New Kubota Tractor Purchase

[ted451]

I prefer M than MX for me they are more comfortable M I rode in such and such

 

[rScotty]

The thing is, I have Legacy brand farm tractors (Massey, Case-IH, AGCO) with 5000-6000 hours that are holding up better. Not perfect, but better. And they were used in Ag almost every hour.

Kubota just isn’t there yet. Now their newer M series looks better. 6.7L Cummins is a nice upgrade

It's a fair assessment when Hay Dude says, "Kubota just isn't there yet".

[AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] is usable for light commercial/Ag duty and that's why it costs half or less what he calls a "Legacy" machine does. He's talking Utility vs Commercial.

A Legacy machine needs to be a good design, with good support, be popular AND ALSO be produced for a long time by a company whose goal is to continually increase the reliability - and of course the cost goes up too.
[AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]KUBOTA[/AFFILIATE] JUST ISN"T THERE YET.

I see people move to the country and figure that since [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] makes one of the very best medium duty compact and utility tractors that their larger Ag tractors are just as good when scaled up. That just isn't the way it works.

We have two 2008 4x4 backhoes, the [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] M59 bought new - now with 1200 hrs hard work, and a Legacy Machine, a yellow John Deere 310SG bought 5 years later with 6000 hrs on the clock. The tractors are equipped about the same and do the same work.

We love using the Kubota, but every single component on the Deere is more than twice the size of the same part on the Kubota. It also cost 2x as much when new.

We like the [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] & think it is good value for the price. However, I would be surprised if it lasts 6000 hrs. At 6000 hours our Legacy machine - the yellow JD 310SG - is still going strong.

rScotty

 

[Hay Dude]

It's a fair assessment when Hay Dude says, "Kubota just isn't there yet".

Kubota is usable for light commercial/Ag duty and that's why it costs half or less what he calls a "Legacy" machine does. He's talking Utility vs Commercial.

A Legacy machine needs to be a good design, with good support, be popular AND ALSO be produced for a long time by a company whose goal is to continually increase the reliability - and of course the cost goes up too.
KUBOTA JUST ISN"T THERE YET.

I see people move to the country and figure that since Kubota makes one of the very best medium duty compact and utility tractors that their larger Ag tractors are just as good when scaled up. That just isn't the way it works.

We have two 2008 4x4 backhoes, the Kubota M59 bought new - now with 1200 hrs hard work, and a Legacy Machine, a yellow John Deere 310SG bought 5 years later with 6000 hrs on the clock. The tractors are equipped about the same and do the same work.

We love using the Kubota, but every single component on the Deere is more than twice the size of the same part on the Kubota. It also cost 3x as much when new.

We like the Kubota & think it is good value for the price. However, I would be surprised if it lasts 6000 hrs. At 6000 hours our Legacy machine - the yellow JD 310SG - is still going strong.

rScotty

[AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] wants the same money for their large AG tractors as Case-IH, New Holland, Massey Ferguson, Challenger, etc., but I’m not sure if they would last as long, side by side as those legacy brands.
My M-126X with loader was ~$90,000 when I bought it back in 2010. That was about the same as the other brands. I bought a second one used, back in 2016 of $45K. 12 years later, I came to the conclusion that neither one of them proved to reliable as I had hoped. I put about 5,200 hours on both of them. On a scale of 1-10, I would give them a 6-7 out of 10. The harder & heavier the work got, the more they broke. But I sort of get why, they were newer designs and didn’t have decades of use. They weren’t “battle tested” designs, like their smaller tractors.
My “legacy brands” have broken, too. But they have 5,000-6,000 hours on them, so it’s somewhat expected. Both AGCO’s needed brakes. That is particularly expensive because both have Fendt braking systems on them. But again, the brakes usually last about 5-6K hours so it wasn’t a shock. Outside of the brakes, only other issues were HVAC system repairs.

The newer version of the [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] AG tractors (M7/M8) built in France might finally be on par with the legacy brands, but we need more time to see. They are priced on par with the competition now.

Fendt and Deere are considered premium brands and have higher price tags.

 

[LD1]

I prefer M than MX for me they are more comfortable M I rode in such and such

No HST in the M. Deal breaker for many

MX is the biggest you can get with a HST. Which is why its so popular

 

[bdhsfz6]

No HST in the M. Deal breaker for many

MX is the biggest you can get with a HST. Which is why its so popular

The M's also push the concept of a "compact utility tractor". Too big a footprint for many.

