[Formulabruce]

Of the 3 mentioned, and I think the Kioti has the best value, lowest resale. Quality is Really Stout. The Kioti has the least parts support. Parts are ONLY available at the dealers, ( filters too) and Kioti takes off 3 weeks the first of every year. Most are closed on Mondays. There is no "Green farm parts" site for Kioti. You cant even find a part number online, its ALL dependent on the dealers. The dealers cannot normally even get tracking for incoming parts.
I am working on a 25 hp cab unit right now. try to buy a cooling fan and clutch........
I like em, but... If they go the way of Branson... ..

[Cliff R]

Kioti for sure is attractive if you don't factor in the resale. Not having local parts support isn't going to make it.

I have John Deere, Yanmar and Kubota locally. The Kioti dealer is almost an hour away.

Since I'm not in a big hurry will keep looking and check out the used market some. Right now I'm leaning hard toward the Kubota L series in the hydro version. Problem is that the 525 loaders are not available with the Skid Steer universal quick attach system. That's a problem for me as I plan on adding a grapple and other accessories and the aftermarket stuff is quite a bit less expensive than the Kubota line......

[77 Canamman]

My father purchased a brand new Kioti CK20 in 2011. It is had several hydraulic system issues even under the factory warranty. The front bucket rams need to be rebuilt again because the bucket will tilt by itself. The brush hog needed a bearing assembly due to a factory mistake. One of the grease tubes for the remote greasing was never attached, so that bearing assembly never received the grease that was intended. The rubber rear tire valve stems rotted off it in 2017, and it's garaged. Had to refill the tires with fluid. It's never had any engine or driveline issues. I've purchased oil and fuel filters from Ebay. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 overall. The local dealer is 25 mins away.

[ponyakr]

"...Parts are ONLY available at the dealers, ( filters too)..."

Kioti would not be my 1st choice, now. But, just to keep all the facts straight, that statement is not totally correct. My CK27 uses a NAPA 1324 oil filter. NAPA lists other filters & a few small parts for my model.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/search...2009/201579748

If I was gonna buy a new one now & had lots of money, I'd go with a JD, probably around 30hp. But I suppose a 3025D model would be similar to my Kioti. Specs says it has a Yanmar engine. Looks like you have to go with at least 50hp to get a real John Deere engine.

https://www.deere.com/en/tractors/co...ractors/3025d/

But, since I don't have lots of money, I'd probably go with Kubota. And there's a dealer 25 miles from me. Woud probably look 1st at the L2501.

https://apps.kubotausa.com/configura...d=1010&sId=125

Mahindra hasn't been mentioned much. I just did a Google & was surprised at the top 10 tractor co's they listed. Said Mahindra is the top selling tractor in the world. Most on the list I've never heard of. And Kioti is not listed.

https://www.tractorjunction.com/blog...-tractor-list/

This is the Mahindra I'd buy, if I decided on a Mahindra. It has a 7-year power train warranty. My dealer is 55 miles away.

https://www.mahindrausa.com/--byo-1626-shuttle

New Holland is on this list.

https://tractorgyan.com/tractor-indu...s-in-the-world

I forgot to mention that I bought a New Holland back a couple of years before I bought the Kioti. It worked just fine, but didn't have a loader. I soon discovered that I needed a loader to maintain our 1/2 mile dirt/gravel road/driveway. I'd never even driven a tractor with a loader. So, I sold the New Holland to our neighbor & bought the Kioti. I can think of so many times thru the years that 4WD & a loader would have really helped my Dad.

I suppose a Workmaster 25 would be the current model similar to mine.

https://agriculture.newholland.com/n...tier-4b/models

A big dealer near me sells LS brand tractors. Don't know much about 'em.

https://www.bigbsales.com/new-models...46hp-28532324b

https://lstractorusa.com/ls-difference/

[61-63]

Originally Posted by Cliff R

Kioti for sure is attractive if you don't factor in the resale. Not having local parts support isn't going to make it.

I have John Deere, Yanmar and Kubota locally. The Kioti dealer is almost an hour away.

Since I'm not in a big hurry will keep looking and check out the used market some. Right now I'm leaning hard toward the Kubota L series in the hydro version. Problem is that the 525 loaders are not available with the Skid Steer universal quick attach system. That's a problem for me as I plan on adding a grapple and other accessories and the aftermarket stuff is quite a bit less expensive than the Kubota line......

An L series; now you're talking!

