I wonder why we don't see Fendt here? All these folks who buy Mercedes would love them, and understand the markings...
There is a large enough market out there for folks who "want the best" and have the deep pockets to make cost not a primary consideration.
That, of course, is not our market, as we tend to be pretty value oriented. And not see tractors as showpieces to impress anyone.
I agree that John Deere has positioned itself as the "cadillac" model. I own one, a Yanmar clone (X750) and it runs flawlessly. I also own Gravely, Kubota and Cub Cadet and like them all. And I've owned IH too. Gave that little Mitsubishi IH to my church who needed it. And boy did that Mitsubishi engine purr. I mowed fields with that small tractor and it was simple and reliable and only showed a little smoke going up to the toughest hills in thick grass. 23hp and they were all willing. But the smoothness of that engine was what I remembered. Mitsubishi has been making engines for a long time and we all know they made the "Jap Zero". Very high
end engineering, I'd buy a Mitsubishi engine without hesitation.
I regret that none of my tractors were made in the USA. Those models are bigger and way out of my price range. So we are dealing with a lot of imported tractors assembled in the US and marketed with different paint schemes under different names to us. So it has been, so it will be. So I guess we really should be discussing which Asian brand makes the best engine and then which has the most competent tractor. Two very different issues. I love my Kubota but I think the hydraulics are weak, and they've been checked by two different dealers. Just won't pick up enough and struggles with what it has. Or maybe I should have bought an M...
but next time, if there is a next time, I sure will compare FEL lift stats more closely. My Kubota runs like a fine watch, but might not be as well muscled as
some of the other competitors.
So, I've owned Mitsubishi and now Yanmar and Kubota. At least Kubota makes their own engines...
plus all the little stuff, Kohler, Briggs, Kawasaki, Echo, Honda, a wide variety of small engines.
I think the only US made engines are the old KT19 Kohler in my old Gravely and three or four older Briggs engines in small equipment.
I sure wish I could buy more US made equipment, but you can't. Not in our price range.
And if Kohler builds a cheesy little engine with plastic camshafts, do you want it even if it's made here?
Same goes for tractors.
I have a lot of respect for almost anything made in South Korea and Japan. India seems happy to sell to the poor masses. With their fanciest models sent here.
And I guess the British can't build a decent tractor...or we don't get them. I'm sure mostly Perkins related. Not exactly the Jaguars of tractordom...
