Versatile going back to their old colors

JohnCO wrote: I drove past Kelcevic's last July and it looks like they have gone to CaseIH.  Saw some combines and CIH 4 wheel tractors on grain carts.  I remember the ad in the Farm Journal of the Versatile's all in a row. There was one new one here about 8 years ago but he retired or moved east.  The place is being farmed with a Blue one and a 895 maybe, belongs to Keith Bateman.

Here is what I know:

The old colors are back. Those who paid extra for the limited edition are pissed, as now the only difference is the limited edition decals and the memories of the factory tour.

As far as company history, I think we all know that Ford bought Versatile in the late 80s, shortly after the Designation 6 tractors came out.

Ford ag division was sold off to New Holland around 94? IIRC at that time Fiat had bought into new Holland, presumably buying out Sperry? Not for sure.

Genesis tractors were engineered by Versatile and were a home run, replacing the 8x30 series Fords. As the old saying goes, Nothing Runs like a Deere, Nothing Drops a Deere like a Magnum, and only those who follow the book of Genesis rise to glory. :)

In 99? Fiat, who must have owned New Holland in its entirety by then, also bought Case IH.

Due to this, they had to sell off a few lines to keep the Government from declaring it a Monopoly, the Versatile 4wd tractor line and Genesis tractor line was sold to John Buhler of Canada, the Case IH Puma? tractor line sold to McCormick, and there might have been a few other selloffs I dont know about.

So, now seperate from NH, the products change color to the red with black frame and white wheels. All products built in Canada to my knowledge.

in 08? Rostlemash LTd. out of Russia buys 80? percent of Buhler Industries, presumably to bring some reliable tractors back to the Motherland.

Later, they send over the Rostlemash combine, a bi-rotor design that differs slightly from Mark Underwood's design that New Holland made to look bad during a Demo to Caterpillar when they were interested in building combines again. (hence why Cat chose Claas to supply them combines during Cat's return to ag, which soon ended when in 2003? they sold the entire Ag line to Agco, separate from the Claas Lexion, which stayed with Claas.) after the beat down, Underwood sold the design to Deere, who shelved it. Leave it to Deere to shelve a good design and proceed with crap... :)

Essentially the only major difference from the Russian sold machine and the North America sold machine is the switch to Cummins for power. It is a promising design, but still is having some growing pains.

Currently the big 4wds are Cummins power with a Cat powershift. Rugged and reliable. only North American built machine that one can still get manual levers if you so choose.

victoryallis wrote: Hey Chevy boy:   Have you dealt with Buehler on parts?   I own one of Buehler shortline pieces of equipment engineering is piss poor at best.   Wife came within 8 inches of being hit in the head by launched driveline parts.    Paid $40 for a wood bushing that my 9 month old could hold in the palm of his hand. Buehler wanted $250 for sprocket Shoup $40. The sprocket from Shoup was on my porch in under 24 hours the Buehler one was 10 days out. My Agco dealer can have stuff on my porch by 11 am if it needs to come from Batavia its a max 4 hour drive for me. I deal with a high enough volume Deere deal parts are shipped for a flat $8 from Deere.

Really. Call him . Chevy boy ???   For GM guy. Just because you hate Buehler, don't mean you have to be a dick to people that like Versys. I have had them and had great luck. But l know what you mean about there parts. I had a hydraulic pump go out on my 9482. Called all NH dealers, and Versitile dealers around me. The only dealer that had the pump in stock, was a dealer in California 2500 miles away. I blame these dealers, as much as the companies for not having parts. They have learned, if we need it we will pay for it. Therefore why stock it, when we can get it overnight, and charge the customer shipping.

I can't speak to the new Versatiles because I can't afford one...The older ones I can speak to and they are fantastic machines. Easy to work on and very reliable.

ILGLEANER wrote: victoryallis wrote: Hey Chevy boy:   Have you dealt with Buehler on parts?   I own one of Buehler shortline pieces of equipment engineering is piss poor at best.   Wife came within 8 inches of being hit in the head by launched driveline parts.    Paid $40 for a wood bushing that my 9 month old could hold in the palm of his hand. Buehler wanted $250 for sprocket Shoup $40. The sprocket from Shoup was on my porch in under 24 hours the Buehler one was 10 days out. My Agco dealer can have stuff on my porch by 11 am if it needs to come from Batavia its a max 4 hour drive for me. I deal with a high enough volume Deere deal parts are shipped for a flat $8 from Deere. Really. Call him . Chevy boy ???   For GM guy. Just because you hate Buehler, don't mean you have to be a dick to people that like Versys. I have had them and had great luck. But l know what you mean about there parts. I had a hydraulic pump go out on my 9482. Called all NH dealers, and Versitile dealers around me. The only dealer that had the pump in stock, was a dealer in California 2500 miles away. I blame these dealers, as much as the companies for not having parts. They have learned, if we need it we will pay for it. Therefore why stock it, when we can get it overnight, and charge the customer shipping.

Reason I did it is he had a very glorified armchair quarterback post.   The Versy's of old only share the name nothing more.   Dealer I work with gives me the impression that it's solely the company.   The also sell NH and for that they are very decent. I get the impression that they lack the software Agco or Deere has.

The Genisis tractors even had the sleeveless motors of the ford era didn't they ????

victoryallis wrote: Hey Chevy boy:   Have you dealt with Buehler on parts?   I own one of Buehler shortline pieces of equipment engineering is piss poor at best.   Wife came within 8 inches of being hit in the head by launched driveline parts.    Paid $40 for a wood bushing that my 9 month old could hold in the palm of his hand. Buehler wanted $250 for sprocket Shoup $40. The sprocket from Shoup was on my porch in under 24 hours the Buehler one was 10 days out. My Agco dealer can have stuff on my porch by 11 am if it needs to come from Batavia its a max 4 hour drive for me. I deal with a high enough volume Deere deal parts are shipped for a flat $8 from Deere.

I am not doubting your "other buhler product" is poorly designed and hard to get parts for. Considering I dont know if its a Farm King Auger or something else, I have no reason to doubt you, nor did I.

But are we discussing that item? No. We are discussing the 4wd tractor line. 

You may have piss poor dealers, but around here, we are 10 miles from a major dealer who has a wide sales area, he has been known to sell a tractor close to 1000 miles away, and still support it. Gods gift to parts men is at one location.

30 miles east, the state wide Agco dealer used to sell Versatile at all locations till they took on Challenger to get the MT900 series, and still sell Versy at a few choice locations.  Same town is a New Holland dealer that of course used to sell Versy when it was painted blue. 

60 miles Southwest is a dealer that has sold Versatile since possibly the 60s. Followed every single corporate buyout, dropped NH to stay with Versy.

Harry Herl, independent Versy-only salvage yard, is about 75 miles east.

The other independent Versy-only salvage yard is within a days drive, down by Wichita.

That is not even factoring in what Versy's are being salvaged at ASAP @ Bridgeport NE, Abilene Machine in eastern KS, and Mike's Equipment, Buhler KS.


So I stand by my statement that keeping a Versy in the field is not impossible task like you claim it is.

We have owned a 900 Versy for a year or two (sold it, too big for our equipment, needed brakes and injectors, didnt want to spend the money on it), may I ask if you have ever owned a Versy tractor, or just some underbuilt shortline that John Buhler bought up and plastered his name on and you are applying its lousy design and build quality label onto every line of the company?

Granted we have not owned a new one, but many in this area have, and they are happy with them for reasons people have been happy with Versatile for decades: Simplicity, Reliability, Cheap to own and operate.

Sorry you had such a lousy experience with what I assume was a Farm King auger, but no need to take it out on me.


Edited by GM Guy - 26 Nov 2016 at 7:28pm

Zero new generation Versatile tractors in the area all newer large tractors in the area are New Holland or Deere. Seems even Jordan can find plenty of holes in GM Guys post. He doesn't own one but feels he's an expert in Buehler products. Agco and Deere also ran Funk trannies.   The 8000 series Deere is a heck of a lot nicer tractor than a Genesis.   GM Guy seems to think its my dealer and not the company amazing I can talk to the same parts person and have great success with CNH parts and piss poor results with Buehler. With CNH I have an answer in a short phone call with Buehler it's II will call back when I get an answer.

I'm pretty sure JD is apart owner of Funk, can't remember who else is involved.

Talked to bil yesterday, he says they are going to the old colors but a different combination than the anniversary tractors.  Same red, black, and yellow colors but more yellow and less of other colors.