New Kubota L 3301DT

[sparky45]

OK; I bought a new Kubota L 3301DT from a local dealer less than 2 months ago and I'm suspicious about the tractors age. Nothing on the tractor says; manufacture date ..... and I can't get info from the dealer. As the tractor arrived rain was steadly coming down and I got the tractor and no explanation of user information. The tractor arrived with 4.9 hrs on the meter and after a week of setting I decided it was dry enough that the tractor wouldn't imprint the ground much and did a routine fluid check. The hydraulic fluid level barely registered to the bottom line on the dipstick so I drove 80 miles (round trip) to the dealer and got a couple of quarts of fluid. Got back home and added the fluid and the level is now between low and full.
I noticed yesterday that the rear of the tractor is showing a half dozen spots of rust through the gray paint; is this normal? The decals on the tractor are "crazed", cracked like it's been setting out for a long time. This isn't the tractor I looked at when I visited the dealership.
Question: should I say anything to Kubota USA or what?
This is my first new tractor and I'm very disappointed.

 

[AuburnAlum]

I am sure you could call Kubota and they would know when it was built and delivered based on the SN. Did you get some deal on it? Interesting that it would look so old already. But I am not an Dealer, just a customer myself.

 

[mickeyd]

Welcome to the OTT forum. You came to the right place to get answers.

To start with, tractors do NOT have a model year as cars and trucks do. While a tractor my come off the assembly line in one year and be sold in the following or later years, it's date is considered to be when the tractor is purchased.

4.9 hours on it when delivered is normal.

As for the cracked labels, that does sound like it may have been stored outside. Have you talked to your salesman about these problems. He maybe be able to give you some background. I am sure that Kubota USA will ask you that question and probably say that you need to talk to them first. The dealer will know when they received the tractor.

 

[dlundblad]

It isn't unreasonable to ask them to replace the faded labels. I'd be worried about the orange plastic dash piece too.. Even when right out of the box, they are slightly off compared to the Kubota orange paint.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Kubota Orange has a bad habit of fading to Mary Kay Pink. (I take a lot of razzing about my tractors pink hue...lol.) My dealer keeps all his new tractors outside. Every one. Same with the dealer south of me. Might keep a couple in the showroom but the bulk are outside. After all they are tractors, not Ferriari's

My M's both had some rust spots on them when delivered, I just bought a rattle can of Kubby grey and touched up the spots. No big deal, again, they are farm tractors for me. Not cars or motorcycles......

Easy to find out the build date, the serial number will tell you that, Kubota has a serialized manufacture date, call them and they will tell you. My M105 I bought off thel ot, was 3 months old when I bought it. My M9 was ordered and built for me (last one built by Kubota, end of the series) so it was built in Japan, shipped to thr USA, wheels added and other parts and shipped to my dealer, still took 2 months start to finish.

Far as fluid levels, People tend to overfill the case. You need to remember that if you have a loader attached, the cylinders have fluid in them all the time (extended or retracted cylinders), so if the dealer topped off the case without the loader attached, the level will show less than full. So long as it's between the lines, you are good.

So long as you look at it as a tractor and not a car, everything will be fine.

This spring I will pull the wheels (and replace the front tires and repaint the wheels as they are really faded and have rust spots. No big deal, just part of upkeep,

I did have an issue with the M9 that I caught on the 50 hour service and that was the FWA was low on lubricant, the outer planetary drives were both about half full. I drained the FWA and replaced the SUDT with 80-90 GL5 gear oil (Kubota states in the owners manual that either will suffice but because I farm with mine, I'm always cognizant of shock loading so the GL5 provides better boundary lubrication and shock absorbing qualities.

Have fun and enjoy your new tractor and don't sweat the little things. It's under warranty.

 

[RCW]

My new BX was off the HST dipstick after a short amount of use. Notified the salesman - he gave me a gallon of SUDT2 free.

It took about a quart to fill and stayed there. I think it was either the FEL install or had an air bubble.

 

[sparky45]

Thank you all for the quick replies. As I stated earlier, the tractor delivered wasn't the tractor I looked at when I visited the dealership, almost seems like a bait and switch scenario. I did find out the tractor was manufactured May 2017 and I bought it as new last month. I do like the tractor, but did I just lose a years amount of resale value when/if I decide to sell or trade the unit?

 

[RCW]

Many tractor manufacturers will say Model "BR549" was made from 1982-1992, as an example. Some will keep track SN's by year. Kubota does not. Year sold new is year of tractor.

Anecdotally here at OTT, the L3301 seems not as popular as other similar models such as L3901 or L2501. It's possible one could sit on a lot for a while.

I think my "leftover" BX2360 was the same, as the latest/greatest BX-70 series were out. I wanted the '60, as the ROPS is much shorter.

