add-A-Grapple later. Looks even better for the established brand, right? Not quite again.
The newer brand and dealer is only 10 miles away vs. 20 for the established one. The newer one is in the school district that has provided my income for the past 29 years. The established one will allow me 50% more for my tractor and that, coupled with A-Plan pricing makes the prices comparable.
The Kubota comes in because by allowing for the price offered on the B7100 by the Case guy, who also sells Kubota, I can get the 'bota for the essentially the same price. I think they're all offering 0% and 36 months.
The loader bucket on the Case is built a lot heavier than the Mahindra, but the Mahindra claims more lifting power, but the difference could just be due to bucket weight. The Case bucket is 54", the Mahindra is 48".
I figure I'm looking at 2 very comparable machines with the 'bota being the odd man out due to ergonomics. It also just looks taller and skinnier, but wears wider rear tires (11.2x16 vs. 9.5x16 on the others) The 'bota is the lightest, the Mahindra the heaviest, but the weight spread is only about 500 lb before the loaders are taken into account. All 3 fit my dimensional needs and I would probably get used to or modify the Kubota seat pretty quickly. One more thing -- my manure spreader and bush hog are both red. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
So, should I be the loyal local guy and support the start-up business in the school district, or put longevity and a proven track record first and go with the Case or Kubota? As I write this, I'm leaning toward the Case. Thoughts other than personal brand favoritism would be well received.
For the other two, based on prices obtained in the last few days, I can either go with the established brand and a dealer who has been there 40 years or with the less established brand and a dealer who has been there 4 years for very close to the same money. Looks like a no-brainer, right? Not quite. The established brand will also include running hydraulic lines from the rear valves to the mid-point where the loader lines connect so I can easily add an Add-A-Grapple later. Looks even better for the established brand, right? Not quite again.
The newer brand and dealer is only 10 miles away vs. 20 for the established one. The newer one is in the school district that has provided my income for the past 29 years. The established one will allow me 50% more for my tractor and that, coupled with A-Plan pricing makes the prices comparable.
The Kubota comes in because by allowing for the price offered on the B7100 by the Case guy, who also sells Kubota, I can get the 'bota for the essentially the same price. I think they're all offering 0% and 36 months.
The loader bucket on the Case is built a lot heavier than the Mahindra, but the Mahindra claims more lifting power, but the difference could just be due to bucket weight. The Case bucket is 54", the Mahindra is 48".
I figure I'm looking at 2 very comparable machines with the 'bota being the odd man out due to ergonomics. It also just looks taller and skinnier, but wears wider rear tires (11.2x16 vs. 9.5x16 on the others) The 'bota is the lightest, the Mahindra the heaviest, but the weight spread is only about 500 lb before the loaders are taken into account. All 3 fit my dimensional needs and I would probably get used to or modify the Kubota seat pretty quickly. One more thing -- my manure spreader and bush hog are both red. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
So, should I be the loyal local guy and support the start-up business in the school district, or put longevity and a proven track record first and go with the Case or Kubota? As I write this, I'm leaning toward the Case. Thoughts other than personal brand favoritism would be well received.