Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal?

[Mark_in_NH]

Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

Just to clarify my post. I have absolutly nothing against grey market tractors, in fact I really know very little about them. In truth, I never even looked at or considered one when I was shopping, no particular reason. It just never entered my mind to look at anything else but the big 3.

 

[SteveM]

Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

It sounds like you are a good candidate for a grey or chinese tractor. I dont know your budget, but you will have a better chance at getting power steering with a Jinma than a grey jap tractor. I looked hard at the Jinmas and found a couple dealers (in NY) within a few hours of me, which was adequate. I am intrigued by the idea of buying a crated tractor and assemblying myself - maybe someday when I have more time. Bottom line, expect to do some work either way. I wish the chinese tractors have been here longer, so we would have a track record. I have owned a few 20+ yr old jap tractors and can attest to their durability. I wouldnt hesitate buying a grey once I had checked on parts avail. for that particular model.

 

[fivestring]

Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

<font color="red">"I want a 4x4 in the 18 - 25 hp range with a loader." </font>

You won't find an American tractor in that range. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
All (or at least 99.2%) tractors under about 50 h.p. are built in Japan, China, India, Korea, etc. They have been since the eighties. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Knowing who supplies the parts and/or whole tractor can help in a parts search for grey market tractors. These are Japanese:
Yanmar- John Deere
Iseki- Massey Ferguson/Agco
Hinomoto- Massey Ferguson
Shibaura-New Holland/Ford
I personally chose an Iseki. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I wanted a New Holland or Massey, but for the $$$, Iseki and the other greys couldn't be beat. My Iseki has a 21 h.p. 3 cylinder diesel, (17 @ PTO), 4 wd, and cost $4000.00. It had 700 hours and is a mid-eighties model (TU1700f). Corriher (advertises here on TBN) carries grey market tractors. That's where I bought mine. Several TBN'ers carry grey market tractors, also.

<font color="red">"I guess I'm looking for value and reliability....not nessasairily an herloom. Also, I'm not too concerned about close dealer proximity etc... as long as I can get the parts.... I can fix it." </font>

It sounds like you've done a little research, enough that you heard of grey market tractors. Most will fit your "value and reliability" standard. If you want bells and whistles, you'll have to buy a New Holland, Deere or Kubota. most grey market tractors are work tractors. Iseki and Yanmar are probably the easiest to find parts for. I like to do some of my own work, also. You CAN NOT do much work on the big three while they are under warranty.
All you have to do is look at the JD, KUB and NH forums on TBN and you will see they have their share of problems and headaches like all other tractors. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Kioti, Mahindra, Branson, Century, Farm Pro and a host of others are great values, too, but you won't get many bells and whistles with them, either.
If I ever wear my Iseki out, /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif there are only a handful of tractors I would even consider as a replacement, and only one of them is a big-three. I won't mention the name but the color is blue. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Whatever you choose to buy, give it a name (it becomes part of the family then), feed it good stuff and properly maintain and groom it.
Don't ever neglect oil, hydraulic fluid and filter changes. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
It has been said numerous times on this forum that most of these tractors with diesel engines should last 5 - 10,000 hours without many major problems.
Good luck and happy hunting!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
My .02.

 

[cowboydoc]

Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

You won't find an American tractor in that range.
All (or at least 99.2%) tractors under about 50 h.p. are built in Japan, China, India, Korea, etc. They have been since the eighties.


That's not necessarily true. The JD's are assembled in Georgia with alot of US parts. I'm not sure about the others. You are talking about the engines not the whole tractor. It's not like the entire tractor is Japanese or Chinese or anything else. It's a global market for sure. The steel is different, ergonomics, features, etc. etc.

 

[pruntyc]

Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

Cowboydoc, from what I have read. Only part of the small JDs are put together in Georgia, I read that some models of them are shipped from Japan, in other words 100% Japanese, except for the name, OK 99% then. I know that 100,000 of them were brought over by 1986. And that is why Yanmar don't sell their tractors over here as Yanmars anymore, because of their building them for JD.

 

[fivestring]

Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

"The JD's are assembled in Georgia with alot of US parts."

Doc, it's already been posted in previous threads...
The smaller tractors are NOT AMERICAN tractors. They might be "American built"; assembled in a factory on American soil, but they are not American.
Parts are from everywhere.
A lot of Japanese parts.
A lot of American parts.
A lot of "XXX" parts.
When I bought my Iseki, I looked at the Masseys. On a big metal plate located conspicuously near the seat was an Iseki manufacturing plate.
Look at NH's. Shibaura plates.
Look at JD's. Yanmar.
Look at Kubota. Kubota. Made in Japan and they are proud of it.

This is not meant as an argument. It is only a statement of fact.
Your larger JD's might be mostly American, but they also have parts manufactured elsewhere. He wants a smaller tractor, thus, I put my .02 in to him.

 

[slowrev]

Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the dea

Cowboydoc,
Corvettes seem to break as often as a Subaru, but cost a lot more to fix /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

Parts are from everywhere.
A lot of Japanese parts.
A lot of American parts.
A lot of "XXX" parts.


Yes I agree with you. That's what I was trying to say. The engine may be Japanese but the rear end is american the differential Spain, etc. etc. The tractors are also built to JD, Massey, NH, etc. specs. Also as I said in another post just because it's made in Spain doesn't mean JD doesn't own that plant. JD owns many of the subs that they use to build equipment for their tractors. I'm not trying to say they are 100% american or anything else for that matter. Neither are they 100% japanese, german, spanish.

 

[Whiskey]

Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

GM0750:

Me thinks this thread is getting way off base here, I got a good idea why don't we help a "newbie" with his question /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

He didn't ask where JD's were made or how much it cost to repair corvetts, He asked for some good info on gray markets and Chinese tractors.

OK, now that I'll get bashed for saying that here's my take on your question, Anyone with enough [censored] to put the front wheel of his bike that far in the air and not leave his scalp rubbed off on the asphalt can most likely turn a wrench, well a guess anywho /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

You should do fine with either one you pick and yes you will have to do a little leg work to get parts but that is the price you pay for buying at the price you are looking at, is that a bad thing...nope not at all just a fact.

Whiskey

 

[SPIKER]

Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

Oh I forgot to state you will pay about the same if not less for a new JINMA that you will for a similar USED grey and at least you do get some warranty with the NEW JINMAs.

You should be able to buy a assembled JiNMA with FEL for about 8K or less, if you want to go crated rout look to pay in the 7k range.

Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif