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Mike: As I see it from a farmers point of view. I grew up and farmed in an area where 95% of the land was forested. Very expensive area for a farm equipment dealer to service and survive. Farms were located along narrow river valleys and that caused a lot of miles for these guys. Through the 40s, 50s, 60s 70s and 80s basically 4 companies did have dealers that survived. Massey Ferguson bascally did it on the strength of their small tractors. The 35, 135 and later models in that hp class have been unequaled by anyone as it applies to durability and being user friendly. Their larger tractors were not much to write home about. Cockshutt-Oliver, later White made it on their shear brute strength. When the going got tough they would hang in there with any Farmall. Their down side was a reputation of being clumsey. For that reason Farmall reigned supreme over White. Deere could match Farmall on manuverability and being user friendly, but just couldn't match Farmall or White at the end of the drawbar or pto shaft. Those 4 Farmall, White, Deere and MF did manage to maintain a good dealer network through the years. In those days and in that neck of the woods, Ford was being sold mainly by Ford car and truck dealers that for the most part knew very little about tractors. I remember once talking with a Ford dealer about a Cockshutt 30 he had taken on trade for a Ford 4000. He did not know what live pto much less Independant pto was. One of his employees a mechanic, suggested that dead pto was watching him walk to the office every morning. Attempts by Ford and others to maintain solid, steady dealers in that area were not very successful. I've always maintained this equipment was only ever as good as the dealer right in your home town. I expect some credit must be due to what the company had to offer. Survival for a farm equipment dealer has got to be quite different where 90% of the land base is farm land. Another interesting little note about that same area where I grew up. Today it's all Blue and Green, with Kubota nipping at their heels.
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