Buying a refurbed tractor

kenmac · Jan 16, 2011

I would buy a used ( nothing done to it ) yanmar B-4 I would buy a scabbed together pile of junk that was rebuilt in VN

Scotty Dive · Jan 16, 2011

This is great feedback and I appreciate it. I have run across two tractors with the V1 loader and both owners has had them a year or two max. Both had under 50 hours on the meter. The really odd thing is when I start asking questions on where it came from and who did the refurbing they tend to avoid answering the question. The others I see are higher number hours domestic models with lots of owners.

Honestly, whether its recently refurbed or not I expect to have to work/modify etc on any tractor....just would like to keep the fixin type to a minimum.

silvertramp · Jan 16, 2011

When I was tractor shopping 4 years ago there were 2 US Yanmars on Craigslist: an 850 hour 276D/ loader & a 336D/ loader, 1100+ hours. I went with the 276D. It's been great.. I replaced all fluids, muffler, & a rim rotted out within a year. Maintainence stuff. Last summer there was a 336D/ loader for sale beside the road, so they do exist. I'm in Western MA.

normde2001 · Jan 16, 2011

I would not get too hung up on refurbed tractors from anywhere. That just means they have been looked over, fluids changed, obvious problems repaired, probably repainted, and a decent waranty, all for which you are charged dearly. No dealer can afford to replace working parts with new parts.

stormpetrel · Jan 16, 2011

clemsonfor said:
Isnt this the same reputable dealer who your machine came from that now has a blown head gasket? Reason i point this out is that anything can happen regardless of where it originates.

Nope, bought it from a private party. A much better feeling to have the full one year warranty from the U.S. reconditioned dealers.......wish I'd a had the $$$$$:thumbsup:

yanmars · Jan 16, 2011

On ebay occasionally they have US made Yanmars come up for sale. Mine is 30 years old now (336d) and some parts are harder to come by.

clemsonfor · Jan 16, 2011

stormpetrel said:
Nope, bought it from a private party. A much better feeling to have the full one year warranty from the U.S. reconditioned dealers.......wish I'd a had the $$$$$:thumbsup:

No , i was right. I just went back and looked at you old post "Sheesh... Head Gasket". I know you did not buy it from LMTC but i thought that you made it a point to say that you went out of you way to find a tractor that was sold by a good place to start with so that you would not have problems, so you bought this one cause Wayne sold it and he sells good stuff.

If i am wrong about that i must have you confused with someone else, and sorry for that.

I realize that if yours did come from LMTC that you did not purchase it there yourself, but my point is that regardless of where it originally came from you can have problems with anything.

My uncle bought a JD 4400 new 10+ years ago, it now jumps out of C range 2 and 4th gears. This problem has nothing to do with where and who built it but just supports my point that mechanical things can break regardless of where there built and who does it.

normde2001 · Jan 17, 2011

Yep, he said LMTC, fer sure, and "has the reciept".
OIC, it came from a private party who got it from LMTC.

kenmac · Jan 17, 2011

clemsonfor said:
Isnt this the same reputable dealer who your machine came from that now has a blown head gasket? .

I hope you aren't insinuating that Wayne isn't a reputable dealer. Just saying . It could be taken that way. Anything can happen to any thing new or used. Are your chances greater with a tractor (or anything else) that has been scabbed together in VM with home made parts ? I'll take my chances with with one of the Reputable Dealers

clemsonfor · Jan 17, 2011

kenmac said:
I hope you aren't insinuating that Wayne isn't a reputable dealer. Just saying . It could be taken that way. Anything can happen to any thing new or used. Are your chances greater with a tractor (or anything else) that has been scabbed together in VM with home made parts ? I'll take my chances with with one of the Reputable Dealers

No that was not my point. I am not saying wayne or Steve or Fredrics is not a reputable dealer or anything about the machines they sell. MY point, which i though i restated in the last post, is that these things are mecanical and anyone can break. I agree there may be more of a chance that a VN tractor will break or have some shotty build but a person who has a VN tractor and haas put several hundred hours on it in the last 5 years should not be ruled out as a decent machine, its well past some petty thing like a leaky axle seal or bad transmission from VN, at that point.