Buying Advice Kubota compared to John Deere

[MessickFarmEqu]

I keep hearing the same thing: that it was JD's attention to the needs of their customers that made them into a respected world leader. Now I'm hearing more and more that JD has forgotten how they got to the top.....and their chief competitor just might overtake them by simply using the same old strategy.
rScotty

If your talking about compacts, Kubota over took Deere a long time ago and has a sizable lead at this point.

 

[kday64]

So the real purchase criteria - buy me lunch and I am easy.

MHE, what you failed to realize is your L5710 would cost less and do more work than many kids these days.

 

[dkostiha]

The dealer service or support is important, but even more important is the product quality. JD is superior of the two in my experience and yes I have owned both. I am wondering of some of these posts are simply from biased owners who have not even owned both brands to start with. That is fine, but that is the difference between and biased opinion and a knowledgeable testimonial. Good luck to you either way.

 

[beppington]

The dealer service or support is important, but even more important is the product quality. JD is superior of the two in my experience and yes I have owned both. I am wondering of some of these posts are simply from biased owners who have not even owned both brands to start with. That is fine, but that is the difference between and biased opinion and a knowledgeable testimonial. Good luck to you either way.

What year Kubota did you own? I understand Kubota quality has improved, whereas JD has remained the same ... or dare I say, maybe even declined in some respects? (nobody kill me please :laughing

 

[charleyfarmall]

Deere compacts are Yanmars. Yanmar makes, and has made, a quality tractor for a long time. So has Kubota. I don't think either one is better than the other as a global statement.

Their tractors are not the same and do not always compare apples to apples. Which tractor is best depends entirely on your needs and how you fit the tractor. What works for you, may not work for someone else. Every once in a while a manufacturer produces a tractor with problems, no one is immune.

Dealers probably have more impact on brand perception than the actual tractor. Some Deere dealers are very guilty of snobbery. My kubota dealer in TN was not willing to go below list, but the Deere dealer was. Both were very nice about it though.

Part of the problem is the culture we have generated and we now expect that we are entitled to less than list price. Try that at the grocery store and see how far you get.

I think brand bashing between Deere, Kubota, and NH is a waste of time. Comparing dealers is another story. Comparing features of individual tractors as applied to a specific working environment is fair game. I've owned a lot of tractors and they have all had plus' and minus'.

All of the top 4 brands are selling Japanes tractors: Kubota, Yanmar, Iseki, and Shibaura. And yes, NH will suffer from using LS instead but I suspect LS will learn fast. Most of these tractors are well made and do the job they are intended for. In the long run, does a 5% difference in price or performance make a difference? I doubt it. If it does, you are probably looking at the wrong machine.

Rant off.

 

[Wesdor]

When I bought my first tractor I looked at both Kubota and Deere. Actually thought the Kubota would be my choice. It ended up that the Deere 4310 was cheaper than the similar Kubota. I ended up with the JD and 5 years later traded for a 3520.

In my experience they are both good machines, but I find the JD to be more ergonomically designed for my taste.

Like others have said, dealership is a big part of the choice

 

[PossumHound]

Deere compacts are Yanmars. Yanmar makes, and has made, a quality tractor for a long time. So has Kubota. I don't think either one is better than the other as a global statement.

Their tractors are not the same and do not always compare apples to apples. Which tractor is best depends entirely on your needs and how you fit the tractor. What works for you, may not work for someone else. Every once in a while a manufacturer produces a tractor with problems, no one is immune.

Dealers probably have more impact on brand perception than the actual tractor. Some Deere dealers are very guilty of snobbery. My kubota dealer in TN was not willing to go below list, but the Deere dealer was. Both were very nice about it though.

Part of the problem is the culture we have generated and we now expect that we are entitled to less than list price. Try that at the grocery store and see how far you get.

I think brand bashing between Deere, Kubota, and NH is a waste of time. Comparing dealers is another story. Comparing features of individual tractors as applied to a specific working environment is fair game. I've owned a lot of tractors and they have all had plus' and minus'.

