Tractor Purchase Not Working Out, Getting Stressed

[North Idaho Wolfman]

How would you do it? How would you take me out? Tractor related methods only.

Come visit and I'll show ya personally!


Sounds like you have the BX return under control...although via an odd path!

 

[Sodark]

How would you do it? How would you take me out? Tractor related methods only.

Damn, I can't for the life of me find the video of the guy in the excavator taking out the car of armed men that tried robbing him... That'd be my vote.

 

[tiktock]

Damn, I can't for the life of me find the video of the guy in the excavator taking out the car of armed men that tried robbing him... That'd be my vote.

Not quite a robbery but is it this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb_7DNs6XvA

 

[Sodark]

No, I saw that one too. It was surveillance video, I think it was a yellow ex, and I believe the car was attempting to flee after robbing the operator or his employer, 2 people. It was a beautiful maneuver, expertly executed. Bucket teeth straight down through the hood. He was going for blood. They escaped the vehicle (barely) and attempted to attack him briefly until the bucket started to swing again then took off on foot. After much discussion (saw it on Reddit) someone pointed out that one of the guys dropped or was attempting to go for a gun.

EDIT TO ADD:

HERE it is! My prior recollection was a little off, but pretty close: https://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/commen...ckly/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

 

[PaulL]

I for one am supportive, but in broad terms you're following my advice, so I would be.

Point one was work out whether a BX or JD (or B, which is my personal fav) was the right tractor for you.

Point two was to then work out the best way to buy the tractor that you want, if that tractor is a BX then getting the current dealer to get you a new BX seemed path of least resistance.

I think a B will be closer to what you want. I think the wheel brakes may be of more help than you think in turning circle, but at the cost of chewing up the turf a bit. I note that the BX turning circle is adjustable, when I adjusted mine properly it turns a lot more sharply. Not sure how it compares to a JD once adjusted, but it helped my mowing.

Having gone down this journey, I think you'll be happy you picked the right tractor for you. The last thing I think you should consider very carefully is the advice that a mini-ex is way more competent than a backhoe for many jobs. I never asked exactly what jobs you were planning to do with a backhoe, but if it's more than occasional digging you may be disappointed, and if it is only occasional digging it may not be a good spend of money.

Sure, it's two machines, and a mini ex tends to ruin lawns in a way that a TLB doesn't. But if you're doing serious digging in tight spaces, a mini-ex is the go-to machine, and they're available second hand (and mostly worn out) for not much money.

 

[dlundblad]

I thought this was a great idea before I got a tractor, but I couldn't find any tractor rentals in my area, except for maybe TLB's larger than I would consider owning. Neither the Kubota nor the JD dealers here rent equipment, though I suspect the Kubota dealer would do a rental/trial on used equipment, if he happened to have it.

I expected I would get some negative feedback for my apparent "wishy washyness", and I also realize the thread is becoming long and unwieldy, but someone did ask me for an update.

Maybe I should start a new thread on why the BX is not, in function, more compact than its much more capable brothers and sisters. I'd really like to get feedback on that. Not sure what about my analysis is wrong or hard to follow. I'm not saying the BX can't work in small spaces, I'm just saying that there are larger/more powerful tractors that can work in small spaces BETTER. I'm concluding this after just a few hours of seat time on 3 different tractors, so I'd like to check my logic with people who have way more experience than I do. I want to get it right this time.

EDIT: I created a new thread to discuss the differences in models - this thread is too big and comparing tractor models is really a different issue than my dealer/delivery problems. I think a discussion about the different tractor models would be a good one, but better if it has its own place. So if you have a comment on that, I think it will be better for everyone if it was posted in that new thread: https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44279

So the BX is small and somewhat capable, but not as maneuverable and capable as you would like in comparison to say the smaller B. I could have told you that and I have never ran either of them.

Just dont be the guy complaining about the Japanese and their small hands and how small and difficult the BX is to work on. The BX offers quite a bit in a garden tractor sized packed IMO. It just depends on your needs and intended use.

If you are indeed wanting to return the thing, I do hope you arent using it anymore. The more hours you add up, the more itll be yours.

