Greetings from the Hurricane state!

ebbtide · Oct 2, 2004

First I want to say this has been the best source of info I have found for tractors on the net. I have been lurking on and off for over a month. Well when we have power is when I lurk. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I have decided to sighn up today and begin asking my long awaited dumb questions. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I did use the search feature first but came up empty.

Have any of you heard of Duggan Equipment sales in Ocala, Fl? I went by and looked at some Yanmars yesterday but had an un easy feeling about them. I alos went to Wayne Wickers in Leesburg, Fl. I looked at a 2004 MTE tractor. I serched the net all day long for inf on this tractor and found zippo. The salesman said it was made by Jinma. I also looked for that under the MTE name and still nothing. Again thanks for the help. I hope to be very active once I decide on a tractor to purchase. I will be using in for about 5-7 acres and I have up to 7,000 in funds to spend. Any ideas lemme know. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

mark1 · Oct 2, 2004

Hi there Huricane state person.Check out Danny Morgan in New Smyrna beach http://www.morganequipment.net
He has Jinmas and has been around many years now. I bought one of my 284's from him : /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Harrygoodwrench · Oct 2, 2004

Welcome and greetings,
The hurricane state, you sure aren't kidding about that. I feel real bad for what the Floridians have been through lately.
Well, 7K you said is your money number. That puts you in used tractor range or China tractor terrority. I must point out if you go China tractor you will have to do a little wrenching now and then during the first 50 hours or so till the bugs are out. I do own a China tractor, a 224 Jinma, and can only say I've had no problems with mine but others have had their share. There are many reputable dealers that do ship. I'm not sure about dealers in Florida state. I'm sure there are several. Northern has stores in Florida that sells the Nortrac, that an option to go get a good look see. Or find some dealers in your state. Some dealers that ship that I know of are, Tommy's Affordable tractor, Circle G Tractors, Homier, Emerybuilt, Bolton Power Equipment, Artrac. Coastal Tractor. (Hope I didn't slight any dealers I didn't mention, there are so many reputable dealers).
For 5 to 7 acres I think anything from a 20 to 28 HP would suit that. It is nice going for the extra HP as the price is not that much to upgrade. I think 254 nortrac with a FEL can be had for a little over 8K so that tells you what can be had. Like I said you might have to be handy at times.
http://www.northerntool.com/retailstores/storelocations/florida.htm

greg_g · Oct 2, 2004

( I alos went to Wayne Wickers in Leesburg, Fl. I looked at a 2004 MTE tractor... The salesman said it was made by Jinma)
If that tractor looks like THIS you might consider avoiding a place that doesn't know the difference between a Jinma and a Mitsubishi

//greg//

ebbtide · Oct 2, 2004

Thanks a bunch for the great replies fellas. Here is the tractor im interested in. The gent said it was made by jinma. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page its the green tractor on the left.
http://www.wickertractorsales.com/_wsn/page2.html

Scozz · Oct 2, 2004

Mike,
Every search I've done shows the MTE is a Mitsubishi. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

ebbtide · Oct 2, 2004

If that's indeed what it is and all indications are looking that way is it a good tractor? And is the price competitive with other dealers? I'm a little leary of dealing with someone if they don't even know what they carry. It may have been an honest mistake tho.

white_ja · Oct 2, 2004

It looks like a Jinma to me. Only it has the under tractor exhaust. Otherwise, it looks like all other Jinmas.

shvl73 · Oct 2, 2004

I've seen Jinma's named whatever the importer wants them to be named. I've no doubt it is a MTE, just not a Mitsubishi MTE. Maybe the dealer is hoping to cash in on some confusing the two, or maybe an honest mistake. I think the dealer was upfront about it being a chinese tractor, so I'll go with mistake.

greg_g · Oct 2, 2004

( I've no doubt it is a MTE, just not a Mitsubishi MTE. Maybe the dealer is hoping to cash in on some confusing the two, or maybe an honest mistake.)
Next case on the docket; trade-dress suit, Mitsubishi versus Jinma (or whoever stuck on the MTE logo).

//greg//

ebbtide · Oct 2, 2004

Ok now you guys have a newbie completely confused! Is this a good deal either way??

greg_g · Oct 2, 2004

( Ok now you guys have a newbie completely confused! Is this a good deal either way?? )
NewHolland and JohnDeere recently sued Futian and Jinma respectively, for infringing on alleged trademark design and color- respectively. This type legal action is being referred to as a trade-dress suit . When judgment went against the Chinese (and a couple of American distributors), imports of offending Futians - and of green&yellow Jinmas - ground to a rapid halt.

Not enough info to help you with the MTE though. If in fact it's a disguised JM284, one needs only Google for JM284 PRICE to realize they start about $5500. So you have to wonder what Wickers throws in for the extra $1000. Consider that a JM254 is virtually the same tractor (less 3 hp). I bought one for just under $5600.

FWIW, ChinaBest lists crate price (FOB warehouse) for a basic JM284 is $4100. Recommended retail is shown as $6000.

//greg//

Soundguy · Oct 3, 2004

Hi.. I've been by duggans a few times, and even before he had the store on 27. I think he probably sells decent machines, cause he's been there for a few years now.. if they were total junk I don't think he'd survive. The only thing that gets me is the high pressure sales I encountered... wreaked of 'used car salesman' type stuff. I walked away from a net ford 1700 he had.. 4wd and lots of new/rebuilt parts.. and a song onthe price.. probably was an a-1 unit.. just the sales guy scared me.

He claims to be able to get yanmar parts and filter/maintenance items cheaper than anywhere else.

For your area, also look at caldwel tractors.. they sell used and some new tractors.. they are on 326..

www.caldwelltractors.com

or something like that.

I've bought a couple antiqes from them.. nice people.. though they only do sales.. no parts or service. howeve rthere is a tractor repair shop across the street from them.. ray harris farm equipment. Old tobacco chewing guy.. he's a tad slow, but from what I've seen, he can fix anything, and knows tractors like the back of his hand.. probably better.

Soundguy

bluechip · Oct 3, 2004

The China Best price of $4100 is FOB China. They offer a higher price FOB US warehouse, but it is still in a crate with no parts support other than what you order with the tractor or wait for shipment from China at your expense. Then you have to wait for it to come in after paying in advance.

A new Farm Pro 25HP assembled with warranty (parts and labor) starts around $ 6500 today. This MTE seems to be in line pricewise.

greg_g · Oct 3, 2004

( The China Best price of $4100 is FOB China. )
I stand corrected Chip. The big red
 We promise for at most $6000 you can pick up any of your favorite new tractor at the warehouse nearby you (same state or better, mainland of the states, exclude Hawaii and Alaska, up to 28 hp, customs cleared, duties paid)
 distracted me from the comparatively diminuitive "FOB China" heading the crate price column.

That puts the $6500 in a little better perspective, but still doesn't explain why Google can find (allegedly) new JM284s starting at $5500.

//greg//

ebbtide · Oct 3, 2004

Ok, my thoughts are becoming a bit more clear on this tractor now. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Thanks for taking the time to explain this to me guys. I encountered the same thing from Duggan as well. The thing that turned me off is he offer zero warranty on any of the used equipment they sell. I have stopped by caldwells also but they dont have anything in my price range. Im really into this Jinma tractor as in seems the best bang for my buck. I really wanted this JD 850 I looked at yesterday but I felt it had too many hours on it. It also had turf tires which I didnt really want. If this Jinma/MTE is ok I might pick it up.

Harrygoodwrench · Oct 3, 2004

Ebbtide, After taking a good look and even blowing the pic up for better view it certainly appears to be Jinma. Just all the general layout, underbody exhaust upgrade looks exactly like Jinma. The sideways hydraulic filter now available looks the same too. I could be wrong but do say it has a very strong resemblense to Jinma.
If you open hood, look to see if there is a tag on rocker cover. If it says China, Yangdong, etc with build date I think we narrowed it down. Especially if it shows a engine build date several years old.

bluechip · Oct 3, 2004

Greg,

Yes $ 6,000 is a little more in line, but the buyer will still have to wait and is still faced with customs and epa issues as they are the importer.

Seems there are some sellers of jinma tractors lately that just want to "broker" them (no follow up responsibility, just pay me and you get what I got) Not that that is bad so long as a buyer compares apple for apple. The $ 5500 deal you saw may be a crate deal or may be a "pay now and I'll order you one" deal.

I don't mean to disparage the crate brokers business model, it is the lowest cost way to get one of these tractors and for some it is the best way, I just want to help explain the price variance that has been seen.

It is not usually possible to get the rock bottom price and still expect support akin to the dealers who charge more.

The hood on the MTE JInma appears to be a new version, similar to the LE version.