Kioti 901C
Model Year: 2005
When Kioti 90hp tractor 901C with front loader came to market, I took my tractor driver shopping for a cheap machine. The second choice was Belarus. The Kioti looked modern, is quiet and comfortable, the salesman said it is comparable to Kubota, but with a price tag of a Belarus. I red the warranty which promised relief to problems within 3 days. I bought machine NR 13 - first bunch ever built. I could not have been more wrong, only the color resembles Kubota, spiced with Kioti producer's total negligence on what happens after you've paid - all evil is put on dealers. I use it for haymaking on 200 ha. Still do, because it has no resale value and I can't find another fool to buy it off me. After the first 500 hours, all went well. First, it was the clutch, then the front axle, electrical wires are the wrong dimensions, so they just melted after a few years of use in the Nordic climate. The tie rod ends broke - a pair per season. Every time I complained to the representative or the factory about weaknesses I felt as a molester. Each time they denied and accused my driver, and changed the front axle, got rid of the tie rods, changed the clutch disk to ceramic and never agreed to update my machine. New Valeo disks have been customized so that you can only buy them from Kioti for double what they would cost in a spare parts shop. And in Europe that shop is in the Netherlands, never ever do you get a part from there via an intricate net of local dealers in less than 10 days! In Europe, Eastern part at least, think before spend. If you do buy it for everyday use, count that it can be out of order for weeks while you'll be waiting for parts! Parts are on order only, never in stock, you'll be able to get filters from parallel producers, but nothing else. Make a net search for parts and you'll see, try clutch or front axle - you'll get no results. You buy yourself into a web of a single supplier and that web sells you your axle like a lego, assemble it yourself, of course, if it brakes down again - you assembled it not them!
Pros: Perkins diesel, lightweight (under 4 tons), hydraulics are okay.
Cons: Maintenance, spare parts, cost, front axle, and clutch.