Market Share? Who's next after the Big 3?

[NewToy]

I'm going to generally agree with Dargo on this. What I see is that many of the electronic parts on the new fangled tractors are pretty simple things like hour counters, RPMs, and simple stuff. Those are things that have been around for a decade or more on cars. My Ventrac has an hour meter that is also the RPM meter too. No biggie. If it fails I suppose I won't know how many hours are on the machine or what the exact RPMs are, but the tractor will likely work. And honestly, it looks like it is $15 part, and since the Ventrac is not a high volume machine, it is very likely an 'off the shelf' part from an electronics supplier. I suppose Deere or Kubota may use something a bit more proprietary, but I honestly doubt it. I suspect (but I don't know) that they are using 'off the shelf' parts and encasing them in weather resistant housings of fancy dashboard plastic. Electronics are not that complicated, nor are they unreliable. But hey, the analog RPM guage on my Avanti died long ago, I can't seem to find a replacement, and the car still runs great without it. Sure, it annoys me that I have a show car but can't tell what the RPMs are, but the electric windows and electric convertible top, and electric antenna, and electric seats, and electric mirrors and electric locks all work just fine.

Bob, I always liked those old Studebaker's. Isn't the Avanti powered by a small block Chev? Anyhow, my two cents on the fancy electronic stuff on some of the deluxe model tractors will be the weak point in the supply chain. Also, some of the plastic body panels may be a challenge in years to come. Stick with the steel stuff as much as you can, you can always hammer it back into some semblance of the original.

John

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I'm going to generally agree with Dargo on this. What I see is that many of the electronic parts on the new fangled tractors are pretty simple things like hour counters, RPMs, and simple stuff. Those are things that have been around for a decade or more on cars. My Ventrac has an hour meter that is also the RPM meter too. No biggie. If it fails I suppose I won't know how many hours are on the machine or what the exact RPMs are, but the tractor will likely work. And honestly, it looks like it is $15 part, and since the Ventrac is not a high volume machine, it is very likely an 'off the shelf' part from an electronics supplier. I suppose Deere or Kubota may use something a bit more proprietary, but I honestly doubt it. I suspect (but I don't know) that they are using 'off the shelf' parts and encasing them in weather resistant housings of fancy dashboard plastic. Electronics are not that complicated, nor are they unreliable. But hey, the analog RPM guage on my Avanti died long ago, I can't seem to find a replacement, and the car still runs great without it. Sure, it annoys me that I have a show car but can't tell what the RPMs are, but the electric windows and electric convertible top, and electric antenna, and electric seats, and electric mirrors and electric locks all work just fine.

Available and cheap are both relative terms. Available and cheap compared to UNavailable and too costly to replace are not the same as available at the local NAPA and cheap as a $7 ammeter. Once a tractor reaches a certain age, it's appeal isn't space age technology. It's being a cheap alternative to NEW. Electronics are intimidating to the untrained. The cost of having a mechanic to install would make used equipment more cost prohibitive to many. That will effect the resale value. To those who can afford a tractor as a luxery item, all this is a moot point. But consider most people that buy any type of tractor, be it a compact, an AG tractor, or even a lawn mower, it's a major purchase that stretches them to their limits, sometimes so even with used.

It's easy to compare functionality of electronics to a car. But that car doesn't operate in dust and dirt, or sit with exposed operator station. Tractors spend their years with most people, in a harsh environment.

Some brands will do better than others at withstanding the effects of time on their electronics. Some won't do as well. Some tractor lead a pampered life from day one. MOST don't.

Over the last 35 years or so, I've bought and resold dozens of tractors as money making attemts. It's very evident that simple tractors of the 50's and 60's are head and shoulders above the same size and brands of the 80's and 90's, in terms of ease of repair and availability of uncommon parts. That's a BIG reason why the oldies are still so popular in terms of USING them on a daily basis. I'd venture to say AT LEAST 50% of the old Ford N's and Fergies are still "daily drivers" as opposed to "collector tractors". Reason? Common, ordinary, middle income America can work on them and AFFORD them (and the parts it takes to keep them going)

That $35,000 compact won't always be a new toy. Someday, it will be a well used, second hand "cheap tractor". How "cheap" it is will determine how POPULAR it is/was.

I'm not going to try to say that todays crop of tractors will be worthless. I'm convinced they'll be anattainable (price)or unmaintainable (parts/service cost) to the "average" USED tractor buyer.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I just traded in a Yanmar YM 1700 for a NH 1720. Never an issue with parts on the Yanmar. Heck, it never needed any.

We've got a great independent tractor repair shop here. A friend of mine needed a water pump for his Yanmar. Local guy rebuilt it for $100. He has a supply of Yanmar parts on hand also. I'm lucky.

I am somewhat concerned about the electronic stuff on the newer compacts. My dad's D-17's are very easy to get parts for because Allis-Chalmers sold a ton of them. I doubt that they would have held up as well with more electronic computerized stuff.

 

[roxynoodle]

Why did you trade the Yanmar for a NH?

I am hoping there will be dealers for my Yanmar until I'm dead, lol! As long as I can get parts I will keep it.

 

[CDsdad]

JUST MY GUESS. JUST MY OPINION. It has nothing to do with what brands will survive for 20 plus years. But based on history, your best bet is to buy a very popular MODEL if you want parts support for that MODEL when it becomes an antique.

Ya'll are getting too deep and too far ahead for me. If I make it til mine's antique, I'll be too old and crippled to ride it fast enough to do much damage. Maybe my grandkids can use it then. I'm just proud when I got enough diesel to run more than 3 days in a row.

 

[Turbys_1700]

Why did you trade the Yanmar for a NH?

I am hoping there will be dealers for my Yanmar until I'm dead, lol! As long as I can get parts I will keep it.

I had been looking for a 4WD for some time and just came up on a great deal on the NH...

My Yanmar was only 2WD...

Don't worry about parts for Yanmar's...

Their plentiful on most models...

If they are like mine you don't need many...

 

[Woodbeef]

Very good points guys. Few things though you missed I'd say: First off North America is only one market,and with the web the world is alot smaller these days. So that must be taken into account for overall popularity,along with parts comonality,and badge engineering. Also Massey was the first with computerized tractors,lots of them still in daily use today 20 years later.