 

[Tornado]

Ive been still loosely following this to see how it pans out in the end. Read Chimpy's latest update and the negative responses to it. I have no negative feelings after reading the update, because I can see where chimpy is coming from. It does seem to me however that you jumped on a BX purchase without really researching before hand. There are TONS of videos on youtube for all the tractors you are considering and talking about, so many comparison videos, spec videos, you could spend hours watching all of these tractors perform and tested against each other. Tractor Time with Tim on his youtube channel did like a whole 6 part series on the John Deere 1025r vs the Kubota BX for example. GP outdoors who posts some on these forums has a channel as well, and his primary tractor is a B2601, which you are considering right now. You can watch hours of him doing just about any job you can imagine on his B2601 over the past year.

That aside, I think you are reaching an opinion now that I have always held. I personally would never buy a Kubota BX tractor. If I was going to spend over 10 thousand dollars on a tractor, but perhaps not over 20 thousand, I would never even consider a BX as a contender. Its simply too small and too weak a tractor to do much to me. It is a lawn mower with a loader on it, that has a very low lifting capacity of just a few hundred lbs. Spend just a few thousand more and you get into a tractor that can really do some work. The B2601 is the smallest I would personally ever consider buying. If that was deemed "too big" then I wouldn't buy a tractor at all, I would look at other options for the jobs I wanted to do. When I was tractor shopping back in May I was going between a B2650 and an L2501. I ended up going with the L, simply because it was bigger and heavier. Im so glad now that I didnt go for the lighter B2650, even though it has more comfort features. The saying amongst many is to always buy one size bigger tractor than you think you need. To me a BX size tractor gets you into an area where it will beat doing something with manual labor, but not by a whole lot. For the Price of a BX tractor you could buy a nice zero turn lawn mower and a 4x4 ATV. The zero turn will run circle around the BX for mowing, the atv can pull trailers and such much the same, the only thing you lose is a loader that lifts a few hundred lbs. I dunno, BX tractors clearly have a market, but its never made sense to me. I think going with a B2601 instead is a decision that in 2 or 3 years you would be glad you made. Its just a much more capable tractor.

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

Ive been still loosely following this to see how it pans out in the end. Read Chimpy's latest update and the negative responses to it. I have no negative feelings after reading the update, because I can see where chimpy is coming from. It does seem to me however that you jumped on a BX purchase without really researching before hand. There are TONS of videos on youtube for all the tractors you are considering and talking about, so many comparison videos, spec videos, you could spend hours watching all of these tractors perform and tested against each other. Tractor Time with Tim on his youtube channel did like a whole 6 part series on the John Deere 1025r vs the Kubota BX for example. GP outdoors who posts some on these forums has a channel as well, and his primary tractor is a B2601, which you are considering right now. You can watch hours of him doing just about any job you can imagine on his B2601 over the past year.

That aside, I think you are reaching an opinion now that I have always held. I personally would never buy a Kubota BX tractor. If I was going to spend over 10 thousand dollars on a tractor, but perhaps not over 20 thousand, I would never even consider a BX as a contender. Its simply too small and too weak a tractor to do much to me. It is a lawn mower with a loader on it, that has a very low lifting capacity of just a few hundred lbs. Spend just a few thousand more and you get into a tractor that can really do some work. The B2601 is the smallest I would personally ever consider buying. If that was deemed "too big" then I wouldn't buy a tractor at all, I would look at other options for the jobs I wanted to do. When I was tractor shopping back in May I was going between a B2650 and an L2501. I ended up going with the L, simply because it was bigger and heavier. Im so glad now that I didnt go for the lighter B2650, even though it has more comfort features. The saying amongst many is to always buy one size bigger tractor than you think you need. To me a BX size tractor gets you into an area where it will beat doing something with manual labor, but not by a whole lot. For the Price of a BX tractor you could buy a nice zero turn lawn mower and a 4x4 ATV. The zero turn will run circle around the BX for mowing, the atv can pull trailers and such much the same, the only thing you lose is a loader that lifts a few hundred lbs. I dunno, BX tractors clearly have a market, but its never made sense to me. I think going with a B2601 instead is a decision that in 2 or 3 years you would be glad you made. Its just a much more capable tractor.

Thanks Tornado, I think you make good points. I did watch a lot of TTWT. I watched a bit of GP Outdoors but somehow the B01's were not on my radar. I think I knew about the B2650 but thought that was just too big (it probably is). I still somehow thought I was gaining a more nimble tractor by going smaller and conceding some power in exchange. It probably didn't help things that my dealer didn't have any B's on the lot. After some seat time on the BX and realizing what things actually matter in constrained spaces, I was pretty frustrated to find that I'd chosen the least nimble of the small tractors AND conceded power and features too. I was worried about the loader on the BX but also kept reading comments about how it lifts more than spec. I do think you're right that I would be unhappy with it in the long run.