[Cliff R]

I was pretty open minded about all this when I started shopping.

Surfing the NET helps some but there are a LOT of folks out there doing reviews on things that they should have never been allowed to purchase in the first place. If you want some good laughs, and to loose a few hours of your life you'll never get back, take a gander at some of the videos that are on Youtube.

There are some really good ones as well, Goodworks Tractor and Messicks are very informative. I sure appreciate all the responses.

Headed out now to put the snow plow on the quad, looks like we may need it later this evening........

[ponyakr]

This has absolutely nothing to do with what the best choice for Cliff is.

BUT, I just noticed that the color of Mahindra tractors seems to have changed, slightly. Don't know when it changed. But I remember that when I drove one, back in '09, they definitely seemed red, to me. Not orangish red, but red, red.

The pics on their website now seem to show the color to have more orange in it. Might be just a faulty memory on the subject.

Maybe they wanna look more like Kubota ?

I know this sounds foolish. But when we bought our last riding mower, I really didn't want a JD, because of it's green color. I've just never liked green.

But, actually, green seems to be the most natural color for mowing green grass, as well as growing green crops. Certainly seems better than blue, orange, & red.

Would be interesting to know exactly why those non-green colors were chosen.

Just for kicks, if you could choose the tractor you like best, but have it painted any color, what color would that be ?

Hey, I told ya'll this post didn't really have anything to do with the thread. It's about the colors. Please forgive !

https://www.iamcountryside.com/tract...ndra-tractors/

https://tractoraddict.com/what-brand...ch-are-orange/

https://www.majicpaints.com/why-are-...0Red.%E2%80%9D

https://www.carlogos.org/reviews/ico...or-brands.html

http://www.hyperwrite.com/Articles/s...0be%20achieved.

[Jack P.]

Do yourself a favor, skip You Tube and spend some time on this site.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/

[Formulabruce]

Cliff, you can use the JDQAA quick attach with any front implement ,Cheap.
You can use a ( albeit Heavier, which reduces Lift capacity on smaller models) Skid steer front implements, Cheap.
Courtney , at Goodworks tractors can hook you up. Great and Honest guy.
His Implements fit BOTH styles. buy it either way..
He deals with and owns Both colors and since there is a shortage of low hours used tractors, he has been expending his implements sales
and he has designed a couple too. >>> https://www.goodworkstractors.com/
UNBIASED comparisons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Va5HcCuRxU
Attachments Very good video for Anybody.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ficeMO-QMdU
the 5 WORST tractors you can buy! >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBKhxJ5DA64
one of mine is ON this list because Courtney likes loaders that come off.. Great video

[Old Goat Racer]

In 2009 I bought a 2003 JD 4310. 31 HP, 4-wheel, front-end loader. Paid $14,000
Great little tractor, moved a lot of logs, put a 6' finish mower on the back to mow about 5 acres.
Only problem it had was the tilt wheel broke 3 times.
Sold it last year 2021 for $13,000.

Bought a 2020 JD 4052 from a private owner with 6 hours on it. And it came with a brand new 6' woods bush hog.

Had to dig into the retirement fund for that one !
"FUN TICKETS"

Also have a 1991 JD 1070 39 HP 2-wheel that I bought in 2000.

NO regrets.

[Cliff R]

I'm having trouble finding any good deals in the used market. Most are so close to the cost of a new one not worth looking at them.

With used you get no warranty, although on pretty new equipment from JD or Kubota that doesn't bother me.

My neighbor has a Mahindra, smaller one, not sure which model. He SMOKED the clutch first time he tried bush hogging a field behind his house. It was too much of a job for it as it had not been mowed in several years. He had a few minor issues with it over the next few years then got rid of it, and the property and moved back to the city.

It's rumored that many of these tractors are built or at least most of the parts to build them come from the same plant in South Korea. This includes Kioti, Bobcat, Rural King and a a couple others. Not sure who's making the JD stuff these days? Kubato is pretty much proprietary and makes their own engines which have an excellent reputation much like the Yanmars......

[Formulabruce]

JD, up through the 4 series made in Atlanta with Yanmar engines since the early 80's.
The coast Guard uses these engines on ships for generators, very reliable.
Deere Factory quick tour, Made in the USA >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5EjoYKhEeE

[ponyakr]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

JD, up through the 4 series made in Atlanta with Yanmar engines since the early 80's.
The coast Guard uses these engines on ships for generators, very reliable.
Deere Factory quick tour, Made in the USA >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5EjoYKhEeE

Looks to me like it's pretty much been narrowed down to JD vs Kubota.

