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Thoughts on Kioti tractors

Posted on 4/17/19 at 9:34 am
Posted by doubletap
Prairieville, LA
Member since May 2013
609 posts
Posted on 4/17/19 at 9:34 am
What is the OB’s thoughts on Kioti Tractors? Anybody own one or know someone who owns one? Their dealer network seems kinda thin in the BR area.
Posted by Chad504boy
4 posts
Member since Feb 2005
166264 posts
Posted on 4/17/19 at 9:38 am to
Kioti is the Suzuki of the tractor industry.
This post was edited on 4/18/19 at 5:02 pm
Posted by Bigbee Hills
Member since Feb 2019
1531 posts
Posted on 4/17/19 at 1:06 pm to
If dealer network is thin then it doesn't matter what the brand is: proceed with caution. If dealer network exists but service sucks, run: your dealership is your LIFEBLOOD! I have chit the bed before in this respect, and so you can trust my opinion!

Tldr: 1) Kioti may be my next tractor 2) IMO, after defining what class machine you want and with what features, shop for dealerships FIRST, brands SECOND.

First off, make SURE that the network really IS sparse, and what that means. It might just be a different setup than you're accustomed to. We are easily connected nowadays if we need parts. If we need service at the dealership, well, that's cut and dry on availability, but how far is too far for transport and at what interval? Me personally, I take into account the dealership's field service readiness far more than their proximity to where the machine resides. I don't much plan on having to transport a broken machine to the dealer very often.

Define what size machine you want: Some folks (and even dealerships within the same brand) have far more experience dealing with certain classes/sizes of tractors than others. Talk to current and, most importantly, former customers and be impartial to their feedback. They could be/been the problem.

My john deere dealer network is robust, but it is comprised of arseholes and so I don't buy equipment from them. If cash money sales don't warrant some attention BEFOREHAND then how am I gonna be treated after they have my money? Now that doesn't mean that the good folks at YOUR JD dealerships aren't top notch, but not at mine. JD is out for me. Kioti, well, upon our last tractor purchase I just couldn't do it, but mainly due to my Kubota dealer being so great. In hindsight, I wish I would've. I had mahindra and other options, but due to various reasons, (e.g., chintzy dealerships, inexperience with the machine I liked, accurately poor feedback, etc.) I stayed with kubota.

That said, the next tractor I get may be a 70'ish HP Kioti. I've not been happy with a Kubota we recently bought; at 350 hours it had to be split (in TWO) to change a main seal that was leaking. Having to split a tractor can possibly damage its resale value akin to that of a truck's frame being bent, e.g., hoods don't close right, other big/little issues arise, etc. However, my Kubota dealer is awesome, and so making the switch is not a guarantee, but there are things about kubotas at their price point that I don't like, and the first one is weight.

We often use tractors on heavy slopes, and, regardless of operator skill, a stock Kubota can kill you in a hurry on heavy slopes: they are notoriously light, and "light" in a tractor is rarely a good thing. As SOP, we have tires filled with water/antifreeze on ANY tractor, and if it's your only machine and it's a kubota, I'd recommend buying the machine with wheel weights, ballast weights, etc. A heavy tractor is far better and more desirable than a light one, in most scenarios.

Generally speaking, "out of the box" Kiotis weigh more- often times FAR more- with or without a cab (You ARE getting a cab right? RIGHT?). They also have more FEL lift capacity (again, generally speaking and comparing apples to apples). They have a more "bang for your buck" price point across the board.

Of course all of this depends on what size tractor you're looking for and what each manufacturer offers in that size and with what features and reviews on your available options, arse time in the seat of each, and the "gut" feeling from talking with each dealer in whether or not they'll treat you with dignity and respect.

If Kioti doesn't have a machine with the features and options you want, then hey,forget worrying with dealership networks, move on to vetting the next option. However since you're asking about them, I'm assuming they do have a viable option that suits your needs.

One thing that cannot be refuted is the Kubota dealer network: For compact and sub compact utility tractors, across the board, they cannot be beat. Rivaled? Yes. Beat? No.

That said, don't let anybody tell you Kiotis aren't fine tractors and without fantastic features because that is a lie. Me personally, I will most likely own a kioti one day. I've operated many of the orange and blue and green ones over the years: I'm not married to a brand or color; I'm married to my needs and my financial situation at the time of purchase. That said, I wouldn't be scared of kioti, but be very scared of chitty dealerships.



