Considering trading in a deere for a kubota.

Shadow_storm56

Active member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
468
49
28
Canada
We have a john deere 5083en which is 4 years old, normal use and it's just falling to pieces. Sensors, parts it's just a lemon. We hope to trade it and get a kubota orchard tractor but I have no idea what they are like. Has anyone else here went from deere to kubota? Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Kurtee

Active member

Equipment
BX2660, BX2680 cab, JD 2032R, Honda 5518, JD X590, JD X739
Oct 3, 2013
320
108
43
Nicollet, mn
I have both Kubota and Deere and have not had troubles. Maybe if you can post up what Kubota you are considering the owners of these models can tell what issues they have had.
 

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,452
1,376
113
NZ
Orchard tractor = small and narrow? Or just a B2401? A 5083 is a big machine, so I'd assume you're more in the L or MX territory?
 

Shadow_storm56

Active member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
468
49
28
Canada
I have both Kubota and Deere and have not had troubles. Maybe if you can post up what Kubota you are considering the owners of these models can tell what issues they have had.
I had good john deeres and good kubota lawn mowers but this deere is bad. M5N-091 is the one I am interested in, their orchard tractor. Seems crazy to trade a new deere in but it's falling apart.

Orchard tractor = small and narrow? Or just a B2401? A 5083 is a big machine, so I'd assume you're more in the L or MX territory?
the EN stands for the narrow series so it is a tractor meant for orchard.
 

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,452
1,376
113
NZ
There's nothing really wrong with a Deere in that size range, they're actually made by Deere rather than contracted out. Agree you probably got a lemon, but that definitely can put you off a brand for a while.

Equally, nothing systemic wrong with a Kubota M5 that I've seen anyone comment on. But there's no doubt usability or particular niggles or things to look out for, or options you'd want on it. Someone will know that.
 

Shadow_storm56

Active member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
468
49
28
Canada
There's nothing really wrong with a Deere in that size range, they're actually made by Deere rather than contracted out. Agree you probably got a lemon, but that definitely can put you off a brand for a while.

Equally, nothing systemic wrong with a Kubota M5 that I've seen anyone comment on. But there's no doubt usability or particular niggles or things to look out for, or options you'd want on it. Someone will know that.
If it was a lemon and deere would do somthing about it that would be less bad but they do not care....... in our area alot of people have gotten rid of thoes model deeres, bought back old tractors or went to kubota due to the unreiability of this model.
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
555
83
USA
Keep in mind that Kubota Orange fades faster than JD Green.....
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
555
83
USA
I have JD and Kubota. Must be multi colored then...
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,616
3,449
113
SW Pa
I was told to sell it out right back when I got my little orange tractor
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
555
83
USA
Don't see anything wrong with green units frankly. I guess you can get a bad one, not that Kubota didn't build some bombs themselves.
 

Shadow_storm56

Active member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
468
49
28
Canada
Don't see anything wrong with green units frankly. I guess you can get a bad one, not that Kubota didn't build some bombs themselves.
It's the only JD tractor that we ever had issues with, different areas must get tractors from different sources because all the growers we know switched to kubota for these orchard tractors because of one reason or another. One farmer had the transmission go out 3 times while under warranty, others had so many issues they bought back 30 year old jd tractors they used to own because the new orchard tractors are so unreliable. But the majority of people are going with kubota now, some places are going with kubota for all of their tractor sizes after being with deere for 30 plus years. I can tell you if this new tractor is good I won't be going back to deere. The worst part is the way they treat customers now, I could buy a new JD tractor tomorrow and the engine blow just driving it around the yard, whos fault is it? Mine. Wires wear through in a week because they were put taught over a sharp edge? Must be my fault! Radiator hoses blow because they are jammed up against surfaces that vibrate? You guessed it once again my fault.... The response is always that they have never seen these issues before and it's like wow that's weird I know lots of people who had the same issue and bought their tractors from you.

Best part of it it all was when a tech got really frustrated and told me that the model of deere we have is trash and he has seen all of these issues many times. He said himself he would never buy a deere orchard tractor.

So back to kubota, my main experience with kubota is in the 3 things I currently own from kubota which are an old generator and 2 lawn mowers. All of which are fantastic although the one mower took pretty bad damage from user error.... Driver didn't clean the radiator screen and melted the top of the radiator, driver kept turning the blades on and off every 5 seconds which wore out the clutch mech and pieces of it took out the transmission. The only non user error issue we had with it was the glide steer cables breaking.
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
555
83
USA
I happen to own a show quality 4020 and it lives in the back of the shop 95% of the time. It's 2wd and open station and I may sell it sometime, but not in the near future unless something dire happens to me. I like older iron. green or orange

Our local Deere dealer used to be top notch until Deere decided that the 'mom and pop' shops had to go and then they were absorbed by a large multi store outfit and everything went to hell. It's like a supermarket inside and no one knows squat and they go through mechanics like water.

