Saving Cub Cadet

[Hard]

Yanmar to buy Cub Cadet brand from MTD????

Yanmar will introduce a complete line of products from lawn & garden tractors, zero turns, SCUTs and CUTs under the Cub Cadet brand name. Products will not be sold through big box stores. Cub/Yanmar will only be sold through dealerships featuring Cub as their primary line of tractors with dedicated sales and service personel. All Cub products will be manufactured by Yanmar.

The above scenario, if it were to take place, could save a great brand like Cub Cadet. Current ownership will forever cheapen the brand.

My father always had Cub Cadet garden tractors but that was way back when International Harvester built them. They were well built, over engineered garden tractors. I would love to see Cub Cadet get back to building really top quality machines. I have been down the Cub Cadet road twice, recently, and they just don't stand up. And my tractors were not box store tractors, they were $10,000 plus SCUTs. Thank God I had one of the best dealers around to help resolve my problems.

Yanmar is supposed to be building the new CUTS for Cub in the near future. It would be great if they just bought the brand and built all the Cubs. They did a great job building my JD2320

 

[slowrev]

A foreign company buying a domestic brand from a domestic company is a good thing ?

 

[Hard]

A foreign company buying a domestic brand from a domestic company is a good thing ?

It doesn't have to be Yanmar. That's just an example. It could be any domestic manufacturer of high quality CUT's....oh, that's right, there aren't any (Mitsubishi and Kioti are already building the Cub CUT's). As far as the SUB-CUT's go, MTD has not got it right yet. I know from too much personal experience. Whatever company can get the CUT's and SUB-CUT's right they might as well build the lawn and garden tractors as well to ensure high quality throughout the entire lineup.

I would love for one domestic based manufacturer to build all of the Cub products and build them to a high level of quality but that does not seem possible at this time. Perhaps another solution would be for a US based manufacturer, say John Deere or Simplicity (which is owned by Briggs I believe) buy the Cub Cadet brand and have Cub become a quality, well made value priced brand and eliminate the JD or Simplicity value price tractors. That keeps the Cub Cadet brand in control of a US based manufacturer and may ensure a higher level of quality for those attractively priced lawn and garden tractors. Eliminate the Cub CUT's and SCUT's all together.

 

[Fordlords]

I can't comment on MTD/Cub Cadet CUT's and SCUT's, but as far as the Cub Cadet lawn and garden tractor line goes, it is very much on par with that of all the other manufacturers. I've seen the problems with MTD/CC's on the forum, and most of the ongoing issues with CC 1000 LT's were solved by CC, and short of a few owners voicing complaints about a lemon here and there, the vast majority of Cub Cadet LGT purchasers are very satisfied with their tractors. For the few problems that they have, I certainly don't think that this USA owned company can't solve those issues without having to be under ownership from Yanmar or any other foreign company. And the fact Cub Cadet (and the others) CAN do it right is evidenced in the fact that Consumer Reports hyped companies Honda and Yamaha are no longer selling LGT's in the USA. This, "Saving Cub Cadet," like it is a company in jeopardy is not the case at all, and the fact that they are taking the right measures to improve their product lines shows their dedication to the Cub Cadet name. How some say it's a shame MTD bought Cub Cadet from International in 1981 and they bought Troy Bilt and McCulloch and others is rediculous, as if they had not, those companies and their people employed in the USA building those machines would be long gone.

-Fordlords-

 

[Hard]

Troy-Bilt tillers and McCulloch Chainsaws are not quite what they used to be either, check out a Bolens tractor at Lowes as well...While MTD is not in "jeopardy" as you said ford, and I do agree with you, it's my opinion that the Cub Cadet brand may be in jeopardy due to MTD's cost/quality cutting techniques once it has acquired a once premium brand.

MTD/Cub is doing the right thing by having Yanmar build the Cub CUT's, now if they would just get them to build the SUB-CUT's and look into contracting out the manufacturing of the Cub lawn and garden tractors.

 

[slowrev]

MTD's quality has risen in the last couple of years. Lots heavier decks and such. Actually the yardman I bought last spring has the identical HD deck with washout option as the CC ones. I feel I got a good little riding mower for under $900. Cut about 1.5 acres all last year with it and zero problems.
The little booger will climb hills that no other rider I have tried other than my old gravely would climb.
Ben

 

[canEHdian]

I think this is true. Well, the Yanmar/Cub Cadet part anyway. They are joining together, as I saw it advertised in their booth at the Kentucky Farm Equipment show in Louisville several weeks back.

As far as sturdiness goes, I believe their new line (the 6000 series perhaps? I don't remember, but there's some new line that's being designed) is supposed to have a better base and frame. They're expecting the new line to be a huge hit. With that said, I'm thinking it's a bigger tractor than what you're talking about here, but all in all, it'll probably be a step in the right direction.

I'm also curious as to whether their colours will be changing. They had a display at their booth that had a merged Yanmar/Cub Cadet logo, and a modelled tractor (not an actual one..just a display) that had black/white colours rather than Cub Cadet's white/yellow. Anyone know more about that?

 

[mfd480]

A quick google search for Yanmar/Cub Cadet:

Yanmar Tractors return to the US

 

[Hard]

A great step in the right direction! Yanmar won't let MTD wrap a sub-par tractor around their rock solid engine. If MTD is smart, they'll contract Yanmar to build the entire tractor line. The whole tractor, not just the engine.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

If MTD is smart,

I don't think you get to be a multi-million dollar company by being stupid so I am sure they have some smart guys there that know what they are doing.

 

[Hard]

I don't think you get to be a multi-million dollar company by being stupid so I am sure they have some smart guys there that know what they are doing.

