How many hours to many?

[TEXAS715]

There is a landscaping firm selling a used TC45 4wd. My concern is the number of hours on it. It is a 2001 model with 2800 hours on it. Everything else looks good on it.

Is this to many hours to mess with or are these engines just getting broken in like my truck?

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Gatorboy]

<font color="blue"> Is this to many hours to mess with or are these engines just getting broken in like my truck? </font>

Although this doesn't answer your question, I thought I'd let you know that I have 8000 hours on my tractor and the engine still runs strong.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> It is a 2001 model with 2800 hours on it. </font>
That's about 70 hours/month or 18 hours/week. Doesn't sound like they were running it all day, every day.

I'd ask to see proof that it's been maintained.

 

[thcri]

It's probably not a lot of hours if it was by one person. When you have a company that puts different people on the seat or he doesn't care about the tractor much because it isn't his then I would tend to worry some. If it looks like it is good shape then maybe the same guy was on it all the time, but I have seen what landscapers can do to tractors. Same thing in my business with trucks, they just don't last as long when not run by the one that owns them.

murph

 

[jinman]

Texas715, I think I'd wonder why a landscaping company is selling a 3-yr old tractor with only 2800 hours. Maybe it's because the engine warranty is 3 years or 2,000 hours and they want to always have a warranty on their equipment. If you drove an average speed of 40 MPH in your truck, you'd have 112,000 miles at 2800 hours. Does that help to put the hours into perspective? For a diesel engine, that is not many hours. They should last out to 10,000 easily if maintained properly.

I'd just ask some questions and really examine the tractor well. Murphs comments about how many operators makes lots of sense to me. However, for the last year, I've seen a landscaper doing work on a highway I drive every day. It always seems that I see the same person driving the tractor. Is this is a commercial landscaper who does big projects? Those guys know that the perception of their company and the expectation of a quality job may be improved by having very nice looking/operating equipment. This tractor may have had only one primary operator.

 

[Propertymaint]

If the tractor looks to be in good shape, it may be worth hiring a mechanic from a local New Holland dealership to give it a once over. I don't know what the cost would be. If you are mechanically inclined, sometimes what I do is talk to a mechanic at a dealership who works on the specific piece of used equipment I am interested in purchasing to find out what to look for. Most of the time, the good dealerships will allow this because they have the interest of selling you parts in the future. Just my warped way of looking at things.
Good luck,
Peter

 

[WilliamBos]

Hi,

I agree totally. Ask the guys who work on them everyday about them. Usually ( as said by another in this post ) they will let you because they are interested in your business, no matter what it is!! Good luck. And if you buy, dont forget to send us a pic or 2!!

Take care

Will

 

[AndyMA]

Jim

My dealer, a large New Holland & Kubota dealer sells & leases to a large number of nurseries and landscapers. Many of these machines are only kept one season.

Andy

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My dealer, a large New Holland & Kubota dealer sells & leases to a large number of nurseries and landscapers. Many of these machines are only kept one season. )</font>

Leasing also seems to be a common practice by wineries. I guess it's a combination of tax breaks and always having a warranty to rely on. Why do you think it's primarily these types of businesses? Why wouldn't the same be true for a construction company or almost anyone who would put up to about 650 hours per year on their tractor? I'm just trying to figure out the cost-benefit. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[John_Mc]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( For a diesel engine, that (2800) is not many hours. They should last out to 10,000 easily if maintained properly.
)</font>

I've heard that said about farm tractors, but their engines tend to run at a lower RPM (and I think a lower ratio of HP to cu. in. dispacement). Is this 10,000 number also true of a modern compact tractor? I've not yet seen one with that many hours on it. I don't doubt that some of them will make it that far. My question is, is that normal for a well maintained, recent model CUT?

John Mc