All of the top 4 brands are selling Japanes tractors: Kubota, Yanmar, Iseki, and Shibaura. And yes, NH will suffer from using LS instead but I suspect LS will learn fast. Most of these tractors are well made and do the job they are intended for. In the long run, does a 5% difference in price or performance make a difference? I doubt it. If it does, you are probably looking at the wrong machine.

Rant off.

Well said:thumbsup:

 

[two_bit_score]

Man, I've seen so many threads on here comparing JD vs Kubota. most seem to be started by Kubota buyers who seem to be trying to justify why they bought a Kubota based on how they perceive the way they were trated at a JD dealer. And, of course ole Messick comes along and tries to act subtle while trying to fan some spark into a flame. You don't fool anyone Messick. I spotted you first off.

It's usually the newer tractor buyers who do this and it usually starts off as a 'comparison' thread but nothing is really compared just moans and groans about perceived slights and ' my money wasn't good enough for them so I took it someplace else' comments.

Just my two cents.

 

[TripleR]

Man, I've seen so many threads on here comparing JD vs Kubota. most seem to be started by Kubota buyers who seem to be trying to justify why they bought a Kubota based on how they perceive the way they were trated at a JD dealer. And, of course ole Messick comes along and tries to act subtle while trying to fan some spark into a flame. You don't fool anyone Messick. I spotted you first off.

It's usually the newer tractor buyers who do this and it usually starts off as a 'comparison' thread but nothing is really compared just moans and groans about perceived slights and ' my money wasn't good enough for them so I took it someplace else' comments.

Just my two cents.

I had to go back and read the OP and sure did not see that on this thread.

 

[EThogfarmer]

IMHO the purchase of a tractor should be based on what meets your performance criteria and is within your budget. I don't care what color the paint is on my tractors. All paint is supposed to do is keep the tractor from rusting.

I currently own both a green and an orange tractor. But if it seems like a blue or red one gives me more performance for my money than thats what I'll get.

As I said, that's just my opinion, so carry on.

 

[crazyal]

Man, I've seen so many threads on here comparing JD vs Kubota. most seem to be started by Kubota buyers who seem to be trying to justify why they bought a Kubota based on how they perceive the way they were trated at a JD dealer. And, of course ole Messick comes along and tries to act subtle while trying to fan some spark into a flame. You don't fool anyone Messick. I spotted you first off.

It's usually the newer tractor buyers who do this and it usually starts off as a 'comparison' thread but nothing is really compared just moans and groans about perceived slights and ' my money wasn't good enough for them so I took it someplace else' comments.

Just my two cents.

I seen just the opposite. Threads like this are usually started by someone new who is looking to buy and goes to the local dealers and hears their sales pitches and comes here to find out why people made a choice of one brand over the other.

Usually there's not too much slamming (I did read a few Kubota quality so I bought JD and some JD dealers didn't give me the time of day posts), if anything I read quite a bit of "both brands are very good" opinions.

As far as justifying which brand they bought, I call BS on that. Please show me some posts proving your point. If anything (like I said above) it's the dealers that have turned people off from buying one brand or another and unfortunately every brand has dealers like this.

I certanly wouldn't fault a JD dealer who spends more of their time trying to sell machines to farmers that cost 3, 4, or even 5x what a CUT would cost to farmers that come through the doors every other year to buy them. But that doesn't make the hard earned money of the guy who's decided to move up to something larger than a garden tractor that has questions not worth spending time with him.

 

[belah]

I think both tractors are equally good tractors. The Kubota offers things the JD doesn't and viceversa. I bought my M series Kubota b/c I had a lot of friends that owned Kubotas and never had anything bad to say about them. I have an M4030SU 50hp 1992 model that I bought new and have not been kind to it over the past 19 yrs. I farm about 60 acres and do bush hogging, plowing, hay baling, land clearing etc. and have only had to work on it one time in 19 yrs. That was for a stuck clutch release bearing that was fixed in about 5 min with some WD-40. It uses very little diesel even with HARD WORK. It has never used oil but I religiously change the oil with Rotella-T. All in all, it's been the Best Tractor i've ever owned and if I had to buy a New Tractor today, it would be a Kubota.

 

[kuboman]

I have always been color blind when it came to tractors. I picked orange because for the size of machine I was after I figured orange was the best bang for the buck. I looked at every color and it came down to orange or green because all the others had dealers that were to far away and very sparse at that. I know if I had gone green I would be just as happy and have just as good a machine.

 

[Don87]

Man, I've seen so many threads on here comparing JD vs Kubota. most seem to be started by Kubota buyers who seem to be trying to justify why they bought a Kubota based on how they perceive the way they were trated at a JD dealer. And, of course ole Messick comes along and tries to act subtle while trying to fan some spark into a flame. You don't fool anyone Messick. I spotted you first off.It's usually the newer tractor buyers who do this and it usually starts off as a 'comparison' thread but nothing is really compared just moans and groans about perceived slights and ' my money wasn't good enough for them so I took it someplace else' comments.

Just my two cents.

That comment was just wrong:thumbdown:

 

[Don87]

Man, I've seen so many threads on here comparing JD vs Kubota. most seem to be started by Kubota buyers who seem to be trying to justify why they bought a Kubota based on how they perceive the way they were trated at a JD dealer. And, of course ole Messick comes along and tries to act subtle while trying to fan some spark into a flame. You don't fool anyone Messick. I spotted you first off.

It's usually the newer tractor buyers who do this and it usually starts off as a 'comparison' thread but nothing is really compared just moans and groans about perceived slights and ' my money wasn't good enough for them so I took it someplace else' comments.Just my two cents.

I'll add Massey Ferguson in here also since you seem so arrogant............And I'll supply some facts.

I looked at Cub Cadet/Yanmar............My wife didn't like the color scheme(and the price of those was highest in my area........even higher than Deere).

I looked at Kubota, I didn't like the brake pedal placement(on the right, above the hydro pedals)

John Deere 2305 Nice machine.............til one actually walked to the back.
A cute little 'aluminum' transmission..........fit for a Craftsman lawn mower

Massey Ferguson........Sound machine, proven engine, Frame appeared thicker(didn't take rule with me).

Dealer experience:

Cub Cadet/Yanmar and Kubota...........Cumberland, Maryland: Helpful, steered me away from smaller machines that were inferior.

John Deere dealer: No help whatsoever while my wife was sitting on various models on showroom floor(never said one word to us).But I want to add that I do not fault them for this.

Massey Ferguson:
Initially saw this tractor on a Saturday afternoon(after dealer had closed).
Wife sat on the tractor, and after I moved the seat forwards...............It fit her perfectly(and after 9 operations on her right arm, with her wrist being fused...........and 2 neck operations and 2 fusions there), that's saying something.

Kubota dealer: Bruceton mills, Wv.

Went again to see the Kubota(because I've had my heart set on Kubota for 15 friggin years).
Salesman a 'no show' on the lot after a 30 minute wait, and 25 minutes after the mechanic went to get the salesman.

Drove the entire 2 miles to the Massey dealer again, they were open........I put my wife back on the Massey, and she said..........this one feels so mich better than the others. But I want to point one thing out...........This Massey dealer never came outside............ even though he saw us.

I had to go in to talk to him.

There was no selling, no bargaining..........nothing. We had already made our decision, but He didn't know it til I wrote the check.

I'll also add that I zero regrets about the brand I purchased, But I'll also add that I would purchase a Kubota BX over a JD 2305 any day of the week.

EDIT: I didn't post this for a 'flame war'. I posted this partially due to the arrogance of one poster, but mainly to supply Info to others that may be considering buying a SCUT.

 

[skspurling]

Man, I've seen so many threads on here comparing JD vs Kubota. most seem to be started by Kubota buyers who seem to be trying to justify why they bought a Kubota based on how they perceive the way they were trated at a JD dealer. And, of course ole Messick comes along and tries to act subtle while trying to fan some spark into a flame. You don't fool anyone Messick. I spotted you first off.

