How do different brands compare

[mwayne]

Hi all,
As i try to decide which tractor to buy, answers to the following questions from others with knowledge of these matters would be very helpful.
1) Is any brand better at onboard diagnostics accessible by the owner?
2) Which brand has the best reference materials for it's tractors? I personally prefer the old school paper shop manuals.
3) Does any brand have online and phone tech support?
I have always tried to do as much of my own repairs as possible but realize today's high tech engine repairs are probably going to be a dealer domain.
Thanks!

 

[Texasmark]

Go to the Branson www and dig around a bit. There they have a dozen competitors in comparison charts. Pretty neat to have it all right there. As to where the info. is searched/referenced, don't know. However if you find something to your liking, say one brand out of the dozen listed, just go to their site and read up on it yourself. Wink. I don't know if they have them for all models but I was fooling around there a few days ago and on the model I was viewing, they had the chart.....35-45 hp area forget which.

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

Tractors are very simple mechanically--not "high tech" but more "old school." They are nothing like modern automobiles. If you're even somewhat mechanical, once you learn the simple differences between gas and diesel engines, you should be able to work on your tractor easily. For example, although "handy" generally, I am not mechanical AT ALL. Yet with my tractor, I am doing things like lubing, cleaning and (soon) changing filters, blowing out the radiator, torque-ing bolts, even making adjustments to the brake and hydro pedals. Of course my Mahindra is one of the simpler tractors. Kind of a big, beefy machine with lots of heft, weight, and power, but no electronic niceties. That happens to suit me. Some of the big agri tractors, or some of the "fancier" models with more electronic controls do have "diagnostic codes"; mine doesn't. Owners manuals seem to be sub-par generally, but with a little work and some $$$ you can usually get the repair manuals as well. I haven't ever heard of online/phone tech support for SCUT or CUT but perhaps it exists for some brands.

Good dealer support is still important IMO.

 

[dodge man]

A lot of tractors, mainly older ones or the lower horsepower tractors are very simple. They are often indirect injection, mechanical fuel pumps, and very little electronicw. When emissions started kicking in, that's not the case. Many are high pressure common rail, computer controlled, and have an emissions system.