# Massey vs Kubota



## JDS (Sep 22, 2013)

In my search for a new tractor, I can get a new MF 5612 and Kubota M135GX for the same price. Each offers its own unique advantages/disadvantages. Which is really the better tractor? I'm not purposely snubbing you Deere guys, just get better deals from my Massey and Kubota/New Holland dealers due to my past business.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

What options are you looking at on the MF? Closed centre hydraulics? Don't think the Kubota does that one. I have a MF 5455 and a smaller Kubota, I like both, what are the dealers like in the area?


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

Interesting that you are comparing a 90 PTO HP tractor with a 4.4 liter engine to a 118 PTO HP tractor with a 6.1 liter engine!


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I think the MF is 120 hp at engine on boost but yes, less hp and a shorter wheelbase, popular as a loader tractor usually.



Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Interesting that you are comparing a 90 PTO HP tractor with a 4.4 liter engine to a 118 PTO HP tractor with a 6.1 liter engine!


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## JDS (Sep 22, 2013)

True, the Massey has less hp, but is the deluxe version with all the options including dual flow hydraulics. You all have captured some of my dilemma--raw hp versus nice features.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Get the KSR or front suspension option if you get the Kubota. Love KSR on mine. Makes a big difference. 
No matter which brand, I like a bigger displacement engine. More rotating mass.


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## cornshucker (Aug 22, 2011)

I would go with the dealer that I thought would give me the best service after the sale they are all ***kissers until you buy then some of them don't hardly know you. Even though I personally like Massey better than Kubota got to agree with JD 3430 the larger displacement engine plus extra HP of the Kubota would make me lean that way. Either way I don't think you will go wrong nobody knows your operation better than you so go with your instincts.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

See if one offers more cash back in lieu of financing, too. Take the cash back and buy yourself some goodies or decrease your total invoice. Finance the rest on a credit card that gives you 2% back on purchases (some will finance up to $20-$30,000)and pay the balance with cash or line of credit if you need low monthly payments. You'll get a check for $$400-600 from credit card company unless than a month, too.


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## JDS (Sep 22, 2013)

JD3430: The MF dealer has the better cash-back deal plus I qualify for several other cash incentives This put the MF5612 and 5613 into the Kubota's (more affordable) price range. I am still undecided whether to go with the simple higher horsepower Kubota or the Massey with all the bells and whistles. I didn't get a chance to drive the Massey yet. Just played with its features while parked. I did drive the Kubota. The 24X24 intelli-shift was convenient, but was jerky. All the other features worked well--very simple toggle switches. I'm going back to the Massey dealer Monday to try the 5612 and/or 5613.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

JDS said:


> JD3430: The MF dealer has the better cash-back deal plus I qualify for several other cash incentives This put the MF5612 and 5613 into the Kubota's (more affordable) price range. I am still undecided whether to go with the simple higher horsepower Kubota or the Massey with all the bells and whistles. I didn't get a chance to drive the Massey yet. Just played with its features while parked. I did drive the Kubota. The 24X24 intelli-shift was convenient, but was jerky. All the other features worked well--very simple toggle switches. I'm going back to the Massey dealer Monday to try the 5612 and/or 5613.


Matters not to me what tractor you buy, Buy the one that works best for you.

The kubota may have shifted jerky if the shift firmness adjustment knob was turned up to its max setting. Check and see if it was if you get a chance to drive the Kubota again. My M-126 will give you whiplash if its set up high.

The extra HP of the Kubota is only a plus if you really need it.

After pulling my discbine and round baler up steep hills, I'm glad I have 16 extra HP above the 90 minimum required for my 7230 discbine. They werent kidding when they said MINIMUM HP REQ was 90. I could not pull my 7230 up hills with 90 unless I gear down slow (or cut going downhill). However my discbine likes to cut fast. It gives a better quality cut.

You may farm flat ground and never need it and the MF may be a better choice.


