Compared to the competition, Deere uses lots of aluminum and plastic on their E Series tractors, including rear axle/diff and transmission housings. They seem to be priced reasonably in their class, though they are lacking in features and lift capacities. I'm sure they sell lots of them (tons for sale on the used market) and I haven't heard many complaints from owners, considering how many are out there. As large as Deere is, they're not going to release a product that could potentially have reliability issues, especially with all the internet exposure and how websites like this one can affect purchase decisions. Going by sheer mass, Branson seems to have the heaviest compact tractors, with Deere being the lightest, and lots of brands in between (Mahindra, Kubota, LS, Tym, Massey, New Holland, Kioti, etc). For the vast majority of us, buying the "right" tractor comes down to many different factors, such as purchase price, dealer location and attitude/capability, driving comfort, PTO and loader lift capacities, horsepower, anticipated resale value, and even color. In the end it's all about understanding your application and expectations and hopefully finding the tractor that makes you happy.
