How to by a used Yanmar

[thunderheart]

Hey Folks,

I am currently shopping for a Yanmar in the 25-35 HP range and wondered if there are any specific buying tips that other owners might suggest. The first appointment I have lined up is for a 3110 bought reconned from dealer by an older gentleman about 4 years ago. Used to pull a 5' tiller in his garden. About 30 hours, shed kept, sheet metal shinny new and like new rubber. Also looking at a 3000 lightly used for mowing in similar condition. The one I'm really most excited about is a 2610d with a Y2A loader bought from a dealer in western NC less than a year ago with 49 hours. 3rd one he has bought from same dealer. Broken truck put the guy in distress so he has to sell it. Asking $8000 even. Looks pretty cherry.

Any suggestions when checking these out?

Thanks,

Dallas

 

[reb]

Search this forum for comments about Viet Nam reconditioned tractors. There is some concern about the quality of the reconditioning process.

 

[thunderheart]

Search this forum for comments about Viet Nam reconditioned tractors. There is some concern about the quality of the reconditioning process.

Yeah I did read that. Is there a way to tell who did the recon? I know Vietnam is one place they were done. Weren't some done in Japan itself? Where else? Aren't some being done in the U.S.?

 

[thunderheart]

Search this forum for comments about Viet Nam reconditioned tractors. There is some concern about the quality of the reconditioning process.

Yeah I did read that. Is there a way to tell who did the recon? I know Vietnam is one place they were done. Weren't some done in Japan itself? Where else? Aren't some being done in the U.S.?

 

[kenmac]

If it's got 49 hrs on the meter Run away. You probably can't tell where the recon was done . If it has a loader with VN on it somewhere . It's likel;y a VN recon. A 35 yr old tractor with low hrs is almost a dead give away for VN recon

 

[clemsonfor]

None of the recons done in Japan, that any of us ever heard about. All recons here either done at Fredericks in Al or some other small dealer, or are brought here reconditioned. VN have either V2 loaders or Bulldog, company now under. All tractors fromm the Bulldog one have a serial number on a sticker like a bar code on top of fenders. The hours are always set below 20 so if they say it had 15 hours when i got it its 95% a recon prolly. Honestly the first 2 would be the ones i looked at as they have more age and years for a problem to show up. 3here may be another reason on the trk guy tryin to sell with that story, like maybe overheated etc?? Saying all this i would not worry about a VN that has been mowing 3 years and for a hundred hours. Things would of showed up by then if they were going to. All VN loaders seem strong and honestly the only complaint i ever remember is that the cylinders are non standard size.

 

[California]

specific buying tips that other owners might suggest.
... Looks pretty cherry. ...

Just one point that others haven't emphasized: Appearance of a VN refurb means nothing at all. The quality of COSMETIC reconditioning might be important if it needs to look all shiny new for example to impress riding stable customers, but nice appearance does NOT predict the reliability you will enjoy (or not) in the future.

You need to approach this just like buying any 30 year old car, truck, motorcycle, boat - and budget a reserve to fix stuff the seller didn't tell you about. The quality of Yanmars is excellent and chances are that the nice paint job was painted on to a tractor in good condition. But anything that has already experienced a generation of use can need maintenance or repairs someday. Yanmars are near bulletproof and simple to repair so they are worth the asking price but I don't think it is reasonable to expect flawless.

 

[clemsonfor]

also the paint may look nice. seems to be sticing fairly ewell on my recon. but my paint color is not right, and i have rust bubling through in a few spots so prep was not the best. i plan on pulling fenders and spraying them again with the correct colr and hopefully getting rid of rust. at some point i will paint the hood but not yet. the green is the wrong color, but close and sticks well, loosening nuts seems to bee the only thing in 3 yrs to knock paint off. also i keep tractor under a shed all the time. it gets blowig rain if its bad enough but only been in a handfulls of rains sitting out for just a few weeks in it life.

 

[Car Doc]

Hey Folks,

I am currently shopping for a Yanmar in the 25-35 HP range and wondered if there are any specific buying tips that other owners might suggest. The first appointment I have lined up is for a 3110 bought reconned from dealer by an older gentleman about 4 years ago. Used to pull a 5' tiller in his garden. About 30 hours, shed kept, sheet metal shinny new and like new rubber. Also looking at a 3000 lightly used for mowing in similar condition. The one I'm really most excited about is a 2610d with a Y2A loader bought from a dealer in western NC less than a year ago with 49 hours. 3rd one he has bought from same dealer. Broken truck put the guy in distress so he has to sell it. Asking $8000 even. Looks pretty cherry.

Any suggestions when checking these out?

Thanks,

Dallas

All 3 sound like VN origination? Time is the best judge I think of trouble and if these have been ran a few years reliably I would not be worried. Personally I would be more inclined to get the 3110 or the 2610D than the gear drive 3000 but I am partial to powershift since I have one and really like it.

 

[California]

Good point.

There should be a substantial price difference discounting the simpler YM3000. I myself would pay the premium for Powershift.