Kubota B2650 vs Mahindra Max 26XL ... Which is the better buy?

[Fiziksgeek]

The most common thing I hear people say mourned here is that you must be comfortable with the dealer, regardless of brand.

I think the JD 1025R only comes in 4wd, so there must have been a lever in there somewhere. I tested one before I bought my Massey Ferguson GC2400, and didn't like the operator platform, just didn't ft me well. But it's not in the size machine you're looking at anyway.

Do you have a Massey dealer around? If so, check out the 1700e series. A 1726e should be very competitive in price with the Kubota B2650, maybe hair more, but will be a little heavier (2600lbs, vs ~1800 lbs), and perhaps a little stronger. But its got nearly the same dimensions and wheelbase. So should be just as maneuverable. It doesn't have a mid PTO though, so can't have a MMM or front blower, etc.

 

[jenkinsph]

Don't think Deere offers anything but 4wd below the 5045D tractors. Lots of nice tractors from a lot of brands to choose from that are all good. My thought is it is difficult to set up a tractor that is optimum for mowing with reduced ground pressure one minute then set it up for tlb uses the next minute. You really need to have separate machines for the two different tasks. The large tractors with larger tires may not have a higher ground pressure than the smaller ones. A bicycle can rut the lawn quicker than a tractor with 80 psi tires.

 

[archwoodholding]

The most common thing I hear people say mourned here is that you must be comfortable with the dealer, regardless of brand.

I think the JD 1025R only comes in 4wd, so there must have been a lever in there somewhere. I tested one before I bought my Massey Ferguson GC2400, and didn't like the operator platform, just didn't ft me well. But it's not in the size machine you're looking at anyway.

Do you have a Massey dealer around? If so, check out the 1700e series. A 1726e should be very competitive in price with the Kubota B2650, maybe hair more, but will be a little heavier (2600lbs, vs ~1800 lbs), and perhaps a little stronger. But its got nearly the same dimensions and wheelbase. So should be just as maneuverable. It doesn't have a mid PTO though, so can't have a MMM or front blower, etc.

I thought the MF's had optional 2000 RPM MID PTO. I'd have to see one ... it may be just too big dimensionally speaking for areas i want to get to. The weight is important since I'd be mowing over my leach well and didn't want to compress the soil. I'd have to see one to know. I had a Kubota L3540 and was very heavy and was very difficult to get into tight areas and was not a tractor I'd ever want to mow my lawn even if it could take a MMM. It was a comfortable tractor but just too big for my needs.

 

[archwoodholding]

The most common thing I hear people say mourned here is that you must be comfortable with the dealer, regardless of brand.

I think the JD 1025R only comes in 4wd, so there must have been a lever in there somewhere. I tested one before I bought my Massey Ferguson GC2400, and didn't like the operator platform, just didn't ft me well. But it's not in the size machine you're looking at anyway.

Do you have a Massey dealer around? If so, check out the 1700e series. A 1726e should be very competitive in price with the Kubota B2650, maybe hair more, but will be a little heavier (2600lbs, vs ~1800 lbs), and perhaps a little stronger. But its got nearly the same dimensions and wheelbase. So should be just as maneuverable. It doesn't have a mid PTO though, so can't have a MMM or front blower, etc.

I thought the MF's had optional 2000 RPM MID PTO. I'd have to see one ... it may be just too big dimensionally speaking for areas i want to get to. The weight is important since I'd be mowing over my leach well and didn't want to compress the soil. I'd have to see one to know. I had a Kubota L3540 and was very heavy and was very difficult to get into tight areas and was not a tractor I'd ever want to mow my lawn even if it could take a MMM. It was a comfortable tractor but just too big for my needs.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

I thought the MF's had optional 2000 RPM MID PTO. I'd have to see one ... it may be just too big dimensionally speaking for areas i want to get to. The weight is important since I'd be mowing over my leach well and didn't want to compress the soil. I'd have to see one to know. I had a Kubota L3540 and was very heavy and was very difficult to get into tight areas and was not a tractor I'd ever want to mow my lawn even if it could take a MMM. It was a comfortable tractor but just too big for my needs.

I know they had an optional mid pto option on the 1500 series, which you can still find some new out there. I didn't think they carried that option over to the new 1700e series, but I could be wrong. The 1526 was a little smaller, more like a B2601/2620, and just touch heavier. The 1726e is really close in size to the B2650, but heavier. If you're looking to mow, the 1726e is probably bit heavy anyway, though not nearly the size/weight of your L3540 though.

I've been thinking of upgrading, and went a local Kubota dealer and saw a BX2670, B2620, and B3350 next to each other. I was surprised how much bigger the B50 , while the BX and small B were pretty close. I'd be worried about mowing with a B50 in my yard because of size, not so much weight.

