Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire John Deere or Kubota

I have 3 JD tractors, and one 100hp Kubota tractor. I'm trying to buy a new 141hp Kubota tractor. The he'll with JD, service sucks if your a little operation. Kubota is the best hay tractor going as far as I'm concerned.
Always buy a larger tractor than what you think you need.

I am not talking here about hobby tractors, I am talking about industrial ag and forestry machines. Part of the reluctance of the right to repair is an effort on Deere's part to avoid the disaster of Cat's eventual failure and withdrawal from the truck engine market. What happens is a whole new cottage industry is formed...cheap Chinese fake parts, correct cosmetically but not even close to oem specs are flooded into the market, installed by who knows and as a result, Cat gets a bad name...oh my turbo failed after only 100,000 miles, I'll never buy another Cat, warranty fights, bad advertising....and that is not the worst, access to the computers and chips with aftermarket programming usually designed in a bazaar in India by people who have no skin in the game once they sell you the product. And then, real, total catastrophic engine failures. It killed Cat. Deere, even with the bad press it generates, wants to avoid Cat's mistakes. Deere parts, with a record of installation by Deere authorized techs, in the long run will protect the Deere brand name. Trust me, this policy is not a cheesey effort to boost profits in dealership repair shops.

Had a JD 5085E for 6 years. Decent tractor, did what I needed, but was constantly throwing codes, which required JD techs to come look at. Had a few issues with rodent damage and some fender damage, that, while not related to the tractor itself, told me LOTS about John Deere.
service.

Always got the feeling they didn’t care much about “small tractor” owners. I’m sure there are certain markets where they are more geared towards that, but out here, it’s “Big Ag”, and the same company owns every dealer within 150-200 miles (Deere has been pushing this “regional” ownership, vs. local, the last few years). They pushed the remaining 2-3 “locals” to sell to the regional, a while back.

Happen to work with a gal whose husband is a salesman for JD, here. She confirmed my suspicions, and mentioned her husband HATES dealing with the “utility tractor” folks. He wants to deal in the $250k-$500k “big stuff”. If you’re not a custom operator or have a huge operation, you’re sucking hind tit.

Replaced it with a Kubota M5-091. Dealer has been super friendly and supportive. Also bought a L2501 from them. Great experiences on both. I was simply TIRED of dealing with JD service, and their $1000 service calls.

I’m not slamming JD’s “product”, just what they consider their “profit center”. Kubota seems to want to sell small/medium tractors, make a profit, and “service what they sell”. John Deere, OTOH, seems to want to make their service department their “profit center”, by charging an arm and a leg every time you need them, or keeping their codes/software proprietary/private…

They "came around", huh? That's one way to put it.

Looks more like they were grabbed by the ear and pulled around kicking and screaming.

Kioti. IMHO better than Kubota and JD and cheaper than either. I have worked my 55HP really hard and had zero problems.

Regardless - as a JD customer - you have a right to repair. The article (which was the first I grabbed as when I read it on LinkedIn back when it happened - impossible to find/search) - doesn't really mention a lawsuit or any other force of law. They didn't have to do the MOU. And the ones fighting this were the big buck ag guys, not dudes with a green lawnmower.

I 'had' a 5' BH on my Kioti of the same size, it drove the tractor!
Dropped to a 4' and have had much better results.
As far as the green & other orange brands, I visited both of our local stealerships and walked out of both spitting nails mad[and we weren't even at the price haggling point yet] This was 10 years back so it wasn't todays world where you have to take what may be available.
My lil' Kioti has done way more than it should and just keeps kickin along.

Kubota….just that! memtb

Yeah, I have the other "orange" too.

Came with the house/property we bought 4 years ago.

24hp Diesel, 4x4 with diff locks, loader & backhoe, touch over 400 hours, when we bought, 535 hours now.













A toy, I know, in comparison, but it has done everything we've asked of it.

Here around Colorado Springs, both JD and Kubota dealers are playingto the hobby farmer. Prices and attitude reflect it. I went east of Pueblo and saved $3000 on my Kubota 2501 vs the same size JD tractor in Colorado Springs. Definitely more versatile with the universal skid steer attachments. JD yoy are locked into the dealer.

Major use here is snow removal.60 inch blower on back and wide front bucket I have not run out of power yet in snow 3-4 foot deep.Other use is plowing, discing, manures spreading, spreading gravel on lane, lifting things too heavy for me.There are a few JD's around me and it seems there is away some problem with them.

Biggest turn off for me was the dealer.

Ummmm, about those propane tanks.......

That looks like a sweet rig Paul.

Mmmm, who was the last turd, that tried to tell me that, that system could not be certified !

Thanks Richard, it does what we need, including driveway snow clearing, from where the Plow truck, fills the front of the driveway !!!

You guys running the orange and red tractors, have they 'appreciated' in value like the green machines?



I was just price checking on tracterhouse and the madness continues.

About 5 years ago I paid $55k for a very good condition JD 7610, similar machines(hours, loaders, etc..) are now listed at $80-90k.



Are the orange tractors going nuts as well?

I don't know the prices as I am not looking, but just about any Kubota advertised sells immediately and it is hard to find one. Sort of like a Toyota Tacoma. If you see one and like it you better buy it as it won't be there tomorrow. Especially the 25-40 horse ones. The bigger stuff, I don't know.

I'm with 99's

The other Orange tractor.......with the 'black bucket'

Bought mine new in 2010.......CK35...3 cylinder...shuttle gear driven..4x4.....diff lock

IIRC......promo then was the FEL came with the machine....paid $17K with a bunch of impliments

Have done nuthin but normal service on all the fluids...just turned 501 hrs....

Factory battery lasted 9 years !

For my uses its been one helluva machine.......say what ya want

Earned its keep just moving snow this winter

Where'd you buy it? Been looking for tractor dealers in Cedar/St. George area and there doesn't seem to be many.

My tractor went with the house when we sold it so looking to replace it.

Look at linky......

down near ya now.....

If list is current

I'd buy another in a heart beat

charger on

https://www.kioti.com/find-a-dealer/

Thanks. Had looked at that site before.