brand name VS ???

[Baby Grand]

I remember when Toyota, Honda and "Datsun" were off brands in the auto business. On the flip side, Yugo was an off brand, too. If it's not possible to determine if the machine you are shopping is a quality built machine, then it comes down to will the company be around in a few years and will the dealers try to keep their customers in the brand. There are no sure things in these decisions.

 

[Qapla]

Several years ago you could buy a FarmTrac or Montana for less then the brand names. Many of these were made by LS.

Who would have known that just a few years later, just when problems are showing up, that FarmTrac AND Montana would be gone and that LS would have their own dealers.

Just because LS made the machines and that now LS has dealers does not mean that they will honor the warranties that FT and M gave. You may be able to get parts, and I say MAY, but they will cost more and you will either have to do the work yourself or pay dearly to get it done.

Just as this happened to FT and M it could happen to other "bargain" brands. Then again, it may not. Who is to know?

In addition to these things, even "major" names can end up not being who they once were. Ford used to make tractors - then they became Ford/New Holland - now they are New Holland. There are other brands that have changed hands.

So, when doing research, look at more then just price ... there are a lot of things to consider when one is buying a piece of equipment that should last a lifetime ... you would like that brand to last as long as the tractor.

(a former FarmTrac owner)

 

[droptop]

For me, the decision to purchase a big name vs newer name is related to three items.
1. Resale value and original cost. Is saving a couple of thousand up front worth it if you loose more when you sell it. I bought a used big name CUT, used it for 8 years and sold it for what I had paid for it 8 years earlier.
2. Initial quality. I think that most of what is in the market from the new Korean companies are pretty good quality, but their track record is shorter. Yanmar is another CUT that is top quality, as good as the big names but light in the dealer network.
3. Will the company be around in 20 years. The big guys have an advantage in their parts distribution and dealer network. But if I did go for a Korean tractor, I'd go with the actual company that makes the tractor (TYM, LS or Kioti/Bobcat) instead of a company that just re-brands it.

 

[rdbigfarmboy]

I'll skip over any tractor brand names to avoid the "noise" that this might add to the thread... The thing that has always driven me to one of the more common brand name tractors is this. I buy tools to work for me. And when I need to get something done I expect the tool to perform. My tractor is a tool, and it is important to me that it work properly every time I need it.

If you consider the volume of the most common name-brand tractors, you see (relatively speaking) a fairly small volume of weird or catastrophic failures posted on here. And if you consider the relatively small number of lower cost brand X tractors sold, you see (relatively speaking) a fairly high volume of weird or catastrophic failures mentioned. Another factor to consider is resale value and depreciation.

I'm not "right" for deciding to pay the extra dollars for a common brand-name tractor. It's just what works best for me. I can fix many things if I put my mind to it, but I choose to minimize that likelihood because i enjoy using my tractor more than fixing my tractor. For others, the chance to save a few thousand dollars trumps the possible inconvenience from a weird or catastrophic failure and it's what works best for them. I say, you just figure out which of these two profiles fits you best and go with that. Good luck with your purchase and don't forget the pictures after the purchase.

I tend to agree.
I have seen small fotons and kubotas both made into scrap by overworking a front end loader and or improper operation. I think for me the most important question is how long will I keep it and can I fix it with parts shipped to me. Fotons for example now cost close to the same as kubota but sell used for much less. I bought fotons in 2005 for half the kubota cost. We have excellent kubota dealers on all sides and foton parts are all shipped in. That is when I need parts only needed a couple. I could wait for the parts and they were cheap enough even with express shipping. so a decent tractor will go 10 years or so before it needs much fixing. other than a clutch or bearing. if not abused
A 10 year old (1000 hour) 40 hp 4x4 foton original cost 4995 foton will still get 60 to 80% back in good shape not scrap yard junk but good operating condition. Other name brands probably get 100% back in some places.
So is a tractor an investment or a tool?
For me a tool.

 

[Hollow]

Just because its "brand name" doesn't mean the dealer can't come off the price. Before I bought my NH (at an auction) I was really considering a MF 2000 series but I couldn't get the local dealer down to the price I wanted. He finally told me to find a tractor (any brand) I wanted, for the price I was looking for. Bring the quote back and he'll call Agco and see how close they can get the price. He got the price of a no thrills 40hp MF 2000 series all the way down to just above $9900. The only reason I've got blue setting in my driveway tonight instead of red is he called me back two days to late...

 

[the6shooter]

And to also stir the pot, dealers are not the same either, for me I knew what I wanted, and went to the local dealer to get what I was looking to buy, he quoted me a price of $27,800.00, but a dealer of the same tractor sold me the very same tractor I wanted, but if I purchased it before Dec. 31st.
there was a $4,000.00 off. dealer (A) didn't even offer the $4,000.00.
and wouldn't even budge on his price.
dealer (A) has a fantastic service department and still treat me fair, but the sales department didn't. he has his tractor still for sale and I have mine.

But by all means, dealers do matter when making that purchase.
david

 

[psdx]

Someone else made a good point about whether or not the low cost tractor manufacturer will be around in 20 years. My neighbor bought a FarmTrac. After the bankruptcy parts will be always be tough, and of course the resale value tanks...

 

[Mike476]

Unfortunately even volume of sales isn't always an indication of the liklihood a manufacturer will continue the sale of a particular line. The market is competitive and some manufacturers are fighting hard to gain their market share in a niche market, whether good for us as consumers can be argued both for and against.

 

[dusty3030]

I'm a little biased because we bleed green. I'm practical too though because not every piece of equipment around here came from Deere. Tractor I bought last year was shopped around and I seriously researched a Mahindra. I ended up going back to green since:
1. Two different big ag Deere dealers are 15 miles from me, owned by different people. Both good dealers. Any other brand 30 miles or more.
2. The one came off a good bit, the other came off msrp real good and made the deal.
3. Last but not least I know both parts managers and could call either one this morning and they would meet me up there to get something I needed.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I am not trying to knock any tractor, that is why I left blanks. I also have found something interesting through the years, some folks will only buy a product if the price is higher. They truely believe higher $$$ means better quility, in some cases this may be true but in many it is false. Research is the only true way to find quility in any product. Higher $$$ in all honesty only means "so an so" payed more.

I am a salesmen (part time now) so I can give some interseting perspective on this.

this kinda individual we refer to as the "clipboard" customer. The guys who setup excel sheets and layout all the specs, weights, etc. This does not really work for tractors as you can't every get a good picture of how the entire system works together without being in the seat and running equipment. Saying that X weights and extra 300 lbs, or runs 200 rpm slower, or whatever overlooks things like being well balanced, well supported, well engineered, reliable, good parts support, a warrenty system that is flexible when the irregular happens, etc. I sell several lines of equipment and I agree that price does not always equal quality, however there is no doubt that some companies build vastly better tractors than others... and I do mean vastly.

As is often repeated, the equipment is only as good as the dealer representing the company. My recomendation for a shopping process is to find 2-3 good dealers, go see what they have, sit in the seat and drive before you start comparing capacities. Don't buy from a fly by night car dealer or trailer shop with a few tractors outside, avoid the brands of questionable commitment and iffy financial viability. (Tier 4 is gonna be a mess, and I have no doubt that your going to see several companies pull out of the US when it hits full force). There is so much more to this whole process than numbers, and I think it blinds some people to making the right decision (that is of course, whatever i am selling :thumbsup