Tractor Ownership - Interesting Article

[doxford jim]

Read what John Deere thinks about tractor owners these days.

We Can't Let John Deere Destroy the Very Idea of Ownership | WIRED


Gives onw pause for thought after paying out big bucks for the tractor - arrogance at it's worst.

 

[Oaktree]

I think a mountain is being made of a molehill. The author of this article implies that JD has no rights to protect their proprietary software in their on-board computers. How different is this than any other electronic device today? The cable company can (and sometimes does) prosecute if you try to hack your cable box, Apple can (and sometimes does) brick your I-gadget if you try to jailbreak it. If you buy a CD, you only own a piece of plastic, but legally you don't "own" the music it contains. Welcome to the 21st century.

For that matter, how different is this than automotive engine computers (pre-OBD) that were potted in epoxy to prevent reverse-engineering?

Then again, it's from wired.com....consider the source. Do they really expect you to believe that JD may someday come by and re-claim their tractor?

 

[kebo]

For that matter, how different is this than automotive engine computers (pre-OBD) that were potted in epoxy to prevent reverse-engineering?

A bit off the subject, but.... that's not the only reason that a lot of manufacturers will encapsulate an electronic board, or some other electrical component such as a coil or a transformer. My company encapsulates a LOT of boards, coils, and transformers because it helps them to survive harsh operating environments. A lot of (well almost all of it) our products either sit on the side of a railroad track, or mount underneath a railcar or a locomotive. It doesn't get much rougher than that.

 

[SIMassey]

Read what John Deere thinks about tractor owners these days.

We Can't Let John Deere Destroy the Very Idea of Ownership | WIRED


Gives onw pause for thought after paying out big bucks for the tractor - arrogance at it's worst.

Wonder if the lease program will be all that is available in the future. Since we are just paying for the use of their equipment, a lease makes more sense than it ever has. We can argue, since we are not purchasing the car,truck,or tractor, and the manufacturer actually owns it, why should we pay sales tax on it?

 

[Wagtail]

Then again, it's from wired.com....consider the source.

That was a very one-sided "WOWser" article, which I admit I only partially read due to the sensationalist angle being presented.

Mind you, I have no desire to go out to the shed and muck around with whatever electronics my 4105 may have & I'm not running the JD licenced precision GPS system to chain-harrow the horse droppings on my sprawling 6 acre property.

 

[skyhook]

I thought this thread was about "Not having an ownership" when a tractor is purchased, you know, like you do with a car. Here in Ontario, we have NO ownerships, a bill of sale is all we get or have to show "ownership". But in the Province of Quebec, tractors have to be plated, therefore they DO have "ownerships" for their machines. So,, I would suppose that this article doesn't apply to them.
Can you imagine, a 30K-40K machine and NO ownership, just a bill of sale.:confused2:


A good thing about this article is, if you do any "modifications" to your machine...
You can always say, hey "its not mine".

 

[Stonehaller]

One of the main points in the article is the 'right to repair' your stuff and I agree. Currently I can use a scan tool on my Chevy truck to access diagnostic information in the onboard computer system and I do not mean just the government mandated OBD information. For example, if you have a problem with the Air Condition, the vehicle computer has diagnostic information to help you figure out the problem. Vehicle manufacturers want to take that capability away from you so the only way you can get your vehicle fixed is to go to their dealers.

A few years ago, our oven quit work working. The indicator lights on the front were flashing in a pattern - obviously a diagnostic code. The manufacturer absolutely refused to tell me the meaning of the diagnostic code. I had to pay their authorized service man to come out to the house and tell me. He had to make a phone call to find out what the diagnostic code meant. Turns out it was a cooling fan not turning fast enough. The fan has a speed sensor on it. Repair man wanted to replace the fan but I stopped him from doing anything else (still cost me $150). I took it apart and seen the bushings on the fan were gummed up. Cleaned them up and lubed them and it has been working fine since. So why can't the manufacture publish the diagnostic codes?

 

[nforktractor]

I bought a new 2012 Ram 2500 ST, pretty much a basic truck, but figured like I have in the past, I would add on a few options as I could find and afford them. I added fog lights and an overhead console with temp and compass sensors. They wouldn't work. The truck wasn't programmed for those options at the factory. Dealer would not add them to my truck. Dealer said if you want those options, then you need to buy the truck that way. I ended up finding a back alley programmer, and now they work as they should.

 

[davesl708]

The more electronics the more problems. I have been fighting electrical problems on two of my GM vehicles. No help from GM. They will trouble shoot for $100hr shop rate.

My next vehicle will be an old (pre computer controls on fans and lights) and spend the money getting restored to new condition.
I really miss my 95 Bonneville. Simple and reliable.

 

[flusher]

Looks to me like the article was slanted more toward the $500,000 ag tractors like the one shown at the top of the story.

Don't know how applicable it is to my 2008 Mahindra 5525 (55 hp engine, 2WD, partially synchronized gear tranny 8F/2R, power steering) or to folks on TBN who own smaller CUTs and SCUTs. Cost with FEL, SSQA, triple rear hydraulic remotes was about $19K. No computers, no GPS or other whistles and bells like you find on the big JD ag tractors.