Value Proposition: What Makes Your Brand Of Tractor Better Than The Others?

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

I have been a member of this site for almost 2 years and during that time I have seen the passion that many of you have for your tractor brands. I can often times feel that many of you have to hold back your feelings about the brand of tractor you drive when others make perceived disparaging comments about it. So instead of starting a thread to just answer a question or seek buying advice as so many on here do on a daily basis I thought it would be fun and interesting to create a space for everyone to share their passion and reasons for why their brand of tractor is better to them personally then the others. If it helps, imagine you are the sales person and everyone reading your post is your potential customer that you are trying to persuade to purchase your chosen brand of tractor.

 

[mikester]

Service & support - reliability - availability of parts - documentation

 

[oldballs]

What mikester said..........has worked for me........ having owned three Kubotas and one Case in the past 38 years.

 

[Citydude]

Before I bought my first Kubota, we had an L series Kubota at the mine I worked at. They used it to drag trail cable up to the shovels in the pit. It lived a very hard life. That impressed me.

 

[Number15]

Honestly I considered a lot of brands. For me it came down to availability. From what was available I chose Branson because of its simplicity. Engine parts will be easier to source if the dealer disappears. It is also easier to work on without special computer diagnostics. Hopefully other parts will be easy to source as well. I guess time will tell.

I am of the feeling that there really is no best tractor, it's all just what comprises you are willing to deal with for your use case. My tractor does not earn me money so I am willing to have down time waiting on parts if I have to.

 

[Tinhack]

I bought used and whatever was available locally--Except Mahindra. Those are all over the place down here but few are still running. I do my own service and repair. Parts and filters are still available for most and being pre-tier-IV, don't have computers to throw codes at you all the time. Mostly, it's just simple maintenance to keep them running. Old iron is still the best.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

She thinks my tractor's sexy...

 

[k0ua]

Well, when I bought my current tractor after having owned two Kubota's a New Holland (Shibaura) and a Long (Romanian tractor works), I was impressed by the amount of features and performance Of my current Kioti when compared to the Kubota equivalent for so much less money. The dealerships were about he same distance (I now have a Kioti dealership about 5 minutes driving distance) and the same level of service. At that time of purchase I saved somewhere in the neighborhood of $8000 to $10,000 dollars. That is a pretty big chunk of change. My Kioti has served me very well. So has the dealer. But I am a firm believer that people should buy whatever brand and color of tractor they wish.

 

[GeneV]

Ok, well comparing my MF GC1710 to a Kubota BX23s, I'll say my tractor:

1. Looks better.
2. Sounds better.

 

[Swampcollie]

Dealer location, knowledge, and service

 

[Cougsfan]

I have owned a Branson for 4 years now and wouldn't hesitate a moment to buy another, but I have no reason to buy another. I like my Branson because it is simple, it lacks a bunch of un-needed electronics, it has a better Tier 4 exhaust system than others, it has been reliable, parts are readily available, it was more affordable initially than most and it just works well overall. It has it's quirks, but they are minor, and all tractors seem to have their own individual quirks. On the downside, I bump my head on the cab ceiling (been corrected in newer models), I don't like Branson's manuals, and the American corporate office seems to be fairly unimpressive. I average over 250 hrs a year and do not baby my tractor at all. In fact many would accuse me of abusing it, but it holds up just fine.

If I had bought a LS, Kioti, Yanmar, Mahindra, New Holland, MF or any one of a number of other brands, I would probably be happy too and just have a different list of likes and dislikes. I do like Kubota's, they are good machines. But when I was looking they were way too expensive. I would not even consider buying a John Deere because 1) they are overpriced, 2) Their newer JD CUTs that I have seen are not as good, possible even inferior, compared to other brands, and 3) many of the JD company philosophies just irritate me. 4) when I walk into one of their large multi-store dealerships, they just seem to have their nose too far up in the air.

So I don't necessarily consider my tractor to be "better" than others, but it is just fine.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

and 3) many of the JD company philosophies just irritate me. 4) when I walk into one of their large multi-store dealerships, they just seem to have their nose too far up in the air.

Coug I could not agree with you more about that. It seems that almost everyone including myself has had that same experience with them.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

I compared several brands and ended up with a Kubota because it fit my needs best.

1. retractable (or telescoping) 3 point arms. John Deere did not have this option in the size tractor I wanted
2. Kubota offers the largest horsepower with HST.
3. Kubota has a Category 2 hitch with HST.

 

[SmallChange]

What I love about the New Holland brand is that the dealer who sells it near me treated me like I mattered, even though I was trying to buy something small and used. The salesman soon figured out they didn't have what I said I wanted, so he went online and helped me find about four promising leads elsewhere.

The Kubota dealer where I had purchased about 25 years ago couldn't be bothered to deal with me when I was shopping again. And the Deere dealership was a little better, but not by much.

When I figured out that used isn't much less expensive than new, and that maybe I could afford a bit more, I went back to the NH dealer, and everything just worked. If I won the lottery and wound up with more land and could indulge my daydreams, I'd go back again, and REALLY make their day.

 

[Doughknob]

Mine has the coolest name.....

 

[Jchonline]

Long term parts and service availability. Also the brand needs to actually make the machines. The only real choices in CO are Deere, Kubota, and maybe Massey.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Long term parts and service availability. Also the brand needs to actually make the machines. The only real choices in CO are Deere, Kubota, and maybe Massey.

Really? I know of at least 3 LS dealers ranging from outside of Pueblo Co. all the way up to Fort Collins. There are 3 Kioti dealers, and at least one Mahindra. Oh, and 6 Massey dealers
What do you consider a "real choice"?

 

[ljjhouser]

Of Course, this is simple. BECAUSE it is my tractor! It is the best! And if you get one, yours will also be the best. See, simple!

 

[Jchonline]

Really? I know of at least 3 LS dealers ranging from outside of Pueblo Co. all the way up to Fort Collins. There are 3 Kioti dealers, and at least one Mahindra. Oh, and 6 Massey dealers
What do you consider a "real choice"?

Yes really. Have you been to the LS Dealer in Ft Collins? They also sell TYM...and Kioti...and a few used vehicles from time to time. I did go to Legacy Tractor there in FtCo and demoed all 3 of these brands in the size I was interested in. The biggest turn off was service and parts. The LS was my favorite machine of the 3 though. Which tractor mfg will the drop first? Who knows. No thanks.

A real choice is a dealer that has been in business selling the same brand with a decent market share for over a decade. LS entered the US MARKET in 2010. No thanks. The FtCo Massey dealer also sells JCB...I think they get better margins or needed to offload inventory as they were really trying to sell me a JCB lol.
I am entitled to my opinion, as you are to yours.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Features and value for the dollar, low tech engine with IDI and no common rail ECU controlled diesel (Much better lift on FEL than Bota and Green). So far I've NOT been disappointed. My 1st tractor, and I did my homework. Didn't buy too small, I hit the Goldilocks zone on 1st try.