fiat 680 vs massey

[zimbo]

Hi all

I'm hopefully about to rent about 50 hectares of arable land to produce hay for horses in my area. I've been looking at 2nd hand tractors between 60 and 70 hp, and the differences in price are amazing. I've found some really nice looking Fiats, and a couple of Masseys, from a 165 to a 275. The Masseys are roughly double the price of a Fiat.

Spares are available, from the same place for both makes.

Is there a reason the Masseys are so much more expensive? are spares cheaper? Are the Masseys more reliable or is it brand perception?

 

[Agvg]

What's the model of those Fiats?

 

[GManBart]

I have zero experience with Fiat tractors, but if the Masseys you look at have a Perkins diesel, that's a big plus in my opinion. Mine starts immediately, regardless of weather, and so does my neighbor's (once sat 2 full years and started right up with a fresh battery)....lots of others report the same thing. Heck, I'll give up some power to have an engine tat always starts!

 

[DarkBlack]

Being that you are in South Africa, I would step out on a branch and say none of us in North America are qualified to make such a bold statement. That would be a total guess on our part as to the local conditions you live in, which has everything to do with owning/maintaining a particular machine in your area.

 

[zimbo]

Hi Agvg, The fiat is a 680. there are a couple of 540's , 640's and 980 4x4s around for a similar price.

I dont know if fiats were ever big in the US, they were one of the most popular tractors here for a long time.

 

[Agvg]

The 640 is very popular here, with 4x4 it is one of the best for hobby forrest use and regarded as a high quality tractor.
If it is 4x4 one big advantage is that fiat makes the whole 4x4 them selves.
Many other makes did buy this from suppliers which is no longer alive and parts for those are hard to find.

 

[MBTRAC]

IMO the Fiat "80" series (780, 880, 980, 1180 ..etc) , "50" series ( 450, 550, 650, 750...etc) & "40" series (540, 640..etc). are some of the most robust, reliable, low cost maintenance & easy to work on tractors every made in this HP range (although the panel work/cabs can suffer rust easily) - stay away from the later "66" series (566, 766..etc) which generally leave a lot to be desired....

Whilst Massey's continue to be popular second hand for lighter hobby farming, a Fiat is generally pound for pound a heavier duty machine which stand up to lot more heavy (ab)use in hotter climates & are also much stronger in the front end for loader work - the 4x4 Fiats particularly are engineered from the ground up as a 4x4 machine from the outset than the equivalent "bolt on" afterthought 4x4 system Massey's

As with any second hand tractor it all utimately comes down to the condition of the individual units for sale in your area - Pictured is our 780DT which has now c.6500hrs & I reckon will keep going for another 6000hrs easily (we also have a 180/90 with 8000hrs & for sentimental reasons a 1300 & a 411R, +a few Fiat dozers)
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/275213-who-owns-most-tractors-4.html