# Anyone have a Challenger brand tractor?



## JD3430

Anyone run a Challenger? Looks like same as Massey Ferg/Agco.
Deaer has MT535B. Has caterpillar 3056C 6L diesel that is priced pretty fair. Looks like 105-118 PTO HP depending on your source of info.


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## Teslan

Tractordata.com shows a bit different then that with regards to HP. I tend to like Massy tractors as we've had good luck with our 2002 MF6290. However the MF sales guy told me last year to watch out for some of the transmissions on the mid 2000s MF tractors and our neighbor had terrible trouble with one built around 2006. I would think that the same would apply for the Challenger tractors. Sorry I can't remember actual MF tractor models and transmissions that weren't the best to compare to the Challenger models.


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## swmnhay

Teslan said:


> Tractordata.com shows a bit different then that with regards to HP. I tend to like Massy tractors as we've had good luck with our 2002 MF6290. However the MF sales guy told me last year to watch out for some of the transmissions on the mid 2000s MF tractors and our neighbor had terrible trouble with one built around 2006. I would think that the same would apply for the Challenger tractors. Sorry I can't remember actual MF tractor models and transmissions that weren't the best to compare to the Challenger models.


The tranny problems are on the 2000 series tractors built in mid 80's.They had a lot of updates to them.Not aware of any issues on later models.Have a 1995 MF 8150 and i really like it.


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## JD3430

OK, how about massey ferguson 3650?
Trapped inside with hurricane and it's given me an opportunity to check out tractors. Gotta find one soon.


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## slowzuki

The 4200/4300/5400/6200/6400 MF's are the same tractor in red and yellow. As far as I know the cab lid is the only major difference.


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## jtpfarm

I would tend to stay away from the challenger tractors. Challenger is owned by agco so it is pretty much the same as other agco lines. The only reason i say to stay away from the agco, massy, ect is resale and parts availibilty. I am a JD man myself but i would suggest for you to look at John deere, New Holland, or Case. When it comes time to sell the more "off brand" tractors they are less desireable not because they are bad machines but because there are not as many out there. Also there are way less dealers out there for parts so someone looking to buy a tractor is going to shy away if there isnt a dealer near them. With the other 3 brands there are many many dealers and if your local one doesnt have a part that you really need there is a good chance the another store in a reasonable distance does. If not they can usually get it the next day.


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## JD3430

I do have local Challenger & AGCO dealers.
Tractor looks awesome. Tons of technology in them, but along with that, i would assume expensive repairs....
Really sweet little tractor. Looks like a CAT 6 jug under the hood..


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## slowzuki

Used to be Perkins mills under the hood with a CAT sticker, now there are some SISU's I'm guessing since Agco is going that way.



JD3430 said:


> I do have local Challenger & AGCO dealers.
> Tractor looks awesome. Tons of technology in them, but along with that, i would assume expensive repairs....
> Really sweet little tractor. Looks like a CAT 6 jug under the hood..


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## slowzuki

MF/Agco off-brand, not holding value? What are you talking about? We aren't talking about their minor sub brands like Valtra. Maybe its your area? Within an hours drive I have 3 agco dealers vs 1 JD, 0 NH, 0 CIH. The JD dealer also recently went bankrupt and screwed a bunch of folks who had tractors being sold on commission on the lot.



jtpfarm said:


> When it comes time to sell the more "off brand" tractors they are less desireable not because they are bad machines but because there are not as many out there.


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## JD3430

maybe cause MF is a Canadian heritage company?


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## JD3430

Sisu scares me. Could be completely wrong.


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## Teslan

They have put Sisu engines in the swathers. I have one. Seems as good as an engine as the cummins that used to be in the hesston swathers. No problems with it. We have a Massey dealer 10 miles from us and a Challenger/Cat dealer about 20 miles away from us. And another Massey dealer 25 miles away. I've always been able to get parts for our Massey tractor the few times it needs it. And the service has always been good. I wouldn't really call Massey or Challenger an off brand. Though I never have been able to figure out why Agco has too have two brands of the same thing.	Same goes for NH and Case. True they don't bring as much in resale values, but they also don't cost as much in the beginning as the green machines or so I've heard. Haven't tried to deal with the JD dealer in a long time because they were always higher for a similar tractor and down right arrogant about it.

But JD I thought you were trying to stay away from tractors with lots of technology?


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## JD3430

Teslan said:


> They have put Sisu engines in the swathers. I have one. Seems as good as an engine as the cummins that used to be in the hesston swathers. No problems with it. We have a Massey dealer 10 miles from us and a Challenger/Cat dealer about 20 miles away from us. And another Massey dealer 25 miles away. I've always been able to get parts for our Massey tractor the few times it needs it. And the service has always been good. I wouldn't really call Massey or Challenger an off brand. Though I never have been able to figure out why Agco has too have two brands of the same thing.	Same goes for NH and Case. True they don't bring as much in resale values, but they also don't cost as much in the beginning as the green machines or so I've heard. Haven't tried to deal with the JD dealer in a long time because they were always higher for a similar tractor and down right arrogant about it.
> 
> *But JD I thought you were trying to stay away from tractors with lots of technology?
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Guilty as charged! I just saw this thing and it looked really nice. Price was affordable, too.
Just about 4 hours ago, I found a Case-IH 5250 Maxxum. Guy offered me a good deal. Gonna see if I can make this happen.


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## carcajou

they are good tractors, local outfit had 6 of that size. They have way more hp than they are rated, had to do with import taxes. If the price is right don't let fear hold you back. Ray


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## Gearclash

> Just about 4 hours ago, I found a Case-IH 5250 Maxxum. Guy offered me a good deal. Gonna see if I can make this happen


Be sure the park brake is solid on it. It is vulnerable to abuse by driving with the park brake on, mainly if the warning alarm is not working, and is a pricey item to replace.

We have a 5140 that pulls the midsize square baler that has around 6,000 hrs on it, and a 5230 that has done mostly loader work for 7,000+ hrs; both have had relatively few problems.


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## somedevildawg

Jd it comes down to whether you have a dealer in your area.....I like agco. Cnh, but I'm a Deere fan. Better support here.


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## slowzuki

You're thinking massey Harris I think, I always think of mf as a uk/France company?


JD3430 said:


> maybe cause MF is a Canadian heritage company?


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## mlappin

jtpfarm said:


> I would tend to stay away from the challenger tractors. Challenger is owned by agco so it is pretty much the same as other agco lines. The only reason i say to stay away from the agco, massy, ect is resale and parts availibilty. I am a JD man myself but i would suggest for you to look at John deere, New Holland, or Case. When it comes time to sell the more "off brand" tractors they are less desireable not because they are bad machines but because there are not as many out there. Also there are way less dealers out there for parts so someone looking to buy a tractor is going to shy away if there isnt a dealer near them. With the other 3 brands there are many many dealers and if your local one doesnt have a part that you really need there is a good chance the another store in a reasonable distance does. If not they can usually get it the next day.


Off brand? Cat, MF and Valtra are in the top ten in the world for production, that's name plates, combine them into just Agco and they are right up there with JD. I have a Cat/Agco dealer 20 minutes away, a Agco/NH dealer 20 minutes away and the largest seller of White planters in the nation 90 minutes away.


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## swmnhay

*Funny thing is people that run them,Massey,Challenger,Agco tend to like them and others bad mouth them but have never ran one.*

*Resale.I spent 25K less on my MF 8150 when i bought it new compared to JD.It's still worth about 25K less then the JD.So how is that better.I saved 25K.*

*MF downfall in the US was their dealer network failed in the 80's*

*There are some good dealers out their and they have been getting a few more latley.*

*Not sure now but Massey was world leader in tractor sales.*


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## jtpfarm

Just to be clear i am speaking of the tractor market and dealer availibility in the U.S.


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## LeadFarmer

swmnhay said:


> *Not sure now but Massey was world leader in tractor sales.*


If this is true, in my opinion, it is only due to the fact that they are so cheap (Massey Ferg). We have a local dealer here that also sells New Holland. Dude straight up told me he has known me too long and likes me too much to sell me a Massey tractor.

Massey/Hesston/Challenger all fit under the AgCo umbrella. Challenger is their "premium" line. I have yet to have one on my farm, and thats not to say I never will, but I DESPISE the Challenger salesman in this area, and he is not welcome on my property. I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't really have an opinion of these machines based on experience, just word of mouth and what I have seen visually.

There are a few Massey tractors and swathers running around out here, and not suprisingly they belong to a couple farmers who like to do things on the cheap, and I mean dirt cheap.

Case Maxxum should be a great tractor for you. I am currently heavy on red tractors and have been extremely happy with all of them. I have several ranging from a 95 horse Farmall to a 535 horsepower Quadtrac and they have been problem free with quite a few hours on them this year. Our local Case dealership is just awesome though. Such great men to work with, they are aggressive, yet not pushy and totally customer focused.

My main advice to you would be to consider your local dealers and support system. This is basically what has influenced my few latest equipment purchases. Find the dealer who supports you and the product the best and go with them. In this day and age, honestly, most brands of tractor are neck and neck with each other, so it comes to down support for me.


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## slowzuki

Not sure which models you mean but Massey is a premium tractor here although they have a cheap line too. In europe they are slightly cheaper than JD but so is everyone except Fendt.

The 5400, 6400, 7400 series etc are all top spec tractors. Aside from a few exceptions really well respected machines.


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## JD3430

I talked to my Kubota dealer this morning about a M-125X I just found. They are a GREAT dealer and have cut me more than a few breaks along the way and repaired used equipment for me FREE even when there was no warranty. Although they used to be a bigger Ag dealer, with all the farms that disappeared 10 years ago, they really concentrate on under 100HP. I told him I was looking at a 125X. He really doesn't have a horse in the race but told me I'd love the tractor and it's a perfect hay tractor for round baling. He will fix it and road service it for me and said he would like to keep me orange. These people have always treated me the way I like to be treated.
Mind you, he didn't say anything bad about Challenger.
I talked to local CAT dealer service. He said they honestly focused on industrial forklift, dozer type stuff and rarely serviced Challenger Ag tractors, but did not say he wouldn't, either.

Bottom line here is that Kubota would probably be a closer, more familiar dealer than Challenger.


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## mlappin

Bottom line is if you have a crappy dealer with crappy service no matter what brand they sell it will be crap.


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## JD3430

Yes That's very true.


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## swmnhay

mlappin said:


> Bottom line is if you have a crappy dealer with crappy service no matter what brand they sell it will be crap.


AGREE


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