YM 155 estimate

Jethro · Aug 29, 2006

I am looking at a 1982 YM 155. Any idea what a fair price would be? It seems to run good, good tires, etc. The only problem I am aware of is that the hour meter needs a new cable. It displays 95 hours. the owner guesses it is not too far off.

pruntyc · Aug 29, 2006

I would say he is a very poor guesser or a liar. That is a 24 year old tractor, and sold and used in this country. Now would you really believe it was only used about 4 hours a year????????

mark777 · Aug 30, 2006

I have a YM1300 (D) and it is nearly identical to the 155. The operator area is very small, my feet are tangled constantly, I feel like I'm sitting on top of "Snoopys dog house" and with a new adjustable seat the lift arms hit me in the back, in the fully up position. But I wouldn't sell it and have had many offers....I love the dang thing.

In addition to it's occasional grass cutting duties, I've pulled a boat and trailer, other small tractors, pick ups and cars that were stuck in the mud (with my weights on the front). The YM155, in very good condition, should bring $1800-2000.

Dick is correct...My hour meter originally had 426 hours. Could be 1426 or 2426 as nobody but the original owner knows for sure.

Mark

normde2001 · Aug 30, 2006

pruntyc said:
I would say he is a very poor guesser or a liar. That is a 24 year old tractor, and sold and used in this country. Now would you really believe it was only used about 4 hours a year????????

A 3 digit hour meter has absolutely no meaning as far as total hours on a tractor. By the way, I have only put about 95 hours on my YM2000B in a little over 5 years.

pruntyc · Aug 30, 2006

For some reason it would seem you are wanting to start some kind of an argument Norm. No one is so bad in math, that they wouldn't be able to see that there is a lot of difference between 95 hours in 5 years and 95 hours in 24 years. He said that the man guesses that it is not too far off.
And I said he is either a very poor guesser or a liar, and I will stand on that, and I believe just about everyone else on here, will agree with me, except you from what you are saying.

normde2001 · Aug 30, 2006

pruntyc said:
For some reason it would seem you are wanting to start some kind of an argument Norm. No one is so bad in math, that they wouldn't be able to see that there is a lot of difference between 95 hours in 5 years and 95 hours in 24 years. He said that the man guesses that it is not too far off.
And I said he is either a very poor guesser or a liar, and I will stand on that, and I believe just about everyone else on here, will agree with me, except you from what you are saying.

Think what you like, Dick. All I'm saying is that if someone can average 19 hours a year on a tractor over a period of years, it is totally concievable that someone else could average 4.

pruntyc · Aug 30, 2006

Well, you can also think what you will. As he would have had to buy a new tractor, and I just can not believe anyone would buy a new tractor, and not use it anymore than four hours a year. Whereas you bought a used one, at a much lower price than a new one. That is probably why you bought a used one, because you really didn't need one, just wanted one.

roxynoodle · Aug 30, 2006

Just in case anyone wanted to know, there are people that bad in math... or maybe it is that they have no concept of what a reasonable answer is. I have had students years ago in a very basic math class add up hours on a timecard and some had answers of 26.8 for one day. Last I checked, since a day only has 24 hours it would not be possible to work more than that in one day. These students had no idea why that answer had to be wrong. Last year one of my honors Pre-Calculus students worked a problem using Newton's Law of Cooling and told me the room temperature was 19,000+ degrees. I just wrote on his paper "we would all be dead".

It is possible someone only averaged 4 hours a year on a tractor but not at all probable. Although I have a neighbor with a big Farmall that he seems to have no use for. The only 2 times I've seen it move was because I asked him to do something for me (use boom pole to lift heavy things I could not fit on my loader).

tallyho8 · Aug 30, 2006

I believe that most of you missed the point. Jethro was asking what a fair price would be, not if you thought the seller was lying about the hours. Since I'm a newbie, I can't give him any estimates of how much it's worth but I hope a couple of you veteran members can........

normde2001 · Aug 31, 2006

pruntyc said:
Well, you can also think what you will. As he would have had to buy a new tractor, and I just can not believe anyone would buy a new tractor, and not use it anymore than four hours a year. Whereas you bought a used one, at a much lower price than a new one. That is probably why you bought a used one, because you really didn't need one, just wanted one.

Your logic is astounding

, have a nice day.

BruceR · Aug 31, 2006

this place cracks me up sometimes. Thanks for the smile guys.

Bruce

Jethro · Aug 31, 2006

Thank you Mark for answering my question.

So I have one estimate of $1800-2000. Anyone else have an opinion...other than the hour meter. I also think there are far more hours on this tractor. The story is that it belongs to the father of the guy I met. He is old now any has emphysema, needs meds more than this tractor, so he is selling it. He is asking $6,500 for the tractor, bush hog, finish mower, box blade and straight blade (all well used, I'm sure). He was very clear that he would take less, which is a good thing. 6.5k is a bit optomistic.

mark777 · Sep 1, 2006

Jethro,

IMO unless the tractor and all the implements are in excellent condition AND work ready, the price is too high. I'm thinking that a slightly larger 2WD tractor (16-20 engine HP) with a FEL is available for the same money. And the same set up in 4WD should start around $7K. Figure more for features that you want like Power Shift, ROPS & seat belt (very desirable) and, of course, rear implements.

If you have a specific task for a small YM155 that is dedicated on flat ground....ie: orchard, vineyard or manicuring lawns with a finish mower and turf tires, then a tractor that size is perfect. If you use it in most other applications....the tractor is dangerous. The power to weight ratio is impressive, can pull itself up and end-over in a heartbeat but mostly it's power in relation to size is deceptive as they are "Tippy" on uneven ground and mistaken for a lawn tractor (big mistake) by most adults...and all children.

Consider just a few phone calls to some of the dealers who participate here and see what they have to offer, size, HP and how equipped. You may be pleasantly surprised

.

Mark

alvanko · Sep 1, 2006

In my opinion, there is about $1100 there in attachments. I had a YM155D 4X4 with loader that I sold for $4700. The 2 wheel drive with out the loader would be worth around $2000 (again,my opinion). Puts the whole package worth around $3100. It will run all of the attachments and implements but will run out of traction with the blades.

phatgemi · Sep 1, 2006

Think you are pretty close on your estimate of 3100. I was thinking 3500 but was being liberal with the attachment prices. 6500 is way way out of line in my opinion. Heck for that price, he should fix the tach cable plus agree to come over and mow for ya. For comparasion sake, several of the "dealers" have ym1500's (which are bigger) for about 2800. Then add a small bush hog for about 500, finish mower for 1000, box blade 400, straight blade 200 and you see that the bigger tractor and all NEW attachments would only be about 4900. come to your own conclusions.

Jethro · Sep 1, 2006

Thanks for all of this good feedback guys. I should clarify that this is a 4wd model. The box blade is the only implement that I have seen. It is well used but in good condition. I can only assume that the other implements are very well used also. AS far as the tractor, the seat has a hole in it and the paint is worn, but it seems to be solid otherwise.

My main use for this tractor will be to mount a spray rig on the back, and to ocassioanlly drag my gravel drivway. I am sure I will find uses for the other implements, but if I were buying a tractor alone, I would not go out and buy these other implements now, so the fact that they are included does not appeal to me that much.

greatrandini · Sep 1, 2006

It would take alot more hrs to break the hr meter cable. I think we agree that the thing has alot of hrs. Bad guesser or liar would fit but I think norme did say that a 3 didgit meter on a tractor is meaningless. Or something like that. I agree with that too.... No one knows how many hrs are on these things.

alvanko · Sep 1, 2006

Is it a green one or a red one ? The red is newer then green.
4X4 would add about $500.

Jethro · Sep 2, 2006

It is green. Actually, it seems like I remember a lot of white too. But yes, it definately predates the red ones.

A friend of mine brought up a good point today. The nearest Yanmar dealer is about 3 hours from me. This is an old tractor and I don't need to buy somthing that I cannot readily get parts for.

Kind of makes me want to keep looking for a deal on something like a JD 650.

roxynoodle · Sep 2, 2006

Most of us have to order our parts, but so far anything I've ordered has shipped really fast. I do think the price being asked for the tractor you are looking at is outrageous though. I'm sure you could find a really nice tractor from a dealer on here for significantly less including delivery.