marrt
Platinum Member
Chinese Tractors Aren\'t Worth the Risk
Like many folks who start looking for a new tractor, I was amazed to find that a small diesel tractor costs almost as much as a new car. Believing that you don’t always “get what you pay for,” and in many cases are paying extra just for the brand, I decided to look into “off brand” tractors like Kioti and NorTrac, who have dealers close to me. The NorTrac is produced by Jinma and this factory produces some of the most popular Chinese imports. However, in general, I was very disappointed. My conclusion…Chinese tractors aren’t worth the risk.
I say this not to start an argument but as a caution to anyone considering a new Chinese tractor. The message is that you take a lot of RISK with a Chinese tractor. Certainly you will find a number of people who have had no problems whatsoever and are very happy with their purchase. You will also find people who were very disappointed. This may be no different than any purchase but the message with Chinese tractors seems to be…it’s a good deal only if you can work on it yourself, are willing to accept limited or no warranty coverage, realize that in most cases you have almost no real dealer support if something major happens (i.e., in most cases you still have to work on it yourself), and realize the resale market is very limited and you will likely “take a bath” if you decide to sell it.
Often, I see people compare the Chinese tractors to the option of buying “a 50 year old American tractor.” I happen to have a Ford 8N myself that I’m looking to upgrade in order to get a loader, power steering, better ergonometrics, etc… Clearly, most Jinma’s have larger engines, power steering available, and better traction with their 4x4 drives. They also have a number of advantages in braking, live PTO, availability of loaders and backhoes, etc… However, the 8N has a clear advantage, in my opinion, in maintainability and resale value. Most major tractor dealers are willing to work on an N (although they are exceedingly simple to work on and several technical manuals are available) and the resale market is very dependable. Also, parts are readily available at retail (Tractor Supply stocks many common parts) and via mail order. No waiting for something to ship from China…literally.
On several occasions, I have seen the comment that “Chinese tractors are well built and will go for 10,000 hours.” Where is the documentation? This is easy to proclaim but is it documented? Also, I believe that the Chinese hour meter records hours any time the switch is on. Most American tractors record hours at the designed tractor working RPM’s, or about 1580 RPM’s for the N. Oh, speaking of endureance, Ford did a documented 15,000! hour endurance test on the N.
Since its hard to find someone who has actually put a lot of hour’s on a Jinma, one evidence of the potential reliability of the Jinma can perhaps be deduced from a few pictures of the factory. Take a look at this <A target="_blank" HREF=http://johnstractor.homestead.com/ChinaPics.html> link</A> from TBN member JohnS (which has provided a great site with lots of good information). Pay particular attention to the floor and the new engine in the crate. Notice all the dirt. I even think the factory floor IS dirt. Look at all the dust on the “new” engine. Imagine all that grime working it’s way down into carefully machined parts. Can’t be good for a brand new engine. These pics sure don’t inspire a lot of confidence in Jinma quality.
As far as factory support goes, you may also want to take a look at Schmalts’ comments over on the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://worldcrossing.com/WebX?50@209.fc0LdyY0xhv^0@.ef28268>the Chinese Tractor Owners Association (COTA)</A> board. I have worked with a Chinese factory in the past for other products and experienced similar frustrations. You get someone on the phone, explain in great detail what you want, they agree and you think everything is fine. When your shipment arrives, its nothing like what you expected. You get the guy back on the phone and you get an “oh, so sorry, did not understand” response. It’s common. I think it’s culturally accepted. We used to call this the Chinese acknowledgement. Just because the guy is nodding his head up and down or agreeing with you on the phone with a stream of “oks” only means he is hearing what you are saying…not agreeing with what you are saying (despite how it sounds, this is not meant as a racial slur…it just acknowledgment of a different way of “negotiating”).
I’m writing this to encourage anyone considering a Chinese tractor to think long and hard about your needs and tolerance for frustration. Make sure you read this site and CTAO. You may very well get a tractor that gives years of great service…however, you may also get a tractor with lots of quality control issues resulting in years of frustration. Caveat Emptor….Let the Buyer Beware.
