Bob,
Maybe I wasn't clear. My point was that it's not just about machine quality. Machine quality is, of course, very important - it's a must. A tractor might be around 30 years (and none of us know one way or the other if the TYM's quality would have it last that long), but the company and support for that machine might not. Here too, for TYM we don't know one way or the other. But, BOTH the tractor and the company have to be around in order for a brand/make to be deemed "successful", in my mind. It does me little good to buy a machine if I can't get parts or service for it, no matter how good the quality is. Eventually I will need parts, and probably service too. That is my point. I'd be surprised if you didn't agree with this.
But, as I said before, from my perspective, if I get 15 years or more of good use, without too many repairs, then I still did ok with the brand/model even if the company has long since gone by the wayside and others did not do so well with the same machine. I may not have done as well had the company/model developed the reputation that Kubota has been able to, but I still say I did ok. I probably got my money's worth, at the very least. Me doing "ok" and a brand/model being "successful" aren't necessarily the same thing. It's a calculated risk to buy the unproven, for sure. But, if you're lucky, and you pick the right "off" brand it could be worth it.
So, what quality issues to you have with this TYM? What quality issues make it worse than similar machines from the big three? That's the brand/model I was speaking of with my "per se" comment, not "off" brands in general. I'm sorry if this wasn't clear. With regard to this TYM model, I honestly don't know. I did like the K2's a lot. But, was less impressed with a 330 hst that I tested. Though, my opinion of the 330 is mostly based on cosmics (except for the weak power steering), and it was an older left over model that had clearly been out in the weather awhile.
Though, A K2 might be in my future a few years down the road . First, I need to take care of the big tasks I have to do with my bigger machine, and then wait and see how TYM and their machines are doing around the country. If they look to be doing well, I just might sell my tractors and buy one (or maybe it'll just be a small frame Big 3). Anyway, the more choices the better.
I understand what you are saying about quality. Yet, some quality things are subjective. And it could be argued, base on your definition of quality (which I agree with), that all brands have quality issues - some more than others, depending on who you ask. And when subjectivity comes into play, some of these quality issues may not matter to certain users. Furthermore, many "quality" issues do not affect the reliability and longevity of the machine. They might affect how many buy them because they don't "like" the design, and this could certainly affect the viability of a brand/model and ones ability to get parts and service due to the number of machines out there. I guess what I'm saying is quality is not always black and white. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. The unfortunate fact is, unless it's just horribly bad, it takes several years of history to really flush out whether a model/company is reliable and viable, regardless of one's perception of its quality. Many people just prefer to stay with the tried and true and not take the chance. And there is certainly nothing wrong with that.
....Now be easy on me.
Tom