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

   / Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal? #1  

GMO750

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

Allllllllright, I'm a newbie to the realm of tractors - I've been poking around local dealerships and the far reaches of the internet trying to find the answer to what I need in a tractor. Increasingly, these "grey market" (yanmar, itseki, etc..) and what I call "cheap market" (farm pro, jinma, nortrak, etc..) jobbies are getting my attention due to the high price of the mainstream brands - does anyone have long-term experience with these foreign and non-name brand beasts? I want a 4x4 in the 18 - 25 hp range with a loader. Also, how does the performance of the aftermarket loaders (koyoker (I think) etc...) measure up to those found on JD, NH, etc...?

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.

Sorry for the inflated question folks - just hoping some light can be shed.
 
   / Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal? #2  
Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

Hey there:

I've got achina tractor (JINMA) which is going by about 30 different names here in the USA. Nortrac, Farmpro, Agracat and a ton of other names, it is about the most popular one, for Price per $. I hear lots of stories about greys didn't hear much bad about the jinmas. so I got one about 20 months ago great tractor runs like a top gear drive like 8/9ns only much stronger than them. Only draw back is lack of syncro shift.

I have the import FEL too, it works and I've well abused it it does drop down now after over loading it lots and is a bit tweaked by pushing it aginst large rocks in the 400+ lb class easy...

Anyhow I highly say get one. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

Thanks for the advise. I'll check back next week - I'm leaving the country on vaca - feel free to use email or private messaging if anyone has negative comments or if you're a dealer trying to sell me something - I'll be happy to listen to your sales pitches!
 
   / Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal? #4  
Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

The grey market tractors don't have ROPS, but other than that, they are just as good as any american small tractor. Fact if the companys that made them, also make a lot of the small american tractors. Like Yanmar makes a lot of the John Deere compact tractors. And suppy the engines for a lot of other ones. I don't think any of the compact american tractors are made here. Then when they get a bigger size Yanmar and the others make a lot of the parts for them. So dependable yes they are, some of the best. You will find that the tractors from Japan have little hours on them, as they only use them a couple of times a year. Like probably 30 to 40 hours a year, and in soft service, no rocks there, they use them for tilling. And you will find dealers here on the forums that can get you just about any part that you might need for one. They can save you a lot of money. The only people that I have found on here that don't seem to think they are very good, are people that didn't buy one. Those of us who did are happy with them.
 
   / Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal? #5  
Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

You didn't mention Branson/Century,(S. Korea), or Mahindra,(India/S.Korea). Those are probably the best of both worlds, probably as good as the big 3, but haven't yet reached their price level. S. Korea is cranking out good products these days and ranks about 6th or 7th in Gross National Product, right behind a few European countries.
 
   / Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal? #6  
Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

There is no way for you to tell where a gray market tractor was used. Once upon a time they were almost all tractors that were leased by Japanese co-ops to farmers, when the lease expired the farmer got a new tractor to lease and the old one was wholesaled by the co-op. Nowadays only the importer knows where he got the tractor.
 
   / Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal? #7  
Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( due to the high price of the mainstream brands )</font>
Although nothing of true value is inexpensive anymore, I really don't think that the mainstream brands are high priced.
I mean when you really think about it. If you look at what this machine is capable of doing and the numbers of years it will last with common sense and simple maintenance, add in
it's potential resale value. How can you go wrong ?
I paid $23,200 for my tractor, comfortably equiped. I figure and expect that this tractor has the potential to last me at least 20 years. thats $105 a month, approx with interest.
I paid $23,500 for my truck, I figure and expect to trade it in approx 6 years. My truck is costing me with interest approx. $360 a month.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I paid less for my tractor then I did my truck, it will / should last me 4 times as long and it will do 10 times the work.
I don't find that unreasonable at all in terms of $$ spent
If I go to sell my tractor in ten years I am pretty much assured of getting a good return on my investment, I certainly can't say that for my truck.
 
   / Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal? #8  
Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

I'm with you Mark. I don't care if it's JD, NH, Kubota, etc. There are big differences between the lower end and the higher end tractors. It's like the difference between buying Yugo or buying a Corvette. What performance, durability, resale, parts, service, etc. do you want? Do you want 100 years of service and a dealer on every corner where you are going to have service, parts, and dealer help or do you want a low end, low volume, mom and pop outfit selling you a tractor with little service, little parts availability, service, support, etc. I'm not saying mom and pop places are bad but they don't compare with a dealer network and support. It all depends on what you need and want. For a guy that puts a few hours a year on one and doesn't need it for awhile if it goes down then grey isn't bad. But, it's not a Corvette.
 
   / Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal? #9  
Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

Most people with greys are not using them for a living. But going down Cowboydoc, no more than anyother tractor. Most of them have less than a 1000 hours and should be good for at least 5,000. So why would you even say if they go down, like they were going to. When its no more likely than any other used tractor. Really not as likely for they have less hours than most used ones in this country. Read the posts for other tractors they all have a problem once in a while.
 
   / Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What's the deal? #10  
Re: Grey Market, Cheap Market...... What\'s the deal?

<font color="blue"> Also, I'm not too concerned about close dealer proximity etc... as long as I can get the parts.... I can fix it. </font>
As I see it, this is the real issue with both gray market tractors (more so) as well as the non-big 3 (less so). The dealer network and the availability of parts. If you are willing to possibly having to spend time searching for a dealer and/or parts, then they're a good value.
 
 
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