ford vs oliver

I have a ford 8n without loader.Selling to buy a ford hundred series or oliver 550,both with loader and both local.If their both comparable in condition and price,which one is better as far as reliability,parts,ect......Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I'd go for the Oliver, more power and easier operating. If the Oliver has power steering, even better. Parts should be available for both.

I dont have an Oliver, but I have 5 Fords 4100 to the 4610. They are very reliable tractors, and are very easy to work on, if they do need anything. Most I ever had done that was a major job was splitting the tractor for a clutch. Good trannys nice motor, power steering ect. Cab ones are a little more diffacult to work on.

Dealer locale really doesn't matter anymore- there are so few dealers that you'll do everything by phone and UPS anyhow. Get the Oliver- Independent PTO, live hydraulics, more power- just a much better tractor.

Better yet, get a slightly newer Ford, a 1955+ 600/700/800/900. It's a much more practical tractor, can be had for similar cost many times, and has options like live PTO, power steering, and much more power than the 8n. The secret is, don't get in a hurry. Take your time and you will find the right tractor for you.

Joe how ya doin??? hey Joe do you ever get mad ? if so what gets you that way ?? P.H.

Seems like he has a choice of two LOCAL tractors and just wants an opinion of which is a better. The Oliver has all the things you are naming in the newer fords. Anybody who ever used a 550 Ollie would never look at the same era fords again.

I like the Oliver 550, but I think at this time it is a collector tractor. But maybe you should talk to some of the Oliver guys in your area. I have been told that some of the parts are quite difficult to get, if/when needed. IIRC, this model was made for only 2 years?? And there weren't a large number made, so it is not often that someone is parting one out making parts available. Yes, it has some very nice features,and I'd like to have one.

But if you are going to get a working tractor that meets up with some of the hard knocks of tractor life, then I'd favor the Ford. And it all has to do with parts availability. I think the Fords had a better engine and were pretty solid performers. Serious parts are available because so many were built and there has been a big enough market to keep aftermarket parts in production.

I run Ford and IH tractors in the usual farming/field part of our operation, but now have 2 Minneapolis Molines for moving wagons and equipment around in the yard and sheds. The MMs are being used, but are on light duty, as they kind of fit the "collector status" with hard to find parts. AGCO is the parts supplier for both Oliver and MM, and they have deleted out huge numbers of parts for the MM, and probably the Oliver also. I have MUCH better parts availability for the Fords and IHs. JD has been excellent for parts availability also.

Just my 5 cents worth.

Paul in MN

I'm not really familiar with the Ollies, but I'd be inclined to think that parts availability would be somewhat better with the Ford. That might also depend heavily on what dealer support you have locally...

Rod

Paul,
I'm pretty sure the 550 was made closer to 20 years. And so far parts haven't been that hard to find, a lot of that has to do with the dealer, we are blessed with an AGCO dealer that so far has been willing to help find things for our older projects.

Running my post count up ; What kind of hundred series Ford ? To get to a comparable time frame for the 550 I think you might have to jump up to something like a 3000, most of the hundred series Fords ended production in the early 60s and I think the 550 started production in 1959/60, and ran until the end of Oliver in the 70s.

I'd go for the 550. If it has power steering, that's a plus. They were built for 20+years, as Oliver, Cockshutt, and White.

I'm helping my brother rebuild a 550 in his garage right now. The engine is rebuilt, the transmission is completely gone through, the front axle was fixed, etc...

We used to have a ford 600 when I was little. All I remember about it was that it was hard to get going, went through ignition parts like crazy, and overall it wasn't a very good tractor. Of course this was a while ago now and if a guy went through it, I'm sure it could have been made to run a while longer.

I'm biased, but I still say 550.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Those Fords were popular. Parts are relatively common. Not a "bad" tractor. In general, Oliver parts may be harder to find, but the 550 was a really great tractor. They were a generation further advanced than the hundred series Fords. Oliver parts should be available through any GOOD AGCO dealer. There were quite a few 550's also. Parts shouldn't be an issue. All things equal, I'd jump on a good 550, where a hundred series Ford isn't anything to get that excited about IMHO.

I can't tell you much about about the Oliver. I can tell you a little about the Fords.
Personally I would skip the hundred series and go to something like a 3000. 3 cyl
They are rugged, reliable, parts are available and they will hold they're own against all comers. Plus, after having an 8N you'll find that the 3000 is very familiar. Like the younger, prettier sister of a girl you once dated.

Hands down going away,the Oliver. Parts are easier to find than they were 20 years ago. Fully independant PTO,bullet proof engine. Just a super nice tractor. If I live long enough to retire to a little place in the woods,that's definately the only tractor I'm going to own.

A Kubota with a hydro tranny and 4x4 ! or a New Holland or Deere. Far and away better then the old ones to get stuff DONE !

Gary,

That is good to hear. I unfortunately have tripped into the door of a couple of AGCO dealers who did not give a dam_ about providing parts for any of the colors they did not originally sell. "We were a Oliver dealer" or "we were a Fergie dealer" and that becomes the end of the conversation at the parts counter. Maybe their corporate plan on reducing their number of dealers was right on.

One dealer I have dealt with was adding an extra 10% on top of list and shipping costs to their address, plus excessive shipping to my address. And they claimed they had ordered MM parts for me, but never notified me when they came in, about 5 weeks later, although I called every week.

Maybe I should have never bought the MM, and got an Ollie instead. No doubt in my mind that the Ollie is a good tractor.

Best Wishes,

Paul in MN

Not as a put down of you,rrlund or any one else that keeps pushing the Oliver or any Agco Product.It is like Paul from Mn.said below,IF a old dealer is still in business,he mostly will show you the door if it wasn't his old line.Agco has put 80-90% of the old dealers OUT. The new ones don't or won't even talk to you if it is 10 Yrs.old or older.Agco knows this and don't care as our former A-C Blockman-Service Rep.told us in 2000,IF you think we are going to support stuff 20Yrs.old ,YOU are crazy.Yes he is still with Agco.In our case,A-C=80Mi.Oliver=300Mi.M-F=300.Case=30Mi.or??Farmall=30Mi.Ford=40Mi..So Service Parts is a big Thing.