Risk of buying a Century tractor

[Thomas]

If you have doubts "very leery" go w/your gut feelings.

 

[jeff9366]

TYM has been building tractors for 60 years and while they've built many tractors for other brands, I doubt TYM will be bought up. They also build part of the Mahindra line of tractors. Whether TYM really gains ground as a brand in the US on their own is questionable (though possible). They just don't have a strong dealer network at least in the northeast.

With the acquisition of Branson, TYM should be closer to critical dealer mass in the US, if the Branson acquisition is handled well, so most of the former Branson dealers convert to TYM.

Even if TYM/Branson remains, how long will TYM choose to continue supplying low volume parts with Century part numbers? The test will be the next recession when unemployment is 10% rather than 4% and everyone needs to prune costs.

I find it interesting that the new Rural King (branded) tractors are TYM with YANMAR, not TYM, engines. What message does that send?

Producing private label product for others does little to build a solid brand franchise. Private label is usually sold with minimal profit to the supplier, who may indirectly profit from improved scale in manufacturing.

The last USA tractor market share numbers posted here showed Kubota with 46% market share and Deere with 19% market share. There are a formidable number of players clawing for the remaining 35% market share.


I do not have a 'side' in the thread. Just an experienced marketing guy looking at a situation seen many, many times before with consumer products. I am not buying stock in TYM.


LINK: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...defunct-tractor-manufacturers.html?highlight=

 

[majorwager]

Jeffy

Can you explain your percentage numbers? What is the source? Overall Deere market share of tractors is much greater than Kubota? As for the engines in TYM, you demonstrate a lack of knowledge in TYM engine history. Many of their tractors contained Perkins engines in years past. Since you are obviously unaware, Yanmar has excelled at Tier 4 engine production using the DPF solution. Deere uses Yanmar engines in many of their products. So is deere about to wither away as well.? Your unfounded, unsupported speculations are damaging to members unfamiliar w/ the facts. You recently stated you are less than 21 years old. Then you stated that you graduated from HS in 1965. Very difficult to take anything you say very seriously!!

And as noted, the quaint Latin phrases are a disconnect w/ this audience. Tractor knowledge, not google produced medieval language lessons is/are the key to TBN thread responses.

 

[Bransonbuilder]

I am amazed on how informed a lot peope are .The Century tractor brand is just a name i can tell you that here at Branson Tractor we are going strong i can also tell you that our 3510 is the exact same tractor only difference is the stickers with ecxepitions to the loaders and backhoes the tractor is identical to Branson

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I am amazed on how informed a lot peope are .The Century tractor brand is just a name i can tell you that here at Branson Tractor we are going strong i can also tell you that our 3510 is the exact same tractor only difference is the stickers with ecxepitions to the loaders and backhoes the tractor is identical to Branson

Branson Tractors - Home

Now you have rained on the rumor mill party.

 

[Cougsfan]

I am amazed at how much people fret over "is the brand name of my tractor going to be around for the next XX years". There is no brand that has been around for 50 years except John Deere that hasn't gone through acquisitions, take-overs, mergers, name changes, re-branding, etc. It is a constantly changing environment.

So if you are worried about your tractor being supported by your local dealer for the next 50 years, buy a John Deere (which are pretty inferior tractors in the compact tractor market), and don't bet they will carry parts for your tractor 20 years down the road from now.

Tractors are pretty dang reliable. They don't need a lot of parts. I have owned various tractors over the last 40 years and have never bought parts or got my tractors serviced or repaired from the tractor manufacturer's dealer. The few times I have needed service, I have taken them to a small independent repair shop, which in my opinion, runs circles cost wise and quality wise around any dealer's service department. If he is a good independent dealer you will be amazed at how adept they are at finding what you need to fix almost any old tractor.

My brother in law owns a couple old, dead named tractors (Oliver, White). He doesn't use them much but they still run fine, and has little problems getting whatever he needs to keep them running. I have owned an old Ferguson TO35 (probably 1955 vintage) for the last 40 years. 5 years ago I had no problem getting everything needed for a complete restoration and engine overhaul. I never set foot in a MF dealer to get anything either. I ended up needing a new engine block, and I sourced it from a tractor recycling yard 1,000 miles away. If something like the starter goes out, I take it to a starter repair shop and they'll fix it. If the fuel pump ever goes out, I'll install an electric fuel pump.

I ran a grey market Yanmar for 15 years (my neighbor is still using it). An American Yanmar Dealer would turn there nose up and wouldn't help at all if I ever needed parts. but it has never needed anything other than air and oil filters (NAPA has them). I broke a FEL hydraulic line once. A local hydraulic shop made a new one. If it does ever need parts, that's ok, because it is no problem to find the few parts one might need online. A 100% engine overhaul may be tough, but it would cost more than the tractor is worth (which is true for most any compact tractor)

I have seen Belarus tractors set around and rust away because they supposedly can't get parts. Do an online search and see how many sources there are. (that doesn't change the fact they are sort of a crappy tractor not always worth fixing)

I would have zero reservations about buying a 15-20 year old Century tractor if it were in good shape. Getting parts wouldn't scare me at all. Having a dealer and a current brand name are security blankets that don't mean nearly as much as people think they do, unless you the kind of guy who is unable to change the oil without running to the dealer.

If the Branson Brand were to be uprooted and buried by TYM, that wouldn't be a cause for me to sell my Branson either. It is all just part of what happens in the tractor industry.

 

[DK35vince]

I find it interesting that the new Rural King (branded) tractors are TYM with YANMAR, not TYM, engines. What message does that send?

That tells me Yanmar likely passed the teir IV or something similar so they went that route. Nothing more.
You see engine brand changes in commercial equipment all the time.

 

[scatterlandsfarms]

I am amazed on how informed a lot peope are .The Century tractor brand is just a name i can tell you that here at Branson Tractor we are going strong i can also tell you that our 3510 is the exact same tractor only difference is the stickers with ecxepitions to the loaders and backhoes the tractor is identical to Branson

tks we love our Branson

 

[Groo]

TYM recently purchased Branson.

How long will TYM maintain Century parts?

I trust you are good at working on equipment, including hydraulic systems.

as long as they are legally required to at least, maybe 7 years?