Ever notice how owners of inferior equipment always take any comment about a possible shortcoming of their sacred cow W A Y T O O S E R I O U S L Y??????? (Just joking, HONEST! PULEASE don't spray my Kubby green)
Agricultural types are a most conservative group. When they do stray from convention (Deere etc.) they often go for some really off the wall loser like Belarus (nice cast iron, low on engineering and technology) wooed by price. Real world results stampedes them back toward greener (Deere) pastures. Contractors by nature are a bit more pragmatic and less slavishly loyal to a company name (that used to represent American engineering and manufacture). I was trained as a scientist and worked as an engineer. I am predisposed to go with what works for me in my circumstances!
An example of extreme conservatism: Two good ole boys 'round here came over with two tractors, one scarifyin' the other Land Pride box bladin' to help me make a site for my mom's new house. The one brought a dozer for a few hours, as well. I like and respect these guys A N D appreciate their help B U T when I tried to use a "Water Level" to check grade they collectively threw a "caniption fit" (Sort of like a cross between Turet's syndrome and epilepsy.) I had to put the evil contraption away. They didn't trust it and insisted on stretching a string for 100 ft, laying prone in the dirt, and using a 2 ft carpenter's level held under the string to gauge the grade. The foundation is 70 ft long and there was nearly one foot of vertical error from one end to the other when they were through congratulating themselves on the great job they did. Of course the (water level) is accurate to as close as you can see (maybe an 1/8 or 1/16 of an inch at any distance (as long as you have garden hoses to reach). Ever bit as good as an expensive LASER level, just not as fast or convenient.
These guys, and most of their counterparts, worship at the Green shrine whether or not they personally own green. They think I must have fell out of a well and landed on my head for 1. Paying that much for a tractor and it's not being Green, and 2. getting a tractor with a cab. It often gets in the high 80's, 90's and sometimes low 100's with high humidity and little or no breeze. Not every day, but often enough. In the winter it freezes and sometimes we have snow that stays on the ground for a week or so (not neccessarily every year). I've seen this one guy go home to change out of his wet clothes twice in a day when it was spittin' a little rain with the snow. He is out feeding the cattle (he really takes GOOD care of his stock) in all weather. I will get a bale spear for my FEL and help him by feeding the stock he runs on my 160 acres FROM THE HEATED OR AIR CONDITIONED KUBOTA CAB.
I bought KUBOTA on reputation, research, and perceived value (function/cost). I looked long and hard, went to auctions, got in line to buy low hour units coming back in from lease (NOT KUBOTA) and on and on. I went to ALL major brand dealers in 50-75 mile radius. There are other good tractors out there B U T...
Who can tell me of a better tractor than a Kubota Grand L4610HSTC (Cab with A/C and heat and radio and 2 way...) for my purposes. It is the smallest Kubota with a factory supplied cab&A/C-heat. It is very easy to enter and exit (from left door as loader joy stick gets in way of easy right hand mount/dismount). With 4x4 I do with 39.5 PTO HP what strains 60 HP 2wd units. Down side is the cab model can't be fitted with a Kubota backhoe but it ain't over till the fat lady sings and she hasn't even started to clear her throat yet.
There are tractors out there about equal to mine B U T they cost more, have fewer dealers, are harder to get parts for in my area, have lower resale value around here, or some other negative that puts Kubota (for my particular model at the price I paid etc.) a bit out ahead. This is my first tractor and I didn't give a rat's xxx what I bought as long as it was arrived at by a rigourous selection process that would ensure I didn't go too far wrong. I think I did just fine but welcome any comments to the contrary. (Except paintin' her Green)
I say "her" because to quote the rich kid with the neat car in the "Our Gang Comedies", "Things of beauty, grace, or speed are customarily refered to in the feminine gender."
Patrick
P.S. Let me get into my Kevlar/Nomex underwear before you light into me.
