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.....

rockyridgefarm · May 17, 2005

To me "bleed green" means 'my granpappy drove a deere, my pappy drove a deere, and its only deere for me' without ever considering anything else. (as luck would have it, that isn't so bad in the case of deere)

But we live in the internet age, and can dig facts on everything (ok, except new hollands...) Many of us, or at least I, came to be loyal Deere fans by digging and digging the facts and fiction to where we just had to have one.

Why do we get so caught up with machines?

I do agree that I like looking at other brands. I am pretty excited about that other green tractor, Montana. Will always respect Kubota. Love the Boomers. Kioti seems like a winner, too

BTW my forerunners absolutely did NOT drive Deeres. They were a long time IH dealership. Deere was a four letter word. I get some friendly jabs. But they secretly advised me to go green. Not that they would ever admit it. And their compacts were Kubotas. Fine machines.

rockyridgefarm · May 17, 2005

Bob you make great points!! You sure are quite a statesman around theser parts!

I really like yer machines, too.

Bob_Skurka · May 17, 2005

Mike, I've never been called that before but I'll take it that you didn't mean POLITICIAN when you said STATESMAN /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

What I do is call it like I see it. That means I will point out warts on every brand, even my own, and I will compliment every one that warrents a compliment. Some people don't like hearing about the warts, but no brand is perfect, and no brand has the best machine in every size and variety. . . and some people don't like hearing that either. But some brands do excel overall, and JD is one of those.

Dargo · May 17, 2005

( What I do is call it like I see it. That means I will point out warts on every brand, even my own, and I will compliment every one that warrents a compliment. Some people don't like hearing about the warts, but no brand is perfect, and no brand has the best machine in every size and variety. . . and some people don't like hearing that either. But some brands do excel overall, and JD is one of those. )

Dang it Bob! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif How am I supposed to say what I think now?! Ditto? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

cadblaster · May 18, 2005

Nobody can say they really bleed green until they get that John Deere Tattoo. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Bob_Skurka · May 18, 2005

Dang it Bob! How am I supposed to say what I think now?! Ditto?


Dargo, if agreeing with me is a compliment then I hope that you are not also trying to imply that I am a "statesman" because if you and Mike team up against me then I think the Hawaiian shirt is going to have to come off and we will have to rumble over the insults! I am not a statesman or worse yet, a politician. I am a blunt jerk and I have my reputation to uphold here!!!

Kyle_in_Tex · May 18, 2005

Very well stated Bob.

Yes, I bleed green because my dealer takes care of me. If I need something and can't get there before closing, they'll leave it on the back porch and "pay for it next time your in here"

But if anyone wanted to give me dealer pricing on a Kubota 5030 with a cab, I'd jump over the fence to check into it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BarryinMN · May 18, 2005

Beef cattle bleed green /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif.

Our '48 JD A sat in the barn neglected for years & I decided to fix it up last year & get it running reliably. Replaced head, generator, gas tank, etc.

Took it on it's maiden voyage to my Uncles place about 2 miles down county hwy. Along the way I passed my Great Grandads place who had goats, cattle, geese, etc. and several JD A's & B's before he sold out in mid 60's. New owners have large IH's.

As I thumped up the hill past their feed area every one of those cows turned to look & the ones laying down stood & saluted as I went by /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

crashz · May 18, 2005

I'd have to say I really bleed Cat yellow and Komastu blue. So yep - I bleed green. Been raised on excavating and contruction equipment, and those are the families "preffered" brands.

But I got a great deal on the my tractor, and for the little I've used it, its been great. No doubt in my mind that it will last for as long as I want it to.