Question for new tractor buyers--a little long...

The new emissions regulations mentioned hit the nail on the head for much of the new technology. To get the performance operators want and still meet regulations isn't a simple task. Our haying tractors are 30 years old, spring leaks as fast as we can replace seals and gaskets, and leave a trail of smoke behind them when they're working hard. Sure, they're rugged and relatively dependable, but try to build and sell the same tractor today - it won't happen.

Operator comfort is nothing to mock. Its not uncommon for us to have 12+ hours a day in the seat during planting and harvesting. Ask my dad and older brother what they pay each year to have a chiropractor try to put them back together, or listen to them groan about neck and joint pain. If putting an airbag under the operator's butt will alleviate some of that, why not go for it?

Back in the old days, more weight meant more power to the ground. Today, we call that compaction. Agriculture is becoming an exact science. Tractors are ballasted only as much as they need to be in order to get the right setup for traction. A lot of planting tractors are being switched to narrower tires that are spaced to run between the rows (that is kind of borrowing from 'old' ideas). Minimum and no-till practices are making plow dragging a much less common sight.

Plastic fenders and hoods are not a bad thing. Scratch-resistant, rust-proof, dent-proof and lighter - where's the problem? Newer synthetics are WAY better than they were years back, and should give a long service life. Care was also already mentioned. We have a 1996 Ford lawnmower we bought new, and I have taken very good care of it, so that it still looks new (has a 'plastic' hood and dash). I've seen several examples of the same machine that look like scrap. Given the proper care, synthetics should last about as well as sheet metal, with no need to fight rust.

GPS is stupid. At least, for us it is. In areas where the field stretches off beyond the horizon, being able to quit, go home, then come back and find the exact spot you quit at would be great. Sure, tillage and planting may not need that convenience, but what about chemical application?

When I was growing up around tractors, I complained about a lot of inconveniences that I wished were changed, and someone at JD must have heard me swearing (other manufacturers too). Now you can switch between 540 and 1000 PTO without dumping a bunch of oil on the ground. You can easily turn the tractor PTO by hand to help with hooking up implements. Hoods can flip up out of the way for cleaning and service. The radiator can be swung out so you can clean debris out of it. Someone had a stroke of genius and realized that having a big muffler and air cleaner directly in front of your face made it hard to see where you were going - now they're off to the side of the hood, or hidden behind a cab post. BRILLIANT! Wow, wish I'd have thought of that one... Powershift and forward-reverse shuttle shifting are wonderful conveniences. I'd love to try out any of the tractors with IVT; that will be great if they work like they should.

True, modern equipment is expensive and can cost you big when it breaks down. Old, cheap tractors can swill fuel and numerous, small-dollar repairs can add up quickly both in money and lost time. Opinions will differ, largely based on how much an individual needs to use the equipment. Smaller operations will put up with more down time and the associated costs of running older equipment. Larger operations put on more hours and are looking to maximize the bottom line by reducing downtime and the cost of upkeep (fuel and service). There's no one 'right' answer to the question of older vs. newer.

I do custom work with my tractors for profit, and also grow some cash crops. I got tired of monkeying with leaks ect., ect., and putting up with not haveing some of the newer features i wanted.

NOT all new tractors have "black boxes", so to dump all "new tractors" in one lump is wrong!! You have to "pick and choose" to get what you want, and avoid what you "don't" want!!

I bought new in "86", "97" and "99", (i think?) and so far i haven't had to buy a lot of parts. Mine don't have a lot of electronics, and infact, are more like the "newer" old tractors, in that you can work on them at home!! The two newest ones are used the most, and all three have always started when i needed them, and been on the job makeing me money every time there's a job to do!!

I just don't think you can make a "general" statement and say "new tractors will not hold up as the years pile up!!" Mine have for me!!

Robert

Certainly I havent even gotten into emissions requirements. The new EPA regs are calling for greater and greater efficiency. It takes more precise fuel managment to control them.

Something else to think about. Probably 90% or more of todays new farm tractors are sold to BIG farming operations. The small guy just can afford them anymore. The wants and needs of farmers doing 5000 acres or more, are very different than someone with 35 acres of "hobby farm". Most of those big guys have service techs from the dealer do the bulk of the work on this new stuff. It's not "shadetree mechanic" type equipment anymore. It's hard for the little guy to relate to BIG corperate America's way of doing things. I'm not making excuses for the way things are. Just commenting ON the way things are. And we can't/won't change them..... ..... John

In the good old days, you bought a tractor that lasted 40 years with minimal maintenance. While you were a happy customer, you were a customer only once. So the marketing/accounting morons developed a concept called "planned obsolesence" (late 60's, early 70's). In other words, nearly everything made today is designed to have a limited service life; tractors, trucks, any of their components, etc. People have different levels of tolerance for downtime and repair costs. Most know about planned obsolesence and are very uncomfortable keeping a unit beyond that time. So they buy new... exactly what the marketing/accounting morons envisioned.