What makes you buy ?

[D7E]

As a used tractor dealer i know what most peoples preferrences are , But i would like to know what drives you guys to a certain brand , My experience is in the 50+ hp (ag tractors) but you guys have a whole different way of thinking to farmers, I am all too familiar with different brands and the way their salesmen work and i am very interested ? What are peoples thoughts on British,Eastern european , gereman ,US tractors ...What do you go for and where do your loyalties lie ...If any ...Ha..Ha .
I don't want another brand war ...Just why.?

 

[Double Orange]

D7E, I base my decision heavily on Dealer Support. Or lack of support. I live in what is commonly referred to as the sticks. We prefer the term Farm Country. Farms around here are either large grain farms, milk farms, or in my case horse farms. I've learned that farmers around here have LONG memories. If a dealer doesn't perform to one's expectation, the whole country side heres about it. All of the dealers,and their employees are our neighbors. So we know where they LIVE. Which probably explains our good service. Good people, and good service. Now how do I decide which tractor to buy. Well thats simple I look at all 3 dealers inventory and then buy Orange. Works for me!! Frank

 

[Kendall69]

For me, and all local dealers are, lets just say, less than adequate, I buy ONLY by price, from anywhere in the country.

Last tractor was from NC, I'm in CA., price beat all local guys by 5k, tax vs. delivery was a wash.

Tractor never ever had to go back to any dealer for work.

When I get a great price, and then shop THAT price and dealers continue to tell me they can't beat it, I figure it's the lowest I'm going to get.

 

[D7E]

For me, and all local dealers are, lets just say, less than adequate, I buy ONLY by price, from anywhere in the country.

Last tractor was from NC, I'm in CA., price beat all local guys by 5k, tax vs. delivery was a wash.

Tractor never ever had to go back to any dealer for work.

When I get a great price, and then shop THAT price and dealers continue to tell me they can't beat it, I figure it's the lowest I'm going to get.

You think like me ,I travel 500 miles for stuff and i'm just a farmer who does this on the side ., I buy from auctions ,Maybe from a dealer if a wrong colour is in a wrong yard and i can get a deal ? And i want no "extended warranty" .It aint wort the paper it's written on (cash price). If i sell a machine its sold as "good" it will do what it was made to do (no more) or sold as seen (no come back's at all ) again "bottom book ",Cash price) Which is often 40% less than dealer prices, I have walked onto dealers lots asking the price of a machine knowing it has sat there for 2 years ,and a cash offer of 20'000 will buy a 30'000 machine. But i will still stand a motor or HYD pump or something obvious which is more than some dealers will do on a cash deal .
Just curious why people are like flies to a neon to that big JD sign ...They'l screw you just the same ?

 

[D7E]

whoops

 

[RoyJackson]

I buy Deere because I know I'll get dealer support and parts with no problems.
The only machines I won't consider are Chinese (for both workmanship and deception unfair trade practices by the chinese...they are an enemy...not a friend!) and grey market vehicles of any sort.
Grey market because one is too beholden to a dealer that may not be in business in 6 months.
I will say I'd go Kubota or New Holland in a heartbeat...but I don't see any change in tractors at the Jackson estate in the foreseeable future.

 

[rgood]

D7E - I bought a 4WD Yanmar w/ FEL from Frederick's in N. Alabama because if you buy the equivalent tractor from NH or John Deere it will cost at least 50% more. So, I have the best of both - I got a good price and I'm getting warranty, parts, and support from dealership that has been in business for about 12 years.

I was also looking for a tractor with ROPS installed - Which is something a lot of older tractors don't have - Frederick's installs ROPs, PTO shields etc before you buy it - A lot of the cheaper tractors you see on the internet don't have these things - And Frederick's even gave me an instruction manual for the tractor.

 

[Pete Milley]

D7E:
I had a picture in my mind of the tractor I wanted, no particular brand. I started looking around on the net to see if there was such a setup and if it was within reason pricewise. I found a few that fit. After narrowing down the possibilities, I researched the brand via the net and this forum. Then I researched the dealer through consumer venues such as BBB and Chamber of Commerce, etc. I contacted each dealer via phone and e-mail and decided which one was not blowing smoke in my face. Finally, I flew to Texas for a "hands on" inspection of the tractor and the dealer. I was impressed with both and wrote out a check. There are no dealers in this area so dealer support was not an issue. Parts availability is a key element, and as luck would have it, I bought one of the most popular models so parts are readily available.

 

[Grrrr]

We probably in the same sort of frame of mid as you D7E, we buy our tractors to use on the farm and they are expected to work and work hard.

I am not biased to any makes, (I don't really rate the Chinise ones) and am happy to try anything.

If it works hard, is reliable, cheap to run and doesn't cost money, it stays till it's death, if it doesn't, it finds a new home.