 

[rScotty]

No HST in the M. Deal breaker for many

MX is the biggest you can get with a HST. Which is why its so popular

HST+ is nice. But in a larger tractor, if HST+ wasn't available it wouldn't trouble me to go for shuttle shift over a standard 3 range HST.
Does that make sense?
rScotty

 

[LD1]

HST+ is nice. But in a larger tractor, if HST+ wasn't available it wouldn't trouble me to go for shuttle shift over a standard 3 range HST.
Does that make sense?
rScotty

Im sure it wasnt, and doesnt trouble many. However, if it WERE available, how many people with a M6060 or M7060 sized machine would have opted for the HST.

Back in 1960, I am sure it didnt trouble anyone to use a clutch and shift gears.

Times change, things get better. For utility type work, using the loader, mowing, etc....a HST is the best for most.

 

[tradosaurus]

Wish I lived where you live.

My dealer is 4 miles away and will not deliver a new tractor to me without charging $135/Hr from the time the driver picks up the truck keys to the time when he puts them back on the nail.

Next closest dealer, about 30 miles also charges for delivery of new equipment, though not quite as much.

If a dealer did that to me I would buy my tractor and implements out of state if I had to. And buy my own trailer.
My dealer charges $50 pickup and $50 delivery if you need to bring your tractor in for maintenance.

 

[5030]

a HST is the best for most

With a hydraulic shuttle, there is NO clutch at all. Just a damper plate in the bell housing. Directional changes and travelling speeds are handled via a wet clutch that is hydraulically actuated via a lever on the steering column. I never touch the 'clutch' pedal unless I park the units.

 

[tradosaurus]

2010 M-135X 2800 hours. I sold it in May 2022. Had complete glow plug system failure due to PCM failure ($6,000 to replace PCM). Also had electrical system failures for dash readouts. Front suspension system never worked correctly. It was a nice tractor, but issues.
2011 M-126X 3200 hours. Currently for sale. Has had wandering steering since new. Hand pump replaced twice at $1,800. Had complete injector failure- $6,500. Rear axle seal leak. Both front axle bearings & seals replaced about $1,000. Range selector sensor issues.

They are decent at best tractors. They start & run, but many of the periphery systems have failed. Fuel system is a joke-Injectors are poorly protected. PTO solenoids and pump failures. Very spendy to fix. Hydraulic steering very poor (steering wander). Lots of codes.

I’m just being honest. I see so much brand “protection” going on here.

Pick your poison. Quite honestly, they’re all prone to failure when used for agriculture.

If I knew I would be putting thousands of hours on a tractor I would definitely be looking at owner satisfaction for all brands.

 

[LD1]

With a hydraulic shuttle, there is NO clutch at all. Just a damper plate in the bell housing. Directional changes and travelling speeds are handled via a wet clutch that is hydraulically actuated via a lever on the steering column. I never touch the 'clutch' pedal unless I park the units.

I know how they work. I wasnt commenting on how they work.

 

[Hay Dude]

If I knew I would be putting thousands of hours on a tractor I would definitely be looking at owner satisfaction for all brands.

I try to.

Fendt always comes up #1, but as you’d expect, #1 highest price, too. Deere also gets high marks.

My strategy is Massey/Challenger/AgCO because they are 1/2 Fendt anyway. They have Fendt transmission, Fendt rear axle and Fendt braking systems.

 

[roadragedan751]

Hi All,

I'm in a position where I need a tractor again to use on some acreage I've acquired. Previously, I owned a Kubota Grand L Cab Tractor 34hp (L3430). I purchased that one new around 2005 and sold it in 2018, when I moved from my previous home that had acreage. I learned a few lessons with that ownership, one is to get 50hp or bigger, that seems to be the cut off for some implements, and I always wished for greater capacity on the FEL.

I visited my two local Kubota dealers, interested in the current Grand L60 series. Basically, what I had before, but with a larger engine. However, the sales reps were really steering me towards the MX series with a Cab rather than the L. Oddly, they mentioned the MX is heavier and larger (longer and wider) than the L, but the published specs don't support that. Perhaps they were speaking cab vs non cab?

I compared the specs. It seems like a tradeoff, more FEL capacity with the MX, but less three point capacity than the L. Price is around 50K for the MX5400 with Cab and FEL, standard bucket, maybe 2K more for the MX6000. We didn't get into pricing for a Grand L60, but I'm sure the cost is substantially higher.

