For the most part, a tractor is really only as good as the dealer that sold it to begin with. Here where I am is one of Kentucky's best farming areas. It is said that there is more new equipment sold here than just about anywhere else in the country. Part of that has to be because many grain farmers also grow tobacco, a very profitable crop. I have traveled to other parts of the country, and will agree that this area has more than it's fair share of new equipment.
Anyway, for years it was pretty much dominated by JD, and the biggest reason for that was that the local Deere dealer was known throughout this part of Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri as being one of the best around. For years, they were consistently one of Deere's top selling dealers. The Case-IH dealership, though owning stores in 5 states, always came in behind the Deere dealer. Several years ago, Deere put pressure on the local dealer to either acquire more stores, or sell out to a dealer that already owned about 10 stores. They were eventually forced to sell, and the new JD dealership was nowhere as accommodating as the old had been, and as a consequence, Case-IH has made some serious inroads on Deere, and according to some folks, have surpassed them here locally.
Things like that can have a bearing over the popularity of brands. Without a doubt, JD has always been the best selling new tractor, and the best selling used tractor. Locally, Fords were very popular, and New Hollands have been as well. NH makes a good tractor, and many farmers say they are as good as Deere or Case-IH. The larger NH's seem to be a better tractor than do the smaller ones, and that many be because of who makes them, as the new ones today are not made by NH, just painted and labeled as NH.
