I've always taken specs and numbers for what they're worth, and based my opinions on what happens when you actually take a tractor to the field and put it to work. Theory and speculation are great debating points, but when push comes to shove, it's all about getting a job done.
Sales numbers, Nebraska test results, HP ratings, and coffee shop gossip don't hold a candle to side by side comparisons. My experience with the MF135 and 150 vs the 3000 Fords tells me that the Massey had a decided advantage in just about every area. I don't use either as a primary tractor these days, but through the 70's and early 80's I did.
Fuel economy. No comparison. The Perkins diesels are far more efficient. They last longer. Rated hp was LESS on the MF, yet they would perform BETTER under a load.
Drawbar loads? An equally ballasted 135 will plow all day long right along side of a 3000. Not any difference as far as I could see. Line up a 3000 against an MF150 and you'll wonder if the 3000 is down a cylinder or just getting tired. The 150 has the exact same engine and drive train as the 135. Simply a case of a better balanced tractor using its power more efficiently. NEITHER of the 3 tractors would have any "spin faster" issues.
I purchased the 150 new in 1971. I bought a new 3000 just a year later. Both were relatively close in price. (Paid more for the 3000) I bought the Ford primarily because a new Ford dealer opened up just a mile from home. MF dealer was 40 miles away. The 150 is still on the job. The 3000 was parted out several years ago. The engine flat wore out, front end and steering was so sloppy it was almost unuseable, even the sheet metal was toast. The 150 got a coat of paint and is here for another 37 years if I last that long.
Until just recently, I kept one of my 3000's for use on a mowing crew. (I operate a commercial mowing business) I still use that 150. Side by side, using IDENTICAL 6' Bush Hog 286 mowers, the MF 150 would consistantly run a gear higher than the 3000 is the exact same conditions. In an 8 hour day, the Massey would do quite a bit more work, and again, do that on far less fuel.
I won't stoop to ridiculous lines that I hear at the feed mill, or jokes that an owner of one color has about another. I'll stick with what I've seen and experienced.
Maybe there really IS a reason why Massey Ferguson was the #1 selling brand WORLD WIDE during the time when the 100 series was a new tractor.
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