It's usually the newer tractor buyers who do this and it usually starts off as a 'comparison' thread but nothing is really compared just moans and groans about perceived slights and ' my money wasn't good enough for them so I took it someplace else' comments.

Just my two cents.

Okay, I do see some of this going on, and I am a new tractor buyer. Not that I have never operated one before or am a pro. I've been driving agricultural tractors since I was about 7 or 8 when my dad yelled at me to "Go get the tractor and bring it over here! D@*it!"

Okay, so my FIL has a newer Deere 3420, or something like that. He's rough on it, but that plastic is plastic. Fades and becomes brittle from UV exposure. You can't paint it. Looks well built, but I dislike the hydro pedals. too small and close together. I also like the split breaks to be on the right side. (That's pretty much standard for all geared setups) Sits nice though.

I bought a Kubota. I wanted a smaller lighter tractor with ground clearance. I went to the Kubota dealer who is also a Deere dealer. I told him I was looking at the 2620, but also asked about a comparable Deere. He said he wouldn't even bother for the price at that level. That it was going to be around $2000 more for the same thing. And it's not like they don't sell a lot of Deere equipment.

For my money, I got all steel hood, sides, fenders. It's leaner and feels taller than the FIL's tractor. I really like it for me and my purposes. The controls are all direct mechanical, so they feel pretty good and solid. I have to use the split breaks when the RFM is in transport mode because it is heavy and causes the front to lift sometimes. Not a problem. Heal on forward pedal, and toe on side I want to break. The best part is that the HST pedal is intuitive, front forward, back reverse. All around, for a simple little tractor, I really like it. It is built well, and appears to be high quality.

It's not that I am anti-Deere. Most of my experience is with older large Deere and Massey Ferguson tractors. The Deere CUT feels more like a really big lawn tractor, where the Kubota feels more like a really small Ag tractor. I would have liked to check out the MF CUT, but the dealer was out of the area. I was interested in the NH and would have liked to see the others, but they never returned calls. I wanted to know what I was looking at before I ran all the way out there.

 

[Bota Bum]

I'm new here, but, for what's it worth, I recently compared the Kubota to a Deere. In the beginning, I wanted a Deere. The Deere dealers, well, they made no effort to sell me a tractor. Gave me a strong feeling I was intruding on their day. The Kubota dealer bent over backwards for the sale. Did not have a machine assembled, stayed late to get one ready for me for a test drive the next day. Even put a loader on it. Great price, free first service, lynch pins, hat and shirt. Offered free delivery, but I choose to pick it up instead. They ended up staying a bit past closing time, to shoot the breeze with me about the machine and implements. I'm very happy with the Kubota and the dealer who sold it to me. Both brands are the top of the game, look for the weak link in the dealer network.

 

[DAY]

Too many of these "comparison posts" are hearsay. Maybe true, maybe someone with an ulterior motive.

Here's mine: I went to BUY a -------tractor the other day, walked in with a wheelbarrow full of CASH, and they yelled at me, "Get out! We don't want your kind in here. Go down the road to----------!"

 

[beppington]

Too many of these "comparison posts" are hearsay. Maybe true, maybe someone with an ulterior motive.

I agree! There sure are a lot of these hearsay posts ... meaning to me, they can't all be wrong or BS. They're painting an overall picture.

 

[TripleR]

Too many of these "comparison posts" are hearsay. Maybe true, maybe someone with an ulterior motive.

Here's mine: I went to BUY a -------tractor the other day, walked in with a wheelbarrow full of CASH, and they yelled at me, "Get out! We don't want your kind in here. Go down the road to----------!"

I can easily believe they happen, but it certainly is not restricted to John Deere. We bought a John Deere in lieu of a Kubota once due to the poor service and selection at a Kubota dealer. We have not been happy with the John Deere and bought a Kubota when a good dealer opened up.

Not knocking John Deere, we just happened to get a bad one, everybody makes them from time to time.