L39 TLB

[fried1765]

I certainly wouldn稚 base my financial decisions on a 10,000 hour lifespans. If it does then that痴 a bonus.

I just today dragged home (350 miles) a new to me 2006 L48,..... the bigger brother of the L39.
I like low hours!
It is a one owner machine, with 258 total hours!
Has some areas of faded Kubota paint, but otherwise looks like new.
I may repaint parts of it.
Oh yes, ... I did pay A LOT more than 16K.

 

[PaulL2]

I certainly wouldn稚 base my financial decisions on a 10,000 hour lifespans. If it does then that痴 a bonus.

Nor would I. The OP didn't really ask about 10,000 hours though, and the machine has 4,000 hours at the moment. A non-commercial user would have trouble putting another 6,000 hours on a machine like that - if you do 10 x 40 hour weeks a year on it, that's 400 hours a year, 4,000 hours is 10 years. If you worked 16 hours a weekend every weekend of the year, you'd put on 750 hours a year. I know I'd never run my tractor 400 hours a year, I'd be lucky to do 100, but obviously different people do different things.

 

[rScotty]

I think 10000 hours is overly optimistic. I hardly ever see full size TLBs go that high and I致e never seen a compact tlb go that high.

I would agree. I tend to think of a good lifespan as being 4000 to 5000 hrs on compacts and 8000 to 10000 on full size TLBs. That's with good maintenance.

Not that a quality tractor isn't worth rebuilding at those high hours.....I happen to think that they are well worth the effort and expense.
And that applies especially for the person who enjoys doing the mechanical work. In my book, evenings spent working for myself at home or wrenching on old machinery beats the heck out of working at some second job to pay finance charges on new equipment. Mechanics is relaxing; not rocket science.

It's a safe gamble that at handy mechanical person can still get good use from a high hour machine even if it does need periodic work.
But I think it pays to choose what model one wants to put that kind of time into. Read around on TBN and I think you'll find that the L39 is turning out to be one of those special models.
rScotty

 

[Professor Marvel]

4000 is a lot of hours. I壇 be kinda concerned. As long as the boom is tight and the transmission seems to work good maybe it would be alright. I think it痴 best years are behind it. Also as mentioned a lot of these TLB machines are missing the 3 point arms.

agree
good machine too many hours
could get lucky but don't suggest relying on luck

 

[4570Man]

agree
good machine too many hours
could get lucky but don't suggest relying on luck

I don’t like a machine that I have to wrench on. And just worn out can’t be fixed. And a machine with that many hours is almost certainly worked construction and beat to death vs a homeowner machine. I see those machines with half that many hours for 20-25k. That would be a better bet IMO.

 

[mike69440]

4000 is a lot of hours. I'd look for a less used model or offer $10-12K
My best guess is that my near 2,300 hr L39 is middle aged. Hope I will never have to buy another tractor.
It is not for sale at even $25K.

 

[mike69440]

I just today dragged home (350 miles) a new to me 2006 L48,..... the bigger brother of the L39.
I like low hours!
It is a one owner machine, with 258 total hours!
Has some areas of faded Kubota paint, but otherwise looks like new.
I may repaint parts of it.
Oh yes, ... I did pay A LOT more than 16K.

You Lucky Ba-------!

 

[rScotty]

Remember that there's nothing worn out that can't be fixed. In fact, a worn out pat is if anything easier to put right than a broken one.

To the OP (Kosmo), I'd say the L39 is a desireable machine and that one is somewhat overpriced for the total hours - unless it has all records and really is in good shape.

I'd like to think that that anyone looking at a machine with 4000 hours is a pretty good mechanic and knows what he is getting or he wouldn't consider it in the first place. So he is the person with the best ability to evaluate it.

If he is asking if the L39 has a good reputation for a mechanically inclined person who understands what "used" means. I'd say it is, but overpriced.
rScotty

 

[805KubotaL39]

So did you buy it?

 

[Kosmo]

So did you buy it?

No. Too many small issues (minor leaks, noisy trans). Decided to look for something a little newer and spend a little more money. Still looking to pull trigger. Getting by still with my NH1715 but still looking for that machine with backhoe.