BOBCAT tractors

[skeets]

Anybody know anything about them? Just for grins I stopped and looked at them a 22hp. Salesman asked what I had and he turned me right off right quick,, he did nothing but bad mouth my little Butoa. That aside has anybody seem them up close or used one,, I never did to the price

 

[hodge]

Kioti makes them.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...5H-OqrCyxLAvoi23Q&sig2=3QTCfOwzDqUHD244YBA4Fg

Any salesman that will stoop to insulting what you own, or the competition, needs to be left there holding his hat. Kioti makes good tractors, but not better than Kubota, and their company size and support structure can't compare. I only know of one Bobcat dealer in my area, and they are real small. I'd trust Kubota first.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

I find it humerious when Kubota builds the diesel engines for Bobcat. I know their tractors look like Kiotis and its said the are rebaged and painted white. Which I dont understand why Bobcat would outsource and have someone else build tractors for them when they already make their one loaders.

 

[65specialk]

I looked at them before I bought my Kubota. The dealer had 4 new tractors and 3 used with very low hours. The new ones had rust forming on all welded areas.The used ones were very rusty. Not impressed!!! Why did the trade them in with so little hours??

I find it humerious when Kubota builds the diesel engines for Bobcat. I know their tractors look like Kiotis and its said the are rebaged and painted white. Which I dont understand why Bobcat would outsource and have someone else build tractors for them when they already make their one loaders.

 

[pmhowe]

I just recently looked at a small number of different tractors, based upon dealer availability (limited to one or two hour drive), including Bobcat. I looked at the Bobcat CT440. I compared Bobcat with the John Deere 5045E (45 HP) and the Kubota L4600 (46 HP). I looked briefly at the TYM T433 (43 HP). I wanted to look at the LS U5020 (47 HP) but the dealer did not have one in stock. All models that I looked at were open platform, MFWD, with HST and FEL.

I was very favorably impressed with the Bobcat CT440. The 4-cylinder engine was smoother and quieter than the one on the Kubota L4600. The fit and finish was good (the one fault I found was that the hood did not fit snuggly against the gasket near the dash. This would probably be a ten-minute adjustment job.) Engine access was excellent and adding engine oil would be easier than on the Kubota as the filler was on the engine top. The Bobcat appears more rugged than the Kubota, probably because it is heavier. Listed tractor weights (lbs) are
Bobcat CT440 3847
Kubota L4600 3187
TYM T433 4140
LS U5020 4280
John Deere 5045E 4187

I very quickly ruled out the TYM T433. It had plastic fenders and hood. If they were heavy plastic, I wouldn’t have minded, but they appeared very flimsy. I ruled out the John Deere very quickly also, because the dealer wouldn’t give me a competitive price. (The best I could do was $30,9993, compared to the Bobcat at $24500.)

For me, it came down to a competition between the Bobcat and the Kubota. I ended up buying the Kubota, primarily because I have a Kubota and like it, the dealer is close by and I like them, the L4600 is a lot of tractor and will easily meet my needs, Kubota makes its own tractors and has a large dealer network. However, the Bobcat had a lot of nice features that are extras on the Kubota. (Included in my price were rear light, telescoping three-point hitch, rubber-coated platform, Rimguard in all four wheels, and block heater.) If one can overcome the risk factor associated with the fact that Bobcat is getting out of the tractor business, I think the Bobcat offers very good value for the money.

After an awful lot of arm wrestling, I got the Kubota for the same price as the Bobcat price. The downside of the Kubota for me is that it is the lightest of the tractors I looked at, it didn’t have all the extras that came with the Bobcat, and the step flexes somewhat when I climb aboard. Nonetheless, I bet I will love my new Kubota. I’ll add the rear light and the telescoping lower links at a later time.

 

[hodge]

I was going to mention that- because Bobcat is getting out of tractors, I would be less inclined towards one.

 

[Wild and Free]

A Korean company Doosan bought out Bobcat a couple years ago already.

Since Kubota got into the skidder market they have since quit supplying engines to a competitor "Bobcat" and now Bobcat uses a different engine supplier.

Bobcat skid loaders and mini excavators have been built in North Dakota for many years. Their head quarters is in Fargo ND.

 

[island tractor]

Doosan not only owns Bobcat but it is the manufacture of the Kioti and the Bobcat tractors. I was told by the dealer Bobcat is not getting out of Tractor sales they where just droping the larger tractor model.

Overal I believe the Bobcat/Kioti tractors are great tractors andvery well priced not only for the bare tractor but for the added features like the telescoping 3 point end links. apples to apples I woudl have a tough time spending more money for less tractor. If all other things like dealer location and dealer suport were the same.

 

[hodge]

"I would have a tough time spending more money for less tractor"

There are so many variables, that this is a relative issue. There are other tractors that cost less, and offer at least as much. On another forum, a potential purchaser is looking at two Kubota's and a Mahindra. The Mahindra does offer more for the money, that isn't disputed. But, over the long haul, does it? What are parts cost, consumables costs, parts availability, dealership personality, etc.? In my area, no way would I look at anything other than a Kubota. The local Kubota dealership (Beverage Tractor) is the biggest tractor dealer in the area, other than the John Deere dealer. Both of them have been around a long time, and probably won't be going anywhere soon. As far as those two, no way can I get JD parts at the same price as Kubota parts. My Bobcat dealership is tiny, and keeps moving around; the Mahindra dealer just stopped selling tractors. If I had bought one of those, I'd be upset that there isn't a dealer in the area. You have to consider those costs. And, I keep a tractor; a couple thousand dollars, over the span of many years, coupled with convenience and reliability, makes that money forgotten over time. That is my philosophy.
I worked most of my life in the flooring industry, and there is no question that you get what you pay for there; but, you can't look completely at the cost of the material, because there are other variables that are more important. So, you have to look at value instead of only focusing on price. I see tractors the same way.

 

[firejunkie]

First Daedong manufactures the Kioti tractors, the Bobcat ones are produced on the same line, but with there own FEL. Kubota still supplies the Bobcat engines (my company just ordered 100 T180's, 100 T650's, 100 T750's, 200 E32's, 100 E42's,E55's and E80's ) all with Kubota engines. Doosan owns Bobcat and produces the Skid steers, Track loaders and excavators. Polaris makes their UTV's and Toolcats, Their versahandler (telehander) is made by the same producers of the Genie/Terex 5519 units. This is one of the many reasons I bought my Kubota, many others are a mishmash of other parts and pieces from all over the world (the main components anyway, not talking little crap like switches). Plus my MX4700 has the same 2402 engine that powered many Bobcat skidsteers throught 5000+ hrs of heavy use and abuse.

 

[Wild and Free]

I might be going down this road, will know on Friday. Had a salesman look at both my kubotas and see how bad he insults me on a trade in deal for a 1400 hour CT450 4x4 Bobcat tractor with cab and loader. Very nice clean unit the guy traded in on a brand new 60+HP Kubota according to the dealer salesman.

 

[skeets]

He traded TO a Kubota,,, interesting

 

[Daren Todd]

One of the key factors I look at when buying something. Parts availability!!!!! And dealer networks. Where's the closest dealer, and how is parts availability for the tractor?

 

[Wild and Free]

One of the key factors I look at when buying something. Parts availability!!!!! And dealer networks. Where's the closest dealer, and how is parts availability for the tractor?

The oldest Bobcat dealer in the nation is in my backyard about a mile from the Kubota dealership lol. The bobcat skidsteer / mini excavator factory used to be in Bismarck until Doosan bought them out. The local Bobcat / Kioti Dealer is in Mandan right across the river, they are the Kioti dealer now too and sell a boat load of them, actually outselling Kubotas in the area by a huge margin the last few years.
Parts won't be an issue since it was primarily a Kioti built tractor with bobcat influence.
The Kubota dealer prices themselves out of the game on most things here locally. The tractor sales are not too hot but they do push a lot of new tracked skidsteers out the door the last several years.

 

[Wild and Free]

He traded TO a Kubota,,, interesting

It was actually a business that traded for a larger higher HP tractor for their needs. I am going to give them a call and see if they had any issues with it tomorrow.

I am a sucker for Kubota always have been but the price is right on this tractor and I want a bigger hydrostatic tractor with climate controlled cab for a decent price and Kubotas in this league are out of my price range.

 

[Daren Todd]

I can't fault you there Uncle just bought a Mahindra. Same size kubota was quite a bit more. He's had it a couple months and has run the snot out of it so far and absolutely loves it stayed under 30 hp to avoid the emissions stuff. Hydrostatic, loader, tiller and brush hog.

Funny though, Kioti dealer is about 20 minutes from me. Had 6 orange tractors on his lot. 2 were kubotas They are also a Massey dealer and have a ton of those

Bobcat is still fairly popular around here. But Takeuchi is throttling them in the trackhoe and skidsteer market in our area. Same engines are in both brands

 

[Wild and Free]

Talked to the previous owner of the Bobcat today and he had nothing but good to say about it, he bought it brand new in 09 ordered it with extra goodies like cruise control and rear 3 pt controls external of the cab and a few other things, said the only issue he had was a bearing failure on a front wheel planetary just before he traded it in. Also said most of the hours on it were put on with a rough cut mower but it did a bit of everything. He just needed more power. Said it is a great tractor and no worries.

Said he had a 2013 Case IH farmall 45 hp and said it was an absolute piece of junk he traded it in too.

He said he loves the new Kubota but misses some of the extras the Bobcat has that are not offered on the Kubotas.

 

[Wild and Free]

My yard is going to start looking like a dealership pretty soon lol.
Just closed the deal on the Bobcat CT450 B today. 18500 cash and they are delivering it monday afternoon. They couldn't do anything reasonable trade wise so I just bought it outright and am now selling both my Kubotas.