Kubota

hunta

Well-Known Member
I'm considering getting a Kubota RTV 400 or RTV 500 or similar for work around orchards.

Has anyone got any experience of these or similar machines of a similar price.

The machine needs to carry two people and a small amount of equipment, be fairly light and manoeuvrable.

It will be used occasionally to extract deer from undulating arable/grassland/woodland.

Thanks,

Andy.
 
As long as you don't expect too much from it you should be fine.
My experience is they are useless on slopes, and terrible in the wet.

They are comfortable, and roomy though.

We changed for a JCB Workmax, and so far it's been brilliant, if a little noisy.
1000hrs or 5yr warranty too.
 
I run a 4x4 mule for a while and it was a great bit of kit , comfy for two in two in the cab (I found the bench seat a better option than the individual seats) never got it stuck with low range and diff locks and not too heavy for a couple of guys to push out.
 
I purchased a Kubota RTV 900 a couple of months ago. I spec'd it with some very aggressive tyres (Kendo Executioner) and could not be happier with it. Carries and tips 400kgs with ease. Without too much negotiation I was offered a sizeable discount from new.

I use JCB plant, and of part of researching which vehicle to buy asked my JCB rep for a quote on a Workmax. Bizzarely he told me not to bother and to buy a John Deere !! No experience of the Workmax so can't comment on suitability.

Regards

Ed
 
Used kubota's in work. Reliability on newer ones wasn't great- quality seems to have gone down. We have now switched to John Deere.
 
Was looking at a friends Kubota yesterday and today spoke with another farmer who has the same model. He's had problems with the gearbox a couple of times and is not over the moon with it. His son has the John Deere model and he's had a few problems with it so it's hard to say, they might be asking too much of them.
 
There is a Kubota at my work that has not seen much off-road use but has had a couple of problems with the gearbox - not being able to select reverse.

ATB 243 Stalker.
 
Thanks for your replies. This machine wont get heavy work but will be off road and will need to work in wet conditions occasionally.

nick100. Do you think that better tyres would help as it would need to work on wet slopes ( though not very steep ) ?

I have some experience of John Deere which are ok but more expensive.
 
nick100. Do you think that better tyres would help as it would need to work on wet slopes ( though not very steep ) ?

I have some experience of John Deere which are ok but more expensive.

TBH Andy it was so gutless and heavy it didn't need much getting stuck. We had some very chunky tyres fitted.
 
We have a john deere gator which is good bit of kit i know of a local farmer who has a kubota rtv diesel and he reckons its a heap of crap its not that old but he has had gearbox problems and other things go wrong, the 3 cylinder engines in them are supposed to be ultra reliable though. The polaris gators are supposed to be a good machine as well and may be worth a look. If you dont really need a gator why not get a quad they will go any where and dont make so much mess, Honda being the best by a long shot !
 
I have a keeper friend friend who had a kubota and hated it, he was continually stuck in it. He now has a polaris and says that it is much better not sure about the price difference though.

Ade
 
Thanks again for your feedback. 243 fallow l need to be two up and carry some gear hence considering Kubota or similar. I have access to a quad and agree about their ability.

We do have a John Deere and a Polaris within the business but these are used by the keeper and shepherd.

I need something to use mainly in orchards so it would need to be narrow ( less than 1.4m wide ).

Looking to spend £6000 ish.
 
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