Looking into an f series...

[kenmac]

kenmac: funny you should mention asking them about what "re-conditioned" means. I actually did that and asked several other questions in an email. They went "dark" on me. Haven't gotten an answer.

For some reason,,,,Doesn't surprise me

 

[SailorBob]

Me either

 

[California]

If the Factory Rebuild was done in VN it means a museum quality paint job. What the paint was put on is irrelevant - sometimes models, and brands, that have no parts support, and occasionally on a frankenstein machine assembled from dissimilar parts.

Here's my example, a fuel filter assembly that I saw removed from a warranty-return 'rebuilt' Yanmar that had thrown a rod. I bought a Yanmar filter element for it, and it wouldn't fit this 'factory rebuilt' (????) filter assembly. No one was ever able to identify the element that fit this 'factory rebuilt' filter bowl so I had to buy a Yanmar replica bowl to complete the project.

I have seen that same oddball filter bowl on the web display of a dealer who was selling VN refurbs at the time but says he now does all work in the US.

 

[MJPetersen]

It looks like I'll move on. Getting lots of good advice here.

You might check with Wayne at LMTC as they have a F18 listed on their site and it seems reasonable. If you could talk him into a good deal on shipping, you could get a tractor like you have in mind, but with confidence in a first class dealer. LMTC

Mike

 

[edigokie]

I have an FX26D 4wd that I bought from VN tractor in Dallas. I have found some of the comments about VN tractors interesting because I have had mine for about 3 years and never had a single problem until I loaned it to a "friend" who brought it back blowing bubbles through the overflow bottle. Maybe I was just luicky but I have been totally satisfied with my VN recon - I am sure there are others who have horror stories about theirs. Good luck in your search and I hope you find one as good as mine or better.

 

[drippingwithgold]

MJ,
Truly appreciate the response. I am in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Would welcome any advice on dealers for the F18D.

The closest dealer I found that sold recond in the USA was in Austin , RCO Tractor, great people too. I just purchased a 1610d and I love it.

 

[kenmac]

The closest dealer I found that sold recond in the USA was in Austin , RCO Tractor, great people too. I just purchased a 1610d and I love it.

I don't think RCO sells V N recons anymore..I think they came over to the good side of the business

 

[LMTC]

But some of us have always been on this side. Only a handful accepted UTDA as the right thing to do from the beginning.

 

[kenmac]

But some of us have always been on this side. Only a handful accepted UTDA as the right thing to do from the beginning.

I agree.. When I bought . there wasn't such a thing. But, I bought from someone that was headed in the right direction

 

[CardinalPayne]

LMTC:
I did check out the RCO Tractor guys in Austin, as was suggested. They're in Austin, TX and I'm in Dallas. But, sounds like you've been doing the UTDA things from the beginning. Maybe I should listen a bit more to what you have to say. As stated in an earlier post, I mentioned being interested in a F18D. But, on those F series, I'm concerned about the position of that darned shifter handle. Have you dealt with this before, and how have you handled it?

 

[LMTC]

You're asking the wrong guy. While mechanically there is nothing wrong with them, I have never been a fan of the styling of the F/FX series. We're going to have to start to handle some retail as demand increases and eventually supply on YMs does decrease....but I'll take a YM every time. Just a personal preference. We may have an 1802D coming in on trade soon....a unit we sold a few years back that has had immaculate care. An 1802D will outweigh an F18D by 80#, and I like it much better....but that's solely a personal preference, no mechanical reasons.

 

[edigokie]

Have you looked into the FX series. They have a shuttle shift that is very easy to use. My wife handles ours like it was a kids electric car.

 

[LMTC]

It is not a shuttle shift. It is a Powershift, same as the xx10 and xx20 YM series. A shuttle shift allows shifting from F to R in any gear. And most everything is the same on an F and an FX.....the difference is the transmission.

 

[pgsmith]

Does Stan Hoye still sell Yanmars up in Wichita Falls?

 

[HoyeTractor]

Does Stan Hoye still sell Yanmars up in Wichita Falls?

Yes. He has quite a few. - 940-636-3910

Aaron
Parts@HoyeTractor.com
(940)592-0181

 

[Lasgambler]

I bought my FX42d from Stan Hoye, (sight unseen, there's alot of trust involved in that). He delivered it to Western Arizona and I could not be happier with it. Terry

 

[Ron D.]

Hi to all. I'm a new member in the Dallas area that has read countless posts on this site over the past month, all of which have been incredibly informative and helpful. The time everybody devotes to helping and informing other members is really great.

I own a grey Yanmar and just recently purchased a Kubota L2600 with FEL. I bought my F13D VN "reconditioned" four years ago and it has been a great tractor, but used very little.

The tractor was probably not recon'd as the out-of-state dealer advertised, because when I changed the front axle oil, it had obviously not recently (if ever) been changed. Other things suggest more sales pitch than reality, such as worn out rubber in the steering linkage. I think I got lucky because my tractor has performed flawlessly, but I have read several posts where others were not so lucky, and not just with respect to VN recon's.

LMTC is correct about the parts availablity being an issue, more on some F series than others. I would suggest that you get with a dealer you trust and ask their opinion about such things. Don't get focused solely on reconditioned tractors, because there are a lot of relatively low hour tractors for sale by reputable dealers, such as Stan's Tractors is in N. Tx (StansTractors.com). His name is Stan Hoye. You may notice many posts from Hoye Tractor, a very helpful group of individuals who stock many parts for the grey's. Stan sells tractors and implements and Hoye Tractor sells parts. Throughout this site I have seen where numerous people were referred to Stan and utimately purchsed from him and were very pleased.

Also, I have seen a lot of very knowledgeable posts from LMTC. If he is a dealer, I would also believe what he has to say and would trust him to put me in a quality tractor.

Best of luck.

 

[LMTC]

Thank you for the kind comment. LMTC is a dealer, and is very close to being the longest standing dealer in the grey Yanmar market. Maybe we are the longest standing....the vast majority of the original dealers from the late 80s/early 90s are gone. We've got 15 years.

We were also the original voice for some sort of dealer organization, recognizing the benefits to dealers and customers for some sort of consistency in this market. Tom Fredricks was the first strong support to join us, and the UTDA was eventually formed. Most people who own these tractors, even those who visit this and other forums, know little about the history of this market. There are lots of sellers in this market, but very few dealers...businesses that deal with the whole range of customer service from sales to service to long-distance support to whatever it takes.