Comparison Looking for buying advice, please. TYM vs. Branson

[TxTriggerman]

Greetings! I have a small acreage and plan to garden, mow and do a little dirt work on my property. I grew up on in the cow/calf ranch business and have run every kind of equipment that goes with it. I'm planning on buying a Sub-Compact tractor in the next 30 days. There are VERY few good used ones out there and everyone who has one seems to be asking a price for which I can buy new. I'm looking at some of the package deals on Branson and TYM. Both seem like good machines and both come with FELs and a few other attachments. Both have local servicing dealers and are very close in price. I'm leaning toward paying a little more and getting the Branson. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Triggerman

 

[brasco426]

Before I got what I have now I was considering a 2400h w/fel and bh up here in NH for a package price of 19600. Not a bad machine. I asked around about them and talked to a repair facility that fixes heavy equipment and he said they aren't the worst. One reason I didn't go with it was dealer support. One guy in a small dealership so I didn't bother. If the dealer is good and you feel comfortable, then why not. Branson/Kukje is descent

 

[Omega Woods]

I did a ton of shopping and decided on the Branson. Mine is bigger than the one you're looking at but the Branson made the most sense. Highest tractor to price ratio, in my book.

 

[Handloader109]

If you are looking at TYM, take a ride to a cabelas to see if they have a better deal. They are tym built with better loader. I've the smallest, works well for me

 

[droptop]

Both TYM and Branson are by most accounts good tractors, however each of their dealer networks is spotty. When I looked at Branson a few years ago I had a small dealer about 15 miles away, the same for TYM. Now my closest Branson is over 150 mi, and the second closest is over 200. TYM is a little better, but still spotty. Two of the TYM dealers have been converted to Mahindra (who sell TYM built models) but the previous dealers still is are TYM parts/service dealer but no longer sell new TYM's.

The moral of the story is not to just look at your local dealer, but look at the 2nd and 3rd closest dealers also.

 

[brasco426]

^^^^Really good advice droptop

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Personally, I still don't think Branson is as solid of a company as TYM is. I know Branson has been bailed out at least one time and they are shopping HARD for a buyer now. In fact, they are now down to taking bids and no one is bidding any where near what they had hoped to get...

I'm thinking TYM will be a much better bet, to have parts available on down the road!

Just from what I've been personally seeing and reading on the forums, I think TYM is the better tractor anyway...

I just want to make it clear, I'm NOT a TYM dealer, nor do I own one...

SR

 

[Fernland]

I looked at both before deciding on the 3520h Branson. So far with <20 hours I am VERY happy.
I did not like the TYM cockpit and prefer the diesel fill better on the Branson.

 

[Omega Woods]

Did you look at LS or Mahindra?

 

[Omega Woods]

Personally, I still don't think Branson is as solid of a company as TYM is. I know Branson has been bailed out at least one time and they are shopping HARD for a buyer now. In fact, they are now down to taking bids and no one is bidding any where near what they had hoped to get...

I've been doing a lot of research on tractor manufacturers and didn't come across any information about a bail out or looking for a buyer. I saw they explored a joint venture six years ago but you have me concerned now.

Is there an industry news website or something where you find info like this? I'm working on an MBA and something like that would be an incredibly useful research tool.

Thank you!

 

[brasco426]

Wow I never heard about a bail out or looking to be purchased either. There are people here that forgot more than I'll ever know about tractors! Honestly though I liked what I saw in Branson, the only thing that shied me away was one dealer. Not that he was bad or anything, but he was the only one and not a young guy either. I wasn't sure how long he'd be in business and then what. Like I said I did talk to a heavy machine repair facility and said he was familiar with the brand and Branson wasn't the worst out there.

 

[Fernland]

Did you look at LS or Mahindra?

I looked hard at the LS, it was slightly more, slightly less capacity and I didn't like the feel and look of the cockpit. The metal gauge seemed (not measured) slightly thinner on things like hood, fenders, etc.

The Mahindra seemed very cheaply built when I looked at it (didn't even bother to test drive). It was also significantly more expensive.

Also for Branson being an unstable company, in my research before buying, people have been saying they are going under for 10 years...

 

[LindenBruce]

I believe the Mahindra 2538 is built by TYM. And right now they have no payments until January as an option. I think I'm going to be able to make it to drive one this next weekend. It's a three hour drive. Oh yay. B.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I've been doing a lot of research on tractor manufacturers and didn't come across any information about a bail out or looking for a buyer. I saw they explored a joint venture six years ago but you have me concerned now.

Is there an industry news website or something where you find info like this? I'm working on an MBA and something like that would be an incredibly useful research tool.

Thank you!

I don't make this stuff up, I know someone in the business who pass' this info to me, and so far he's been right on everything he's told me.. BUT, here's something you can read to get you a little interesting info,

Tong Yang Moolsan submits bid to buy Dongkuk Steel Mill?s agricultural equipment unit - Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea

SR

 

[PapeCAT]

That is really too bad. I was seriously looking at getting into one of Branson's new 15 series tractors.

 

[Omega Woods]

I don't make this stuff up, I know someone in the business who pass' this info to me, and so far he's been right on everything he's told me.. BUT, here's something you can read to get you a little interesting info,

Tong Yang Moolsan submits bid to buy Dongkuk Steel Mill?s agricultural equipment unit - Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea

SR

Thanks, Rob, for the info.

 

[Fernland]

Sounds like a good sale for Branson and TYM. I would expect both brands to live on.

 

[dickfoster]

I looked hard at the LS, it was slightly more, slightly less capacity and I didn't like the feel and look of the cockpit. The metal gauge seemed (not measured) slightly thinner on things like hood, fenders, etc.

The Mahindra seemed very cheaply built when I looked at it (didn't even bother to test drive). It was also significantly more expensive.

Also for Branson being an unstable company, in my research before buying, people have been saying they are going under for 10 years...

Mahindra has both TYM built machines from Korea and Mitsubishi built machines from Japan. The 2500 series are the TYM models while the 1500 series are the up scale Mitsu models.
I just got a 1538 TLB and it looks to be pretty nice so far. I don't know who makes the loaders and backhoes for the TYM models but KMW makes them for the 1500s in the USA.
What helped sell me on the Mahindra was the dealer, the bang for the buck and the no DPF emissions. I figure a crappy dealer can make the worst of the best of machines. If it were me, I'd look at other brands if it meant getting a better dealer that I felt more comfortable with going forward. Of course you don't want to have to travel to timbuktu either so I limited my search to within 100 miles and wound up at 50 . I also didn't want to buy a tractor from an RV dealer, they had to be in the tractor business.

 

[Fernland]

If it were me, I'd look at other brands if it meant getting a better dealer that I felt more comfortable with going forward. Of course you don't want to have to travel to timbuktu either so I limited my search to within 100 miles and wound up at 50 . I also didn't want to buy a tractor from an RV dealer, they had to be in the tractor business.

So much truth there, nearly all tractors are good.

I based a lot of my choice on the dealer I felt would be there and take care of me. (And he has)

I had a different tractor in mind and if the dealer would have just have acknowledged me (I stopped by four times) I would be on a different brand...very glad he did not.

 

[dickfoster]

So much truth there, nearly all tractors are good.

I based a lot of my choice on the dealer I felt would be there and take care of me. (And he has)

I had a different tractor in mind and if the dealer would have just have acknowledged me (I stopped by four times) I would be on a different brand...very glad he did not.

I know what you mean. I had one that never got off of his dead ***** or out from behind his desk. They had to at least pretend to be interested in selling me a tractor and some interest after the tail lights were past the curb. He didn't even have a brochure for pity sake. Yeah I'll take your order, then you can come pick up your tractor if and when it gets here and if it ever breaks under warranty, bring it back and maybe we'll get around to taking a look at it sometime. Needless to say I didn't buy diddly squat from him.
The Mahindra dealer bought the tractor to my place (50+ miles), added a chain hook and shackle mount to the front bucket, and filled the tires, no charge. If it breaks under warranty they'll either fix it here or take it back to their place and fix it then bring it back, again no charge. Oh yeah he still owes me a hat as he was out of them, hats I have plenty of anyway. He has been selling tractors for 40 years so he seems to know a thing or two about service. It's real simple, service sells.