J.D. Power: Tyre wear most bothersome problem for tractor owners in India

Excessive or uneven tyre wear is once again the problem most frequently reported by respondents to J.D. Power’s annual survey of tractor performance in India. It is also noted as the most bothersome problem by tractor owners.

For the J.D. Power 2017 India Tractor Product Performance Index (PPI) Study, J.D. Power utilised evaluations submitted by 3,440 tractor owners located across 14 Indian states who had who purchased a new tractor from an authorised dealership between December 2014 and March 2016. The study measured the number of problems owners experienced with their tractor across 88 problem areas, and tyre issues top the list for a third consecutive year.

Tyre-related problems caused overall user satisfaction to decline by an average of 99 points (on a 1,000point scale) compared with those who reported no issues with their tyres. J.D. Power notes that the increasing use of tractors for non-farming operations aggravates the issue further, with reports of excessive tyre wear increasing by 6.5 per 100 tractors when the tractor is also used for non-agricultural applications versus when its use is solely reserved for farm applications. The study also noted that a higher proportion of owners who use their tractor for non-agricultural purposes have replaced and re-treaded their original tyres compared with those who have used their tractor only for farming activities.

“Tyre wear can result in higher fuel consumption as well as an uncomfortable and unstable ride,” said Yukti Arora, manager at J.D. Power. “Customers who report excessive or uneven tyre wear provide much lower ratings on fuel efficiency, traction and ride smoothness of their tractor. When tractors are used for non-farming activities, improper tyre pressure, changing ground-surface conditions from fields to paved roads, and uneven load distribution during haulage operations can cause tyres to wear faster. In order to improve satisfaction with the original tyres, manufacturers and dealers should educate tractor owners on proper tyre maintenance for enhanced performance and extended tyre life.”

Tractor owners’ overall satisfaction with product performance improved to 823 out of 1,000 points this year, a 52-point increase from 2016. Eicher ranked highest in the below 31 HP segment with a score of 856 and performed particularly well across three of seven machine performance categories. New Holland ranked highest in the 31-40 and 41-50 HP segments, scoring 862 and 866, respectively; the brand led in all seven machine performance categories in both of these HP segments. Mahindra ranked highest in the above 50 HP segment with a score of 889, and achieved the highest score across five machine performance categories.