Sam,
We bought a
M6800 about a month or so ago. For us, the Kubota was the clear winner because of our past experiences with the dealership and our previous Kubota tractors. Because this is Deere country, we really looked hard at John Deere. But the dealer wasn't willing to work with us. We weren't spending enough money to make it worth his time to talk to us.
We’ve owned two Kubotas and a Harry Ferguson previous to purchasing this tractor and have been pleased with the durability and performance of our prior tractors. I’ve also done a lot of work at the hay farm next door and all they run are Deeres. Their tractors have also been trouble free.
The
M6800 has been a great tractor. It has a quiet and smooth running engine. When it starts cutting really thick grass, you can hear the motor kind of ‘grunt’ through it. For me, the seat is very comfortable and the steering is precise. The front end loader joystick falls right into my hand, and the two remote levers are at my fingertips. I spent about 14 hours on the tractor this weekend and am none the worse for wear.
Hooking up implements isn’t too bad. The telescopic lower links really helps getting things lined up.
For me, Kubota won because of the following:
Dealer – the dealer was, hands down, the best I’ve dealt with (he also carries the NH and Mahindra brand)
Price – good price on the tractor
Features – the tractor had all the features we wanted
Prior Experience – all of our previous Kubotas have been bullet proof
Personally, I don't have any blind faith in any one brand of anything. I want the best possible machine for the best possible price with the best possible dealer support. For me, when I was ready to buy, it was Kubota. It could just as easily been John Deere, NH, IH, or any other brand.
My dealer asked what I needed my tractor to do and then what I wanted it to do. He inquired about future work and implements as well as current equipment. Then we went out and looked at all the tractors he thought would suit the job (this included the NH and Mahindra). After playing with his tractors, we started talking about the price. We compared the cost of the Kubota to the others, and it came out the winner.
The John Deere dealer acted like he was doing us a favor by stepping out of his air conditioned office to show us his eqiupment.
Find the tractor that suits you best, the dealer you most want to work with, and then settle on the price. Any of the machines you listed are a fine choice.