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## cornshucker (Aug 22, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> See if one offers more cash back in lieu of financing, too. Take the cash back and buy yourself some goodies or decrease your total invoice. Finance the rest on a credit card that gives you 2% back on purchases (some will finance up to $20-$30,000)and pay the balance with cash or line of credit if you need low monthly payments. You'll get a check for $$400-600 from credit card company unless than a month, too.


JD I believe I need to hire you as a financial advisor, damn wall street people not that good. LOL


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

JDS said:


> JD3430: I did drive the Kubota. The 24X24 intelli-shift was convenient, but was jerky. All the other features worked well--very simple toggle switches. I'm going back to the Massey dealer Monday to try the 5612 and/or 5613.


Buddy of mine has the 126 and I have had the opportunity this year to put 20-30 hrs on it in a matter of 2-3 days. Transmission is a little jerky but not so bad after you get used to it. The one thing I will say is after a long day (10+ hrs) you can feel it, not near as comfortable as one would like. If you plan on working long days I would pick the one with the best ride and the best cup holder.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Lewis Ranch said:


> Buddy of mine has the 126 and I have had the opportunity this year to put 20-30 hrs on it in a matter of 2-3 days. Transmission is a little jerky but not so bad after you get used to it. The one thing I will say is after a long day (10+ hrs) you can feel it, not near as comfortable as one would like. If you plan on working long days I would pick the one with the best ride and the best cup holder.


Is it an M126 or G126?
G is new version, more comfy.
With the new front suspension and KSR, I can't imagine it being uncomfortable. Maybe it didnt have those options.
Then again, I haven't met a Deere guy who would even ride in a Kubota....lol (sorry, just a harmless jab)


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

JD3430 said:


> See if one offers more cash back in lieu of financing, too. Take the cash back and buy yourself some goodies or decrease your total invoice. Finance the rest on a credit card that gives you 2% back on purchases (some will finance up to $20-$30,000)and pay the balance with cash or line of credit if you need low monthly payments. You'll get a check for $$400-600 from credit card company unless than a month, too.


i doubt very much a tractor dealer would take a credit card on a 20-30,000 purchase with out adding his CC fees back into the price somehow.
A dealer I deal with quit taking credit cards on larger parts sales without adding the fee to price.
I do use a cash back credit card where ever they allow it.I like the cash back also


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Mine did.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

What is the primary use of the machine by the way? The MF twin flow pumps are open centre hydraulics and pretty much are only a big benefit for loader work. They make the loader cycle times very fast for repetitive loader work. If you aren't doing much or any loader work they have very limited use.

You can get all 4 pto speeds, ie 540/540e/1000/1000e on the MF, I think the Kubota won't have the eco pto speeds.

The MF will have a Dyna 4 or Dyna 6, so 4 or 6 speeds full powershift then 4 sync'd power range change that speed matches the other gearbox so fairly similar to the kubota but a few less speeds in the powershift. Autodrive works about the same too.

The MF usually has larger front tires while kubota usually has more clearance under the front axle, this is just due to the style of axles they use. I'm not sure about the GX but previous generations of Kubota's had lower max ballasted weight which limited them from doing heavy tillage but the 5000 series MF's aren't targeted for heavy tillage either.

It used to be the MF had a lot more 3 point capacity but I think either one has more than a normal person can ballast the front of the tractor for now.

Its a tough call, I really like both my MF and Kubota. I'd say the parts pricing has been about similar. Better MF dealer here than Kubota but haven't needed the Kubota dealer really.


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## aawhite (Jan 16, 2012)

All else fails, go with the better dealer. Another thought, will you be buying any other equipment in the next couple of years, i.e. balers/mowers/etc.? If Massey is a brand you would consider, it might be worth going with the Massey to help grease the wheels on a later purchase. Our Deere dealership always seemed to take that into account with us.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

aawhite said:


> All else fails, go with the better dealer. Another thought, will you be buying any other equipment in the next couple of years, i.e. balers/mowers/etc.? If Massey is a brand you would consider, it might be worth going with the Massey to help grease the wheels on a later purchase. Our Deere dealership always seemed to take that into account with us.


