As you said James, Parts, and service.
I have a friend who bought what I would call an "off brand" tractor, even though it's probably worldwide, one of the most popular. I'm not going to name the brand, as it's not my intention to start an argument on here. His dealer is small, and doesn't stock many parts, and when the man needs a part, he often has to wait days. I farmed full time for many years, and I know that you cannot be sitting still and waiting for parts when the sun is shining and there is work to be done. There is usually only a small window of opportunity to plant, spray, and harvest crops, so you need to be running when the time is right. I think that's why JD is so popular here, as the local JD dealers have always been the best in town. Although, that is changing somewhat here, as Case-IH has made great inroads in the big equipment market. It happened because the long time JD dealership changed hands, and some farmers didn't like the way JD went about doing it. Some switched to Case-IH exclusively, and some are now running both. Give a customer good service, and a good parts department, and you'll keep that customer.
