I have an '82 Kubota B7100 Hydro, and an '02 JD 4710 ehydro. Both are excellent tractors. The Kubota has roughly 2000 hours on it, and has never had any major mechanical failure. The hydro tranny is bulletproof, provided that it is well maintained. The JD has about 400 hours thus far, and has proven to be a capable tractor in the woods. The main reason I opted for JD over Kubota this time was weight (a bit more), planetary final drives (Kubota uses spur gears), and a direct injection diesel (Kubota is indirect). The other reason I opted for green is parts availability and cost. I've had considerable difficulty procuring some parts for the Kubota (frustrating since the 7100 was an immensely popular tractor, that was actually reintroduced as a "price-point" tractor in the 90's), and have had to wait up to six weeks in one case for an oil seal. JD's parts availability for older machines is excellent, and parts are less costly. Also, JD's compact tractors are now made in the US (Georgia, if my memory serves me), and use Yanmar diesels (an excellent engine manufacturer). Kubota's loaders are heavier than JD's, an important consideration as this implement sees a lot of use. Can't go wrong with either brand in my opinion, like a saw or anything else, choose the product and dealer you like best.
-Clark
