New Kubota L4240/L4740 vs slightly used JD 4520

[PapaPerk]

How did you come to trust them more? I'm leery of them because they won't fully participate in Nebraska tests.

My money is on the JD producing more torque, and that is the only true measure of the work a machine can do. FWIW, the JD tested (not advertised) at 135 lb-ft.

Because Kubota is experts in this size tractors. Reliability is king. I think Deere is making a cheapy overpriced product IMHO.

A dealer I know sells both Deere and Kubota. He hand picks what he sells. Kubota is king for under 50 hp. Over 50 hp the edge goes to Deere.

But if a person has green fever then I'm just wasting my breath... Lol

BTW I own a Kubota L3830 and it's an outstanding quality machine. And yes I've looked at Deeres.

 

[PapaPerk]

This is going to be a cash deal. The additional amount above my tractors price is coming from a home equity line of credit with a pretty decent interest rate at this time.

I have found that all the dealers only give you their best price on a cash deal so many of the savings from financing deals soon become moot.

I am not particularly huge on warranty on any of my purchases. One day I might be proven wrong if I got a lemon. I tend to research the reliability of the products I buy and buy only the most reliable ones. So far that has served me well. Warranty alone is not worth 2-4k to me when there is a good probability that nothing will go wrong. Always some risk but for a long term purchase you will be taking that risk on once the warranty expires anyway.

On the way to see the owner of that Deere tomorrow and give him a deposit, I am stopping by what seems like a very good Kubota dealer (my current one has not been able to get a L4240 or L4740 on his lot for me to try yet). I'll have to see how I feel about it once I try it out.

The good thing about the Deere is that if I buy it and resell it a few years down the road, I won't loose much money on it at all - except perhaps what I put in (conversion to SSQA, extra remotes).

Can't you get 0% financing with Kubota? That's an awesome deal!

 

[canoetrpr]

I have bitten the bullet and put a deposit down on the Deere. Crossing my fingers that everything will be fine.

I drove a L4240 Kubota today. It was a nice tractor. I thought the extra ranges within each range were a nice touch as was the throttle advance and ability to select hydro sensitivity. I still found it a bit jumpier than a brand new 4520 I tried. I felt the ergonomics were good but the ones on the JD were better. Overall I preferred the handling of the JD better - things just flowed a bit smoother.

I preferred the steel hood and fenders on the Kubota. Don't know why. I just do.

I was slightly unhappy to find out that the powertech engine is Mexico made vs Japan for the Kubota but decided that there are way too many of these used commercially to let it impair my judgement. I wad happy to see that on the 2007 JD the 400x loader was made in Wallenstein, ON, Canada.

Even a L4240 is pricing out to be $3k more than the 2007 JD. Dealer today priced out the L4740 to be almost $4k above the L4240! I didn't let this bias me much. I'm sure the difference can be narrowed.

I weighed the pros and cons of brand spanking new vs slightly used larger tractor which seemed to work ergonomically better for ME. Ultimately the JD won out as a new tractor would be used soon after being delivered.

 

[TripleR]

Congratulations on your new tractor, don't forget the pictures when you take delivery.

 

[canoetrpr]

0% financing is in leiu of a not unsizable cash discount so it is not really 0%.

Time will tell if one or the other is better in reliability. I was quite happy with my Kubota and have wrestled a bit about switching from a brand I have a lot of comfort in. I'm not sure I have heard too much evidence of any quality differential or I would be concerned.

I have to say that if this deal on a slightly used JD 4520 had not come along with a $5k price lower than a 4740, I would have likely not ponied up the price that a new JD 4520 is going for. No matter that I liked the ergonomics a bit better.

I am quite sure I would be happy with the L4740 if I had gone that route.

 

[TripleR]

0% financing is in leiu of a not unsizable cash discount so it is not really 0%.

Time will tell if one or the other is better in reliability. I was quite happy with my Kubota and have wrestled a bit about switching from a brand I have a lot of comfort in. I'm not sure I have heard too much evidence of any quality differential or I would be concerned.

I have to say that if this deal on a slightly used JD 4520 had not come along with a $5k price lower than a 4740, I would have likely not ponied up the price that a new JD 4520 is going for. No matter that I liked the ergonomics a bit better.

I am quite sure I would be happy with the L4740 if I had gone that route.

Don't worry about it, you would have a good reliable tractor either way you went. Go on over to the John Deere Forum and you won't find people having problems with them. I believe jenkisph has one and he knows a lot about tractors.

I have mostly Kubotas and prefer them, but I as I have said many times on other threads, I don't believe anyone in the top four or five manufacturers makes a bad tractor no matter where it is made/assembled.

 

[Grandad4]

+1 on TripleR's comments. Congratulations, it sounds like you made a great deal on an equally great tractor. Heck, if you have any tinges of "brand remorse", you could always just paint it orange. Might even make it worth a bit more! :thumbsup: Enjoy.

 

[PapaPerk]

Might even make it worth a bit more! :thumbsup: Enjoy.

ROFL!!!

Have fun with your new machine! I knew u had green fever!

 

[canoetrpr]

Something very interesting I have noticed shopping around this time around (although it was not much shopping), is that other dealers tend to pretty quickly put down John Deere's CUT products.

Mostly I find they are just un-informed about it. The one Deere dealer I talked to was quite fair on Kubota and acknowledged that they made a good tractor. I've found one Kubota dealer who did not talk John Deere down and said they made a good tractor.

It is surprising to me to hear 2 or 3 dealers mention that the John Deere's are made in China or Pakistan. The second tier dealers tend to jump at it right away and cannot understand why I would spend the same money on a 120 some hour old John Deere when I can have their brand, brand new for the same amount.

There is some validity to the fact that Kubota tends not to outsource or outsources less. That said, the world we live in is a pretty global one and I find it surprising that anyone thinks having a global supply chain is such a big deal. It wasn't that long ago that Japanese products were thought to be crap and now they have some most reliable products.

I even had one talk down the Yanmar engine in the 3x20 series! It is a Yanmar for Pete's sake! They are among the best small diesel's around.

Just my thoughts.

 

[JDGreenGrass]

I think it's great that you took the time to test drive and really, decide for yourself.

135lb.ft. Wow.!! What a rig.

Congrats and best wishes with the tractor. Post a picture at rest and one at work. We'll all be drooling.:thumbsup: