Resisting the impulse...your thought, please

chanimal · Apr 2, 2005

Hello to all...glad to be among you true believers. I'm amost ashamed to admit how excited I am to acquire my first-ever tractor, and, unlike may of you more serious shoppers, am in a hurry to get the buying done and the work begun. I have ten acres of riverfront property, about two acres heavily wooded, two acres of house and yard and six acres of open brushland. Think I will need around 30 horses to blade and refinish the road, shred the brush, pull logs and trees around and knock over stumps. (Will fine mow with a separate mower.) Guess I will need FEL w/hooks on the bucket, box scraper, and shredder. Have good green and orange dealers nearby, and have looked at 3120, 3320, and last years' 4310. Looked at and drove the Kubota L2800. These are the tractors suggested by the sales guys after hearing what I need. After studying tractorbynet forums and talking to others, seems that any of these will work. Think I need to find and look at a Kyoti, as well. I am a value buyer, don't want to overbuy, but am willing to pay for reliability and performance. I am thinking that I will be spending in the range of $18-20K. Would like to make the best-informed decision possible, get a reasonable deal and BUY SOON. Now for some questions. What is the right JD model among those mentioned? Am I looking at the best Kubota? If I can find a good Kioti dealer, what should I look at? Am I right about horsepower and implements? Price range?

I am grateful for your willingness to share your experience and knowledge. You will help me prove to mama that I am a savvy tractor-buying kind of guy.

Morgan1952 · Apr 2, 2005

Kioti line in a 30hp you will be looking at the LK3054 or the CK30. The LK3054 doesn't have the style but is a good tractor. The CK30 you can get the Mechanical gear with Shuttle, or the HST model. The HST model cost is only a few hundred more. One step down is the CK 25 and one step up is the DK 35. All excellent tractors. To find a dealer close to you Just go to www.kiotitractor.com. I hope that this helps
Bob

shoppintractors · Apr 2, 2005

If I can find a good Kioti dealer, what should I look at? 

Visit www.kioti.com and put your zip code into the dealer search engine.

While your there check out the CK25/30 HST, CK25/30 gear, and the LK3054xs. I believe you find these up to the challenge.

Don

Edit: Bob, you read my mind. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Powhatan · Apr 2, 2005

If you are going to be doing some bush hogging the L2800 needs to be a hydrostatic drive. The L2800 gear model does not have live or continious PTO, it runs only when the clutch is out. You will find it very difficult to bush hog in reverse and you will find time when you want to do that. The kubota L3400 is a better tractor and has the options you want. The dealer I have near me here in Va. will not sell the L2800 in gear drive. The Ck30 Kioti is a very nice tractor and will probably do anything you want but the bucket size on the FEL is a little small. The DK35 is a very impressive tractor. It has continious running PTO and is on a larger frame than the CK30 and The L2800/L3400. It has more options than eather one of the Kubotas. Kubota and Kioti both are very good tractors, the Kioti's tend to be heavier which will give you better traction using the FEL. I would shop around and look at as many as you can before deciding. For what new tractors cost nowadays you want to get the best tractor for your hard earned dollar. I have looked at Long, Ford, New Holland, Kubota, Taft, and Kioiti, so far for the money the Kioti DK35 has impressed me the most.
Hope this helps Good Luck

frank_f15 · Apr 2, 2005

1ST OF ALL WELCOME TO THE FORUM! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif And yes you might want to check out the KOITI brand. MIght be a good idea to check out all the brand specifics forums to get a more detailed idea of each model.

To20Chris · Apr 2, 2005

Take a good look at the Kioti LK3054XS. It's not the king of style, but it's a real workhorse. I have the previous non-XS version - I bought for value, and I've been more than pleased with the capability, features, and quality for the money.

KiotiJohn · Apr 3, 2005

As far as Kioti dealers, I've heard EXCELLENT things about Rivera Machinery where several posters have mentioned they drove a long way and got a great deal. I think they also offer as standard, an extended warranty period.
They are in Donna, Boerne, and Three Rivers, Texas.
I go with the others on recommendation of the CK30, LK3054 or DK35, leaning more to the DK35 for your uses. I'm sure you're going to find more to do that will need the extra horespower. This tractor has great features as standard equipment and is a resonably priced mid frame tractor. John

schole · Apr 3, 2005

I couldn't sleep for nights thinking about which tractor to buy.

I just settled on the L3400 with gears 2 weeks ago (wife surprised me) for my very hilly 17 acres. 4-5 acres to mow. Most tractor for the $$ in my area.

The Kioti forum is very active here, friendly, knowledgeable, and enthusiatic about the brand. I gave these great looking machines a very careful look. The LK3054xs is awesome -- way heavier than the regular LK3054. I think they are maketting it as competition for the Kubota TLBs. It was 12-15K more than the L3400. The CK30 is great -- I preferred the performance of the gear with shuttle transmission. As the CK30 is only pennies more than the CK25 on the same frame, it is the cheapest 5 hp you will ever purchase. Weight is definitely important, but there comes a point where you just need more hp and you want to move along in a higher gear. Thus, I opted for the L3400 with a few more horses (was less expensive than the CK30 here aswell).

If price is no issue and name recognition is important, JD makes a great product with excellent resale value. Kubota is a close second in my area.

Drive all the brands...one will fit. Buy it.

Good luck.

Shawn

chanimal · Apr 3, 2005

Just want to thank you seven guys for your responses. Seems there is indeed a TBN bias in favor of the Kioti. JD salesman (surprise, surprise) tells me that parts are hard to come by for the Kioti. What think ye all?

And why so few endorsements for the JD's? Too much $ for the name?

Still looking and learning. Fun stuff.

Chanimal

KiotiJohn · Apr 3, 2005

( The LK3054xs is awesome -- way heavier than the regular LK3054. I think they are maketting it as competition for the Kubota TLBs. It was 12-15K more than the L3400. )
Something just doesn't ring right about that 12-15K more for the 3054. I'm not sure how it could possibly be so much more than an L3400. Here in the states, I'm sure that isn't the case, unless they're selling the L3400 for around $5,000.
John