Why is green paint so expensive?

[CWP37]

I'll be honest. I really want to buy a Deere, but Kubota and NH both offer more tractor for the same amount of money. At least that's how it stacks up in my area. I won't even complain about all of the other colors that offer more bang for the buck.

I guess it's just frustrating to have to compromise on what I want in a tractor (HP, 4WD,tranny, etc.), just to get a Deere. You would think that the "Big 3" would be pretty close on price. I guess those extra dollars go toward marketing, which is why I want a Deere to start with.

My question is: Why should I spend the extra $3-6k to "go green"? I'd love to hear biased and unbiased answers.

 

[CWP37]

It might help to mention that I'm looking in the 45-55 HP range.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

This question is the Holy Grail of tractor questions. Everyone has an opinion (especially Messick) but only you can decide. Did you get a price from Fosters? Keep calling around. Private message me with your wish list and I'll forward it to my dealer.3

I like the 4X20 series. Wish I could afford a 4720cab myself...

 

[dirtworksequip]

CWP37, thats a great question to ask BleedGreen. I'm sure he will be able to nudge you towards the greener side of the fence. PM him, he will be more than happy to help you out with your delima.

 

[therebarely]

I am currently looking at a M6040 Kubota with cab and loader in the $33,000.00 range. Look at what Deere you can get for the same money with a cab and loader. I have never owned a Kubota, only Deere's, but a 60 pto hp Deere with loader and cab is thousands of dollars more.

 

[turbo36]

I'll be honest. I really want to buy a Deere, but Kubota and NH both offer more tractor for the same amount of money. At least that's how it stacks up in my area. I won't even complain about all of the other colors that offer more bang for the buck.

I guess it's just frustrating to have to compromise on what I want in a tractor (HP, 4WD,tranny, etc.), just to get a Deere. You would think that the "Big 3" would be pretty close on price. I guess those extra dollars go toward marketing, which is why I want a Deere to start with.

My question is: Why should I spend the extra $3-6k to "go green"? I'd love to hear biased and unbiased answers.

This way you worded this question is sure to start a flame war. It would be better if you listed the models and prices quoted for comparison. My experience showed little difference in price of the "big 3" when comparing similar models.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Why should I spend the extra $3-6k to "go green"? I'd love to hear biased and unbiased answers.

I'm the last person on earth to be asking about compact tractors, but my experience with John Deere still has some merit. I started off farming on a small scale just out of high school. That was more than 35 years ago. In that time, I've owned about every "color" in the box of crayons. That includes 2 new Deere, a new Massey Ferguson, 2 new Fords, and one new IH, plus a raft of used tractors of all sorts. My experiences with Deere were "good", but certainly not GREAT. The tractors were all bigger "AG" types. No direct comparison there. I found Deere to always be good at getting parts in a hurry. But so is AGCO.(MF) So is New Holland (Ford) I'd imagine all the "majors" are good with parts service. Deere parts prices are off the charts. So is New Holland. (AGCO gets a slight nod in their favor on this one. Not "cheap" but better than the others) Service is relative to how the dealer operates. Deere dealers are big on image. That includes fancy, well equipped shops, all the latest tools, and well trained employees. You pay "Deere-ly" for all that. Local AGCO dealer isn't quite as fancy, but they have skilled, experienced mechanics. In the end, that's all I want to pay for. I couldn't care less how shiney the shop floor is.

The product.... The tractor itself..... I found Deere products to be at or near the top of the list as far as quality and reliability. In the case of the particular tractors I owned, I found Ford and Massey to be their EQUALS at a LOT less money initially. The Deere's had all the bells and whistles, but so did everyone else. I paid substancially more for the last Deere than any tractor the competition had to offer. When I sold it 10 years later, I got my money back out of it. Funny thing though, EVERY tractor I've ever owned, short of one that snapped a crankshaft when I tried to put a turbo on a 67 HP tractor to squeeze out 100 HP, I got a good return on ALL of them. And I DIDN'T tie up extra cash with the "other brands".

Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, I've been happier with my tractor and the relationship with MAssey Ferguson (AGCO) than all the rest.

In short, you'll get a good tractor from Deere. No complaints there. BUT... You'll get a good tractor from the other guys too, and at a much better initial purchase price. How much is image worth to you?

 

[dmp437]

Why is green paint so expensive?

Because the market will pay it. When they stop paying it the price will come down. Read the last few chapters of "The John Deere Way" for why the company is being run the way it is.
Take a look at Harley Davidson motorcycles. Honda & BMW have them whipped in every catagory including the most important, quality and price. Yet middle aged "wanna-be's" line up to fork over $20k for a $7k motorcycle.
I bought Deere because my local 'bota/Case dealer is disgusting and untrustworthy and at the time New Holland's future was cloudy due to Fiat's financial troubles. (Then Fiat soaked GM for $2 BILLION and sacked their chairman..........)
I also liked Deere's ergo's and resale enough to cough up the extra bones.
If I was buying today it would be a tough call between NH and Deere for a cabless tractor.

 

[swines]

My question is: Why should I spend the extra $3-6k to "go green"? I'd love to hear biased and unbiased answers.

You shouldn't. You should get the piece of equipment that satisifies your requirements at the price you want to pay. When I compare tractors, I think the JD is put together better. What I mean by that is the total package of features, ergonomics, and operation is better designed and thought out. They work in a more intuitive manner for me. I'll pay extra for that.

Also, there are small things like the mesh sock over the hydraulic lines on the loader arm, the steel cover over the hydraulic lines passing across the FEL torque tube (my other tractor doesn't have that and consequently, one line is bent and one is dented); ease of removing the loader; built-in, connectorized wiring for adding work lights; etc.

The major brands are so close in features, performance, and reliability that it comes down to your personal likes and dislikes about things like seat comfort, control layout, etc.

Where I live, I can't shop around. There's one NH, one Kubota, and two JD dealers (owned by the same person).

There aren't any deals from any of the dealers. They sell everything at full list price because they know you can't shop another dealer of the same brand without driving 180 - 300 miles - and they don't care to compete against each other.

If you try and play, "I'll go buy a XXX tractor," they just say "Okay, if that's what you want to buy - then you should go to the XXX dealer." "But, will you really be happy with the XXX product, if you really want our product?"

I bought the JD because the dealer has been very good on past purchases, he keeps a full inventory of tractors from lawn tractors through 90hp units (letting you see every model), and they're the only tractor dealer open on Saturday - something I find very handy.

And, most importantly...the yellow seat doesn't get as hot in July as a black one if I forget to flip it forward.

 

[CWP37]

All good points. I know this subject can bring forth quite a bit of emotion, but that's good. I don't believe that anyone can actually prove that any of the "major" brands is any more or less reliable over the long haul. There are obvious advantages/disadvantages when comparing any two given tractors. I truly believe that companies tweak the models so as not to go "head to head" with each other. In other words, they make it tough to make a true apples to apples comparison.

I've looked at John Deere 03, 05, and 4x20 tractors. The Boomer series from NH and Kubota MX500, M5040, and L5030. Like I said, each machine has it's own merits/advantages/disadvantages over the others. I'm still trying to test drive each and find the right one for my next 30 years.

We all wish money was not an issue, but it has to factor in. Especially when you're not an everyday tractor user. That's what is making my decision so tough.