Combines MF Advocate

We had good luck with the 860 they would need some work around 2000 hrs but wasnt that costly to run. We have a 1688 now with 2000 and it giving problems also. One of the best for reliabilty was a 1992 8460mf[claas] we put 2000hrs on it without hardly any problems would out cut the 1688 in tough going. Hopefully next machine will be a lexion.

I ran my old 760 against an 8820 and in down corn I out did it. As to the repairs costs to my 860, they included a concave and cylinder bars and other "long term items". Over the next couple of years the repairs will be less. You talk of constant break downs, these machines are very simple and pretty easy to work on. Most of the bearings are the same. What are your complaintsIJ Maybe you didn't do enough preventive maintanceIJ I am not color blind either, because I am looking for a 4420 John Deere to do my smaller patches. I just get sick of all the MF Bashers. They all break down. My friend has an 8820 that is broken down alot, but he fixes it and goes on. I have another friend with a 9500, and he spent $4500.00 on it last year and this year another $3000.00 on walker cranks and bearings. These things never get announced, I guess. I operated a 9610 with my 860 and I really like the creature comforts of the 9610, except that it is really hard to work on, and it was also broken down when I had it and also would not put out a good sample in seed beans. I agree that a Massey has its faults, lots of them that I could list, some had been repaired or updated over the years, but they have prevailed through it all, the bashers, the 1980's and all the buy outs and I applaud them for it. ( I had two 915 internationals at one time and still have a 403 that I like and an old 55)

I see this all the time. Just because MF may have had a few less than perfect machines that had some problems, ie the 540 combine, 2000 series tractors, etc., you want to generalize and believe that MF can never build anything good again and won't look at them. Don't succumb to such false logic. MF today has likely the best combine on the market (by the way, it's nothing like the 540 of 25 years ago). I don't believe in letting past machines too heavily influence my evaluation of a current machine, provided it has changed. JD had poor tractors, then good ones, now pretty questionable ones. Things change. JD had good combines. Now, well at least they lOOK good.

Your idea and my idea of "simple" must be two different things. I find that maximizer very easy to work on. My old 6620 I used to have had it's moments it was a pain in the rear and made me invent new cuss words. The 860 and 750, I just cringed at the thought of working on them. Even now, mentioning working on it makes me think of all the repairs and work we did before harvest and what we did during harvest and how everyone wanted to throw a match to it. If I never ever owned one or worked on one. I'd think calling me a basher would be very fair. Since our farm owns 2 and worked on them both continuously through the years and know the ins and outs of them I think I can give a genuine honest answer when I say they are not as fabulous as you would like people to believe. Oh yea, they can cut crops. Sometimes they run plenty long and then the next harvest they break down every darn day. It's those harvest's I get sick and tired of and this past one was no exception. Massey had some good ideas, Just a crying shame they didn't have any quality control. That 750 when brand new had to go back to the dealership right away because half the bolts in the machine were missing. A friday or Monday buildIJ Hah, I've heard that story before too........As many of those red machines that were running around here compared to now and listening to those owners say the same things I'm saying now, Nu uh, I ain't buying this b.s. that we had poor maintenance or poor P.M. The massey company was just plainly ignorant to quality and that's the bottom line. Besides, you bragging about these rotaries, Good grief fellars, all they did was put the massey name on a WHITE combine! Yea, I know, the new ones are a bit different, but the same idea and background from the white. As for the Tractors, When a dealer I talked to recently has the agency for the MF tractors and the NH tractors and he tells me to leave the MF's alone because they are junk..........Well, don't take a rocket scientist to decide what to do. I'm sure they are not junk by any means, I'm sure what he meant is they do not measure up for the amount of money spent vs. a blue one. Who knows for sure. If you got one and you like it, boy, that's great. Just don't sit here and feed me these lines that those ole masseys were such gems. I know better. NOPE, don't want a color war. Don't argue a bit they have thier place. Just don't believe they deserve quite the credit your giving them. Trust me.....I could spend a day telling you what's wrong with the deere's too. They all got improvements to make for what they charge. Now off my soapbox.......Take care, if your machine does you a good job. Boy, am I glad one of us got fortunate. Take Care Deerebines.

I really have enjoyed your comments. That is what makes this America great. Black or White or "Red or Green". I hope you have a good fall as we are looking forward to one. I live in Illinois and just on the line of good and bad crop. We are very thankfull where we live. Good luck!