I been looking around at used machines and noticed that there are a LOT of the Kubota's out there with over 4000 hrs on the meter. I know I read a lot about over 3k is a lot of hrs on a mini, do the Kubota's seem to hold up better to higher hrs than say Bobcat or some of the other brands? Is there any "problems" specific to the Kubotas that I should be looking for (Planning on buying a much lower hr machine but just noticed a lot of high hr machines for sale)
The biggest issue you'll find with higher hours Kubotas is general wear on bushes, King post and slew ring rather than engine/pump problems. You might be lucky over 4000 hrs and find one that's been greased or re-bushed, but the price will reflect this.
I am planning on purchasing a lower hr machine but was pleased to see there are a lot of higher hr machines out there and still working! Any one know of any problem areas with Kubota's?
Any one have any thoughts on Kubota's KX 71 series minis. I plan to use it around the house, ditching, maybe some tree stump removals (no hurry at all, been doing it with a little Kubota BX25), digging out some banks for fill, making trails in the woods, stuff along that lines. May so some light work for others (will get insurance, contractors lic, etc) on the side when I retire in a few years but nothing real heavy duty. People here need driveway/road repairs, ditching, running lines, little jobs along those lines that most regular contractors are not interested in. I believe the 71 fits the build and I can afford to buy one new where as larger models would be a bit too pricey.
I purchased a U-25 a couple months ago for many of the same reasons you listed. The KX-71 was on the short list too. I'm very happy with my machine but the 71 does give you more options for a little more money and weight, like a tilt grading bucket, but I liked the zero tail swing feature. Here's a link to a site that compares some mini's in case you haven't seen it yet: http://www.specguideonline.com/compare/bobcat-e26/kubota-u25s/kubota-kx71-3s Those machines are the 3 I was considering.
Thank you Tawilson1152, I will check that out!
I purchased a used 1100 hour U35 (2010) Kubota and I'm happy with it. Seems to have enough power for what I want to do around my farm and maybe make a little cash on the side when I get more proficient operating it. I added a hydraulic thumb over the past weekend and noticed that the old pin that I needed to remove had quite a bit of wear on it. So, like others have mentioned, I'd make sure the machine was greased well. Kubota's (in general) seem to hold their value well, so that is an added plus. I would think that most of the typical things to "look out for" apply when buying used. How often were final drives maintenanced, track condition, bushing play, engine oil, blade damage, stuff like that. Personally I wouldn't purchase a machine with anything over 2500 hours, unless the maintenance of said machine was well documented. Good luck on your quest for a mini, you really can't go wrong with any of them, but some are better than others.