Keep in mind that the new Kubota's, the common rail T4 final ones, Kubota is doing what Deere did. You cannot do any diagnostics to the engine or access the ECM because everything is proprietary Kubota right down to the interface plugs. You have to own a Kubota scan tool and only dealers can have them, so if you have issues in the field (in your case orchard) and it derates, you are screwed until a tech comes out with the scan tool and accesses your issues. Why I keep my older T3 interem ones. No electronics, minimal emissions and zero issues. Total emissions on mine consist of a 'puff' limiter on the turbo. I can live with that just fine.
 

armylifer

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
Mar 26, 2013
2,061
787
113
Thurston County, WA
From reading this thread I am glad that I never bought a JD. My neighbor had a small JD until about 5 yars ago. He complained about it so much that I just knew that the only choice for my first tractor had to be Kubota. About 2 years after I bought my Kubota, he bought one too. He bought a BX 2350. The only thing he complains about with the BX2350 is the plastic fenders and hood. Other than that he says Kubota has JD beat by a country mile.

I know that I am very happy with my Kubota and I would never think about going to a JD just because of my first experience with Kubota being so good.
 

Shadow_storm56

Active member

Equipment
Lawn mower
Oct 22, 2020
468
49
28
Canada
I happen to own a show quality 4020 and it lives in the back of the shop 95% of the time. It's 2wd and open station and I may sell it sometime, but not in the near future unless something dire happens to me. I like older iron. green or orange

Our local Deere dealer used to be top notch until Deere decided that the 'mom and pop' shops had to go and then they were absorbed by a large multi store outfit and everything went to hell. It's like a supermarket inside and no one knows squat and they go through mechanics like water.

Keep in mind that the new Kubota's, the common rail T4 final ones, Kubota is doing what Deere did. You cannot do any diagnostics to the engine or access the ECM because everything is proprietary Kubota right down to the interface plugs. You have to own a Kubota scan tool and only dealers can have them, so if you have issues in the field (in your case orchard) and it derates, you are screwed until a tech comes out with the scan tool and accesses your issues. Why I keep my older T3 interem ones. No electronics, minimal emissions and zero issues. Total emissions on mine consist of a 'puff' limiter on the turbo. I can live with that just fine.
I have a 2350 and a 2355 deere, they are solid as hell and I will never sell them. I'll run them until they die because ill never find a machine like it. Also I know they made the new ones almost impossible for people to self repair computer issues but what can you do..... The last JD tractor we bought before this was a large frame 7130 6 cylinder, a very odd model but it is solid and reliable. Issues sofar were a pto sensor and a hydraulic pump, in like 10 years. Pump likely went due to overheat, hydraulic rock picker and many other hydraulic things we use on that tractor. It ground out the pump but otherwise fantastic tractor.

I wish there was a law that you couldn't sell garbage:p
 

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,452
1,376
113
NZ
Some states are playing with a right to repair law. That could be interesting if ever enacted in any large states - ultimately I think it forces them to make diagnostic tools available, and parts available.
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
555
83
USA
Auto manufacturers standardized the diagnostics and the ports to access them (OBD) and tractor manufactures could have followed suit, it's all there and technically available, but they didn't and for a reason. They did what they did in the name of profit after the sale.

Sure is nice to be able to plug in my scan tool and and diagnose the DTC's (trouble codes) on any of my vehicles, don't matter the make, we own Fords and GM's.

Just did it yesterday to my Focus, had a 'check engine light', plugged in the scan tool, downloaded the code (front O2 sensor rich condition) and corrected it and cleared the code. I had run a can of Seafoam intake cleaner through the motor (it's a Gasoline direct injection motor and GFI engines are noted for intake valve deposits) so the can of Seafoam cause a rich mixture condition on the lead O2 sensor (I knew it would) and the sensor threw a check engine code and illuminated the check engine light.

You get a check engine light on a new T4 final tractor, there is nothing as the end user you can do but call an authorized dealer and then pay for a service call so the tech can come out and do what I did in the driveway, diagnose the issue and take corrective action if necessary and in my opinion it's 110% BS and all for corporate profit and why I will NEVER own a T4 final tractor.

Sure, manufacturers under Federal EPA laws have to warrant emissions systems and related components for 5 years and all well and good but what about after the 5 years is up? You are on the hook for everything and I'm here to tell you that T4 final diesel engines are failure prone as they get older. The Freightliner dealership I retired from, a full 80% of their after sale shop work is emissions related, either electronic or component issues.

I don't sell off a tractor when it's 4.5 years old because of emissions issues, I keep them a long time and that isn't prudent with the new T4 final engines and..... with the incoming new President and his buddies with their 'Green New Deal' bs, I suspect it will only get worse, much worse.

Have at it but expect to pay for 'clean air' in the end and pay dearly. You can always buy an electric tractor. I see JD has one out now. 6 hour duty cycle time for light farm chores (no ground engagement) and it's only 125 grand.:rolleyes:

Farmer down the road from me (we are good friends) has about 3 million in JD rolling stock and 90% of them are T4 final. His comment to me the other day was, 'You don't ever own a John Deer even though you pay for it, you buy the right to use one'. He cannot do anything to any of those units. The units 'ralk' to the dealer via the Green Star on board GPS satellite system and 'tell the dealer (not him) if there is a pending issue. it's so bad that when it's oil change time, he must use JD filters and lubricants because the filters have sensors in them that monitor oil life, viscosity and contaminant level and when it's time, the filters throw a code that the Green Star sends to the dealer and the dealer notifies him it's time for service. All BS and all about the long dollar. I get to witness that close up in his shop.

When they run, they are peachy. When they don't all hell breaks loose.
 
Last edited: