Not familare with Zetor. Should I stay away?

Curtis861 · Dec 27, 2006

I have found a BIG Zetor 5211 with loader that seems to have the right price. However I don't know much about Zetor. Tractor seems in good condition and every thing works. How is Zetor's reputation? Parts available? Thanks in advance.

Curt

dgl24087 · Dec 27, 2006

Zetor tractors are manufactured in Czechoslovakia, the 5211 is a 42.5 PTO HP tractor, weight around 5500 lbs. unballasted and without a loader. They are a tough tractor and are very easy on fuel. Parts could be an issue if you don't have any dealers near you. I'm not sure if there are any internet parts outlets. The tractor is worth anywhere from about $3000 to $5500 from what I can find, depending on year and condition. Last year for that model is listed as 1992.

JoeinTX · Dec 28, 2006

Nothing wrong with Zetors from all accounts. As dgl said above, they are sturdy units and have a reputation for reliability......they've built tractors for the vaunted Big Green in the past.

There are some parts suppliers independent of the dealer network, for example.......Zetor Tractor Parts. I found Ridgeway Enterprises on a simply Yahoo search.

FritzII · Dec 28, 2006

My boss has one with a FL and has had minor problems with the tractor. He runs it mostly for gang mowing and some brush hog work. Uses the FL for landscaping.
One of my buddies also has one with a cab ( heat & air & stereo ), FL & BH. It's about 2 years old with no problems. Mostly brush hogging.

BarryinMN · Dec 28, 2006

I bought a new Zetor 3 years ago & use it for everything & would highly recommend it.

Try zetorworld.com for more specific comments.

Mike120 · Dec 28, 2006

I used to see them all the time when I was working in Eastern Europe, I think they have a very good market share over there. My farrier bales with a 82 hp Zetor that he loves (lots of power and easy on the fuel). I looked at them before I bought a new JD and was impressed with them. The only reason I passed was because dealer was almost a 100 miles away. There used to be a dealer closer but he had switched to Montana which doesn't even come close to the Zetor.

Agro-oti · Dec 28, 2006

Good decent tractors. Not the most tech laden. Most problems with the older ones stem from master cylinders that leak on both brakes and clutch. Replacements are better quality,fairly inexpensive and easy to replace.

davemhughes · Dec 29, 2006

Back in 2000 I bought a 46hp Zetor 3320 w/fel. We had a small hobby farm in the Ozarks. I think I paid around 15k for it new. The fit and finish was not like a CNH/JD but on the other side it was not like a Belarus though either. Nice wide open work station, everything easy to reach. It had good ground clearance and I felt it had really good torgue for tough grunt work. Very solid well built tractor. The hydraulics were strong as I had a 72" bucket and frequently had it over flowing full and it handled it with no issues. I ran it for close to 1200 hours and had no mechanical problems at all, but I pull good maintainance on all my stuff. I just bought a new tractor and when I went to buy I looked at getting another Zetor but no dealers close by.......all in all if I would have had a dealer within 50 miles of me I would have bought another one.......2 of my neighbors in missouri ended buying Zetors after seeing mine get worked as hard as it did and holding up.

CMunger · Dec 29, 2006

Zetor has been building tractor since 1946. It has been marketed in the US since the early 1980's. Simple, well built, and good parts comonality. The new models, Proxima, has much smoother design. These are 7000 to 10,000 pound tractors, these are not compacts.

Chuck M.

deereguy · Dec 31, 2006

We have two Zetor tractors now, a 7211 (2wd, cab, 55HP +/-) and a 7745 (4WD, cab, 55 HP +/-). We use them for haying, the 7745 pulls a Hesston in-line baler and the 7211 pulls a NH 1037 stacker wagon. They are VERY easy on fuel and seem to have a ton of power, but we don't use them for much more than for haying. The downside is they are difficult to get into. The fenders are large enough that you have to do some shuffling with your feet around the clutch/gear shifters, but once your in- it's a VERY roomy and comfortable station to sit in. My dad and I are both over 6' tall- that's are only true complaint about these. As I mentioned before ,the fenders are large enough for tool boxes and even to sit on as they are cushioned. We have owned these for a little over a year now and we haven't had any mechanical problems to speak of. Dealers seem to be far and few between, our research shows Zetors are popular in Texas and surrounds, we have located a few within a few hundred miles from us, but knock on wood, we haven't needed anything. One thing I have learned from these machines is they don't have a replaceable oil filter, its a re-useable one.

The turning radius on the 4wd is about 1/2 acre at best.