Not only that, but do you have intentions of buying any BIGGER equipment? Could the smaller tractor be fine now but undersized in 2017?


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

Take this for what it is worth. I looked at eight MF 5455 tractors that were in an auction last spring. All were ex city units so multiple operators/ abuse likley. All but one had major work done on the rear end and the pto. Now these were 4000 to 6000 hr tractors. I like MF tractors but after talking to the maintenance supervisor where they came from i passed on buying one. They averaged over $ 20,000 in repairs per unit. They local Kubota dealer took one on trade also that required the same repairs.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I can't imagine what they needed, the Dyna 4 is pretty bullet proof. Mine is a speedshift model with 4500 hours and there is a shaft that gets worn in there that requires a split to fix, mine is still ok. I've never seen or heard of one that has required anything else worked on besides the parking brake when its left on. Parking brake is done through side cover, no split needed.

I did put 2700$ into my front axle, the previous owner decided that grease wasn't needed on the pivot ever, which wore it and broke the input shaft off around 4000 hours when he was carrying a silage bale in deep snow letting it hop trying to get up a hill. He then stuck an arc welder in there and gobbered up a bunch more stuff patching it up to get through the days feeding.



carcajou said:


> Take this for what it is worth. I looked at eight MF 5455 tractors that were in an auction last spring. All were ex city units so multiple operators/ abuse likley. All but one had major work done on the rear end and the pto. Now these were 4000 to 6000 hr tractors. I like MF tractors but after talking to the maintenance supervisor where they came from i passed on buying one. They averaged over $ 20,000 in repairs per unit. They local Kubota dealer took one on trade also that required the same repairs.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I agree when it's a toss up, go to better dealer, but I think Kubota makes a smaller tractor, an M110GX with comparable features to the MF. It has a smaller engine, but still has 96 PTO HP. Not bad.
Maybe it would cost considerably less and give you similar features to Massey.
Seems like to me you're comparing a bigger, albeit similar priced Kubota, to a smaller MF.

Why not compare Kubota M110GX to MF and save you some money and still get 96 PTO and a nice cab?


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Just like pole barns and garages: after the fact no one ever says "man, I wish I got a aller one!"

Or if uou really like massey over Kubota buy a bigger Massey? Sounss to me like two nice tractors. Good luck and keep us up to date.


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## MFred (Nov 29, 2013)

I would take anything judged on a city/township operator with a grain of salt. Clowns getting paid too much money that don't know or care to know how to run equipment looking to break it to take the rest of the day off. Then the dealer takes it in and gets paid good to fix it so he can pay his taxes so the town clowns can something else to wreck next year. Typical government crap. Pay twice as much upfront and have it wrecked in a year so the can spend the budget otherwise they won't get it next year.


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## MFred (Nov 29, 2013)

Oh by the way. Love my new 5610. Pulls like it has much more horsepower. I originally wanted a 5612 or 5613. After a demo I decided the 5610 had plenty of power for my needs and is very comfortable to operate.


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## JDS (Sep 22, 2013)

Thanks to all in the forum for your advice. I valued all your replies. I was at a stand still with this decision because I've been a Kubota person for a number of years and have been absolutely pleased with my Kubotas. Both dealers have been good to me in the past. I did buy a MF 1840 square baler last year, so wanted to keep an especially good relationship with the Massey folks. I figured if I needed any help in the near future, it would be with the baler. The features of the Massey seemed to be a perfect fit for my operation, but hp is hp and the Kubota was definitely a "manly" machine. I read and digested all your comments and a few days ago woke up with the perfect decision. Get the higher hp Massey. It had all the features and the hp. So I decided on the MF 5613. 130 hp with boost, hydraulics and all the other specs that generally exceeded the 135GX. I will take delivery in a couple weeks. Let you know how things worked out. Only time will tell. Thanks once again.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

That's great! Good luck with her.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

I had 5o look up the 5y13 and this came up first. What are they doing? Fertilizing rice?
Massey Ferguson 5613:


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

That would be my guess. I've seen some strange tires used in rice paddies/fields but never those.


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