We have been in the Massey Stable for a few years now, but have seen John Deere, David Brown / Case and a few Fords.

Dealers are also an important consideration, as if something does break down and you have a harvest to bring in, you want that dealer to sort the problem out quick.

Cost is also a big factor, which is the reason why we are behind the times a bit in terms of high tech stuff.

 

[Builder]

I really like dealer support as my #1 factor, but will not buy under any circumstances buy Chinese or other tractors that might not be around next year.

I can't afford Deere, so I usually look at Kubota, Case, MF, etc.

 

[CDsdad]

Honesty. That was what sold me. The salesman was honest to a fault. No added price at the end, no promises made and not kept. He told me straight if they would haul it free if there was a problem, or if they'd charge to haul it. I was allowed to use the tractor on their lot as long as I wanted. If it would or wouldn't do what I wanted he told me why or why not. The financing was straightforward. In the end the machine was what I was looking for and fit me ergonomically.

Having said that, I must say the owner is not the most personable fellow. The people working there make his place, especially the parts and service guys. Unfortunately, since my purchase, the salesman took a better job, and the parts guy was elected to a local office. The two best diesel mechanics I know are still there, though.

 

[wolc123]

My last tractor was a JD (4120). For me the choice could not have been easier because it outspec'd comparably sized tractors from Kubota (4330) and NH (T?-40), had more std. features (eg:quick-attach loader bucket), and was tied with NH for the cheapest of the (3) when I got my best price form local dealers. Also it didn't hurt that it was mostly American made by an entirely American owned and founded company. For me to go with an offshore brand it would need equal or better spec's and at least $2000 less cost in this size range (43 hp). Certainly there was no contest here hence the slam dunk for JD. This was only the second JD on my farm, the first was an M back in 1950. There were more in between than I can remember and while none were Deeres, they were all American made. Unfortunately our choice these days is a lot more limited than it once was when it comes to American made. Yes I do know that JD subs a lot of work overseas as that is the cost of staying in business these days.

 

[flusher]

As a used tractor dealer i know what most peoples preferrences are , But i would like to know what drives you guys to a certain brand , My experience is in the 50+ hp (ag tractors) but you guys have a whole different way of thinking to farmers, I am all too familiar with different brands and the way their salesmen work and i am very interested ? What are peoples thoughts on British,Eastern european , gereman ,US tractors ...What do you go for and where do your loyalties lie ...If any ...Ha..Ha .
I don't want another brand war ...Just why.?

Bought my first tractor in May05, a Kubota B7510HST/LA302 FEL (21 hp engine, 17hp pto) basically on price and brand reputation (Kubota has about 60% of the SCUT market).

Didn't worry too much about dealer support when I bought the tractor. Six months later my dealer folded after 30 years in business. No big problem. He was 45 miles away and so is the guy who took up the Kubota brand.

With only 10 acres of pasture land, I don't log very much seat time (155 hours on the tractormeter now). Figure with the 3 year warranty I'm protected against infant mortality problems. Last payment comes this Spring. I expect to get mailers offering extended warranties before then.

I do the periodic maintenance work myself. It's good therapy. I can get the fluids and filters from several sources other than the dealer so that's no problem.

Bought a 1964 MF-135 diesel in July06. Had a ball rewiring, cleaning, servicing and painting that little beast. Learned a lot about old iron.

If I ever face a major problem that requires splitting the tractor, I have the shop/garage space for that job and several neighbors who know their way around diesel engines and work pretty cheap.

 

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

Really Good Question!

I think because most of us - myself included - are not highly trained diesel mechanics familiar with the latest up to date tractor electronics the first thing you have to consider is parts and service. If we were in a magical world where this was not an issue (or had friends or good mechanics that made it so like some have) then it would come down to features and price relative to need.

If that were so I would buy a bidirectional tractor at the best price possible. Actually more than one - one high hp one low but in the meantime low (<50) hp. Antonio Carraro, Valtra and NH TV series are basically what I would consider. I long ago "got over" the idea that a tractor should look like the ones I grew up driving (8n, Farmall M, NAA Golden Jubilee, JD B, Case LA - big rear tire small front tire - you get the picture). I want maximum flexibility and maximum capability for the best price. I want to face either direction and not have to worry about how tall I am or how short - relative to the implement I'm using. I want to always be able to use my weight distribution to best advantage. I want the ability to work on flat or steep ground. I want to be able to plan for my implements to maximise my tractors capability not the other way around. I don't want to be limited by the tractor other than hp and maybe weight. In short I don't want my Grandpa's tractor even with HST and a cab. Knowing my Grandpa he would not want it either if he had had better choices. Your mileage may vary.

