Source: 404 Media
John Deere's shift toward computerized, software-locked equipment has created a thriving secondary market for mechanical tractors from the 1970s-80s—machines farmers can repair without manufacturer permission or subscription fees. Used mechanical tractors now command premiums because they sidestep the repair monopolies and forced obsolescence that define contemporary farm equipment. The premium prices expose how badly Deere miscalculated farmer tolerance for digital control.