5 or 10 years down the road will someone know or care about May 2017 or October 2018? Probably not; but they will be interested in # hours, maintenance, and condition.

Just my thoughts. Not trying to steer one way or another.

 

[Jchonline]

Do you have a contract with the Serial # on it that you signed? A bill of sale? Make sure the serials match if you do.

 

[Newlyme]

While shopping around looking for my next tractor one of my stops was a local John Deere dealer. They had a new one that was sitting around for a long time outside. They knocked some off the price to help move it off the lot. When we went out to look at it he noticed me looking at the faded plastics and labels and spoke right up, “We will replace all of the faded parts before delivery.” I asked if he would give me a better price if we left it, “As is”. He did not even hesitate, $1,000.00 additional off. I did not buy it, but I thought he was being very fair.

 

[Poohbear]

Do you have a contract with the Serial # on it that you signed? A bill of sale? Make sure the serials match if you do.

My late FiL used to tell about him buying a new Ford Select-o-speed tractor in the early 60's. The dealer had 2 & Dad listened to both run. He told the salesman to put the seat of #1 on tractor #2 and he would pay him for #2. Later he was driving by and noticed HIS tractor still in the same spot so pulled in and #1 was in make ready. Dad said no deal unless #2. He got #2 as he wanted. He was one of the best mechanics I have ever seen.
A few months later was back getting baler twine and the salesman asked him how he knew #1 was a lemon. Told him that one had been back for warranty issues a bunch.

 

[TripleR]

Pretty much rwhat they said. Slower moving models are gonna somewhere longer than the others and a tractor is considered new the day you buy it. Owning a tractor can be traumatic to some as you are going to have scratches, maybe a dent or two and they are not going to look new as long as a car or truck.

Keeping them in a shed is going to help along with a little touch-up paint and some even wax them.

I definitely would ask for new stickers.

Also at the time of purchase specify the tractor and get the serial number.

Enjoy your new machine; some of our tractors are in pimer or faded out after years in the field, but work fine.

 

[PaulL]

That does sound very fair. I'd be torn - if I bought a new tractor I'd like to actually get a new tractor - shiny and clean. As my father in law would say - you paid for a new one.

Conversely, $1,000 is real money. I'd have to look at it faded for ever, but I'd have money in my pocket. I'd tend to turn the money into something physical - buy a box blade with it, then when I looked at my faded tractor I could also look at my box blade and think "good deal".

 

[rjcorazza]

...As I stated earlier, the tractor delivered wasn't the tractor I looked at when I visited the dealership, almost seems like a bait and switch scenario.
...

If you agreed to buy a specific tractor at the dealer, and a different one was delivered I would have a real problem with that.




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[Jchonline]

If you agreed to buy a specific tractor at the dealer, and a different one was delivered I would have a real problem with that.
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I have to say I agree. They kept the shiny one so they could have it for the next person. I think it is dishonest. I asked about the bill of sale and SN on it, because I have seen a few others on this or TBN mention issues and they paid cash so no record of the SN on the bill of sale. Hoping you have one.

 

[shiraz627]

I must admit I felt the dealer was on the slimy side when I bought my tractor. After visiting the dealer and getting the quote which I was under the impression included tax. I went back a few days later to make the purchase only to find out it did not include tax and there was a $200 finance fee.

 

[RCW]

I definitely would ask for new stickers.

If you agreed to buy a specific tractor at the dealer, and a different one was delivered I would have a real problem with that.

I'm not taking a side here.

I never saw my tractor before it showed up at home on the roll-back. In fact never saw the model in person, just saw BX2370's. A friend was the salesman, and while he was working at another job, I told him I wanted; a BX2360 with specific attachments, etc., and that's it. We went through the quote and credit app process via email.

Stuff showed up on a cold, rainy April day. I didn't see the snowblower for a while after that. I got it crated, saved me some $$ to assemble myself.

Like TripleR said, I might want new decals. Otherwise, it's a tractor....I see no issue with build date or some rust spots.

Conversely, you wanted to buy "that" tractor.... I get that too.

You signed an acceptance form upon delivery.?.?..you have some great responsibility in that transaction, even though it was raining.

The fact the delivery guy didn't do overview/instructions isn't good.....

I got that all that delivery stuff on a rainy day, and he wanted me to run it some. I haven't melted in the rain yet, even though I'm so sweet!

Again, my thoughts.

 

[sparky45]

I get it, I going to eat this one, but never again. Corporate Kubota is almost worthless, said they'd talk to the dealership, that's over a couple of weeks ago. Learned a lesson, and the tractor seems to be solid, just rusty on it's gray arse.
Thanks for all the comments.

 

[mickeyd]

I haven't melted in the rain yet, even though I'm so sweet!

I would have to ask your wife to see if she agrees!