Posted by SportTiger1
Stonewall, LA
Member since Feb 2007
28504 posts
Posted on 4/17/19 at 2:17 pm to
my FIL has had one for about 5 years now...think it's a 24hp and was a few years old when he got it. It's been a beast and hasnt given him a minutes trouble. He also doesnt put it through hell like i would.
Posted by tigerinthebueche
Member since Oct 2010
36791 posts
Posted on 4/17/19 at 3:14 pm to
quote:

My john deere dealer network is robust, but it is comprised of arseholes





one of the reasons I have all orange in my barn. Only thing green is the hay.
Posted by Bigbee Hills
Member since Feb 2019
1531 posts
Posted on 4/17/19 at 10:19 pm to
Well I'm glad to hear it's not an isolated incident for just my area!

What's crazy is that I'm not only talking about utility tractors, but also heavy machinery. It's like they couldn't care less if I buy a JD. It has been/was kind of perplexing.

I guess when you pull up in old beat up 2001 single cab Toyota Tacoma 4wd and look like you climbed out of the dust bowl and ask about cash price discounts, they still think you're a tire kicker.

I'm no OT baller, but lesson learned for that last pompous arsehole with JD: never judge a book by it's truck type and dirt on his shirt; he might not be bullchitting and have the goods.

Buck frick em, feed em fish heads.


Posted by Spankum
Miss-sippi
Member since Jan 2007
56030 posts
Posted on 4/17/19 at 10:45 pm to
I was a little skeptical, but a friend of mine opted for a Kioti several years back and hasn't had a single bit of trouble out of it. I am still not sold on them in the instance where I would be using one every day and would likely need service on occasion. However, just to use for the occasional food plot or to drag out your gravel driveway every couple of months, I would buy one in a heartbeat.
Posted by doubletap
Prairieville, LA
Member since May 2013
609 posts
Posted on 4/18/19 at 5:00 pm to
Wow that’s a lot of good info Bigbee. Thanks. This will be my first tractor and I don’t know anyone who owns a Kioti to get their opinions of the brand or the dealers in the area. What questions should I be asking the dealers to determine if they are right for me? How big a deal is proximity of the dealer?
This post was edited on 4/19/19 at 2:24 pm
Posted by pdubya76
Sw Ms
Member since Mar 2012
5978 posts
Posted on 4/18/19 at 5:34 pm to
I’d see how long the dealer has carried the line to start. My dad bought a Farmtrac back in 2005. The dealer quit carrying them and then they went belly up. As you can imagine parts are hard to come by. The 3pt quit working and I’ve found the problem but the replacement part isn’t available at the 2 dealers that sell the parts online.
My Kubota was more expensive but I know that I can go to the dealer in Brookhaven and either buy the part or have it ordered right then. That means more to me than price. Otherwise you just have a yard ornament.
Posted by Molliehawk1
Cenla
Member since Dec 2013
47 posts
Posted on 4/18/19 at 10:20 pm to
I have buddy that has had one for about 15 years, with a front end loader. Before they were real well known. He has put it through hell and has never had a minutes trouble with it. If Kioti every wanted a spokesman for there equipment it would be him.
Posted by Bigbee Hills
Member since Feb 2019
1531 posts
Posted on 4/19/19 at 4:07 pm to
Doubletap,

Sorry for the late reply. Concern over choosing a good dealer ought be your main one: Do it right and life is good; do it wrong and it can be a living hell. I could write a book on it (and I just have).

For starters, pdubya gave one hell of a piece of info on what to look for: longevity of the dealer and also the products they sell. That ties in with whether or not a dealer deals much with compact tractors, or ag machines or construction, etc. If they don't deal much with machines like you want, they'll probably let you know in a hurry with their attentiveness and also selection on the yard.

What kind of proximity are we talking about here, and what machine/class of machines and implements are you looking for and with what features and for what uses? 2 hours would about be my cut off.

With compact utility tractors (CUT's), dealer proximity can be important if they don't have a robust field service team to serve owners when they need it (and when they need it, they usually really need it). If they're lacking altogether, that's a red flag for a) how serious they are about service and also their enterprise, and b) how prepared they are to serve you if you're in a bind. They may prioritize larger accounts ahead of the smaller guys for field service or they may not, but if they have, say, one part time field service guy, then that's something to be concerned about because big or small accounts, nobody will ever see the guy within 10 years time.

Also, proximity will matter if you are going to take it in for service intervals or do it yourself. Other than the break in period, service intervals are not a hugely common occurrence- especially if you're not using the machine for hours on end every day. Sometimes we take our stuff in, sometimes we do it ourselves, sometimes we get them to come do it and eat that added expense due to the opportunity cost of our time. So one thing to look for regarding proximity is how much you will use it, and will you service it or the dealer, and where will that dealer do it: Your place or his, and if yours, does he have the manpower and equipment and capability to come see you? If not, do you have the ability to transport it? Again- and I'm guessing here- but I'm assuming your service intervals will be long, how does that prioritize for you?

As said in an earlier post, nobody plans on buying a tractor while also planning to have it in and out of the shop all the time; so proximity is a moot point if that winds up being the case ("that" being a lemon or POS). No matter if the dealer is across the street or across the state: A machine that lives in the shop with jack stands under it is a pain in the arse any way you or the dealer looks at it.

My kubota dealer is 40 minutes away, for perspective, and it has never been a problem. You can take this groundbreaking and obvious advice to the bank: Where your dealer is located is very important when it's important...but hopefully that's a rare occurrence. That said, regardless of where he's at, if his location is important, you're probably already going to see him anyway (or he's coming to see you).

As far as other questions from the dealer, I'd ask them about what pdubya said, and I'd do my research (from credible sources) and then ask about some of the finer points when talking to the salesman: if he doesn't know your desired machine any better than you do, then he probably won't know you any better than the machine after he has made his commission.

Swing by the service and parts desk and see how that operation is run; those will be the folks you're gonna get acquainted with after the sale. See if they're arseholes (*highly probable see disclaimer), but most importantly, see why they are arseholes. (*To be fair, most machinery service/parts counters are staffed by crabby, desensitized folks used to dealing with clientele showing up with a chip on their shoulders and an animal that has crawled up their arse and died. It's the nature of the job. Just like healthcare workers and cell phone front desk workers: Going to see the service and/or parts counter are not usually happy times.)

Show em some positivity for a minute, ask about a benign, general parts/service question, and if they are still dicks, mark it down as a point deduction, but don't let it break the bank. The key is to see how attentive they are, their " give-a-damn." Assuming they are perturbed by your presence, observe why: Is it because they're sitting around clucking like hens and have no time for your trifling arse, or is it because they are working attentively and have no time for your trifling arse or your attitude (remember they're assuming you're gonna be mean). If the latter is the case, then that's actually a good thing. If it's the former, then good luck getting your part that they had to re-order because Jan was trying to listen to John telling her about the juicy while "serving" you.

VIP, ask Jan, John and Busy Beaver about their parts inventory: How well stocked is it? Bout how many parts they got in inventory? How robust is their inventory for your machine? What is their turnaround time if it's not in stock? They should know at least some of these questions. Health of their inventory is a crucial factor to consider.

Ultimately, I want to see an enterprise that has been around for at least a few years if they're selling something that I'm liking, (thank pdubya for making that VIP point) with some positive objective and accurate reviews both on the internet and in person or on the phone; capable, busy, informed and knowledgeable people who are not sitting around shooting the shite and who have an attitude about life that their momma can be proud of. Basically, take a good look around the enterprise and at its people and see what kind of operation they got going on. Don't be too critical of any one single point and make sure your critique is objective. If asking for something reasonable, like taking a quick glance at the service shop for an idea on its capabilities or asking for another look at that "other" machine's features, is asking too much, then you can bet your arse that it'll be easy to ask too much once your signature is on the dotted line.

Also attentiveness to me the POTENTIAL customer, and whether or not I'm "courted" to a certain extent; and, ultimately, whether or not I'm treated with dignity and respect before they have my money. Proximity can be worked around, but if my other needs aren't met and if my gut tells me that "this" salesman and his coworkers are nothing more than paid crooks, I'm out. Even if they're in my back yard, I'm out. I hate a thief and I hate an arsehole with a chip on his or her shoulder "just because", and I'll for damned sure never intentionally give either of them my money or time.