All the dealers let me test drive their tractors. I highly recommend you do so. Even tho they all look very similar, I found that each brand felt different, when driving it. The controls were also in different places & felt different to operate. No way to know which you'd like better without driving/operating both.

Back then, the small JD's had the manual gearshift in the center. I didn't like the way it felt, at all. My Kioti has the shifter on the left side. Feels MUCH better.

So, the position & operation of all the controls are things you should check out, on all the models you are considering. You MAY like one more than the other.

Just for kicks, I ask some questions over on the tractorbuynet.com site. One guy said it's JD & only JD for him. Here's a quote from another guy.

" I looked at those 3 brands and a few more. Mahindra 1626 shuttle won pretty easily. Next in line was the Kioti CK2610 but I didn't like the backhoe mounting. If I didn't ever want a backhoe and wanted hydro, I'd have went with the Kioti. I like the hydro pedal setup better.

720 hours in just under 2 years on the Mahindra. No warranty claims. Hasn't been back once.

I had a Mahindra 3215 hydro years ago that we beat pretty hard doing tree work. 500 hours never had any issues. The Mitsubishi built tractors or pretty solid."

[Formulabruce]

/\ /\ great points. Seats on the less expensive models can be harsh if you get a lot if seat time, others may have air ride, even without a cab. My under seat rubber bumpers are like rocks in the winter, fine in summer.
The 3025D Is more like a shuttle shift, but weighs way more than a E model due to fully cast Iron rear, and costs less than the hydro. E model. Shift at the dash, on the fly. big time pulling power.
Less maintenance on it as well. Pretty basic .. no frills, reminds me of an old Ford 9 N, with 4x4 and a modern loader.
Niel Messicks goes out of his way to help his customers. Great operation they have.

[Cliff R]

I looked at the 3025E and thought it was a little light for that size tractor and the Kubota 2501 kills it in just about every category. The 3025D was on my list at one point but nearly everything that has one hates the transmission driven PTO (not live power).

Located a dealer about an hour away with a nice selection of John Deere and Kubota compact tractors with loaders. Going to head over there and check them out after we get plowed out from the snow storm that came thru yesterday......

[Shiny]

My neighbor has a Mahindra. He has owned several others but he raves about his. He has a backhoe and post-hole digger. I see him on it all the time so it gets used. I borrowed it to move some soil and found it solid and easy to operate.

Having never heard of this brand, I asked him why he bought it and he said the warranty was WAY better than the other competitors... I think he said 10 years.

[Formulabruce]

Any Gear tractor will have MORE available PTO power than a Hydro driven PTO. Also a lot heavier, even without loaded tires.
The PTO IS direct drive.
On a 25 hp its usually 1.5 to 2 hp more, which is important on a Brush Hog.
Gear tractors have a Cast Iron Transmission which gives higher lift capacities on the 3 pt hitch.
If you go Orange, any Orange, you should get some Ceramic paint coating and get it on the tractor when it warms up. The paint fades at a rate of 15x what car paint does.
Seems like it has NO UV protection ( totally based on experience)

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by Shiny

My neighbor has a Mahindra. He has owned several others but he raves about his. He has a backhoe and post-hole digger. I see him on it all the time so it gets used. I borrowed it to move some soil and found it solid and easy to operate.

Having never heard of this brand, I asked him why he bought it and he said the warranty was WAY better than the other competitors... I think he said 10 years.

India, thats where they make, and sell so many. They do have a 10 year warranty, but dealerships are sparse and so are specific parts in parts of the US.
RK ( Rural King) tractors use Yanmar Engines like Deere and pretty popular in the south.

[ponyakr]

"...They do have a 10 year warranty..."

The info I saw said warranty was a 7-year limited powertrain warranty. Don't know if any parts have a 10-year or not.

https://www.mahindrausa.com/--series-tractor-1600

[Sirrotica]

If the Mahindra tractors are built as well as the Jeep look alike Roxor, that they make, it should last very well.

Here's a picture of their SUV/ATV, ROXOR:



Very well built, and reliable, and reasonably priced. Last time I checked, brand new was under $20,000. Best part is, other than metric fasteners, many of the Jeep parts are bolt ons. Like getting a brand new, old CJ, no rust etc. to deal with.