Do you bleede greene?

rockyridgefarm · May 17, 2005

You may have noticed that there is a green tractor in my sig picture. It is no secret that i think it is a hoot! So much so that I used it as my picture when I was researching the purchase of my tractor. A New Holland or Kubota. I never guessed I woiuld end up a Deere owner.

Now that I own it I am amazed at this machine, and the Deere organization. And I often see people pay more for another brand and make a snide comment that I overpaid to get that "green paint that costs so much"

Call me a satisfied customer. Say I bleed green. But I really won't shop around much when it is time to trade. I climb up on every brand and style I can, and have yet to think that I made a mistake getting what I have.

Does anyone else bleede greene?

DJLX · May 17, 2005

I have never bought a lawn tractor that wasn't green but that has only been in the last four years. Never owned enough property to warrant a rider. I did look at other colors but kept coming back to the green one. Just got my third JD 'home edition' hat in the mail!

JDFANATIC · May 17, 2005

rockyridge, yeah I bleed green too. But like you, it's not just because of some marketing hype...my experiences with the tractors and dealers has been exemplary and I don't doubt my next tractor will be a Deere! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

djlx, you should be on the hat a month club by now! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bob_Skurka · May 17, 2005

Now that I own it I am amazed at this machine, and the Deere organization. And I often see people pay more for another brand and make a snide comment that I overpaid to get that "green paint that costs so much" 

 Mike, speaking from the perspective of a NH and Kubota user who likes his brands let me say that I have total respect for John Deere machines. 

I love my choices and I also am pretty sick with the comments about overpaying for any of the Big 3 brands. Here is the reality about tractors that I see (my reality?). All the brands are pretty darn good, but the details allow the cream to rise to the top. I had the pleasure of playing with a JD 4310 recently and was greatly impressed with the design of that tractor. Its not the newest or fanciest in the JD lineup, but it is one heck of a well designed tractor. I was also, the same day, on a discount name machine and cannot even begin to explain the quality differences between the two machines. Sure one cost more and one cost less and THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT.

So no, I don't bleede greene, but you won't find me knocking the brand either. Now I won't say much good stuff (if any) about my local dealer, but I don't hold that against the brand.

As for pricing, I think that is a red herring issue. I recall a post last year where a guy bought a New Holland TC30 for less than the price of a Jinma that had fewer features. I've seen people quote prices for Kioti CK20's that were higher than I paid for a TC24D, and too many times to list prices that were higher than various Kubotas. Now in all fairness, I have seen Jinmas priced less than New Hollands and I have seen Kioti's priced lower than Kubotas too (ditto Mahindra being both lower & higher). So what the pricing all means to me is that it is not only very regional, but it also depends on the mood of the dealer and the skill of the buyer. I have no doubt that you bought your JD for less than others quote for whatever brand. I think the reality is there is some value that each of us place on different things. I actually like some of the minor brands (some models I like a lot) but what I really like is the service that I get out of my equipment and that is not bashing any other brand. It is actually nice to see someone stand up and say they are happy that they bleede greene and that they didn't overpay and that their tractor exceeds their expectations and that they bought it because of objective criteria because there is a lot of greene bashing that occures and I think much of it is undeserved . . . but I'm not planning on getting rid of my equipment to bleede greene anytime soon.

dicker · May 17, 2005

I don't bleed green. It came out red today.

However, I love my JD 4310 and will definitely by John Deere again.

Richard

beenthere · May 17, 2005

I bleed'e' green too. But one reason goes 'way' back, to when my father (before me) worked as an experimental engineer for Deere (began in '36). He worked on the development of the first Deere diesel tractor for 13 years before it (Model R) was introduced in '49. All my growing up years involved pony motors, diesel fumes, white shirts that my Mom had to wash to get fuel oil and oil out of, and the many trips to Deere to do school projects (I learned early that most of my school papers required a tour of the Deere plant in Waterloo, IA to 'collect' data). When we needed a tractor on our small farmette, I would ride with Mom to the experimental gate and there would be a Deere popping away, just waiting for me to jump on and drive it across town to home. So 'green' paid the bills. It wasn't until I worked for 20 years, could I afford my first 'green' tractor, after a short bout with a Deere LA, and a time with a Ferguson TO30. My first Deere was a '58 420U, then a 420C, and then a 4300 (not counting the lawn tractors that had green paint).
In the meantime, I drove and operated many other brands. I liked them all, as I just like tractors in general. I found myself in situations where I was driving, working, fixing, and repairing many different brands of the big 3 as well as Oliver, Ford, White, Allis Chalmers, Case, Yanmar, New Holland, International, gray market, and others. Never a doubt what color I was going to settle on, but don't have any quarrel with someone who buys a different brand for whatever reason.
I feel that they deserve the best, and maybe someday they can have the best, IMO only. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

FordTruckGuy · May 17, 2005

I've had the pleasure of working with the Deere & Company organization off and on the last 5 years, at various divisions and multiple levels, and I must say that I've never encountered a finer organization, especially on the green side.

As I've said before, few companies can trace their roots to before the Civil War. The Deere brand is iconic, and I believe most Deere employees are aware of the brand and the sense of nostalgia it delivers in American culture. It is a tough brand to compete with for other manufacturers, and you have to respect those competitors that do it well, such as Kubota.

It figures somebody posts this topic today, as my Deere owner's edition cap just came yesterday for my new 790.

steveinmo · May 17, 2005

I'm about to "bleed green" out my rear end. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Uh......I mean as in my money going out of my wallet! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif New tractor being delivered this week. I guess that's kind of like a transfusion though......green out.....green in! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

txhawg · May 17, 2005

Mike,

I know exactly what you mean. I shopped long and hard before I bought my 4310. I looked at every brand. After seeing some posts about pricing, I know we get better prices in TX than most other areas, but I would think that would be the case for all brands. I truly feel I got the most value for my dollar. The dealer in Crockett has been superb in both pre and post-sales support and service. I am an extremely satisfied customer, and because of that I will patronize my dealer (and JD) with my business for parts, accessories, and supplies. With my use, this will most likely be the only tractor I will buy, and I will leave it behind for my son to use.

Having said that, I will say that my money means more to me than my blood /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif so if (and that is a big if) I were to shop for a new tractor, I would do the same thing again, that is shop long and hard, and consider every brand. I won't ever drop $20K blindly.

Cactus · May 17, 2005

I am Green...I like the product and product support..I think John Deere is a great company.....but I gotta admit there is a lot of GOOD competition out there with good products...Kubota is definately a great product...but the Massey Fergusons and Agco are backed by a big company and makes a nice product.....as well as CNH/New Holland....Kioti.....not too many I don't like.....