Quick update on the purchase: the BX lemon is still sitting in my driveway but the dealer is supposed to pick it up today. Beside turning it on to move it and measure a few things, I haven't been using it for anything for the past week or more. I never ran the mower deck and the 3 point hitch kit is still in the box. My dealer was essentially willing to let me keep it until we sorted things out, but I just wasn't comfortable putting more hours on it and I just don't have a lot of use for in during the winter (and without any implements). So I told him he could pick it up anytime.

 

[Tornado]

Thanks Tornado, I think you make good points. I did watch a lot of TTWT. I watched a bit of GP Outdoors but somehow the B01's were not on my radar. I think I knew about the B2650 but thought that was just too big (it probably is). I still somehow thought I was gaining a more nimble tractor by going smaller and conceding some power in exchange. It probably didn't help things that my dealer didn't have any B's on the lot. After some seat time on the BX and realizing what things actually matter in constrained spaces, I was pretty frustrated to find that I'd chosen the least nimble of the small tractors AND conceded power and features too. I was worried about the loader on the BX but also kept reading comments about how it lifts more than spec. I do think you're right that I would be unhappy with it in the long run.

Quick update on the purchase: the BX lemon is still sitting in my driveway but the dealer is supposed to pick it up today. Beside turning it on to move it and measure a few things, I haven't been using it for anything for the past week or more. I never ran the mower deck and the 3 point hitch kit is still in the box. My dealer was essentially willing to let me keep it until we sorted things out, but I just wasn't comfortable putting more hours on it and I just don't have a lot of use for in during the winter (and without any implements). So I told him he could pick it up anytime.

I dont blame you not wanting to touch it. I wouldnt either. I would have stressed for them to remove it asap just so nothing else happens. I dont know what size property you have, where you live, or where you plan to use this tractor or for what, but I think I would 100% go with a B. If the price is close on a 2601 and a 2650 I would even step up to the 2650 - I think these 2 tractors are usually within about $1,000 of each other. Stretch that 1k over the life of a loan and its just a few extra dollars a month and you get a 1.3L engine vs a 1.1L engine, and a slightly heavier tractor, so It will pull more weight on the 3pt hitch - it will also lift more as it has a little higher hydraulic pump flow. Its not a huge jump from the 2601 but the price is so similar typically, and the physical size is so close, Its one of those easy step up's to make in my opinion that you can feel good about 3 years from now. You will find a lot of use for this tractor over the next many years. Helping friends, family, etc with projects, doing your own projects...Buy as much tractor as you can reasonably afford. The L2501 which I have is a great little tractor for me. It is likely over the threshold of what you are wanting though - it also has no Mid Mount PTO which I think you want. My pick would be the 2650. I find it hard to pick a 2601 with the 2650 sitting there at just a smidgen more in price, but a bump in capabilities across the board.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Come visit and I'll show ya personally!


Sounds like you have the BX return under control...although via an odd path!

All I have to say is Urbana, Illinois to Sandpoint, Idaho is a helluva long way to drive a small Kubota tractor (or a big one for that matter).

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

I dont blame you not wanting to touch it. I wouldnt either. I would have stressed for them to remove it asap just so nothing else happens. I dont know what size property you have, where you live, or where you plan to use this tractor or for what, but I think I would 100% go with a B. If the price is close on a 2601 and a 2650 I would even step up to the 2650 - I think these 2 tractors are usually within about $1,000 of each other. Stretch that 1k over the life of a loan and its just a few extra dollars a month and you get a 1.3L engine vs a 1.1L engine, and a slightly heavier tractor, so It will pull more weight on the 3pt hitch - it will also lift more as it has a little higher hydraulic pump flow. Its not a huge jump from the 2601 but the price is so similar typically, and the physical size is so close, Its one of those easy step up's to make in my opinion that you can feel good about 3 years from now. You will find a lot of use for this tractor over the next many years. Helping friends, family, etc with projects, doing your own projects...Buy as much tractor as you can reasonably afford. The L2501 which I have is a great little tractor for me. It is likely over the threshold of what you are wanting though - it also has no Mid Mount PTO which I think you want. My pick would be the 2650. I find it hard to pick a 2601 with the 2650 sitting there at just a smidgen more in price, but a bump in capabilities across the board.