Like many folks who start looking for a new tractor, I was amazed to find that a small diesel tractor costs almost as much as a new car. Believing that you don’t always “get what you pay for,” and in many cases are paying extra just for the brand, I decided to look into “off brand” tractors like Kioti and NorTrac, who have dealers close to me. The NorTrac is produced by Jinma and this factory produces some of the most popular Chinese imports. However, in general, I was very disappointed. My conclusion…Chinese tractors aren’t worth the risk.
I say this not to start an argument but as a caution to anyone considering a new Chinese tractor. The message is that you take a lot of RISK with a Chinese tractor. Certainly you will find a number of people who have had no problems whatsoever and are very happy with their purchase. You will also find people who were very disappointed. This may be no different than any purchase but the message with Chinese tractors seems to be…it’s a good deal only if you can work on it yourself, are willing to accept limited or no warranty coverage, realize that in most cases you have almost no real dealer support if something major happens (i.e., in most cases you still have to work on it yourself), and realize the resale market is very limited and you will likely “take a bath” if you decide to sell it.
Often, I see people compare the Chinese tractors to the option of buying “a 50 year old American tractor.” I happen to have a Ford 8N myself that I’m looking to upgrade in order to get a loader, power steering, better ergonometrics, etc… Clearly, most Jinma’s have larger engines, power steering available, and better traction with their 4x4 drives. They also have a number of advantages in braking, live PTO, availability of loaders and backhoes, etc… However, the 8N has a clear advantage, in my opinion, in maintainability and resale value. Most major tractor dealers are willing to work on an N (although they are exceedingly simple to work on and several technical manuals are available) and the resale market is very dependable. Also, parts are readily available at retail (Tractor Supply stocks many common parts) and via mail order. No waiting for something to ship from China…literally.
On several occasions, I have seen the comment that “Chinese tractors are well built and will go for 10,000 hours.” Where is the documentation? This is easy to proclaim but is it documented? Also, I believe that the Chinese hour meter records hours any time the switch is on. Most American tractors record hours at the designed tractor working RPM’s, or about 1580 RPM’s for the N. Oh, speaking of endureance, Ford did a documented 15,000! hour endurance test on the N.
Since its hard to find someone who has actually put a lot of hour’s on a Jinma, one evidence of the potential reliability of the Jinma can perhaps be deduced from a few pictures of the factory. Take a look at this <A target="_blank" HREF=http://johnstractor.homestead.com/ChinaPics.html> link</A> from TBN member JohnS (which has provided a great site with lots of good information). Pay particular attention to the floor and the new engine in the crate. Notice all the dirt. I even think the factory floor IS dirt. Look at all the dust on the “new” engine. Imagine all that grime working it’s way down into carefully machined parts. Can’t be good for a brand new engine. These pics sure don’t inspire a lot of confidence in Jinma quality.
As far as factory support goes, you may also want to take a look at Schmalts’ comments over on the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://worldcrossing.com/WebX?50@209.fc0LdyY0xhv^0@.ef28268>the Chinese Tractor Owners Association (COTA)</A> board. I have worked with a Chinese factory in the past for other products and experienced similar frustrations. You get someone on the phone, explain in great detail what you want, they agree and you think everything is fine. When your shipment arrives, its nothing like what you expected. You get the guy back on the phone and you get an “oh, so sorry, did not understand” response. It’s common. I think it’s culturally accepted. We used to call this the Chinese acknowledgement. Just because the guy is nodding his head up and down or agreeing with you on the phone with a stream of “oks” only means he is hearing what you are saying…not agreeing with what you are saying (despite how it sounds, this is not meant as a racial slur…it just acknowledgment of a different way of “negotiating”).
I’m writing this to encourage anyone considering a Chinese tractor to think long and hard about your needs and tolerance for frustration. Make sure you read this site and CTAO. You may very well get a tractor that gives years of great service…however, you may also get a tractor with lots of quality control issues resulting in years of frustration. Caveat Emptor….Let the Buyer Beware.
