any body have a Hardy tractor

   / any body have a Hardy tractor #11  
Why would somebody buy a Chinese tractor ?, you ask. Some people can't justify, and rightly so, spending over 10 grand for a tractor that is going to be used mostly for mowing grass and other odd jobs. Old american made tractors are very durable but many are just plain dangerous to operate without some safety modifications. I have a old Ford 800 and without power steering and it is a pain in the rear to maneuver in the timber and parts are outrageous to buy in most cases. There is not a name brand tractor under 50 and probably more like 100 hp made in the good ole US of A anymore. Most of the small compacts are made in Japan with some parts being made in other countries. I remember back in the 1960s when everybody was calling Japanese goods junk. Well some of it was, but as time went on this became less and less true. Even into the later 70's some people still thought that most Japanese stuff was junk. That's what they were told all there life. Well we all know the end to this story. Then it was Taiwan and now it is China. Some of the stuff coming from China is of poor quality, kinda like Firestone tires. But there is a lot that is quite good and it is getting better every month if not day. Just like most products, there is good and there is not so good. I don't know much about the Hardy tractor other than it is made by Sheniu but I do know that the exporter that sells them in China does not recommend buying them anymore. Sounds like they are not to good. But you know, there are lemons with everything and one usually hears most about the bad stuff with the lemons. I find this true with most products. I just bought a container load of Jinma tractors with loaders and will be putting them to the test. These tractors are, from what I have been told from other dealers and owners, good little units that will take a beating. I will find out and report back later, good or bad.
 
   / any body have a Hardy tractor #12  
Scruffy, I went back and looked over the implements. I see what you mean. I've been looking for a good used disk at a resonable price. The 4 1/2 at $333.00 made me do a double take. But, 380 lbs seems a little light for a disk. At least some of the implements are made by modern manufacturing. From the web site I found, www.moderndragon.com, it's looks to be the better stuff. But, I'm not familiar with this company.
ErnieB
 
   / any body have a Hardy tractor #13  
I have worked on seeveral Chinese bombs. I wouldn't buy one nor sell one. The old saying is true. You get what you pay for. J-U-N-K
 
   / any body have a Hardy tractor #14  
Tracped, we're not debating the quality of the tractors, that seems to be a forgone conclusion so far. Now the implements ??? on www.moderndragon.com ??? They have a 'Grading Scoop' that looks interesting, it weighs 475#s and priced at $595.00. Design sure appears nice enough. See attached pic.
 
   / any body have a Hardy tractor #15  
Hey Scruff, that looks impressive. check out leinbach machinery or King Kutter they have similar for less $$$
 
   / any body have a Hardy tractor #16  
tractorguru,

It appears that you are in, or are thinking of entering, the business of selling or distributing Chinese tractors. I wish you and all people well in their business enterprises. I don't care much for the govenment of China, but I wish well to the individual citizens and businesspeople there. If they can build a better tractor, the world will be better off for it. And perhaps in 20 years they will have matched the Japanese success with tractors over the last 20.

Having said that, I guarantee you that if the Chinese succeed in building tractors of comparable quality, the price of the Chinese tractors will then be comparable to the prices of the Japanese/American tractors. Absent some significant technological or manufacturing breakthrough, there can be no significant price difference among comparable products. It is impossible. In the meantime, therefore, if the Chinese tractors are significantly cheaper, it can only be because something significant is being sacrificed in the design or manufacture of the tractors, or both. There is no free lunch. So long as that is the case, if I were on a limited budget, I would spend my money on a quality-proven second hand Japanese/American tractor. It is a foolish use of limited funds to spend them on an unproven, low quality import, having a thin to nonexistent service network. Ask the people who bought Yugo's.

I only say all this because I believe my views are legitimate, and that there would be great market resistance and little demand for low quality tractors.

Glenn
 
   / any body have a Hardy tractor #17  
There are two main reasons they are cheaper, one being that Chinese labor is very inexpensive and the technology is at our 60's and 70's level. Raw materials that go into production are rather constant. It is the labor cost that makes them cost less. They use to make heavy equipment in city I live in, but no more. The labor cost was getting to high and the companies moved there production to a cheaper labor pool in Tennesee. This was 15 yrs ago and now I hear it is moving overseas. I don't like it anymore than probably you and many others but this is the trend almost with everything. Design and use in the USA but manufacture it overseas. China will be at the Japanese level within the decade. It is already is many catagories. Look around you. The shoes and clothes, the phone and computer. If it was made recently it came from China or one of their neighbors. In closing, John Deere just recently sold their technology to some older models to China and Korea for production there. I know, because friends of mine work at the local John Deere plant and they went over there to help set them up about a year ago. The 5500 series are now being produced in Korea with some parts made in China. Got to go.
 
   / any body have a Hardy tractor #18  
I would agree with Tractorguru that the cheap price is a result of cheap labor. It is my understanding that many factory workers in China are in the Red Army and are paid Red Army wages. I think that amounts to a dollar or two per day. I would also add that it is my understanding that John Deere has done more than sell technology to China, they have bought 51% of the State owned Tianjin tractor facory. The tractors will be sold to the China market.
Materials can be cheaper too. Go to any hardware store that stocks both American made and Japanese made tin roofing, and see if there isn't a difference. Ask a welder about steel.
Kubota came in to the American market with a good product, and most of the dealers who started selling Kubotas are still selling Kubotas. Chinese tractor dealers seem to come and go. Even if The Chinese come up with a quality tractor within the decade, I think they are going to have a tough time making in roads in the American market.
ErnieB
 
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