For the most part, you generally get what you pay for. If you recall, there was an auto company that sold their vehicles based on price. That company was called Yugo. We know what happened there.
Tractors are much the same as you would expect. Just like cars and trucks, when you buy strictly based on price, you better be ready to deal with the issues. Of course, there are exceptions. When Toyota first came to the US, they were underpowered and sold strictly on price. They made changes and now are considered one of the better vehicles built. However, it is a fact that the only Toyota I have ever purchased new was bought back by Toyota under the Lemon Law. Go figure! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
If you do your homework, and are not afraid to accept the higher percentage of a chance that you bought something that you must constantly wrench on and that will have an extremely low resale value, buy the cheapest you can handle. You may get a good deal for your money. It's just that the chances of getting that great tractor for a bargain price is a gamble. Some are up to gambling, and some aren't. There are several "non-Big 3" tractors out there that have proved that they are not junk. Some are really just junk. If you look closely, you should be able to tell the difference.
You mentioned Cub Cadet. My father and two cousins were big Cub fans until recent years. They all have had numerous major issues with their Cub tractors. Cub has not been considered an "off" brand. However, as you mentioned, they have earned a reputation of selling tractors lately that seem to have a much higher rate of problems than even your true price leader tractors. Their decrease in quality has been well documented in several publications, the most popular which is Consumer Reports. Hopefully Cub will stop taking short cuts before they completely ruin their name.
I still think the best way to judge the quality of a tractor (car or truck as well) is to look at the facts. If you look at the sheer number of times a particular tractor make has required repairs, and not what people who are trying to justify their purchase say, then you will have a good quantitative basis for your purchase. I have a neighbor who bought a certain "off brand" of tractor, and he has had nothing but trouble with it. I can hear him cussing from several hundred yards away! However, if you ask him about it, he tells you that it is a good buy because of all the money he saved when buying it. He isn't about to tell you that he made a bad decision when purchasing the tractor! I believe that is human nature. Nobody wants someone to say "I told you so" to them. Good luck! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif