Buying Advice Disappearing Tractor Brands

[Gale Hawkins]

Long term I expect we will see three major brands and three minor brands win out. Most imported lines functionally disappear for different reasons.

There are several lines that have been imported for the last 30+ years to choose from. After market parts makers will make parts for any line that would be profitable to do so.

Some nice tractors may become scrap if their supply of parts disappear.

China tractors may be a wild card today but few first world countries get that way without quality manufacturing. With China in part making USA government issued checks good today some of us are rooting for the success of China since it is clear like me and a few others here the USA is pasted her prime too.

China is growing their middle class while we are reducing ours. A strong middle class is what makes and keeps nations on top.

Long term the China/India tractors will rule the world. Yes China is taking ownership of all technology they are shown but by educating their engineers in the USA they can move forward on their own. They are one of the few with the ability blow satellites out of orbit showing how advanced they are in a technical sense.

China tractors will evolve to top of the line class short of the their government failing in a total sense. That is based on the golden rule that states, "He who has the gold makes the rules."

I am old enough to remember when Japan was only known as a maker of junk. Japan lines of equipment today are not all junk any longer.

Until more is known about which China tractors will come out on top I agree looking to India for a tractor would be a safer bet. Just do not count China out as the major long term maker of tractors of all sizes.

Look at the China lines being sold into Africa where the next frontier lies for some guidance perhaps.

 

[Builder]

I agree China is expanding & succeeding mostly at the cost of the US. Not agreeing the US is past her prime. Plenty of time in the 3rd quarter for a comeback. We know how to shoot satellites out of space, too. Probably have since the mid 60's.

Never remebered Japanese tractors as "junk". Even the oldest Kubotas, Satohs, etc. were rock solid. Maybe better than they are now...

But go ahead- buy those Chinese tractors. I' see em selling used for 1 thenth the purchase price all the time. Major brands with reputations for quality are the way to protect your hard earned money and support your country.... a lost virtue in today's race to the bottom world.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Read up about Chinese patent infringements and what it costs the American taxpayer, gov't and American businesses. Last count was over 50 Billion dollars.
You won't be laughing anymore.

Might want to listen to some AM talk radio and hear what they do to our currency, too. Might do you some good.

I know the Chinese do this. This has been there game for years now. I was referring to a whole other topic....:confused2:

Talking about the auto industry, just look at what Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and now the new top dog, Hyundai is doing. They are on the top of their game. Same thing happened with boat motors, something I know a lot about. 15 years ago Mercury and Johnson ruled. Now days in my area if it does not have a Suzuki, Yamaha, or Honda on it my customers will not look at it. I think in the next 10 years Korea and China will be major players in the tractor market.

Chris

 

[MicroPilot]

...I think you are mistaken on this. Branson doesnt make any tractors. They made and agreement with a manufacturer or maybe more than one to supply them with the Branson brand ....

No. Branson USED to contract with Kukje as did Amjawa with the Century brand. Kukje purchased Branson, and ended their relationship with AmJawa. Therefore Branson IS the manufactures retail outlet in the U.S.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

support your country.... a lost virtue in today's race to the bottom world.

I agree.

In Dec of 1972 I wrecked my 1966 Comet. After buying a sorry cheap used car I decided to get a new car. I wanted a Vega then a Pinto but had to pass on both due to quality/price ratio and got a Datsun 1200 for $2150. The body was weak (rust) but the running gear was strong. It made it to 200K miles with the same front brake pads and rear brake shoes and got 33 MPG.

Clearly to me the USA Big 3 had lost the virtue of being honest in business which sealed their fate last century. China had a reason for financing the recent bailout of USA car companies.

It is our desire to live high on the hog today by selling the future of our kids to the Chinese to finance our living high on the hog life style that concerns me most.

If you have ever played Monopoly you know the end game for both the USA and China short of a miracle which I have not ruled out completely in my mind.

 

[LittleBlueTractor]

Major brands with reputations for quality are the way to protect your hard earned money and support your country.... a lost virtue in today's race to the bottom world.

I can understand how "major brands with reputations for quality are the way to protect your hard earned money..." but how did buying a Kubota in 1969 (the year Kubota began exporting to the US) support your country unless you were Japanese? NOW with all Kubota does over here I suppose it could be called patriotic to buy orange, but the same thing could be true for some of the "new brands" a few years from now. That was a chance I was willing to take by investing in a less costly brand of tractor from a major manufacturer trying to break into the American market.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I can understand how "major brands with reputations for quality are the way to protect your hard earned money..." but how did buying a Kubota in 1969 (the year Kubota began exporting to the US) support your country unless you were Japanese? NOW with all Kubota does over here I suppose it could be called patriotic to buy orange, but the same thing could be true for some of the "new brands" a few years from now. That was a chance I was willing to take by investing in a less costly brand of tractor from a major manufacturer trying to break into the American market.

Good points. Thanks

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

if you take a larger look at the tractor business over many years, there has always been a handful of small companies with a few % market share that come and go every few years. Without a doubt, there are more brands right now than the market can support and I think we're going to see some companies start falling appart in the not too distant future. Not that the OEM's will nessesarily die, but it takes a more than a few hundred tractors a year to pay for the cost of US distribution and business overhead.

As for market share, Kubota and Deere pretty well got things wrapped up and by all accounts I've ever seen they've added market share in the last 2-3 years (probably at the expense of New Holland.. the new LS deal may change that as CNH goes head to head with the value brands). The real challange will come once Tier 4 drops down to 25Hp in a few years.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I am a new member and am familiar with the big brand names.I am trying to find a reasonable deal on a used tractor and I see some posts that make me think Montana and Branson would not be wise to buy now.Buy To Let Mortgages

Welcome to the forum. Buying used is both good and bad but as you note not all imported tractors are equal when it comes to parts and service.

That will not be known for a while as there are way too many lines being imported today.

If you are OK with a 2 WD tractor there are a lot of options in the $5K price range of older farm tractors. I had a Zetor from eastern Europe. They are a top of the line tractor and were resold by JD in many countries but dealers are hard to find today if they are still even importing them.

What features and HP are you looking for?

 

[Builder]

I agree.

In Dec of 1972 I wrecked my 1966 Comet. After buying a sorry cheap used car I decided to get a new car. I wanted a Vega then a Pinto but had to pass on both due to quality/price ratio and got a Datsun 1200 for $2150. The body was weak (rust) but the running gear was strong. It made it to 200K miles with the same front brake pads and rear brake shoes and got 33 MPG.

Clearly to me the USA Big 3 had lost the virtue of being honest in business which sealed their fate last century. China had a reason for financing the recent bailout of USA car companies.

It is our desire to live high on the hog today by selling the future of our kids to the Chinese to finance our living high on the hog life style that concerns me most.

If you have ever played Monopoly you know the end game for both the USA and China short of a miracle which I have not ruled out completely in my mind.

Good thing you didn't get a Ford Pinto. You might not be here today. Just got voted the most deadly car ever built. Another Ford first!