The color of tractors

[HP942]

When I was a kid we had a red Farmhalls of various models, a yellow International Cub, a green Oliver, the finally a blue Ford. I’ve owned a green Deere now running a blue LS. The only color that really matters is the amount of greenback dollars to aquire.

 

[MossyDell]

I think there's something to this imprinting on color. If you are born into a Deere family, only green JDs will feel right. As a kid, I thought tractors should be red, as I recall. We'd left the farm and I was growing up in a Florida beach town—never saw a tractor!

Then for his retirement nursery business my Dad got a Kubota, in 1978. The only compact or maybe his was a subcompact, at 13 hp, then sold in the US. That became my first tractor. I loved and love the combo of orange and blue. Some call it gray but it's a deep blue or blue-gray. Blue and orange are UF's colors, where I graduated, which helps.

I owned a JD970 for 10 years. A strong, simple, good 33 hp tractor. But when I'd check out bigger or other tractors, it was always Kubotas I mooned over.

 

[TractorTYMe]

When I grew up in Norway, the grey Massey's running around from the 50's and 60's was referred to on the people's terms as "The grey creature".

 

[oosik]

Where I was raised it was all apple orchards. As I remember all the tractors were red. From either paint or rust.

 

[Wagtail]

No tractor background for me (although my Dad was 5th generation born on the same farm... they used horses!) and all of my 'adult' life was spent somewhat at sea with the Navy.

When I retired here to Tassie, I simply asked the 'locals' in the pub/paddock which tractor Dealership had the best reputation and JD kept coming up trumps, even the red CASE people said so. Reputation is KING here and 'word of mouth' will make or break you.

So, I'm GREEN with no regrets.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

Grew up with IH red, but grandpa had Alice and MF. Had an uncle who always bought green despite having 3 in-laws with 2 IH dealerships. Our toy tractors were red. I am looking for the best value. I'll admit wishing that the CaseIH would be it, even though Case was a side business as a kid. I also tend to be wary of JD green, but was still open to the idea if they were the best value.

I wish you could get tractors in custom colors irrespective of manufacturer. Barring that I wish Oliver brand would be sold by AGCO to Kioti, Branson or LS. I would like green, just not JD green. Seems we have too many red and orange brands...maybe a black tractor?!

"Had an uncle who always bought green despite having 3 in-laws with 2 IH dealerships." What a big slap in the face to the in-laws

"I would like green, just not JD green." Why?

 

[Torvy]

To me, JD is like Apple, Coke and Budweiser. It is more about the marketing than the product. Pound for pound, they are more expensive than the competition. The best argument in their favor has always been that they have a great dealership network and that they have great service. My experience last week with my local (15 miles from my property) just reinforced that the reputation for service is either overstated or only applies to the 100+ HP stuff. They dealer network, to me, is kind of a chicken or the egg thing. If people buy the lesser names (LS, Branson, Kioti, etc.) their dealer networks will grow. The biggest argument against them is their dealer network not being big enough. Lastly, and by far least important, I am not a fan of that shade of green. Green is my favorite color, but I like a darker, more muted green. Oliver green is closer to what I like. Despite my bias against them, I evaluated them with the competition for my needs and was fully prepared to buy JD if they turned out to be the best utility for my dollar.

 

[arrow]

To me, JD is like Apple, Coke and Budweiser. It is more about the marketing than the product. Pound for pound, they are more expensive than the competition. The best argument in their favor has always been that they have a great dealership network and that they have great service. My experience last week with my local (15 miles from my property) just reinforced that the reputation for service is either overstated or only applies to the 100+ HP stuff. They dealer network, to me, is kind of a chicken or the egg thing. If people buy the lesser names (LS, Branson, Kioti, etc.) their dealer networks will grow. The biggest argument against them is their dealer network not being big enough. Lastly, and by far least important, I am not a fan of that shade of green. Green is my favorite color, but I like a darker, more muted green. Oliver green is closer to what I like. Despite my bias against them, I evaluated them with the competition for my needs and was fully prepared to buy JD if they turned out to be the best utility for my dollar.

This is a different mindset. You are putting your brain before suggestion.
I'm questioning the aspect of color as a subliminal purchase consideration.
I was drawn firstly to the orange of kubotas and did not take into account the quality of their tractors because I didn't know much about the tractor market back then. I was simply "drawn" to the color and I wonder if it was because "orange" was the color of most of my construction toys as a youngin.
I ended up with a JD because it was what I could afford.
That being said, there was something inherently pleasant to me about this color combination. Crops and grass are green...the sun is yellow.
Me likey.
My present tractor is "red" and that was because the dealership is 15 minutes from me.

 

[arrow]

"I would like green, just not JD green." Why?

Do you hate cutting the grass?

 

[the old grind]

I agree that early imprinting can influence color preference when selecting vehicles. My favorite pedal and motor bikes (Raleigh, Schwinn, H-D) and a few others were bot new and I chose the colors. I don't know where it all began with me.

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