I am not very familiar with the offering from Mahindra, Kioti, LS and the the like, I have more knowledge with JD, Kubota, and Massey. From those, if you're looking to keep the base tractor under 2000 lbs, then Massey's only offering is the currently discontinued 1523/1526, Kubota has the B series, and JD the 2 family. Of those, I think kubota is the best option.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

There's a reason Kubota leads the market. But, in the end, you must pick the one that fits and feels right to you.

 

[archwoodholding]

I loved my Kubota L3540 and the dealer was very good as well. I wish I could have seen the models lined up as you did as that may have made my decision easier. The flexing of the fenders and platform kind of took me by surprise but it seems that is 'normal' or at least acceptable from some of the folks responding so my mind is beginning to rethink Kubota especially if the dealer and Kubota will stand behind them if that flexing becomes a problem. I definitely don't want to be mowing with the B50's as they are too close in size to the 'L' I had. I do want the tractor to be stable on slopes so want something I sit in rather than on top of. I also need the tractor to plow or blow snow as well as move materials. I also will want to be able to use a SSQA Auger on the FEL. I had thought of using a BH but figure that would be a waste of money and sloppy for post holes. So in your opinion which is the best "B" for my needs? the B2601 or the B2620?

 

[McREBEL]

The B2601 is the model that replaced the B2620 so they are very similar tractors. The B2620 was produced from about 2008 until recently. Some of the notable differences between the the B2601/B2620: different pedal placement, B2601 has telescoping stabalizers, tilt steering wheel, and position control. The B2620 has a "quarter inching" valve on the 3 pt instead of position control. Some people don't like the "quarter inching" but I do. Kubota surprisingly left people in the dark about how to adjust it which didn't help with peoples perception. I have a B2920 which is identical to the B2620 plus 3hp. I removed some grass where I will be putting a pool using my dirt scoop last Saturday. Being able to make small adjustments with the "quarter incher" up/down as I was cutting just underneath the grass was great. I ended up with a wagon load of nice pieces of sod I transplanted elsewhere. I am not sure, based on what I have read on TBN, if the same small adjustments up/down could be made with the position control. It could be I could have done just as well with position control. I don't know as I have no experience with it. I am also including some links about the "quarter incher" used on the B2620.

Kubota Tractors - B Series - B2301/B2601 - Kubota Tractor Corporation

Compact Tractors | B20 Series | Kubota Tractor Corporation

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/212121-quarter-inching.html?highlight=quarter+inching

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/68855-quarter-inching.html?highlight=quarter%20inching%20valve%20explanation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T5wZ6Kmqic

 

[s219]

If you can find a super deal on an older B2620 or B2920, it's a fine option. But the B2601 includes some nice upgrades that McRebel mentioned, and I believe the front loader is improved as well (may even have higher capacity). If I were buying now, I'd want a 2601 myself, just to get the latest and greatest. But then again, I had a B2920, so I may be in more of an "upgrade" mindset.

Edit to add -- I looked at Deeres when shopping years ago, since I was an existing/former Deere owner and the dealers 4-5 miles down the road. When looking at Kubotas later on, I was really struck by the amount of metal Kubota uses compared to plastics on the Deeres. I really prefer the metal myself.

 

[mike69440]

I did make it to a Mahindra Dealer today. I sat on the Max 26XL and found it to be rock solid. It was a little rougher around the edges than Kubota so hard to see why their pricing is so similar but seemed to be constructed well just a bit cruder but still a good solid machine the only things I didn't care for was the platform isn't completely flat but liveable, the loader control seems cheap just a ball on a threaded rod and the hydraulic fittings in a few places where actually touch which will be obvious failure sites just from vibration but this could be addressed. The real problem was the dealer. This dealer sold used cars as well and none of the salesmen there seemed to know or want to take any interest in the tractors (the tractors were probably priced higher than many of the cars on the lot) I've also asked them for quotes via their website over the past week and have gotten no response. If they are this difficult to try to buy from them then certainly don't want to find out their response should a problem exist. The other Mahindra Dealer is just too far for me to travel. Yesterday, I visited the John Deere dealer down the road, but they were overstocked with 1025's and just looking at them they appeared cheap. The gas guage is on the plastic filler cap. I didn't see any with 4WD or a knob to engage or disengage if it had it. Everything was plastic all around the operators platform and most all implements if they didn't have MADE IN CHINA on them said ASSEMBLED IN USA. I saw a 2025 but it too had a hood and everthing else made of plastic. The frames on these tractors were also much thinner than all the other brands that I have looked at and I'm sure would be amoungst the most expensive. I doubt very seriously I'll ever own anything else that is green.

If you have the time, e-mail Mahindra Corporate regarding the Used car dealer/tractor Sales outfit just to see what their response is. no way I'd pay Kubota pricing for Mahindra.