Start Blue, Stay Blue: How One Customer Found the Right LS Tractor – And Kept Coming Back
When Trey Schreader bought his first LS Tractor in 2020, he was looking for a compact tractor to help maintain his two-acre property. Six years later, after moving to 36 acres and purchasing five LS tractors, Trey has found something just as important as capability: compact tractor reliability he can count on every day.
His equipment needs have changed as his property and workload have grown, but one thing has remained consistent – his confidence in LS Tractor and his relationship with his local dealership, The Tractor Depot in Salem, Ohio.
From digging and brush hogging to mowing, animal care and general property maintenance, Trey’s experience shows how the right tractor can evolve with an owner’s changing needs.
For Trey, the decision to stay with LS Tractor has been simple: when he needs his tractor, it works.
And for Mike Douglas, Trey’s salesperson at The Tractor Depot in Salem, Ohio, having a customer return for five LS tractors is exactly the kind of long-term relationship a dealership hopes to build.
It’s a relationship that puts a real-world meaning behind the LS Tractor slogan: Start Blue. Stay Blue.
From a Two-Acre Property to a Growing Operation
Trey was already familiar with LS Tractor before purchasing his first machine. His uncle had purchased an LS tractor in 2019, giving Trey an opportunity to see the brand firsthand. When Trey began researching a tractor for his own property in 2020, he compared LS with other brands and looked closely at both price and capability.
Ultimately, he purchased an LS MT125 tractor-loader-backhoe package from The Tractor Depot.
At the time, Trey’s property was only about two acres, but the MT125 quickly proved useful for much more than he initially anticipated.
“I liked how compact it was, and the backhoe was really easy to take off,” Trey said.
He used the tractor for projects around his property, including electrical work while building and expanding near his garden, plowing the driveway, and other general property maintenance. But his needs didn’t stay the same for long. A year later, Trey began doing side work, including brush hogging. That additional work – and the desire for a larger, more stable machine – led him back to The Tractor Depot.
One LS Tractor Led to Another
In 2021, Trey traded his MT125 for an LS MT225S, again purchasing a tractor-loader-backhoe package assembled by The Tractor Depot. The larger-frame tractor offered greater stability for his needs and opened the door to additional work. He used the MT225S for about a year, including brush hogging, electrical projects and digging with the backhoe.
Then Trey’s property changed again. He moved to a much larger 36-acre property, which meant more land to maintain and more work to accomplish. As his acreage grew, so did his need for horsepower.
In 2022, he moved into an LS MT235. “I loved the tractor, enjoyed it, and used it every day,” Trey said. But with even more property to manage, Trey once again found himself talking with Mike Douglas about his next tractor.
In 2023, he purchased an LS MT240E, the larger tractor he needed for his growing workload. Today, that MT240E remains an important part of his daily routine, helping with jobs such as brush hogging and taking care of animals on the property.
Five LS Tractors and Counting
Trey’s latest LS purchase came in 2026. While he still relies on his MT240E for heavier property work, he needed a different solution for maintaining the lawn and areas around his property.
His property may encompass 36 acres, but about an acre is dedicated to the yard – and Trey also mows around the farm’s fencing. His residential mower was nearing the end of its life, so he once again called Mike.
This time, the answer was another LS MT125, equipped with a loader and finish mower. The new combination gave Trey the power and flexibility he was looking for. His previous commercial mower struggled with taller grass, but the MT125 allows him to adjust engine RPM to keep the mower deck operating efficiently.
“The deck cuts and throws grass better,” Trey said.
It was a practical solution to a practical problem – and another example of how Trey’s LS equipment has evolved as his property and workload changed.
Why Trey Keeps Choosing LS Tractor: Reliability and Value
Five tractor purchases from the same brand over six years is a strong endorsement. For Trey, however, the reason isn’t complicated.
“I’ve had very minimal issues,” he said.
Of the five tractors he has owned, Trey experienced only two warranty-related issues with his MT235: a water pump failure and oil pan leak during the first 40 hours of operation. Both were covered under warranty, and The Tractor Depot had him back up and running in a week. “Other than that, out of five tractors I haven’t had to take anything back,” Trey said. “I’ve had zero issues”.
