Had a question from Robert who is looking for somewhere on the Internet to get unbiased tractor ratings. Does such a thing exist? Something like "Consumer Reports" which doesn't accept sponsorships and can tell you about the best tractors? I don't think so, and I doubt there'll ever be and here's why.

First off, the volume is a lot less. There were around 13 3/4 million new vehicles sold in the U.S. last year and 270,000 new tractors. There's just not enough volume there to devote a huge effort to rate the different brands and models for a limited (albeit growing) market.

Secondly, it would need to be supported by donations and that's not realistic. Most small tractor buyers get one tractor and keep it forever, so it's not something that would be used enough to justify a nonsponsored ratings service.

Third, we use our tractors for a lot more than just driving up and down the road. You may use your tractor mostly for front end loader work, I use mine more to pull a Bush Hog. So, my needs will be different from yours in terms of tractor specs and performance.

Fourth, a lot of folks who buy tractors have brand preference and wouldn't need to know specs. Especially among farmers, they'll know as much, or more, about the tractor than the salesperson selling it to them and would likely ignore a "Consumer Reports"type ratings service.

Finally, not all tractor companies have distribution everywhere, and without a dealer to back it up, the best tractor isn't worth much. Any ratings service would not be able to account for the dealer network that supported the tractor brand. What's strong in my area may be weak or nonexistent where you live.

I don't think we'll ever see a "Consumer Reports for Tractors", but we do have more resources than ever for helping us make a good buying decisions. There are lots of YouTube videos that compare the different makes and models. Sometimes, they're produced by people either selling, or being sponsored by, a brand, so they're not always unbiased.

There all also forums where people discuss the different tractor brands and models. Beware about putting too much stock in those, because sometimes those ratings are written by people with an axe to grind, or who hate every product they've ever owned.

Bottom line is, I don't think there are any "Consumer Report"type tractor websites. Does anyone know something I don't? Please put in the comments down below.

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