Comparing apples to apples, relatively speaking, the different brands will be in the same price range. Do not let price, whether cheaper or more expensive, sway you on the intangibles like service, attitude, etc. A Kioti dealership with a respectable operating time but without that of a proven Kubota dealer might be a turn off to some, but alot of times Americans like the newer Kioti guy and his supporting team have a zeal about them to serve you- a fire under their arse- get in on that while it lasts and before they become the crabby old man.

Regardless of things like price, the name, etc., to me, it's the intangibles that matter when I'm buying just about any product; do they have integrity, and principles and a good attitude? If so, all the rest will fall in line.
Posted by GoAwayImBaitn
On an island in the marsh
Member since Jul 2018
2141 posts
Posted on 4/19/19 at 4:58 pm to
I don't have a new tractor. Just have an old Yanmar 1610 and a Deere 950. Nothing against Kioti, I'd own one. What about considering the Yanmar YT3 series? Or what about the New Hollands? They are Korean made like the Kioti and are supposedly quality.
Posted by omegaman66
greenwell springs
Member since Oct 2007
22780 posts
Posted on 4/20/19 at 1:33 pm to
The only thing I can contribute is that the farmers in the Midwest are catching hell with JD equipment. They can't work on them. And JD diagnostic software is required but you can't legally get it.

So they have to spend a couple thousand dollars just to get the tractor to the dealer to even find out what is wrong with it.

This may be an issue with only huge JD equipment. But I wouldn't consider a JD because of what that evil arse corporation is doing to these people.

Basically they are making it illegal to fix your own machine without them.
Posted by gsvar2004
Member since Nov 2007
7954 posts
Posted on 4/20/19 at 5:51 pm to
I'm currently torn between the mahindra 1625, the kioti ck26, and the kubota l2501.

the closest kioti dealer is nearly 2 hours away, while mahindra is 10 mins, but i haven't heard reassuring things about them. we have a deere 5065 that i can use any time i need, but i really need a smaller machine for right around the house. the 5065 is just too damn heavy
Posted by Tigerpaw123
Louisiana
Member since Mar 2007
17259 posts
Posted on 4/20/19 at 9:46 pm to
How do you like your 5065? Looking at one now, maybe a 5055 with or without a cab depending on what they can do on price. Looking to pull a 10’ bush hog (pull type) and an 8’ heavy duty lift type disc as well as getting a lane shark side cutter
Posted by gsvar2004
Member since Nov 2007
7954 posts
Posted on 4/20/19 at 10:23 pm to
It’s an absolute beast of a tractor. We have about 170 hours on it. The only thing that kinda could be better is the loader can handle a lot more than the tractor. With a good load the back pops up pretty easy. You could always add water to the rear tires but that is a heavy arse tractor for our terrain to begin with. I think it runs about 5500lbs. It’s strong as hell and if you put it in 4wd it’s gonna grab. We joke that it would climb a tree if you need it to. It’s been solid for us so far. Ours is the shuttle shift model with no cab, for us it’s primarily a bush hog and food plot tractor. I’ve been using it since January to clear and prepare my homesite for o construction. It’s been great and very useful, but now, I need something a little smaller moving forward to keep at the house and I’ll have this at the camp if needed.
Posted by Tigerpaw123
Louisiana
Member since Mar 2007
17259 posts
Posted on 4/20/19 at 10:27 pm to
Thanks, that is what I am looking for
Posted by Bigbee Hills
Member since Feb 2019
1531 posts
Posted on 4/21/19 at 11:52 am to
Wow that's crazy, but not too surprising. It might be time for tech geniuses to strike gold and create some aftermarket software to combat JD's proprietary software.

JD around my part of the world sucks in almost every way imaginable, and I grew up on JD tractors so it sucks to say that. Thinking about them burns my arse.
Posted by doubletap
Prairieville, LA
Member since May 2013
609 posts
Posted on 4/21/19 at 2:39 pm to
quote:

the closest kioti dealer is nearly 2 hours away

What Kioti dealer is this? Have you been there and talked to them in person?
Posted by Barneyrb
NELA
Member since May 2016
5103 posts
Posted on 4/21/19 at 2:52 pm to
quote:

mahindra 1625


Fairly sure that tractor is built by LS Tractors which is Korean also
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