<font color="red"> </font><font color="blueclass=small">( Kioti has around 11,000 posts and Mahindra has 3700. Powertrac and Yanmar have even more posts. I would still like to see a legitimate source that says Mahindra is #4 in US sales. )</font> </font>
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Doc, I think I am far less skeptical than you are on the sales numbers of Mahinda simply because I have seen similar sales data from other sources (at least raw data showing yearly units). And when you consider product line, it sure is appealing to see the selection and features they offer across their line. We have only 1 dealer near us, and it is a landscape center rather than a tractor dealer. Personally I'd have a hard time buying from them because I want a dealer who will take care of me, with a large parts and service department. But when I look for my next tractor I will be giving them a much closer look, at that point my local dealership may have a better established parts/service department.
As far as why Kioti has 11,000 posts and Mahindra has only 3700, I think a large part of that is the debate regarding specific issues between me, "shoppingtractors" and "KiotiJohn". Between the 3 of us we probably have 9999 of those 11,000 posts, and most of them are YELLING at each other /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I've also noticed that the Kioti owners often post general questions within their own forum instead of the general forum.
What I tend to question are the overall numbers of each brand and the total marketshare numbers for each.
I have no real problem believing Mahindra is #4, but who is #5? or #6? etc . . .
And the often touted number that Kubota has about 50% of the sales seems just as far fetched to me. For the life of me, I simply can't believe that the "big 3" own 90% of the market.
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