I have owned Kioti for over 15 years ,
My first one was a LK3054, shuttle shift gear trans.
owned it for 12 years , never did anything to it but oil and filters... never one problem,
and I worked the crap out of it., even dug a underground 8x10 bunker , in a hillside.
Sold it , about 3 years ago, .
I really tried to buy John Deere or a Kubota, (because friends have them) , but I just looked at things like wheelbase,
lift capacities on 3 point hitch ,and the front loader... and the weight, and the axle size, and some other things that Kioti just was bigger and better.
Plus I had one for 12 years prior.....no problems.
Had to get Hydrostatic drive because of my knees being shot, so the constant clutching and braking was killing me.
So I bought a CK 35, Hydro
Had it 3 years ... work the crap out of it too... not one problem so far.
The gear drive, LK3054 was was stronger, but not a lot, than the hydro,pulling and pushing(plowing deep, and digging with loader) (approx same HP) . but the Hydro can work circles around the geardrive........... faster, all operations, frontloader and 3 point lift are lots faster.
Example: The geardrive would take me 4+ hours to plow snow from my driveway. The Hydro takes an hour.
So there you have 15+years experience with Kioti,
Had Fords before, ....no comparison.
Oh btw, the Kioti is a few grand less cost that Deere and Kubota.
Jim