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[N80]

If you really want a basic, affordable 4wd tractor with the most hp for the money, I think the Kubota L4400 is a great deal. Around $19,000 with a loader, 45 hp. But, it is no frills, gear drive, no luxuries other than the cup holder.

 

[3RRL]

Many good suggestions and JimParker has put it as good as I've ever heard it....
What that tells me is that people fall in love with their tractors, and everyone thinks their is the "best" of the bunch. It also tells me that it's hard to make a bad decision. The only caveat I would add to that is that in general, people who buy the "grey market" tractors (Asian refurbs) are generally more willing to "tinker" and have more leeway to live without it for a while if they are waiting for parts to arrive. Of course, having said that, there are innumerable exceptions on both sides...

With that in mind, don't forget to look at the rest of the tractors available, including the Chinese models. They continue to be a bargain including fel with several implements offering the possibility of a larger tractor and more horsepower (in many cases but not all) for the same money. By doing so it will either make your mind up to purchase big 3 or open your eyes to other possibilities, including buying new, used or other. One thing I really like about the tone of this thread is most everyone has advised you to look at "all tractors" without bias and decide for yourself which one fits you best and I certainly agree with that. The guys here on TBN are a great group of guys and I hope you find this board as useful as I have.

N80, did you really get a cupholder with that? Dang!

 

[frank_f15]

WELCOME ABOARD! MANY FINE TRACTORS in that price range, don't forget that not all tractors feel the sae to all folks , so don't just buy by specs. very important to put your fanny in the seat and try them out.

 

[machmeter62]

JONNYBONE: TBN has a lot of very knowledgeable members on anything with moving parts! I still get amazed at some of the in-depth discussions here. First, get some brochures from your local dealers, study them; then throw the questions to the guys here, and by the time you are ready to buy, your knowledge will be greater than the sales person. Plus, when you decide what you want in value and cost, is also available here. Let the fun begin!

Also, at the top of the front page of TBN, take advantage of the REVIEWS on any tractor; which will give you an initial opinion.

 

[charlesw]

It''s interesting to me... The automobile industry would kill for an owner satisfaction rating like CUTs have.

Ha! I knew it! I'll be perfectly happy with a 2WD

Thanks for all of the ideas...

And, yes, I've looked (online, etc) at Chinese tractors, too. I got a very nice offer on an Ag King 45HP tractor. I let that one drop when I got the bid on the MX5000SU... But, wow, are a lot of people ever telling me that I need 4WD! I'm still not convinced, but I am questioning my choice more!

So today I'll go check out a NH 3930 (used). Too expensive as it is, but maybe I can talk him down (oh, and maybe it will be the right tractor for me, too).

Ah, but, right... I will be happy with any tractor. I just need to make the decision and buy one!

The L4400 (as suggested below) isn't going to help me out. In this area, it's out of the price range - especially if you're adding implements (I've got to have a brush hog...).

The Chinese tractor is well within the budget. But, man, it scares me... I've heard the horror stories...

charles

 

[dgl24087]

The 3930 is a nice tractor, 45 PTO HP, will do a lot of work, more fuel efficient than my Deere, which is also 45 PTO HP. Major differences are the Deere is geared a bit slower and achieves it's HP rating at higher RPM than the NH (2500 to 2000, I believe). Comparable in weight, my Deere is slightly more maneuverable due to it's swept back front axle, the 3930 has a straight axle. Deere has power steering, 3930 has hydrostatic steering.

 

[N80]

Rob, the cup holder came standard, built into the fender. Nothing I could do about it.

Charles, I am a big fan of 4wd in small light tractors. There are a lot of opinions out there concerning 4wd. If all you intended to do was mow on fairly level surfaces then I'd say there would be no reason to pay for 4wd. But, if you are driving in snow, on hills, using ground engaging implements, doing heavy loader work, then 4wd in these tractors is, in my opinion, almost a necessity. And to see the effect takes nothing more than trying to do the work with a 4wd tractor in 2wd. There is a world of difference. It is like two different tractors.

If the L4400 and JD 990 are out of your price range, look at the L3400.

 

[JimParker]

...the dealers here were more than eager to bring their products to my property for a day or so to test them...

When I worked for IBM, they called that the "puppy dog" close...

As in "Here, kids, you can take this cute puppy dog home and show it to your parents. If they won't let you keep it, you can bring it back..."

The theory is, once you've got it home and are doing your work with it, you've psychologically moved to the "how do I pay for it" point in the sales process, instead of the "am I going to buy this or not?" stage. It has the highest "closure" rate of all the various techniques.

For that reason, do yourself a favor, and narrow down your choices to one or two before doing this. It really is hard to make them come take it back...

 

[charlesw]

When I worked for IBM, they called that the "puppy dog" close...

Yeah, well... So, I went to see the 3930 today. Wow. I mean, wow. With 1100 hours on it, well, it could have been 6 months old, you know? And I don't mean because somebody repainted it. It was just in great shape from great upkeep... I only drove it for about 1/2 hour... But... Wow. And sigh. If I had better skills at talking prices... So... Maybe I should start a new thread on how to make a deal. Ha. Or maybe I should search for that first (hello!). Or maybe it's worth what the dealer is asking (I doubt it. Well... It was a really nice tractor! Oh, no, wait... The right blinker doesn't work and there's a little tear in the seat! It's obviously junk!)...

Sigh.

 

[JohnnyBone]

Stopped and looked at a brand I had never heard of until I found this website. Kioti tractors. They sorta look like Kubota's which I have definately heard of. They are the same color. Are they Kubota knockoffs? Does Kubota make them? Are they cheaper than Kubotas? Are they any good? I looked at a CK model. There were only 3 tractors to look at. They had just closed so I did not have a chance to speak to a salesman. Thanks

 

[IslandTractor]

Stopped and looked at a brand I had never heard of until I found this website. Kioti tractors. .... Are they Kubota knockoffs? Does Kubota make them? Are they cheaper than Kubotas? Are they any good?

This will start the sparks flying....

As you have no doubt noted on TBN, just about everyone loves their tractor and favors that brand. Kubota and Kioti owners are no different. My orange tractor has a black bucket (=Kioti).

Well, yes the Kioti's look like Kubotas but the similarity is only paint deep. I believe Kioti used to make some of the early Kubotas under license but that was a while ago. They are completely separate companies. I'd say it's fair to state that every CUT manufacturer is trying to copy Kubota's success and Kioti is no different (except for the brash use of orange ). They are sometimes cheaper than Kubotas. That is to say that they list a bit less than equivalent Kubotas but with most Kubota dealers discounting, it depends on whether the individual Kioti dealer discounts to know if they will be cheaper to buy. I think most folks have gotten over thinking the Kioti's are off brand tractors and having compared them head to head with Kubota's I'd say they are very competitive in quality and value.

There are some Kubota/Kioti matchups that are fair head to head comparisons but the CK's don't compare exactly to either the Kubota B or L series. They typically have more features and are heavier than the equivalent HP B series Kubota and are not as large as the L's. You might think of the CKs as small Grand L's but that is not real world comparison as there are no small Grand Ls. Kioti only recently announced HST transmissions in 35 and 45hp tractors and they are not yet in dealer showrooms.

The real advantage Kubota has is their second to none dealer network and market share. You are much more likely to live near a Kubota dealer than a Kioti dealer. Also, Kubota dealers are likely pretty well established medium to large size dealerships where as most Kioti dealerships are small to medium sized. Of course the individual dealer is the critical factor so you'd need to search out your local dealer and judge for yourself.

 

[daTeacha]

I looked at both orange ones -- having a Kubota bias from my old B7100 -- before deciding on a Case. I agree with Island Tractor, who as noted, owns a Kioti. The nearest Kioti dealer for me is 35 miles, while there are 3 Kubota dealers within a 20 mile radius.

Sitting on the Kioti compared to the Kubota left me feeling like I was more or less standing up on the Kioti while the Kubota was trying to make me slide forward off the seat. The actual driving experience was pretty similar as far as I could tell. The prices were about the same for the same size tractors -- wheelbase and horsepower. The Kioti was considerably heavier.

If you plan to mow lawn with it, the Kubota will be easier on the lawn. If you plan to do heavy work with the loader, I would guess the Kioti would be more stable.

Don't forget about Red, Blue, and Green. There are several brands of each color out there.