I hate modern tractors

[Bald Rick]

OK so we only buy 2nd hand ones with around 5000hrs on them then generally add at least 1000+ hours to each/year but, frig me, these modern tractors are pansies always throwing up error codes and acting up.

Have manufacturers overdone it with all the sensors and the stupidity of emissions reductions?

And then there is the cost of spare parts, Labour (because everything needs a frigging computer plugged in ) and time to get the spares. And then the pluckers need breaking in two to get to some rinky dinky sensor thats thrown a hissy fit

And don’t start me on Fastracs …..

 

[Farmer Roy]

 

[Netherfield]

It isn't only tractors though is it, cars are going the same way.

I had a VW Phaeton, kept throwing up a air bag fault, had to keep going to the garage to plug the computer in to switch it off, when I asked could they replace it

'Well yes but we've to remove most of the front end of the car to get to it'

Same car

Put a parcel on the back seat and a seat belt warning came on, wrap the seat belt round the parcel would not cure it, take the parcel away and it still stayed on, something to do with a it not weighing enough for it to be a person sat in the seat.

And it appears both were fail items if lit at MOT time.

 

[roscoe erf]

It isn't only tractors though is it, cars are going the same way.

everything is from kettles to the space station

 

[Baling Hay]

Bring back the 40 series Fords and 7810 John Deeres!

 

[DrWazzock]

I thought EVs etc might be simpler. But no, vastly complex. I thinks it’s more about lifting things beyond the ken of the ordinary man than anything then forking us over on running costs.

 

[melted welly]

I thought EVs etc might be simpler. But no, vastly complex. I thinks it’s more about lifting things beyond the ken of the ordinary man than anything then forking us over on running costs.

Exactly that, subscription instead of ownership.

 

[Chae1]

Its luck of the draw, but have you tried buying new?


Tractors can go through all sorts of abuse/incidents before they reach 5k hours.

I'm speaking from experience.

I'd rather buy something new and know its life history and keep it for a long time.

Most new tractors have 3-4k hour warranties. So no repair bills, just phone dealer if issues. If you get a lemon, trade it in again. You might be buying the lemons at moment. If its a good tractor keep it.

 

[Lincs Lass]

Ever since I had my Navara remapped,there's been an engine light on ,told the guy at the garage that did the remap,,naa don't worry about .
Passed its MOT .

 

[balerman]

OK so we only buy 2nd hand ones with around 5000hrs on them then generally add at least 1000+ hours to each/year but, frig me, these modern tractors are pansies always throwing up error codes and acting up.

Have manufacturers overdone it with all the sensors and the stupidity of emissions reductions?

And then there is the cost of spare parts, Labour (because everything needs a frigging computer plugged in ) and time to get the spares. And then the pluckers need breaking in two to get to some rinky dinky sensor thats thrown a hissy fit

And don’t start me on Fastracs …..

Yep agreed,I think the sweet spot was about 15 years ago.I wouldn’t want to go back before very quiet cabs,powershuttle gearboxes,air conditioning and comfy seats,but since then it’s been mainly more electronics and emission stuff.It’s the electronics and emission stuff that creates most of the problems.Only run 1 newish one here now,the others are 12 years old at least and will be staying a lot longer for this reason.

 

[Pistonbroke]

Bring back the 40 series Fords and 7810 John Deeres!

 

[Enry]

Its luck of the draw, but have you tried buying new?


Tractors can go through all sorts of abuse/incidents before they reach 5k hours.

I'm speaking from experience.

I'd rather buy something new and know its life history and keep it for a long time.

Most new tractors have 3-4k hour warranties. So no repair bills, just phone dealer if issues. If you get a lemon, trade it in again. You might be buying the lemons at moment. If its a good tractor keep it.

I know what you mean....hear of lemons where dealer and manufacturers involved, they come up with a deal to swap that owner is satisfied with...then someone buys a mint, low hours tractor after it's been sold in the trade, and discover they have bought the lemon! By buying new, you know how it's been treated from new, also if it's ok through warranty is a safer bet to keep than it would be to buy some random equivalent model SH

 

[balerman]

I know what you mean....hear of lemons where dealer and manufacturers involved, they come up with a deal to swap that owner is satisfied with...then someone buys a mint, low hours tractor after it's been sold in the trade, and discover they have bought the lemon! By buying new, you know how it's been treated from new, also if it's ok through warranty is a safer bet to keep than it would be to buy some random equivalent model SH

That’s happened to the last new one I had,loads of problems,came up with a deal for me to swap,then retailed the problem one again.Not even sent very far away,puts me off buying nearly new even from a main dealer.

 

[Bald Rick]

Pfft … new ones in the HP we buy are now well north of £150k and climbing rapidly. Can get quite a lot of repairs for the differential between a new one and a 5k hr one

Only trouble is, the buggers break down when you use them ... Except Fastracs that don’t even need to be used

 

[daveydiesel1]

Why dont you buy older stuff the? Simple answer is you and /or the drivers dont want old "reliable" stuff or youd have a fleet of faits lots of people talk about the good stuff of yesteryear but in truth no1 really wants a bog standard basic tractor

 

[Chae1]

Pfft … new ones in the HP we buy are now well north of £150k and climbing rapidly. Can get quite a lot of repairs for the differential between a new one and a 5k hr one

Only trouble is, the buggers break down when you use them ... Except Fastracs that don’t even need to be used

Thought all the big dairy farmers were ordering fleets of new Fendts!?

You must be doing something wrong.

 

[som farmer]

run 1 new, replaced every 4 years or so, with service package etc, and it lets us down occasionally.

the next, is 23 years old, easy maintenance, and self repairable, just had the starter motor go, £450 for genuine replacement, of the shelf, £250 for a branded non genuine, 2wk waiting, or £150 for unbranded, 6 wk waiting, the branded one, should be here this week, and we can do it ourselves. Hasn't really had any other problems.

the last one, 30+ yrs JD 2040s, just gets abused, and keeps going, on the scraper, but anything simple, like the NH above, done by ourselves.

No complicated electric gadgetry, nothing awkward to get at, unlike a 2 hr cotorsion exercise, by a mechanic, to replace a sensor, on the previous new one.

There again, might be an age related thing !!!!!! But tractors have changed incredibly in the last 50 yrs, tell my son, looking at 'vintage' tractors, that is what we did all the work on, not sure he can quite believe it. Nor can l sometimes, especially pre cabs, although we did have a ford major, with a very simple cab-luxury.

 

[Bald Rick]

Thought all the big dairy farmers were ordering fleets of new Fendts!?

You must be doing something wrong.

Got in a Fendt the other day…. And whilst I could start it, I didn’t have a clue how to move it backwards or forwards. No frigging gear sticks.

 

[Bald Rick]

Why dont you buy older stuff the? Simple answer is you and /or the drivers dont want old "reliable" stuff or youd have a fleet of faits lots of people talk about the good stuff of yesteryear but in truth no1 really wants a bog standard basic tractor

By far the best tractor (in my eyes, if not those of son & staff) is the Deutz DX6.11 Agrostar. A proper machine with gear sticks and levers. No poncey stuff like sensors monitoring steering angles (do you hear me JD?) or even water cooling the engine.

 

[Boo-Boo]

My valtra at the moment throws up an emissions error a couple of times a day, power drops considerably. Have to turn off tractor for a minute, wait for code to clear and off I go again.