Buying Advice Montana vs Kubota

[Bogie]

I am new to the forum as well as new to tractors. Well not really I used to run a deere back in high school for a farmer.. light bucket work and disking and such. At any rate I am asking for advice

My local dealer has a new shiny kubota 2320 with fel. he said he would take 14800 for it.

He also has a Montana I think the model is a 4340.. it has a fel as well. it has 270 hours on it and is a 08 model. he wants 13400 for it.

Of course the Montana is the heavier of the two and more HP and looks pretty good shape.

I know nothing about either tractor except Kubota seems pretty popular and has a good reputation. I cant find much on the Montana.

I am purchasing 8 acres flat ground with about 5 of it wooded. Mostly going to be a mower (purchasing finisher mowers for what ever I settle on) I may use it to try and dig a pond... probably till the garden. I keep thinkin ya never know what you might need the bigger tractor for... and I grew up with Deere and it is green! :laughing:

Any advice or thoughts would sure be apriciated.

 

[Johnbro]

I've never heard of Montana, so can't help you there.

A 2630 is an older machine, the current GL series all end in 40 (3240-5740). If it's still unsold you should get a VERY good price for it. Do you know the model year?

 

[Bogie]

I've never heard of Montana, so can't help you there.

A 2630 is an older machine, the current GL series all end in 40 (3240-5740). If it's still unsold you should get a VERY good price for it. Do you know the model year?

OK changed the model numbers to what they really are... I have been looking at so much stuff.. :thumbsup: Yeah thats it...

 

[EddieWalker]

I don't have either and have never seen a Montana up close. There were a few deelers for them around here, but they have all closed up and I don't have a clue where you would go for parts if you had a Montana.

Kubuta is about as good as it gets. It has one of the very best support systems out there, quality dealerships and a proven track record of building a very high quality tractor. Their engines are used by other tractor manufacturers and Onan generators.

If you buy the Kubota and decide later on that you don't want it, or you want to get a bigger tractor, it will be a lot easier to sell, and get the best price for it compared to the Montana.

Did you ask about financing? Kubota, as well as most of the other big names out there are always having some sort of financing bargain going on. Might be cheaper, or at least easier, to buy brand new at a low interest rate?

Eddie

 

[Bogie]

Yes 0% fianancing.. I was also looking at a Kiote...

Thanks for the input!

 

[nybirdman]

You need to read the Montana form on this site.....parts and service could be a problem.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

I've only seen one Montana tractor.....it had problems and was being "doctored up" to sell off at an auction (AKA - make it someone elses problem) since there was no dealer / service support.....

I only have an old used Kubota, I took a chance and bought it in spite of it's age / minor issues because, as near as I can tell from my on-line research, You can still buy parts and get service help for even the earliest models Kubotas sold in this country......

Also, to second what Eddie posted on Kubota reputation / reliability, I have seen tons of equipment through my work over the years that use Kubota engines for power -- it's nothing to see a power unit engine go 10k hours or more.

 

[xrsrfn]

The Montana tractors are manufactured by Leading Solution a South Korean company that is the third largest manufacture of agriculture equipment in Asia i have heard. They are owned by LG the same company that builds DVD and TV's. They badged the tractors as Montana and had a dealer network that failed to for whatever reasons failed. They have since decided to badge the tractor as LS Leading Solutions and start their own dealer network. The dealer that I purchased my LS U5020 from was told by LS that they will honor any warranty work on Montana tractors for the duration of factory warranty. I chose mine because of:

1 Dealer support
2 the tractor fit me
3 The correct color

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I am new to the forum as well as new to tractors. Well not really I used to run a deere back in high school for a farmer.. light bucket work and disking and such. At any rate I am asking for advice

My local dealer has a new shiny kubota 2320 with fel. he said he would take 14800 for it.

He also has a Montana I think the model is a 4340.. it has a fel as well. it has 270 hours on it and is a 08 model. he wants 13400 for it.

Of course the Montana is the heavier of the two and more HP and looks pretty good shape.

I know nothing about either tractor except Kubota seems pretty popular and has a good reputation. I cant find much on the Montana.

I am purchasing 8 acres flat ground with about 5 of it wooded. Mostly going to be a mower (purchasing finisher mowers for what ever I settle on) I may use it to try and dig a pond... probably till the garden. I keep thinkin ya never know what you might need the bigger tractor for... and I grew up with Deere and it is green! :laughing:

Any advice or thoughts would sure be apriciated.

The Montana R4340 is a very good tractor. It is built by LS who is now selling directly here in the states. If you are the type of person that needs a dealer to work on your tractor, then the Montana may not be the right machine for you. But if you are the type of person that works on stuff yourself or has a generic tractor shop in the area that Montana could be a good deal for you. A lot of people worry about what if something goes wrong and that is a concern, but in reality most tractors never even go back to a shop to get worked on. They just go and go and if you maintain them as they should be, you end up with a good machine that will last for many years and thousands of hours.

I would get the Montana, but that may be just me.
Just my :2cents:, good luck with your decision.

