Why is Massy Ferguson not a bigger deal?

[AxleHub]

Poor availability of parts,crappy dealers and mysterious origin of mfg. of tractor. Looks like they have plenty to work on.

While I've not had any negative issues with Massey dealers to speak of - I certainly have with a couple Kubota dealers and a couple J.D. locations. And how does Massey have a "mysterious origin of mfg. of tractor" ? Certainly not as "mysterious" as J.D. or Mahindra or Kioti or TYM or New Holland/LS - I think not.

I've also never experienced any difficulties getting parts. I continue to believe Massey needs more improvement on their website - but that hardly agrees with your viewpoint.

And I continue to believe that the tractors I've used or tested from Massey are either very competitive with any other brand I tested (7 other brands) - or Massey was superior in design and performance on many of several of those 6 other brands. For years I planned to buy a Kubota or a Yanmar - but when I discovered the Massey - it was an obvious choice for my needs although both those other brands made some fine products. JMHO

 

[Tractorable]

Tractorable, the Massey fels and backhoes are built in the U.S. and "the buckets" for those units come from China. The tractors like the GC1700s and the 1526 have their engines and tractors (other than fels and back hoes) made by Iseki in Japan. Iseki has been around longer than Kubota as I understand it. The larger Massey models like the 1700s and bigger have other name Japanese engines in them and the same American company makes the fels and backhoes for those. Don't know about the much larger equipment.

Thanks for your reply AxleHub.

Ok, so the smaller Massey's are made by Iseki and have Iseki engines. Does Iseki also make the bigger Massey's like the 1700 series and then put Mitsubishi engines in them? Or are they Mitsubishi tractors with Mitsubishi engines?

Wikipedia article on the Allis-Gleaner Corporation (AGCO), the company that owns the Massey Ferguson brand. Their current brands are Challenger, Fendt, GSI, Massey Ferguson, and Valtra. AGCO - Wikipedia

 

[Paystar]

"Their current brands are Challenger, Fendt, GSI, Massey Ferguson, and Valtra. AGCO - Wikipedia"

In other words....all the best in the world. And don't forget Gleaner combines and Sisu. The best there is.

 

[coobie]

In my neck of the woods lack of dealer support.Sold my massey 1240(great tractor) back in 2007 because of no local dealers.

 

[daugen]

My Massey GC1710 SCUT has an Iseki engine. My Massey 1758 cab model has a Mitsubishi engine. (58hp)

and that's why Massey has a good reputation in the lower HP ranges since they spec'd two top quality Japanese engine builders.
Iseki has always seemed to set high standards, granted in smaller lightweight tractors. They compete directly with Yanmar and others and have for decades in their home market.

If I may speak as a multiple MF owner, of two very different tractors that speaks to the concern of what am I buying.
You really have to do your homework.
My 49hp Massey is like the similar JD econo 5 series, made in India with a Perkins design engine. Massive rear axle; that tractor pulls a heavy disc with ease. They've been making that design I think all the way back to the MF135. Gussied it up a bit with a very shiny red hood.
My smaller Massey is an Iseki and that's what attracted me, since I knew their engines were excellent.

There's no more made in the US tractors most of us use, took me awhile to "get over it". So you have to put Japan first. Probably Germany next, then the Sisu tractors for the home Scandinavian market ?, then perhaps India? With China coming up fast...

I agree the Agco branding is confusing. I've seen some very large Iseki tractors broken in half at my local dealer btw, powershuttle clutches I think. But I've had zero problems getting Agco parts and they have a great online parts lookup.

 

[Streetcar]

Two bankruptcies and closure of many old dealers. Until I got on this forum I thought with last bankruptcy that Massey folded

 

[Tractorable]

and that's why Massey has a good reputation in the lower HP ranges since they spec'd two top quality Japanese engine builders.
Iseki has always seemed to set high standards, granted in smaller lightweight tractors. They compete directly with Yanmar and others and have for decades in their home market.

If I may speak as a multiple MF owner, of two very different tractors that speaks to the concern of what am I buying.
You really have to do your homework.
My 49hp Massey is like the similar JD econo 5 series, made in India with a Perkins design engine. Massive rear axle; that tractor pulls a heavy disc with ease. They've been making that design I think all the way back to the MF135. Gussied it up a bit with a very shiny red hood.
My smaller Massey is an Iseki and that's what attracted me, since I knew their engines were excellent.

There's no more made in the US tractors most of us use, took me awhile to "get over it". So you have to put Japan first. Probably Germany next, then the Sisu tractors for the home Scandinavian market ?, then perhaps India? With China coming up fast...

I agree the Agco branding is confusing. I've seen some very large Iseki tractors broken in half at my local dealer btw, powershuttle clutches I think. But I've had zero problems getting Agco parts and they have a great online parts lookup.

Good write up. Do you know who makes the 1700 series Massey's with the Mitsubishi engines?

 

[daugen]

Good write up. Do you know who makes the 1700 series Massey's with the Mitsubishi engines?

that's a very good question and I'd only be guessing so I'd have to say no.

However, and this is like stepping back in a time machine, I'm about to re-acquire another tractor, getting my very first tractor back from my church in PA where I donated it and they just don't need it any more. And it's a Case IH 255 with a Mitsubishi diesel engine, 24hp approx.
and what a marvelous engine that is. The very smoothest diesel I have ever run. So I'm looking forward to getting my Mitsubishi tractor back and I'm quite sure Mitsubishi built the whole thing and this is just a Case IH decal job.
So Mitsubishi diesels have been in the US market for at least 30 years. Maybe 40. Lot of good Japanese engine manufacturers.
Where they set standards for quality control that rivaled the Germans.

So...for a SWAG, I'd say based on my own tractor being a Mitsubishi built in Japan, with just the marvelous IH Red wrapper, I'd say yours is built by Mitsubishi too, assuming they still build tractors in Japan. But mine is 30 years old so so that's a stretch in many ways...

 

[Paystar]

The 1500 and 1700 series are still made by Iseki, just that Mitsubishi had a tier 4 motor ready and certified for here, so they used it.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I see less and less in my country. Years ago, they were #2 behind ford in my area. I never hear any complaints from owners. They look to be well built. Am I missing something?

Maybe because I've been waiting over a month for them to get an oil filter in for my tractor.
This from an old dealer....
Can't survive like that.