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Not sure how you are concluding machines to day are more simple than they were 40 years ago. If anything, they are 100x more complex with electronics, way more

Not sure how you are concluding machines to day are more simple than they were 40 years ago. If anything, they are 100x more complex with electronics, way more hydraulics, plastics, iron, engine mods to achieve power and efficiency. The 'old' tractors are basically a motor strapped to a chasis (e.g. JD 4020). Although my gut reaction is to side with the farmers, its not so black and white. Nobody is making them buy these 'locked down' tractors, they are choosing to. Money could speak louder than words

neogodless 5y ago
> With proper servicing such equipment lasts a really long time. > Nowadays such equipment attracts a premium simply because it is so simple and can be serviced by the owner for many simple things. The comment is about how old, well-maintained equipment is simple and attracts a premium. The manufacturers are coupling "locked down" tractors with... you know, tractors. If there are competitively produced tractors without the restrictions on owner maintenance, they will sell better, but if that market doesn't exist, the farmers cannot simply vote with their wallets. The complexity of the modern tractors does make it a difficult market for new entrants, so the existing ones own the market, and choose some of the restrictions. It's not a simple problem - modern systems are complex, and so it's not trivial to ensure it's repairable without sophisticated tools and knowledge, but it's still a problem worth examining.