I'm sure they do, and I hope the smart folks at MTD realize what a great idea it would be to have the smart people at Yanmar build the SCUT's and CUT's (the entire tractor) and also to have them build the 3000 series of tractors as well. MTD should focus on their core business, which is building value priced lawn and garden tractors for the big box stores (Lowes and HD) as well as the TSC's and Wal-Mart's of the world.

 

[slowrev]

I guess Deere could not keep Yanmar out forever....

Ben

 

[Fordlords]

Apparently this new arrangement does not involve Cub Cadet just buying tractors or components from Yanmar, it is a joint venture between the two companies, with the president of Yanmar at the helm. With this, I would be surprised to see any more Yanmar engines in future John Deere products. As Yanmar lost a lot of sales from JD, and could not make a good hold in the USA market using their own name, it makes sense for Yanmar to team with Cub Cadet to have the Cub name as a marketing tool, and sense for Cub to be able to sell, service, and supply parts for a top quality tractor. I would also suspect Cub's association with Mitsubishi, Diahatsu, and Daedong (Kioti) to end very quickly. I would also count on most if not all of the Cub/Yanmar tractors being USA built with US and Japanese (and other) components, as it is simply very cost prohibitive now to import tractors built in Japan. -Fordlords-
- Yanmar

 

[slowrev]

Wasn't there a lawsuit between Yanmar and JD prevening their importing or yanmar tractors or soemthing like that , and Yanmar was not allowed to sell parts for Green Yanmars ?
I could have this all messed up though.
Ben

 

[Fordlords]

All I know for sure is there are still a lot of JD models using Yanmar engines. I believe there is one or more model lineup of JD tractors still imported by Yanmar. Yanmar has not been selling thier own branded tractors in the USA for some time, relying on sales from John Deere. Deere has announced an expanded implimentation of a line of small diesels they manufacture themselves now that they claim are a step above Yanmar that they wish to put in their CUT lineup. I would bargain on this being the main reasoning for Yanmar's new venture with Cub Cadet. In other words the tight knit between JD and Yanmar is gone, it is very possible it is the result of an expired contract between the two companies.

-Fordlords-

 

[ducati996]

You have to understand the green line to see where yanmar fits now - its pretty extensive - all the 2000 series are mfg by Yanmar, and most of the 3000 series motors..

It will a long time before yanmar will be fully replaced IMHO - and nothing tells me that is the goal. Sure Deere is starting to push their own brand motor, but it will be a slow boat before all is said and done and replaced.

If Yanmar wants to establish a relationship with Cub - more power to them. Keep in mind they built the machines to Deeres spec's - and not by accident they became some of the best machines ever offered. It remains to be seen who engineers the Cub machines in this relationship - my guess is they just supply the engines.

Yanmar without Deere totally? its going to be a long hard road for them. Imports like Kubota dominate this field - need some name recognition to gain market share - an advantage that was handed to them by Deere...

just my thoughts

Duc

 

[Fordlords]

I don't expect that the transition will be instantaneous, but rather that JD will phase out Yanmar over the course of five years or so. With Yanmar's president leading up this new C.U.T Corp joint venture between Cub and Yanmar, hopefully Cub's USA plants that build the new Cub CUT's will get a taste of Yanmar's quality assurance personnel from Japan- I more or less expect that will happen. Yanmar trannies and axles would be a welcome addition to Cub along with the engines. -Fordlords-

 

[Hard]

I don't expect that the transition will be instantaneous, but rather that JD will phase out Yanmar over the course of five years or so. With Yanmar's president leading up this new C.U.T Corp joint venture between Cub and Yanmar, hopefully Cub's USA plants that build the new Cub CUT's will get a taste of Yanmar's quality assurance personnel from Japan- I more or less expect that will happen. Yanmar trannies and axles would be a welcome addition to Cub along with the engines. -Fordlords-

Hopefully, the C.U.T Corp CEO will keep MTD as far away from the design, engineering and production of the new Cub CUT's as possible. Then there will truly be a top, top quality tractor on the market with the Cub name on it. The first since International Harvester built the Cub Cadet's. MTD can drop the Cub decals off at the gate and drive away for the Yanmar people to apply. I own a Deere that was built by Yanmar and it has been a fantastic tractor so far. Nothing like the MTD built Cub SCUT (SCUT's, I had more than one) that let me down, time and time again.

MTD should stick with it's strength, building value priced tractors for the mass marketers and home centers. They're very good at it.

 

[Fordlords]

OK, we understand you had some problems- GET OVER IT! If it were the case that every single MTD built Cub Cadet SCUT were as big of pieces of junk as the ones you owned, all the other owners who see this forum would be chiming in with you. But notice how nobody seems to be joining your bandwagon? The fact is Cub Cadet is one of the world's top rated tractor manufacturers, that is exactly the reason why Yanmar is teaming with them- not supplying engines or just building tractors, TEAMING with Cub Cadet under one roof. Funniest part is, it is MTD's engineering that Yanmar has been most impressed with. Maybe you can send a copy of your sob story to Yanmar's president and convince him he is wrong in teaming with Cub Cadet, I wish you success LOL!

MTD/Cub Cadet build only value priced lawn tractors for Wal-Mart? You must be kidding! Cub Cadet's 2500 series are one of the best new garden tractors out there, and perhaps the best new garden tractor value out there, continuously selling out every season. MTD has owned the Cub Cadet name for many more years than International Harvester ever did, (26 vs 20) and has kept the Cub Cadet name alive and well, still producing lawn tractors right on par with everyone else's and garden tractors that I think are superior to their competitors in the same price range.

-Fordlords-