Sadly - sometimes - I live in the real world. My nearest dealer is NH/Kubota 25 mins down the road. JD another 20 mins further. Kioti another 30 mins. That's it that I know of unless I like paying the minimum $100+ for the ferry ride to and from vancouver Island. All basically offer my Grandpa's tractor with cabs, new paint of varying colors, ROPS and HST and a host of electronic nusiances. In about five hours I can get to the nearest Antonio carraro dealer and I don't even know where the nearest Valmet dealer is. The NH guy can of course get the TV series but they are actually - in size but not necessarily hp - bigger than I have in mind. I've been thinking about the Antonio carraro but in order for me to justify it it has to at least in part earn it's way and I haven't figured out yet how that is gonna happen although I've a few ideas.

Most people don't think this way. I believe that most people have in mind what a tractor should be and should look like and that coupled with price, features, reputation and tradition (what color Grandpa had) and dealer location - those steer them the way they go - be it red, blue, green or orange. I wish my world were that simple!

-Ed-

 

[VABlue]

For me, it came down to ergonomics and color. Of the big dealers in town, NH threw themselves out with pee-poor customer service before I could even talk to anyone. The Kubota and JD dealers are each top line. However, the first JD rep I talked with was somewhat less than helpful, and the machine price significantly higher than Kubota. After sniffing and test driving BX series machines, I went back to the JD dealer to sniff the X500/X700 machines. A better rep and significantly reduced price (to match the BX2350) got me into the 2305. With the prices and machines equal, both good dealerships and good salesmen, the actual deal maker was the green color... The wife said a green tractor would look better than an orange tractor next to the green house .

Have to keep momma happy...

 

[ccsial]

As a used tractor dealer i know what most peoples preferrences are , But i would like to know what drives you guys to a certain brand?

The dealers service and support reputation.

 

[N80]

I was a new buyer too. It took a lot of research and visiting dealerships to even decide what I actually needed. That's when I saw and priced the Kubota L4400. It spec'd out perfectly for my needs and budget. Once I had an idea what I needed and what I could spend, I started looking at local dealers.

One dealer blew me off. Rarely have I ever been treated so rudely by someone I was trying to give my money to. I won't mention the dealer or the brand and I will say that a lot of people like this dealer. But my treatment was so poor that I no longer considered that brand.

That pretty much left Kubota with the L4400 and JD with the 990. Both delaers were great to deal with. Neither treated me like an idiot (even though I may have been one). The L4400 spec'd out a little better than the JD and cost a little less. I could have gone either way and been perfectly happy. But then the Kubota dealer came down a little lower and at the same time, the 0% financing expired at JD. That pretty much sealed the deal. I did a little more shopping at some outlying Kubota dealers but none could match the price of my local dealer. The rest is history and I bought from York County Kubota. York County Kubota Home Page I still know the salesman at JD and have bought implements from them.

I also looked at some of the non-big 3 and was quite disappointed. First, there were no serious local dealers. Second, the L4400 and the JD 990 are extremely basic machines and the off brands really didn't offer any price advantage for such basic tractors.

So:

Specs.
Brand
Dealer
Price
Financing

In no particular order. But in my case I got all five. Still happy.

As for the used market, well, it just wasn't there. Anything near my specs with a loader was $10k and up and most of it looked like junk. If it looked remotely decent and had low hours it was only a few grand less than new. With 0% financing and not wanting to spend any time wrenching, new was a no brainer.

 

[putt_putt_green]

Here's my list in descending order of preference, with 1) being the deciding factor for buying green.

8) The tractor looks better (IMHO)

7) I hate orange (the color, not the tractor). My grandmother had orange walls, and orange carpet. I never bought anything in orange other than food.

6) I couldn't argue with 20% of list price. Other big names were not as competitive.

5) I liked the JD dealer better.

4) The seat was more comfortable to sit in.

3) Most American made brand and owned tractor.

2) I want to have dealer service parts no matter where I should live and not be dependent on a single dealer.

1) My father-in-law (whom I really got along with great), a retired dairy farmer really thought I should get a JD. So I got JD and told him that I'd buy the tractor in his honor, and that any inheritance would be used for the tractor. He'd feel a lot better about his money going to a JD. He died 3 months after I bought the tractor. So every time I get on the tractor, I take a moment to think of him.

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

As a used tractor dealer i know what most peoples preferrences are , But i would like to know what drives you guys to a certain brand , My experience is in the 50+ hp (ag tractors) but you guys have a whole different way of thinking to farmers, I am all too familiar with different brands and the way their salesmen work and i am very interested ? What are peoples thoughts on British,Eastern european , gereman ,US tractors ...What do you go for and where do your loyalties lie ...If any ...Ha..Ha .
I don't want another brand war ...Just why.?

Beyond the primal urge I can't explain I guess it would be dealer reliability, machine ergonomics and cost/value of the tractor.