Kioti vs Taskmaster ?

[northcreek2624]

Hey Tim! are you still driving that Yugo??.....just wondering,Mike

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Northcreek, I'd like to add an amen to that. I've owned a Samsung lazer printer for about a year. The only thing that I can see is wrong with it is it was about $100 cheaper to buy than HP and some of the others! I'm sold on their quality.

 

[northcreek2624]

Farmhouse, I'm looking to buy a new TV, I thought I might try to get a deal through my bro-in-law who works for Phillips.He advised me to buy a Samsung,said they're one of the best out there......Mike
PS Don't ask me what this has to do with tractors???

 

[rtimgray]

No, not a Yugo for me, but I do drive daily an '88 Suzuki Samurai (I've had it since '91). It is built in Japan and was imported for a number of years until a fraudulent Consumer Reports Magazine accused it of having a high rollover risk. After that, sales plummetted from 80,000 per year to under 10,000, so they quit importing them. However, parts are plentiful, with several places (Hawk Strictly Suzuki, Petroworks, Calmini) providing new, used and aftermarket parts. Just becauses something ceases to be imported doesn't mean that all of the vehicles and parts already in the country disappear. I suspect, with the status of the Samurai being something of a "cult" vehicle, there will always be parts available. I work with a fella that has, yes, a Yugo for his daily driver (45 minute commute each way). He parks it about 3 spaces down from my Samurai. Admittedly, he also owns two non-running Yugos that he has bought for parts, but if memory serves me correctly, he claims to have less that $1200 tied up in all three vehicles, and he's been driving his Yugo since I've known him (6 years). I stand by my convictions of purchasing low-cost imported machines (after all, I've had a Belarus and a couple of grey-market Yanmers). The company that was handling the importation of Belarus tractors (Belarus Machinery, Inc. in Milwaukee) went Bankrupt, yet I never had a parts problem with my machine. I understand that Belarus tractors are now being imported by Belarus Tractor Company (also in Milwaukee). Anyway, buy what you feel comfortable with. If you're really nervous, buy an 8N. Of course you can go to NAPA and get practically any part....unfortunately, most of those parts are now made overseas. So maybe I won't be able to get parts for my 8N. I guess it's back to a shovel and wheelbarrow....wait, my shovel is made in Mexico...crap. I guess I'll just dig with my hands....

....or not. Sorry about the long (and sarcastic) post.

Take it easy

Tim Gray

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I am definately not anti-import. I don't see how anyone living in the us can avoid buying imports. I am just sorry to see all of the american companies moving so much of their manufacturing overseas. I drive a 12 yr old 4WD subaru and my wife drives an 7 yr old Lincoln Town car. Typical of which car the wife drives huh ? I hate car payments and would rather invest my money in more toys than replacing old ones that will still get the job done. Well anyway I do all of my auto maintenance/repair and a lot more stuff goes wrong with the L:incoln than the Subaru. I realize that many imported items are at least as high quality as american products and often higher quality.

I guess the Chinese have not caught up to the standards we in america expect from our machinery. The Koreans seem to be just about even with the Japenese though.

I do have another question on Kioti's though. Are the hydraulic fittings metric or SAE ? Both on the tractor and the FEL, etc.

Ben C.

 

[northcreek2624]

Tim, Believe it or not,I have an 87 Samari.Bought it with a blown engine and couldn't find a motor anywhere so I dropped a chev 350 in it,don't laugh,you should see me plow the snow.
My point (and yours) is that there's always a way to keep something going if your up to the challenge.
The 87 is not on the road,since I live in the snow belt area just south of Buffalo NY I can easily justify having a dedicated snow removal vehicle,theDK40 will be a nice helper when the banks get too high to push.........take care,Mike

 

[northcreek2624]

<font color=red>"I guess the Chinese have not caught up to the standards we in america expect from our machinery. The Koreans seem to be just about even with the Japenese though".</font color=red>

Ben,If you've noticed the stripped down, lower priced tractors
being offered by JD and Kubota,you've got to assume that they're feeling the heat from the Korean tractors.
In all areas( the exception being marketing)I would say that the South Koreans are hot on the Japs heels.
The hydraulic fittings are all sae,my remotes are 1/2"npt.
............Mike

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Thanks for the info Mike. The Chinese appear to have some kind of metric fittings on them. The standard fittings will make repairs and hooking up attachments like my log splitter easier. I will have to get one with a rear remote I guess.

Ben C.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Slowrev, there's going to be one more running in the next week or so. I just exchanged my hard-earned money for a LK4054 yesterday and it will be delivered next week. This forum has been terrific for good advice and it has really helped. Good luck to you.

 

[MisterKioti]

I would look at the dealer and the support you will get from them.
The greatest tractor in the world aint worth haveing if you cannot get parts, service or technical support.
I do not know much about the Taskmaster but being a Kioti dealer I can highly recomend them.
Hope this helps,
K