 

[milkman636]

I have yet to see a Montana or LS dealer pop up in my area.

Is the dealer offering you the Montana also selling LS or Montana tractors? Does he sell or know where you could get parts? Is there a Montana or LS dealer in your area?

 

[CompactTractorFan]

but in reality most tractors never even go back to a shop

Not ours.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

I would take the Kubota any day! :thumbsup:

 

[crazyal]

I'm a little leery of companies that keep changing names or who's dealerships don't seam to stick around for very long. Around here Kioti was a problem, I can't count the number of dealers who came and went. It now looks like the current rental company may make it and keep the line. Oddly enough Bobcat (made by Kioti) is much more stable. I would have no idea where to get a Montana or LS around me.

I wouldn't give Deere, New Holland, or Kubota a second thought about will they be around in 20 years or that parts will not be as easy as talking to the parts guy at one of the 5 Kubota dealers within 40 miles of me.

 

[Bogie]

Yes there is an LS dealer, he also carries the Kiote.

Will the Kubota be able to move the dirt I need to move to dig out a pond? and till the garden? I am reading that it may be too light?

Although the soil is pretty sandy here... in southern GA

 

[JoeinTX]

Montana as a brand went off a cliff 1-2 years ago. I would sort of agree that the Kubota you mention is a tad light to do much medium work or serious dirt moving and that the Montana is closer to what you're looking to get.

I would check with the LS dealer and see what their willingness to service and support Montanas is. They're the same tractor in a different coat of paint. Provide the model and year and what they're willing to do for you as a customer. Probably not routine maintenance but at least parts support and mechanic work should you need it.

Kubota is as solid as it gets. I might inquire of the dealer if they could get me into anything any bigger/heavier for any reasonable price difference (10-15%....?) for my business.

 

[fredhargis]

Yes there is an LS dealer, he also carries the Kiote.

Will the Kubota be able to move the dirt I need to move to dig out a pond? and till the garden? I am reading that it may be too light?

Although the soil is pretty sandy here... in southern GA

I have a 2920, just slightly larger than the 2320, and while it's great for mowing (most of it's job for me), there's no way I would try to dig a pond with it (unless your referring to a Koi pond:laughing. Even with a hoe, it would be much better to rent the right equipment for that, or hire it out (my opinion). It will also be great for tilling.....

 

[Reg]

Yes there is an LS dealer, he also carries the Kiote.

Will the Kubota be able to move the dirt I need to move to dig out a pond? and till the garden? I am reading that it may be too light?

Although the soil is pretty sandy here... in southern GA

I don't have details of the two tractors before me (spec for spec) to compare, but as a SWEEPING GENERALIZATION; Kubotas are "kinda light" compared to the GSKs (Generic South Korean) on a wheelbase for wheelbase, rear wheel size for rear wheel size, horse power for horse power, 3pt lift capacity for 3pt capac... (you get the idea ?) basis.
It seems FINE to have a tractor that is 10% or so lighter for mowing - or 10% more powerful if you take weight as the reference - but for ground engaging work mass in the frame, axles, trans and general "guts" can help.

I don't know where/how Kubota does the weight savings, I don't have one, but I would want to know if I were replacing say a 6,000 lb tractor with a 5,500 lb one.

BTW, almost any tractor can run a forward rotating rototiller - they tend to "help the tractor along" - reverse rotation tillers tend to hold the tractor back, i.e. need more power. Reverse rotation does a more thorough job on the first pass, so can save you some passes, time & fuel.

For pond digging; Yeah, get someone in with a dozer for that.
A point in favor of smaller/lighter tractors - if they're small ENOUGH you might be able to pull them out with a pick-up truck when they get stuck.
If you get a big ENOUGH tractor - you may want to carry the phone number of that dozer guy anyway.

I wouldn't worry about parts availability for LS built tractors.
Cross referencing of parts and "also used on" info is likely available to dealers.

 

[jake98]

Yes there is an LS dealer, he also carries the Kiote.

Definately look into the Kioti's. I'm real happy with mine, and since Bobcat sells them in a different color that should say something about their quality.

 

[farmboyZ]

Montanas dont seem like a dependable tractor I've seen some guys out here with one and i know one guy who sold his because of hydralic issues Kubotas are a tractor I probably wont buy. A good friend of mine is having problems with his L3130 and is deciding over a New Holland or a Deere. I own and drive Deere's and New Hollands and never run into any problems, but thats just me.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Montanas dont seem like a dependable tractor I've seen some guys out here with one and i know one guy who sold his because of hydralic issues Kubotas are a tractor I probably wont buy. A good friend of mine is having problems with his L3130 and is deciding over a New Holland or a Deere. I own and drive Deere's and New Hollands and never run into any problems, but thats just me.

Montana's were just like all the other tractor suppliers, they had economy tractors along with the more deluxe machines. Every manufacturer-supplier has a lemon every once in awhile. You have had good luck with New Holland and John Deere. There are others that have had just the opposite experience. The biggest problem with Montana's is that they are on their way or already are out of business, but the tractors themselves were just fine.

Just my opinion.