Go BottomWorkhorse tractor
 | GWENDE
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2004-06-14 88526
Anyone heard of Workhorse tractors?
The domestic brand tractors want wayyy too much for a new machine. We could buy a used JD or NH, or we could buy a new foriegn brand tractor. They're all made overseas anyway, right?
We have three choices for foriegn brand tractors in Phoenix. Kioti, Mahindra, or Workhorse. I'm interested in anything you have to say about them.
For the record, if I could afford it, I'd have a New Holland in the barn. But, the local dealer wants $18000 for a TC21, just tractor and loader. That's just silly.
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa 
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2004-06-15 88545
Do yourself a big favor and buy the used domestic. Yes the domestics have tons of foriegn parts in them, but you'll have a dealer network to take care of you when service and parts are needed. I've heard of a few folks buying those assemble it yourself "Box Jobs" form overseas with scanty instructions that are written in an unreadable language. Most regretted the day they ever heard of them. Frank. ....
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| chipuren
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 193 Arkansas
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2004-06-15 88550
Domestic? I don't know of a truley domestic tractor made these days.
KIOTI is a top quality tractor manufactured in S. Korea. They have plants in NC and Texas that put the tires and wheels on so maybe they are a "domestic" brand as well.
You can visit the KIOTI boards and browse, Its true that I am a KIOTI dealer and am somewhat biased but I'd be comfortable to compare KIOTI quality with anybody.
MAHINDRA is also has some very nice tractors from India, Korea and some new models from Japan. More info on these brands can be found elsewhere on this board.
Workhorse is a JINMA tractor originating from China but if someone were to make a study, I think they might find there is more US labor involved in the assembly of these than many of the "domestics"! They really take them apart to fit them in the small shipping crates they come in.
The Chinese tractors provide a cost savings and can be a good value if they are purchased for occasional use to maintain, landscape small acerage homesteads, etc. They lack refinement, especially cosmetically. They usually have sliding gear trans making them a little tricky to shift, etc, may leak a little oil now and then but they do work well, even tend to out perform their HP class due to larger displacement engines and more weight. Nearly all have two stage clutches, live hydraulics, power steering, ballast weight, worklights, sunshades, etc as standard.
These tractors can in many cases be the best compromise of price and capability when on a budget. Especially with good used tractors often being hard to find or commanding near new prices.
Owners should be mechanically inclined to take care of some of the occasional issues and/or have good access to an established, knowlegeable dealer who can assist with service issues. There is a Chinese tractor section here as well as other boards that support Chinese tractor owners. I have found that most buyers are quite satisfied with their Chinese tractor, especially if they make an educated buying decision. There are many satisfied CHinese tractors that are members of this board.
Assess your needs, do your homework (like posting and reading these boards) and you will come to the right decision. Go drive the models you are considering, that will go miles to help you determine which tractor you want.
Enjoy your shopping!
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 | kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2004-06-15 88557
Given the choices you offer, I would go with either a used Big-3 brand or a new Kioti, if and only if there are dealers in your area that would provide parts and support for whatever brand you choose. The last thing you want is to have the tractor down for a month or two while you are hunting for and waiting for parts. ....
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| Tractordan
Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 4 Atlanta
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2004-06-15 88602
Most of the lesser-known brands are good workhorse (pardon the pun) tractors that will do all the basic tractor chores reliably for many years. They may not have all the gizmos, but then that just means there is less on them that can go wrong. And while they may be a bit rougher in fit and finish than tractors twice their price, if you’re buying for fit and finish go ahead and pay extra for it! I sell Task Master tractors and sell a new 4WD 26 hp tractor with a loader for $10,000 here in the Southeast. That’s about half what a big-name dealer down the road wants for the tractor alone.
No matter what the brand you’re going to be relying on the reputation and strength of your dealer. A reputable dealer is more likely to have done his homework and chosen to sell equipment that is a good value for your dollar. And this usually translates into good service and parts availability, including a local stockpile of commonly needed parts. You can’t stay in business long selling poor quality merchandise or giving poor service. Buying a Name-Brand tractor can be just as big a headache as a no-name brand if you can’t get local dealer support.
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| kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2004-06-15 88603
Stocking commonly used parts is good, but what about uncommon parts? You don't want to be in a situation where you have to wait for a shipping container to arrive on a slow boat from China. My Chinese chipper has been down for three weeks waiting for an uncommon part, and it will be a few more weeks still. Chipping can wait so I can live with it, but if it were my tractor I'd be mighty upset. ....
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 | beagle
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1333 Michigan 
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2004-06-15 88643
I did a lot of searching when replacing my last tractor, and of the "other" brands than the big 3, the Kioti's are the best engineered and manufacturer tractors I tested. The quality of the dealership is what put me into the Kubota. I was really disappointed with the Jinma line, and decided not to make the compromise.
It is always important to consider re-sale value when making a purchase of this size. The big three, and Kioti, are your best bet for holding re-sale value. The CK line from Kioti are REALLY nice tractors and are priced less than Orange, Green, and Blue. ....
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