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“Worst Buy” 2016 Kioti Tractor
“I was thrilled in March when I purchased a 2016 Kioti CK4010 tractor. Initially, it was a ‘best buy’ with all the features I wanted such as a front-end loader, diesel engine, 4-WD, power steering, hydrostatic transmission, and locking differential, all at a very good price,” says John Gunter, Marion, Ill. “However, early this summer, while spot spraying weeds in tall grass on some of my CRP acreage, my elation turned into disappointment and utter frustration. Grass wrapped around the tractor’s unshielded MFWD driveshaft so tightly that it blew out the rear oil seal. Removing the grass from the driveshaft took upwards of 2 1/2 hrs. This design flaw would have been a deal breaker if I had known about it when I purchased the tractor because I bought it primarily to mow CRP grass as required after August 10 each year, when the grass is typically quite long.
  “The general manager and the service manager at the dealership where I purchased the tractor were as surprised as I was to learn that some of the 2016 Kioti tractors they were selling had an unshielded MFWD driveshaft. They showed me an older model Kioti where the MFWD driveshaft was properly shielded. The dealership replaced the oil seal under warranty and provided excellent customer service.
  “The Kioti manufacturer’s representative initially denied there was a problem. Customer service at Kioti Tractor Division in North Carolina blew me off, and an e-mail to the company’s North American contact in Korea went unanswered. The dealer later told me he had been told Kioti is aware of the problem and is working on a solution, but there’s no time frame. In light of recent problems with Volkswagen and other foreign corporations, I can’t help but have serious doubts about their intentions.”



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2016 - Volume #40, Issue #5