Comparison massey ferguson 231s review

[deiselfreak]

massey ferguson 231s vs john deere 1023e

I need help guys..... I'm looking to upgrade my john deere 1023e to a bigger tractor. A guy got ahold of me and wants to trade me a 2000 massey ferguson 231s. I know it's a 2 wheel drive but it weighs 3 times as much as the deere. It will primarily be used for plowing snow and running a disk and cutting 4 acres of grass. The one I'm looking at has 108 hrs on it, has a brush hog and loader. The guy wants $12000 for it. Seems kind of a lot for its age. Does anyone know mich about this tractor? Dependability?

 

[JSanders10]

I have a 1998 MF231 (not s). My father bought it new in 99, I've been using it on the same ground since he passed in 2004 and have now 1092 hours on it. I've had no problems other than my own I've caused (i.e., bad alternator because I let diesel drip down on the alternator). It's rugged tough machine that I put through the ringer bushhogging approx 20 acres, about 4 acres of plowing for deer green fields, mowing with a finishing mower on about 8-9 acres.

To me, that price is good because of the low hours, and he can probably get that price if he's not in a hurry. I'd offer him an even $10k if you're interested in it and see if he bites.

 

[dusty3030]

I would be highly highly suspect of the hours on the Massey. 15 years and only 100 hours?

 

[Farmer495]

I'd need the full story on 108 hours. 231 isn't a bad little MF, slowish hydraulics unless aux pump, and 8F 2R trans lacks decent reverse speeds for loader work, but is basically a bullet proof trans. Perkins diesel will run forever on diesel. Have the same engine in a 240, might burn 2 gallon a day haying...

 

[deiselfreak]

The story on it is I guess this guy bought from the original owner. It spent it's life on a small farm moving pallets of beats around. This guy bought it and found its too big to mow is yard with so he wants to trade me his foe my deere 1023e. I seen the pics and that tractor looks brand new. But I havent seen it in person yet.

 

[whizdbiz2]

The story on it is I guess this guy bought from the original owner. It spent it's life on a small farm moving pallets of beats around. This guy bought it and found its too big to mow is yard with so he wants to trade me his foe my deere 1023e. I seen the pics and that tractor looks brand new. But I haven't seen it in person yet.

I'd still be suspicious, even moving pallets around can wrack up a lot of hours. It's not unknown to unhook an hour meter to keep the hours down, especially when it's still under warranty. Let us know how it looks when you see it.

 

[dusty3030]

The guy with the Massey. Did you put yours up for sale on Craigslist or something and this guy contact you looking to trade?

I am not trying to rain on anybody's parade for sure - BUT - since the person with the Massey is not the original owner any theory he has on the previous use of it is bunk.

My gut says more likely the person looking to trade to you is a flipper who is trying to dump his "refreshed" flip for the next thing to sale or somebody that got had and trying to get rid of his mistake.

108 hours is nothing. I can put 100 hours on a tractor easy in a year and mine will sit easily 2 or 3 weeks at a time without getting touched.

 

[deiselfreak]

Is there things I can look at to tell if the hr meter is correct? I'm probably going to look at it this weekend

 

[Grandad4]

Fishy story about the 100 hour Massey. That's less than 10 hours a year... sounds too good to be true. If it were such, after 15 years the controls would be bound up from lack of use. A true 100 hour tractor will still have not only sharp paint, it will also have all the correct decals and maybe some production stickers and tags in various places, not to mention tires with sharp edges on the lugs and ribs, probably some of the molding "nubs" still visible. The seat and the controls should look like new, and there should be minimal scuff marks on footrests, etc. If you Google "Massey Ferguson 231s", you'll get images of nicely kept/restored tractors for comparison.

A virtually new tractor should still have a "tight" feel in how it operates (i.e. steering, transmission, controls, etc.) Likewise if you drive it on pavement, that snug feel and sound should be evident.

Look for evidence of repainting. Look for parts that would have originally been a different color and are now the same as the engine, for example.

 

[dusty3030]

Fishy story about the 100 hour Massey. That's less than 10 hours a year... sounds too good to be true. If it were such, after 15 years the controls would be bound up from lack of use. A true 100 hour tractor will still have not only sharp paint, it will also have all the correct decals and maybe some production stickers and tags in various places, not to mention tires with sharp edges on the lugs and ribs, probably some of the molding "nubs" still visible. The seat and the controls should look like new, and there should be minimal scuff marks on footrests, etc. If you Google "Massey Ferguson 231s", you'll get images of nicely kept/restored tractors for comparison.

A virtually new tractor should still have a "tight" feel in how it operates (i.e. steering, transmission, controls, etc.) Likewise if you drive it on pavement, that snug feel and sound should be evident.

Look for evidence of repainting. Look for parts that would have originally been a different color and are now the same as the engine, for example.

Excellent advice.