john deere or kabota

A 2011 john deere gator 625i with 1900 hours or a 2010 kabota rtv900 with 800 hours. How do these 2 machines compare? Durability? What are some of
your experiences with utv's? Gator is gas kabota is diesel. Price is the same between the two. The kabota has power steering and 3 speeds. No cab on
both. Gator has new tires and brush gaurds all the way around it. Both start and seem to run good. Gator looks nicer but the kabota looks built
heavier. Kabota also has a winch and front plow. Guess one question could be green or orange. Thanks Richard

Some intersting stuff here...http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/atvs-utility-vehicles/273039-john-deere-gator-kubota-rtv.html

rl135,
At one time gator used a Kawasaki engine.
No secrete, I'm a gas person and I have a Kawasaki 2012 4010 mule, 500 hours.

What I don't like about some JD are the yellow seats that crack up very fast and expensive to replace.

Some gators don't have a roll cage like Kabotas and Mules.

Some JD's are single speed and only rear wheel drive.

Some JD's only have brakes on rear wheels.

If diesel weren't an issue I might have a bota.

Something else to think about repair costs and maintenance cost.

I took my mule to dealer for first service. $165 to change engine oil, front and rear axle oil.

That's 2 quarts for engine, 3 quarts total for axles. Costs for materials $30. I do it myself in about half hour.

Dealer wanted $200 to check valve adjustment, which is recommended after 50 hours. I did it in 30 minutes.

If you can't twist wrenches, make sure you have a good dealer and be prepared to pay.
geo

Kubota is going to last longer and be a lot less maintenance. For the same money, less hours, power steering, hydrostat instead of belt drive, front winch and plow, the choice is an easy one. I absolutely would go with the Kubota. You're not losing a lot of top speed with the Kubota. The Deere goes 30 MPH, the Kubota goes 25 MPH. The Kubota will also be A LOT better on fuel. Now if you plan on using it strictly as a trail machine, this is the one place the Deere would excel. If using it as a farm machine with some recreational use, the Kubota would be an all around better machine.

Go with the Kubota. Quite a few of those RTV900s in use around here. Never see a Gator.

The JD will have a much better ride & overall better performance. The Kubota would be a better work machine. Both good reliable machines and the 625 is one of the better JD's.

Worked on an industrial property with nonstop abuse of both units. Both bought new at same time. Best way to compare them is to think of the Gator as a beefy golf cart, and the Kubota as a mini Dump Truck. The Gator just couldn't keep up doing the same work. The Kubota would go places and climb hills the Gator couldn't.

I have a Kubota. Almost 1300 hours. Only regular maintenance. If it quit today I would have a new Kubota tomorrow.

Go with the Deere. Easier to spell.

jd was no more than a modified lawn mower..

kubota has much better suspension and ride

Diesel kubota is much much much heavier and will bury itself in mud, any mud.

Diesel Mules has rougher ride, but will NOT get stuck, or bury itself, and is the indestructable go to for most all chores except dumping.. currently with 3000 hours on two of the three.

Gas mule was subject to carb problems, but now run carb dry at end of day, and problem fixed... use boat tanks with disconnect for fuel as original tank rusted out.

Kubota is nice for moving fast and dumping materials with hydraulic dump..

JD.. sold it long time ago.

No comparison the KUBOTA is a work vehicle the JD built to play. The KUBOTA is a longer life vehicle with hydrostatic drive where the deer is belt drive gas engine just not in the same class vehicle .

I don't think you'll be to disappointed with either one. In 2010 I bought a new Kubota RTV. My cousin has a John Deere I think 850D XUV gator is the model. He bought his new I think a year or so before I bought mine. It's a diesel Gator. Both of us use them everyday and neither of us have had any problems. His is fully independent suspension so the ride is a little nicer. It also outruns my Kubota hands down. I think mine is heavier made and carries a load better. Assuming both are in like condition I would say go with which ever will work better, diesel or gas. For me I prefer diesel and wouldn't want a gas. That's just my personal opinion. Like everything though there are things I like better on the Kubota and there are things I like better on the JD. The biggest weakness on the RTV I just found out about a couple weeks ago. I looked down and saw daylight peeking through the floormat. I pulled it up and I have a half dollar hole rusted out in the floorboard. I was kinda dumbfounded and looked online. From what I've read I guess this is a common problem with the RTV's. Something to look at with the used one you're looking at. Other than that I haven't had any complaints at all about it. Now if I was looking for a new one I don't care for either new models of the JD or the Kubota. So I don't really know which one I'd go with.

Kansas 4010 Would you tell me what it is you do not like about the NEW model Kubota RTV We took the 900 you had and corrected what most folks had commented about they did not like. Improved shifting, better ride, moved that dang emergency brake lever that was in the way. From the comments from owners of early 900s I sold to the ones that have bought the new models I thought every one was very impressed. I just wondered what you saw that you did not like. O yea the floor board issue was addressed in the newer models also.

I've had both. If you want to fly down the road at 30-40 mph buy the gator. If you're working close, need low end grunt and want a heavy duty dump bed buy the Kubota. When we pick rocks, we put twice the amount in Kubota as we did in the gator. Gator weighs less and will float over mud better though. Two very different machines. I bought a used 1100 with air conditioning. Awesome cab for summer or winter use

The only way I would have anything John Deere is it was given to me. By the way it's Kubota, not Kabota. Kubota makes great equipment. I bought a small tractor in 1987 and I'm still using it.

I am very glad to hear about the relocation of the emergency brake. I jumped in mine once without paying attention. I had a very big bruise in a very very bad spot. It was uncomfortable to sit for quite awhile. As far as the new ones, I saw one at a farm show in January. I like having a high, medium, and low gear. New ones only have high and low. I use high down the road and med for driving in the pasture. I can get over that part. The new RTV's also have a 4 bolt rim and the old ones have a 5 bolt. Just seems like they were trying to make in cheaper. Again I can live with that. Would be nice since I already have a couple spares that they could interchange if I bought a new one. Biggest complaint that I've seen is the bed is smaller. I measured the new one and went home and measured mine. If I remember right the new one is around 1/2" wider but 7" shorter. I'd have to remeasure before I swore to that though. I was thinking about keeping the 900 I have and eventually getting an 1100 for checking cattle in the winter. The one at the farm show I saw was an 1100 and sure looked nice and well built.