JD vs Kubota vs Montana
franksturges
Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 4 Moss Point, MS |
2006-08-30 133825
Dear Friends: I'm considering starting a semi-retirement business doing light-weight construction work: backhoe, loader and box blade. Looking at JD 4120 vs Kubota L39 vs Montana 3840 set-ups. I haven't found any quality comparison info on these...can anyone comment. Quite a price difference between Montana (lowest) to Kubota (highest). Hoping to average 20-30 hours a week...
Frank
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
SG8NUC
Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 579 g Pics |
2006-08-30 133826
Go with the dealer that will warrenty the tractor for industrial work. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York Pics |
2006-08-30 133828
The Kubota is the only industrial tractor picked! The other are normal compacts that can still have a loader and a backhoe and would work fine for the weekend warrior but could never keep up with the capicities of the L-39 or for longevity at 20 to 30 hours a week. The L-39 would definitly out perform in lift capacity as well as speed against these units. Deere offers the 110 which specs in the hydraulic department a little smaller then the L-39 but would be a more comparable unit. It is often said a good dealer is important but if working and trying to make a profit it is better not to need a dealer daily and just keep working! Kubota's 3830 would be comparable to the other two. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3034 Northern AL Pics |
2006-08-30 133830
If you are going to use it commercially you are better off with the commercial unit like the Kubota. There is a Deere equivalent, JCB, Yanmar etc. but most are more $ than the Kubota's.
I started this a couple of hours ago but the power went out for a couple of hours. I see Art has beaten me to it now. ....
Link: JCB
 
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
SG8NUC
Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 579 g Pics |
2006-08-30 133832
Peters
On I-95 in Savanna Ga. about 10 miles across the South Carolina state line there is a JCB plant. They have two Islands (an acre each) in the middle of a 20 acre pond. On the islands they have their different models of their equipment. When the sun is just right you can see the under water bridges to the islands. Quite a sight from I-95 if you are ever in the area. It is also next door to a golf course I would love to play. Bring your clubs. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3034 Northern AL Pics |
2006-08-31 133856
I am afraid I don't get to that corner of the state of GA very often. Most of the time I am near Atlanta. It sounds a little like the BMW plant SC.
We had a house fire 6.5 years ago and the club went up in flames, along with everything else. I have not had time to golf since, but thanks for the offer. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
franksturges
Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 4 Moss Point, MS |
2006-08-31 133878
Thanks everyone for the input, especially Art's point re: industrial model. -fs ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan Pics |
2006-08-31 133879
So...what about New Hollands (sniffle, sniffle)?
I use my 2002 TC33D (4x4 hydrostat with Super Steer) 100% commercially for grading, brushhogging, etc.
It's extremely durable. I've got close to 500 hours on it. And it's the perfect size for residential work. I don't have a loader for it but am considering it since it's another trip to get the bobcat. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada Pics |
2006-09-01 133886
There, there EW, don't get Blue over it now. LOL.
Art was referring to the category of machine, Industrial as opposed to Estate or Chore Tractor. Kind of like Car VS Truck, but we all know the abuse a police car gets and they stand up fine.
Most of my fleet is not Industrial machines, and they stand up to far more punishment in a season than most homeowners can inflict in a lifetime!!
As an aside .... FIVE HUNDRED HOURS on a 2002 machine?!!! Good Lord man, get that beast working!! LOL.
We've been averaging 200 hours per machine a MONTH up here this summer!!
Yes, you NEED a FEL on that machine!!
Best of luck. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York Pics |
2006-09-06 134016
For most of the home owners in the area 100 hours a year is about the normal with some running 200 or more. We have found a few that have a tough time justifying the 50 hour oil change in the first year but that is the exception. We have a BX 2200 out with over 4000 hours on it and doing fine although a little ugly on the cosmetics side as he commercially mows with it as well as landscaping. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
ihookem
Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 49 Allenton, Wisconsin |
2006-10-11 135881
Nice to hear about Kubotas with 4000 hrs on it and doing fine. He must use it all the time. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct Pics |
2006-10-11 135884
I have owned a JD & now I happily own a Kubota. I recommed the Kubota. My Kubota amaze's me dailey & I have had it for over 2 years now. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
unit5alive
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 250 Latrobe Pa |
2006-10-12 135894
Ther all great tractors , the dealer is very important also if you ever need service. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon Pics |
2006-10-12 135909
The dealer is the most important IMO. Kubota makes a great tractor but if I had the choice of buying orange from the local Kubota guy or anything else I'd be driving anything else. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan Pics |
2006-10-13 135914
Sometimes it's not (just) the dealers but the Corporate (mfg.) District Managers whose job it is to save every stock holder's dollar even sometimes at the risk of the dealer and or the customer. Dealers sometimes have been "down that road before" of trying to do good by the customer but find economically it costs them one way or another. A dealer really has two masters---Corporate and you.
From a bad experience with Chrysler Corp. on one of their lemon Rams I bought, it wasn't so much the dealership but the Chrysler District Manager who was the ultimate d---k of d---ks. Talk about a piece of s---t. But justice was served without him and the truck was bought back, and I got my money back.
On the up side New Holland came through when I had a skid steer that was defective, they bent over backward to see to it I got about what totalled $15,000 discount. The dealer had a little to do with it, but was probably being led by the nose by NH. I had to laugh when the NH Sales and Warranty Managers both told me at our meeting that they "appreciated my cooperation without tempers flaring". Smiling, I told them, "You mean you're glad I didn't bring my lawyer, right?" The look on their face was a Kodak moment. Got the point across though. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York Pics |
2006-10-13 135921
NH had plenty of problems with their skid steers. Some have been delt with in a very good ways on on others we had to fight like crazy and they still didn't budge. Just like filling in credit applications some get taken that you wonder why and the next guy solid as gold can't get it! I know a lot of people feal it's the dealer that should be the largest part of the purchase and I've listened as to why! Not all machines are created equal!!! We often have to deliver oil and filters to see many of my Kubota customers because they are not in the store for parts because of break downs! There are differences in the tractors and the attachments and the manufacturing processes are different as well as the back-up in twenty years "IF" that company is still doing buisness thru the same supply chain. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
grassgod
Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 566 ct Pics |
2006-10-13 135923
I Agree with you Art! ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon Pics |
2006-10-13 135926
Art, are you saying that Kubota is so reliable the dealer is unimportant? Maybe buying used or from eBay is the way to go then? Just yanking your chain. When/if a problem (or even a question or simple request for a minor modification) arises the dealer can make a customer or an enemy for life. Kubota makes a good machine but no tractor is 100% reliable. For proof just scan the Kubota forum for folks reporting problems. ....
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JD vs Kubota vs Montana
Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York Pics |
2006-10-14 135930
Ken, there is no doubt that there are not break downs. We have found that the first thing that stops a lot of the problems is education. The problems that arise after potential abuse or neglect from not operating correctly drops the amount of repairs needed. The biggest thing that I refer to is many makes seem to have problems that come of time, your battery on the deeres, the hydraulic oil coolers on the blue and red, strike me dead probably Kubota will have one tommorrow! All manufacturers have different quality levels they use for their products. The other thing is it is tough on a dealer when they have little or no control over the manufacturers desision as to who they represent. The IH compacts that were later to be Cadets and the supply chain of parts. We only need to look at the posts for Belarus for one that has come and gone in the last twenty years. Where will some of these marketing companies be in 10 or 15 years, are they there for a dollar or the passion? I've seen many go out of business and the number of customers that come thru our doors hoping on finding a part for a twenty five year old tractor with a lot of hours left in the chassis, just not all the parts needed to work with it! I do know many different types of dealers as thru the years I've watched them come and go, I've seen them switch towns, change names and then leave the area all together, I felt sorry for the customers because at best they only got lip service. Their are a lot of good dealers both new and old with good help and some not so good. I would hope everyone is happy with their purchase and that they bought the right equipment to do the job the first time with years of joyful return no matter what brand or dealer! ....
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