Hi Tornado, this thread was getting a bit unwieldy and discussing tractor choices seemed to be straying to far from the original post, so I started a different thread for that: https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44279
I'm going to post a response about the B2650 to you there and let this thread wind down. I'll come back and post a full resolution here when one is had.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re:
... So I told him he could pick it up anytime. ..

You should/need to say 'Please pick it up Wed or Thu this week'. Pick a SPECIFIC date/time.
Allowing him an open option to pickup, whenever means he gets free offsite storage and doesn't have to deal with you or the unit. 'Out of site...out of mind'.

I'd call, say Thu afternoon, ask is he on his way and if not.. I'd call a'tilt and load' tow truck and have him deliver COD to the dealer.

I have to assume YOU have it under 'lock and key' ! If it goes 'missing', well... YOU'VE just bought it !

 

[Tractor_Chunks]

re:
... So I told him he could pick it up anytime. ..

You should/need to say 'Please pick it up Wed or Thu this week'. Pick a SPECIFIC date/time.
Allowing him an open option to pickup, whenever means he gets free offsite storage and doesn't have to deal with you or the unit. 'Out of site...out of mind'.

I'd call, say Thu afternoon, ask is he on his way and if not.. I'd call a'tilt and load' tow truck and have him deliver COD to the dealer.

I have to assume YOU have it under 'lock and key' ! If it goes 'missing', well... YOU'VE just bought it !

You called it, dealer did not pick it up yesterday. I asked him today and he was there picking it up about 30 minutes later. All gone now.
He also gave me a quote on a B2601 setup and I'm not terribly excited about the price he gave me. Pretty sure he's not trying to snub me as a customer because he's still offering to go out of his way to show me other tractor options (I'd asked about seeing a B2650).
So maybe it will end up being John Deere for me, I'll have to think on it. It's winter and my immediate tractor need is low, and I'm about out of tractor energy and the Kubota fiasco kind of took all the fun out of it. Sigh...

 

[Kubota stinx]

GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! Kubota is the ABSOLUTE WORST when it comes to satisfying the customer and having integrity. If anyone is interested, I will post my story sometime and you tell me. Kubota says they "guarantee customer satisfaction". Lol...ask them what happens when you were mislead, lied to by not just the dealer but all the way up the ladder. They have no response. NONE! Okay..lol, so now I'm kinda hoping someone DOES want to hear my story.

 

[Sodark]

GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! Kubota is the ABSOLUTE WORST when it comes to satisfying the customer and having integrity. If anyone is interested, I will post my story sometime and you tell me. Kubota says they "guarantee customer satisfaction". Lol...ask them what happens when you were mislead, lied to by not just the dealer but all the way up the ladder. They have no response. NONE! Okay..lol, so now I'm kinda hoping someone DOES want to hear my story.

With that user name... No. Not particularly. It tells it's own story.

 

[dlundblad]

GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! Kubota is the ABSOLUTE WORST when it comes to satisfying the customer and having integrity. If anyone is interested, I will post my story sometime and you tell me. Kubota says they "guarantee customer satisfaction". Lol...ask them what happens when you were mislead, lied to by not just the dealer but all the way up the ladder. They have no response. NONE! Okay..lol, so now I'm kinda hoping someone DOES want to hear my story.

Id love to hear your story.

Sounds like a dealer issue more so than a corporate issue, but I also understand how a bad dealer experience can make you dislike the brand.

 

[BAP]

GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! Kubota is the ABSOLUTE WORST when it comes to satisfying the customer and having integrity. If anyone is interested, I will post my story sometime and you tell me. Kubota says they "guarantee customer satisfaction". Lol...ask them what happens when you were mislead, lied to by not just the dealer but all the way up the ladder. They have no response. NONE! Okay..lol, so now I'm kinda hoping someone DOES want to hear my story.

Can Everyone one say TROLL!!

 

[Steve67]

Yep Troll,

 

[edritchey]

GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN! Kubota is the ABSOLUTE WORST when it comes to satisfying the customer and having integrity. If anyone is interested, I will post my story sometime and you tell me. Kubota says they "guarantee customer satisfaction". Lol...ask them what happens when you were mislead, lied to by not just the dealer but all the way up the ladder. They have no response. NONE! Okay..lol, so now I'm kinda hoping someone DOES want to hear my story.

Actually I think nobody gives a flying dog turd but hey that's just me.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Actually I think nobody gives a flying dog turd but hey that's just me.

+1 on that. Go whine on TBY.Net. They will let you for a while and then remove your negative comments.