I've been away from any land work and Kubota for years, and haven't really kept up with the good and bad regarding Kubota's current production. Still trying to figure out what I would miss with the Grand L60 vs the MX6000.

Thoughts?

I purchased a Mahindra m power 85 2018 model 667 hours 40000.

 

[sixdogs]

I know you already bought but this may help others. I have one of each with a cab and non-cab M7040 and then a non-cab MX5100. These are the same as what you are considering. While they look close on paper, they are more than that.

The MX5100 is nimble and handy because of it's shorter size and what I feel is better weight distribution, especially on the front. It grades my long driveway with a landscape rake much better than the M7040 because of it agility and turning radius. The MX5100 feels firmly planted on the ground because of excellent weight distribution. It feels beefy up front.

The M7040, especially with a cab, is bouncy up front and doesn't feel like solid weight distribution. It's not that it's bad but if you are driving much above 4 or 5 mph, the front end bobs up and down with a loader. It feels like it "slips" around corner up front. It doesn't feel as stable as the MX5100. In the woods or yard it is harder to maneuver around trees and such. On the plus side, it will lift 2,000 lbs with the bucket but bob around in transport. I love both of these tractors and either one could be considered Kubota's best ever made. Depending on use, I could pick either one.


The M7040 will pull way more than the MX5100 but as mentioned, is not as nimble for yard or farmyard work. I can't grade the drive with the M7040 but it will chip 6" wood or load pallets easily where the MX5100 won't. Around the yard, I almost always use the MX5100, even for pulling a rear mower on the lawn when the ground is dry. I couldn't get the M7040 around trees for that.

The M7040, for me is for regular ag-type work or lift heavy things, so compared with the MX5100, it gets used maybe 20% of the time. The MX5100 gets used 80% of the time around the house or farm and would be used more if it had a loader. If I could pick one tractor, I'll take the MX5100.


The hydro shuttle is nice on the M70400 but the shuttle shift on the MX5100 is excellent and I kind of prefer it most of the time. I do not have an HST but have in the past and felt the HP loss was more than I wanted for my use. HST's don't pull as much compared with gear transmissions.

On the cab, I love it on the M7040 but often use the non-cab M7040 because it's so easy to rip the roof panel off ($1500) with branches. It's easier than you would think. For repetitive field work in the heat or cold, I love the cab but don't get near any trees, branches or buildings. As a result, the edges of fields or yards don't get done with that tractor.

All these reviews are subjective since it's what you want that matters. Either of these tractors would be fine yet neither will be exactly right for everything you want to do. That's why we have light jackets and also heavy coats. If you will be doing home construction and more finesse-type things, smaller is better because you can get closer to edges plus fit around obstacles better. For farm or repetitive larger projects, larger is better because you need extra HP for those things.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

I admit that I haven't read all the feedback, but if you're looking for that higher HP, remember to factor in the weight of the tractor. Mass=pulling power. You can't leave that out.

 

[traderfjp]

Thanks for all the input. First why the L/MX rather than the M. I would like a cab tractor with HST. Simply, the M with the cab and FEL is a bit higher than I have budgeted, and it also does not offer the HST. I reviewed a few comparison videos of the Grand L and MX, it seems to be the same size tractor as I had before with the Grand L30.

The things giving me pause on the MX vs the Grand L60. First, the 3 point rear lift mechanism. The Grand L60 has a better independent external hydraulic lift with higher capabilities vs. integral to the transmission on the MX. The HST transmission on the MX seems to be more to what I had on the Grand L30.

Kubota also indicates a rear backhoe is not capable for the MX series but is available for the Grand L60, and the Grand L60 also offers a mid PTO. I don't know if I would buy a BH but it would be nice to have that option. The cab is much nicer on the Grand L60 as well, but overall is the Grand L60 $10,000 better than the MX???

As far as uses. The property currently a 28+ acre tree farm. It needs some upkeep, initially clearing of undesirable trees and understory/brush.
There is a perimeter trail around the property that needs to be maintained, and a rotary cutter is best for that. So basically skidding logs and moving limbs and brush to our wood chipper.

Long term, we plan to clear off three acres for a homesite, that will be subcontracted out to one of the forestry firms. Then the tractor will be used for more typical things, such as maintaining the lot/driveway, light material moving/spreading gravel and dirt.

Just another thought. Have you looked into LS. They have a great lineup of tractors and is heavily discounted over Kabota. LS makes a mt5 series in a 73hp version for around 50k with a cab. Check out tractor house. At the very least you can get a lower price then your local dealer and use it for negotiating.

 

[LD1]

In case some missed it.....the OP has already purchased a tractor. He got a L3560le....he mentions it in post #58

 

[Gord Baker]

Buy the one with the cab and ground level fueling. It is not a dozer or excavator. Too much tractor is like too much Woman. After awhile you regret it.

 

[troverman]

Both the GL and MX are great tractors. I replaced my L4060 with an MX6000, both cab versions. The GL has far more "features" which make operating it easier and nicer. The MX is a little heavier duty. Its not just the larger front tires...the whole front axle is quite a bit thicker than the front axle of a GL6060, and the swivels are larger and have grease fittings. The steering wheel does tilt on the MX with the cab, just not on open stations. The high end of the GL range uses the same engines as the MX line. The rear axle may be beefier on the MX, but not by a lot. The GL has the nicer external lift cylinders. The cab itself is actually the same - [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] grafted the Grand L 60 cab on to the MX chassis. There are some slightly differences in the roof. While I love the HST+ transmission, a problem common to all GL's with the 4-cylinder engine is the power steering will temporarily fail when the engine is hot and you are running at wide open throttle, such as mowing a field, and rapidly turn the wheel...say with cruise control on at the end of a row. Its as if the power steering can't keep up and suddenly you have no power steering. There are other threads about this, maybe here or over at orangetractortalks but it is well noted. Oddly, the 3-cylinder model like the OP just bought isn't affected. The MX never has this problem. If you do a ton of mowing, it gets very annoying. [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] has no fix.

 

[walnutman]

Hi All,

I'm in a position where I need a tractor again to use on some acreage I've acquired. Previously, I owned a Kubota Grand L Cab Tractor 34hp (L3430). I purchased that one new around 2005 and sold it in 2018, when I moved from my previous home that had acreage. I learned a few lessons with that ownership, one is to get 50hp or bigger, that seems to be the cut off for some implements, and I always wished for greater capacity on the FEL.

I visited my two local Kubota dealers, interested in the current Grand L60 series. Basically, what I had before, but with a larger engine. However, the sales reps were really steering me towards the MX series with a Cab rather than the L. Oddly, they mentioned the MX is heavier and larger (longer and wider) than the L, but the published specs don't support that. Perhaps they were speaking cab vs non cab?

I compared the specs. It seems like a tradeoff, more FEL capacity with the MX, but less three point capacity than the L. Price is around 50K for the MX5400 with Cab and FEL, standard bucket, maybe 2K more for the MX6000. We didn't get into pricing for a Grand L60, but I'm sure the cost is substantially higher.

I've been away from any land work and Kubota for years, and haven't really kept up with the good and bad regarding Kubota's current production. Still trying to figure out what I would miss with the Grand L60 vs the MX6000.

Thoughts?

Have a look at the Yanmar. I bought a brand new YT359C this year. 59hp. Amazing transmission and comes factory with two rear remotes and a 10 year powertrain warranty.

Hi All,

I'm in a position where I need a tractor again to use on some acreage I've acquired. Previously, I owned a Kubota Grand L Cab Tractor 34hp (L3430). I purchased that one new around 2005 and sold it in 2018, when I moved from my previous home that had acreage. I learned a few lessons with that ownership, one is to get 50hp or bigger, that seems to be the cut off for some implements, and I always wished for greater capacity on the FEL.

I visited my two local Kubota dealers, interested in the current Grand L60 series. Basically, what I had before, but with a larger engine. However, the sales reps were really steering me towards the MX series with a Cab rather than the L. Oddly, they mentioned the MX is heavier and larger (longer and wider) than the L, but the published specs don't support that. Perhaps they were speaking cab vs non cab?

I compared the specs. It seems like a tradeoff, more FEL capacity with the MX, but less three point capacity than the L. Price is around 50K for the MX5400 with Cab and FEL, standard bucket, maybe 2K more for the MX6000. We didn't get into pricing for a Grand L60, but I'm sure the cost is substantially higher.

I've been away from any land work and Kubota for years, and haven't really kept up with the good and bad regarding Kubota's current production. Still trying to figure out what I would miss with the Grand L60 vs the MX6000.

Thoughts?

Take a look at Yanmar. 59hp, amazing transmission and a 10 year powertrain warranty.