Reliability is especially important to Trey because his tractors aren’t occasional-use machines. His MT240E, for example, is used every day for maintaining the property and caring for animals. “When I need it, it works,” Trey said. “Knowing when I need it, it’s reliability is everything.”
He also appreciates how straightforward his LS tractors are to service. As someone who is mechanically inclined and performs much of his own maintenance, Trey said the service manual makes jobs such as changing the oil, hydraulic filters and fuel filters easier to handle himself.
A Tractor is Only Part of the Purchase
While the equipment keeps Trey coming back to LS, he is quick to point out that the dealership has played an equally important role.
His relationship with The Tractor Depot began after he researched several LS dealers, collected quotes and found the dealership through the LS Tractor dealer locator. Located about an hour away, The Tractor Depot stood out after Trey spoke with Mike about the tractors.
Six years later, that initial conversation has developed into a relationship built on trust. “Anytime I call for filters or questions, Mike gets back to me quickly”, Trey said. That responsiveness matters when equipment is an important part of getting work done.
Mike sees the relationship from the dealership side. He describes Trey as laid-back, honest and upfront, and says the dealership enjoys working with him. More importantly, Trey represents the type of long-term customer relationship The Tractor Depot works to build.
“We often say that you’re not just buying a product, you’re buying into the dealership as well,” Mike said. “We are going to be there for the after-sale support.”
That support has included handling warranty work quickly and prioritizing customers who purchased their tractors from the dealership when service is needed. For Trey, knowing that the dealership will stand behind the equipment is important. “When I had a warranty issue, Mike said bring it up and it was taken care of in a week,” Trey said. The Tractor Depot even washed the tractor before Trey picked it up after the warranty work. Those small details have made an impression.
Building a Relationship Beyond the Tractor
Over the years, the relationship between Trey and Mike has become more than a traditional salesperson-customer connection. Both families have recently experienced a major life change, with Trey welcoming a newborn son and Mike and his wife also expecting a baby.
Mike gave Trey’s son an LS Tractor onesie shortly after the baby was born. Two months later, he called Trey to ask how his son was doing. For Trey, that personal gesture stood out. “Not many dealerships do that,” he said. It is a small moment, but it captures something important about the relationship Trey has developed with The Tractor Depot. The tractors may be what brought them together, but trust and genuine customer care are what have kept the relationship going.
A Family of LS Tractor Owners
Trey isn’t the only member of his family who has chosen LS. His brother and his brother’s friend have also purchased LS tractors from Mike in recent years. Today, there are multiple LS tractors within the family. That kind of word-of-mouth loyalty is one of the strongest indicators that a customer has found a brand and dealer combination that works for them.
For Trey, the equation comes down to performance, reliability, value and support. He believes LS tractors deliver performance comparable to other brands while offering the value that originally caught his attention.
“LS is just as reliable as other brands,” Trey said. “If you have a good dealer that takes care of you, there should be no issue with getting repairs done if they arise.”
Start Blue. Stay Blue.
Trey’s story is not about buying the same tractor five times. In fact, quite the opposite. His five LS tractors have been different machines for different stages of his life and different demands on his property.
The MT125 was the right fit for a two-acre property. The MT225S offered a larger frame and greater stability. The MT235 provided another step forward as his property grew. The MT240E brought the horsepower needed for 36 acres and daily property maintenance. And his latest MT125 with a finish mower fills a different role, giving him a practical solution for maintaining his lawn and the areas around his farm.
Through all those changes, one thing has remained constant: LS Tractor. So has his relationship with The Tractor Depot.
For Mike, Trey’s five purchases demonstrate what can happen when a dealership consistently earns a customer’s trust. “He’s come back to our dealership for a reason,” Mike said. “He’s loyal to the dealership as well as LS Tractor. We have been able to meet his needs.”
For Trey, it comes down to something even simpler. “When I need it, it works.”
Six years after purchasing his first LS Tractor, Trey continues to put that belief to work every day.
Find the Right LS Tractor for Your Property
Whether you’re maintaining a few acres, managing a growing property or looking for equipment that can handle daily work, the right tractor can make a difference. Explore the LS Tractor lineup or find an LS Tractor dealer near you to learn more about choosing the right machine for your needs.
Published on September 4, 2026 and written by Kimberly Steele