Ranking tractor brands from most reliable, to least, & ...

[cdaigle430]

We all learn by mistake.
The more fortunate among us are able to benefit from the mistakes of others, so we don't have to repeat those mistakes ourselves.

Some brands have earned a reputation for excellent design, bullet-proof reliability, etc, while some other brands just seem to need constant $attention.

This cyber-community probably knows more about it than anywhere.

If you've logged 1,000 hours on ag tires, please share your wisdom.

I'm not macho enough to pass for a "gentleman farmer". But it's time for an upgrade. New York Winters are too rugged for me to continue to use this old & excellent work-horse, a Ford 1520. View attachment 610366

I'm on a hilltop here, and we get over 100" of snow per year, we're on the lee of two Great Lakes, Erie & Ontario.

With the snowblower the snow blows back, & can leave me looking like a Michelin commercial.

So I'm shopping for a tractor with a fully enclosed, heated cab, bucket loader front, snowblower rear.

Several brands available within 50 miles, Kubota, New Holland, Kioti, John Deere, M. Ferguson, etc.

Which brands provide what we pay for? What brands are a headache on 4 wheels?

My thanks in advance for you sharing your expertise.

I can only tell you from my experiences with VLOGs and Youtube and Google that the LS has been a bit of trouble for folks-maybe just suffering some growing pains. Then there is also the Russian brand tractor I see and hear alot of complaints about. But that being said no one can really tell you which ones are the most reliable because it differs from year to year and models for each brand. Older tractors are junk in my opinion and they are out to kill or cripple you because they lack safety and adaptability and emissions-they should stay in the past like older cars. If you got one be safe, try and make it last instead of buying a new one.

Go buy something with a good warranty, fits your needs in size, you feel comfortable on and has a good supply of parts and a good dealer rep-thats it. They all break....

I own a Massey but I am not a brand name club member-my next one could be a Kioti or another brand thats working hard to bring their name up. I dont much like name brands per say because I dont like to pay a 30% markup just for the name.

 

[MechanicalGuy]

Welcome TBN MG.
Visit often.
Post a lot.

Thanks. I'll be making a "which tractor should I buy" thread soon enough, lol.

 

[Ricn]

OP - only you can answer your own question. It takes thinking through your needs to include the worst case scenario of what you will use this tractor for.

Not sure there are any bad tractors but there are poor operators who break them. Use it as intended, service them properly and you will get good life. There is a reason tractors are old and still being used, their owners treat them properly per specks and don't use them as bulldozers; they fix what needs fixing and don't just keep on using it when something needs attention. Tractors are for plowing, pulling, lifting and mowing plus what ever implements one needs to use, do other things and they break. The best tractor is one that works for YOU, is comfortable for long hours of operation and completes the intended task within it's operating limits; go beyond that and trouble can and will rise up. My little Japanese 25hp tractor from 1978 is still doing it's job, backhoe and all, but I don't abuse it. Our old JD 1020 runs well, has had some repairs too but can still farm day after day when needed. My new Kubota 2501 with 5ft flail mower is a dream machine for me. I looked and drove Kioti, LS, Massy and Mahindra saving the 2501 for last per suggestions here on TBN. The 2501 my friends have was set up for mowing and after 30 minutes my decision was made, cost was not the most important in a new tractor but comfort, controls and workability of my intended use was. Now I have forks, Land Plane, flail mower and now my sons and I are building a PTO 3-point generator for pumping water when we loose power as cows have to drink. If we needed a snow blower I may have stepped up to the L3301 or 3901 but have read the 2501 does it pretty well too. HP and weight is also what were after, enough to do the task without undue stress on the machine that, if undersized will sooner or later have expensive issues. Personally speaking, I choose Kubota for all the reasons we read about here on TBN and my own observations of those suggestions. The "other tractors" I tested were ok too just that the Kubota really seemed better to me when using it. One of my distant neighbors has the New Holland TO-30 gear tractor and I find it impressive with the abuse he gives it operating a lama operation including field work. Had I not bought Kubota I may have gone for a NH tractor.

Ricn

 

[attract her]

The contributions already made are more useful than you may know. My thanks to everyone that's posted here.

One of my concerns about going New Holland is their pollution regime. I gather for the anti-pollution on New Holland to work properly the engine has to be run fast. Does that mean at or near full throttle?

In the Winter I have to run my Ford at full throttle, to twirl the impeller on the snow hurler fast enough to launch the snow away. But when not running the snowblower, I sometimes run my tractor at or near idle, for extended periods, and without known detriment (I've been doing this for a dozen years, no known harm so far). Diesel may be an excellent fuel for energy density. But it's disgusting. The less I have to faddiddle with it the better. That means lower HP, and low operating engine RPM.

Any Bobcat fans here?
I'd like to look at a Bobcat snowblower, the smallest rider they make. But there doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm from Bobcat about it.

 

[Ricn]

If buying any tractor with hst you will be running it near max rpm to make it work with implements using the pto. No bob cat fan here.

 

[Jchonline]

Everyone is going to post 2 anecdotal things: A rating of a tractor they have owned or one based on horror stories communicated by friends or other owners. This is by no means enough of a sample size to mean anything. Ranking is worthless.

 

[ovrszd]

Everyone is going to post 2 anecdotal things: A rating of a tractor they have owned or one based on horror stories communicated by friends or other owners. This is by no means enough of a sample size to mean anything. Ranking is worthless.

How many tractors have you owned?

Which one was the best?

In ranking order?

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Apple isn't known for being some kind of reliability Juggernaut, their computers are known for smooth operating systems and the ability to handle pictures and video very well.

Both of our Ipads are crapped out. 1 had something internally break, the other did not survive an Apple software update.


Most tractors reliability problems come from age or misuse. There are lemons of each brand (see previous sentence).

I would tell the op that if he buys a $40000 cabbed tractor with snow equipment, to make sure you have a nice dry storage for your investment. Keep it out of the environment, and you'll be in a good position to win the reliability race.

 

[goeduck]

Everyone is going to post 2 anecdotal things: A rating of a tractor they have owned or one based on horror stories communicated by friends or other owners. This is by no means enough of a sample size to mean anything.

This has never stopped mankind. :laughing:

 

[attract her]

Quote Originally Posted by Jchonline
"Everyone is going to post 2 anecdotal things: A rating of a tractor they have owned or one based on horror stories communicated by friends or other owners. This is by no means enough of a sample size to mean anything." Jc #46

"This has never stopped mankind." gd #49

Jc #46 makes a worthwhile point. The information here might mislead some.
And sample size is a consideration, but mainly in public opinion polling, MOE, etc. But we needn't calculate Sigma to have a conversation.
And though I may have owned a tractor for a dozen years, I'm not sure I've put 150 hours on it. It's there when I need it, mainly in snow. View attachment 610692

"Humor is the universal lubricant to heal social corrosion." KT

Did you know that "racecar" spelled backwards is "racecar"?