23 replies to this topic

[spudland_dave]

I think that the Deere 3000-series has the nicest cab in that size class. I have liked every Deere compact that I have driven in the past few years.

I'm not a Kubota fan which I have said in other posts. They have the reputation but I think that reputation exceeds reality. Take a look at the rears, for instance. Many are just bull-gears and not planetaries like a tractor should have. I have driven many Kubotas and I don't even have them on my shopping list despite having some good dealers around me.

As an owner of a 3520 Cab machine, I can say I totally agree. Completely love it. When I was shopping for machines a couple years ago the JD Cab was simply the BEST one out, I'd say 2nd was the MF, 3rd was the Kubota. Machine wise there are alot of things I liked about the JD more then the rest...The Kubota dealer treated me like poop, so I figured my money wasnt good enough for them. "Before you go buy a Deere come see me" right from the owners mouth isnt a valid quote in my book and by the time the salesman got around to responding to me (I know him) I responded to his email with a picture of my 3520 being unloaded off the dealers rollback...
Ergonomics and comfort are 2nd to none in the ComfortGard cab. The 3x20 Cab/ComfortGard was designed from the ground up as a cabbed machine, some of the others it was clearly a "oh, JD & Kubota have cabbed ones, we should too".

Hydro & Controls is another thing, personally i cant STAND the single rocker "Treddle" on the Kubota or brands that have it...the Cabbed DX has twin pedals but they were soo tough to push. eHydro is where its at (Kubota has their version). All in all, as a whole package, I hate to say it on here, but JD has their act together in the CUT market.

[ihred62]

Well I went and test drove a 3616 Mahindra today A little bigger frame then the Kabuta so I would have to go with the 72" deck. The cab seemed a little quieter than Kubota. I agree I did not like the single rocker pedal on the Kubota either, the Mahindra had 2 seperate pedals seemed more user friendly.Mahindra uses the 3 cylinder Mitsubishi engine are they a good engine? They also have a better warranty 5 year engine + power train 3 years on every thing else or 1500 hours which ever comes first.One thing I found interesting they date back to 1945 and in 1963 they made a joint venture with International Harvester to manufacture tactors in India, in the book it shows the front end of 450 series. On the way home stopped at a massy dealer they told me they will be getting a trade of the smallest series with a cab with 12 hours on it.The owner bought it new and found out it is to small for him and wants to trade up a couple sizes. So i guess that will be the next one I will look at.

[Robert S]

Mitsubishi makes a pretty good engine IMHO.

[ABCHM]

Funny to hear another person had a bad experience with a Kubota dealer. I left mine after hearing him bash the John Deere 990 I had looked at. Kubota dealer told me "Thats a Yanmar they split up with JD you will never get parts" That was 6 years ago and they still sell the tractor it is just renumbered. The JD dealer was bought out and is now part of a 5 store group and I can't deal with them any more. I drive an extra 20 minutes to a single store dealer that treats people like a customer not like a prisoner.

[EquipmentJunkie]

I think that Mitsubishi engines are fine. I never heard anything bad about them. In fact, I believe that Mitsubishi engines were used in early IH and Case IH compacts like the 254, 255, and 1130. Mitsubishi may have even made the whole tractor.
I forgot about the Massey compacts...they just don't have a strong presence in my area. Every MF compact that I drove over the years were a very good handling tractor. I was especially impressed with the newer models. I told my brother that if you put another color paint on it, folks would rave about them.
I'll agree on the Kubota hydro pedal. I spent a number of hours on a Kubota L4610 a few years and nearly got a charlie horse in my calf from tromping on that pedal for so long. That tractor only had about 1,000 hours on it and it felt loose and TIRED.

[spudland_dave]

My only problem with Mahindra machines and other "Short Line Machines" is the dealer network, or lack thereof.... I USED to drive by one every day, had a big inventory, sold alot of machines...but the dealer is no longer there. I would not be happy if I spent 30k on something and had ZERO service or parts. Crossing filters over to Wix is fine for maintenance, but paying shpping on some of the heavier parts you may need along the way would not be cool....
Another Very nice cabbed machine was the TYM, never DROVE one, but dealer a few miles from my house sold em last year...this year no more TYM and they are selling LS machines. Again, had I bought a TYM, I'd be mighty upset....

Agreed on the MF situation, local dealer here is CIH and MF and seems to push the MF's hardest.

[Ernest]

Kioti
http://www.kiotitractor.com/
I believe they even partnered with Kubota in the beginning!

Made by daedong. They make many machines for many companies!
http://tractors.wikia.com/wiki/Daedong

[spudland_dave]

Kioti does make a nice tractor...My brother has a Bobcat CT230, which is a Kioti painted White. If he wasnt looking for a cabbed machine specifically, I woulda mentioned them...Along with Cub Cadet/Yanmar.
But again with the Kioti brand, the whole "Here today, gone tomorrow" dealer is a real fear...I know that there used to be a couple Kioti dealers around, I know the one closest to me is gone, dunno where the next closest one even is anymore. I'd buy a Bobcat branded one just for the sake of knowing the Bobcat dealers have been around for a while and will be down the road.

[ChrisNY]

Look at the Masseys for sure, I have a 1528(no cab) and it s a well built nice little tractor. I looked at all different brands before buying and the Massey was heavier built, good hydraulics and very comfortable. I sat in one with a cab at dealer after I bought mine and cab was very nice. Have been very happy with my Massey.