Product improvement or planned obsolescense?

[UncleBuck01]

It's seems like this thread is on its way to be locked...

Paul
I must give credit to the Moderators, maybe they realize there were things said that had to be replied too, even MikePa (a moderator himself ??) deserves a little of ( not ALL, not Majority of ) the credit for keeping it open.
As long as it stays civilized

dbear
I hear you guys near Buffalo got up to 12", no snow out my way , YET
O.K., now you can close it just fooling, just fooling

 

[rback33]

It might snow today.

Not happening here!

And as someone how actually took a logic class in college, I DO have an opinion as to who is "right," but I would rather keep this on topic.

As was posted about the big iron.. those changes are important. In high school and college I worked for a local farmer with a very large operation. He has always run very nice, late model equipment. I was spoiled to say the least. Those tractors of 12 years ago pale compared to the ones today. The greatest change in my opinion is the integration of the control console into the armrest of the seat so that it travels with the chair. I can remember many a day where I had to turn around in a rough spot and trying to find the correct remote handle to raise the 52' of cultivator while bouncing all over the cab. This would have saved me quite a bit of energy. But then again, the guidance systems will drive the tractor and all I would have to do is turn around at the end while I watch my DVD... my how times have changed.

 

[dbear]

dbear
I hear you guys near Buffalo got up to 12", no snow out my way , YET
O.K., now you can close it just fooling, just fooling

I'm closer to Rochester. I guess we got a little dusting yesterday (I was in Boston), but it didn't stick. East of the city supposedly saw up to a couple of inches. Ain't lake effect great?

 

[UncleBuck01]

Not happening here!

And as someone how actually took a logic class in college, I DO have an opinion as to who is "right," but I would rather keep this on topic.

As was posted about the big iron.. those changes are important. In high school and college I worked for a local farmer with a very large operation. He has always run very nice, late model equipment. I was spoiled to say the least. Those tractors of 12 years ago pale compared to the ones today. The greatest change in my opinion is the integration of the control console into the armrest of the seat so that it travels with the chair. I can remember many a day where I had to turn around in a rough spot and trying to find the correct remote handle to raise the 52' of cultivator while bouncing all over the cab. This would have saved me quite a bit of energy. But then again, the guidance systems will drive the tractor and all I would have to do is turn around at the end while I watch my DVD... my how times have changed.

Lets start from the beginning, I think it IS product improvement and not planned obsolescense, let me explain:
I think they put the tech they have, at the time they make the machine, when new tech comes along (year or two down the line) they will put that tech in that years model ( usually at a higher price ). Does that make your machine OBSOLETE - NO . I also think they offer several make's (TYM - Mahindra, John Deere - Yanmar) & models (with different prices) of basiclly the same machine Now here is where I think MARKETING plays a big part,its up to marketing to make you buy the Mahindra over the TYM, the John Deere over the Yanmar, its up to marketing to convince you that you must have those improvements, bells and whistles, its up to marketing to get you off the couch and buy the latest, even if the tractor you have now
can easily handle the task. The Marketing continues when you hit the showroom. Do all companies prey on emotions, NO . But a majority Do .Do I think ALL consumers are fooled, NO. Do I think at any given time there is a majority of consumers that can be fooled, yes. And if you don't believe MARKETING is that powerfull, I have a PET ROCK I can sell you real cheap
rback
I won't even try to talk about big iron, especially in the class your talking about. I have never been on, or use such equip. I will not talk about something I don't know a thing about, but I can see the logic of improving those machines.
one other question, I bet you did not need that college class to figure out "you don't spit into the wind"

 

[texasjohn]

My first tractor... a Case tricycle gas engine with no power steering, a claw 3 point hitch and drawbar. It tipped easily and pulled my arms out of the sockets. You had to select the gear you wanted and live with it. It worked OK

next tractor was a massey Ferguson 165, gasser, wide front end, power steering, 3 point hitch with shift on the go. It tipped less, had a few more horses, was easier to drive because of "shift on the go" gearing, less painful on the shoulders with power steering but front end bounced up and down a lot and couldn't lift heavy stuff on 3pt hitch without lifting front off the ground. It worked better.

Current tractor features not available on prior tractors:

diesel, more horsepower,

cab (I scratched my eyeball and got sunburned without one),
Air Conditioning and heat (I caught cold, got soaked, bit by insects before),

front end loader (need I say this saves my back and gets huge more done than prior tractors, I no longer need to use manual T post driver, etc. )

rear hydraulics for hydraulic top link, saves stopping and steps

headlights, cab light, work lights front and rear on cab... now I can actually can see at night!

hydrostatic transmission, provides extreme safety when maneuvering, infinate speed control

4 wheel drive, for far greater traction. I used to dig lots of ruts all over the place with rear tires!

rear view mirrors, saves me turning around.. a lot!

MPH indicator so I can accurately gauge/maintain proper herbicide application rate

wet brakes... they actually work while my other tractors didn't.

Well, I'm sure that there are more features that I haven't thought of...

Net: CURRENT TRACTOR WORKS BEST.. yes, current tractor costs more $$ than prior ones, but, then, I guess my body is worth more to me now than it was back then when I put up with all the inconviences and pain of my prior tractors.

To me, the features on my current tractor are true improvements, not just marketing ploys. That's my $.02

 

[rback33]

one other question, I bet you did not need that college class to figure out "you don't spit into the wind"

OK LMAO true story here, but I did learn that as a kid. You see, so how I ended up in the front seat of our Ford van and my mom was in the far back seat. The sliding glass window in the door was open. I spit OUT my front widow and it came back in the sliding window.... three guesses as to where it landed.... Probably not QUITE what your were thinking, but a lesson indeed! BTW.. the logic class was one of my favorites. Not particularly easy, but very fun.