Buying Advice looking at buying a Yanmar, have some questions

[red alder ranch]

I have a short (5 year) signature loan from my credit union already in the bag, for 5.5%. And given what it took to get that straightened out, I think I'm going to stick with it. Earlier this year, I refinanced my land through my parents, out of an 11% loan into 3%. I took the opportunity to pay off my boat loan, and all my credit cards, and then I chopped up the two worst cards and closed the accounts. I tried to keep one of the mediocre cards open with a zero balance and they closed the account for me after I didn't use it for 60 days. Oh well, I thought, I still have my two low interest credit union cards.

I feel like I'm now in the best, most consolidated financial position that I've been in for years, but when I tried to borrow for a tractor from my larger CU, they turned me down in spite of a perfect ten year payment record, and a credit score in the "excellent" range, because I didn't have enough open accounts and credit cards! I swear, as long as I live, I will never understand how those people think. Fortunately, my little credit union was more than happy to give me an unsecured loan for a tractor for better terms than the other place had anyway.

New Kioti and Mahindra tractors in the size that I'm looking for are quite a bit more expensive than what I want to spend. New Kioti 4WDs in the HP and weight range I'm looking for are over $18k here, without a FEL. And they are quite a bit more complicated in terms of electronic controls, too. I'm OK with getting an older, used tractor, I just want to make sure and steer clear of anything that has some inherent defect, or is impossible to maintain and upkeep. As near as I can tell, the older Yanmars are pretty sturdy stuff, and I did find some good info from Hoye about what to look for and what models to avoid.

Thanks!

 

[clemsonfor]

I have a short (5 year) signature loan from my credit union already in the bag, for 5.5%. And given what it took to get that straightened out, I think I'm going to stick with it. Earlier this year, I refinanced my land through my parents, out of an 11% loan into 3%. I took the opportunity to pay off my boat loan, and all my credit cards, and then I chopped up the two worst cards and closed the accounts. I tried to keep one of the mediocre cards open with a zero balance and they closed the account for me after I didn't use it for 60 days. Oh well, I thought, I still have my two low interest credit union cards.

I feel like I'm now in the best, most consolidated financial position that I've been in for years, but when I tried to borrow for a tractor from my larger CU, they turned me down in spite of a perfect ten year payment record, and a credit score in the "excellent" range, because I didn't have enough open accounts and credit cards! I swear, as long as I live, I will never understand how those people think. Fortunately, my little credit union was more than happy to give me an unsecured loan for a tractor for better terms than the other place had anyway.

New Kioti and Mahindra tractors in the size that I'm looking for are quite a bit more expensive than what I want to spend. New Kioti 4WDs in the HP and weight range I'm looking for are over $18k here, without a FEL. And they are quite a bit more complicated in terms of electronic controls, too. I'm OK with getting an older, used tractor, I just want to make sure and steer clear of anything that has some inherent defect, or is impossible to maintain and upkeep. As near as I can tell, the older Yanmars are pretty sturdy stuff, and I did find some good info from Hoye about what to look for and what models to avoid.

Thanks!

The difference must be i would not personally look at 4wd. Folks for 50 years or so got buy without it. It just allows you to have a smaller HP tractor and pull larger implements by getting beter traction. I would personally have a more powerful 2wd tractor that is heavier or can ballest than some tiny 4wd. but to each his own. Do you have a 401k? You can borrow against it at like less than 3%, you sound young like me and this will not kill your earning potential if its only like 3 years and a small amout. Some say this is stupid but im paying myself the small interest and saving the difference to a bank. You can pay that 5.5% back today if you want.

The securing a loan thing is due to the credit crunch. I have almost a perfect credit score, like less than 100 from perfect if i remember right. I talked to a Highschool friend and he said they dont even do personal loans anymore!! Its just that hard now a days, with unsecured intrest being in the 12-16% range at a legit bank thats nearing loansharking if you ask me, as low as the rates are now!

 

[red alder ranch]

One of the things I need this tractor for is pulling small firewood and shiitake mushroom growing logs out of my woodlot, and doing other work on hilly, sometimes wet land, and for that, I really do need the 4WD. I used to borrow a 2WD tractor for this and other barnyard tasks, and I got that thing good and stuck more than once, when I really thought that it should be OK. Since then, I've been using the 4WD tractor and have never gotten stuck again. So, for me, 4WD is essential.

I don't have a 401k, or anything like that. I've been self employed for many years, so all those neato benefits that come with a regular job, like health insurance and retirement plans, are things that I've gotten used to doing without. At the risk of getting very much off-topic here, I think that at the rates that banks are getting money for, to charge the interest rates that they are charging should be illegal. That's why I am so happy with my credit union. I don't begrudge them the 5.5% at all, and the short term means I won't be paying it for long, anyway.

 

[Johndeere3720]

I am guessing this is the 3220 you are looking at? Yanmar 32 hp Loader 4x4 tractor

Yanmar makes very good tractors, if they didn't than John Deere wouldn't have had them put Yanmar engines in their tractors nor let Yanmar build many of their tractors. I have a YM169D that I am gonna sell soon, but it is only 16 hp and doesn't have a FEL. That is also why I am selling it. :laughing: I also saw one of the 336's I presume you were looking at on tractor house, the FEL is a lot heavier on it compared to the 3220. I think that you are definitely on the right path, Yanmar makes great machines.

 

[Coldwater]

Thats a Coldwater loader. bet it was a coldwater tractor

 

[284 International]

You have excellent reasons and have thought this out thoroughly. I wasn't trying to talk you out of a Yanmar or Mitsubishi. I think you'll be happy with them, the Ford 1715 you have time on was built by Shibaura for Ford, and is a similar machine. If it worked for you, then a similar product by Yanmar, Kubota, Mitsubishi et al will do fine, too.

You have specific models in mind, and that's good. One comment on size: it doesn't take very much increase in length or width to make a machine harder or impossible to maneuver into places, or fit onto a trailer, or whatever other size-limited factor you might have. I have noticed that even a small increase in width, especially, sometimes means being able to work in an area or not.

Myself, and California, another member here, both have a Yanmar YM2000(240) and a YM186D. We bought the 186D for similar reasons, to let us work under, around, and generally near trees in an orchard. The specs on my YM2000 are 44 inches wide, 108 inches long, and 69 inches high (at the top of the vertical exhaust). My 186D specs out at 42.9 inches wide, 98 inches long, and 53 inches high at the top of the steering wheel.

The 186D is MUCH more compact overall, in spite of the dimensions being only inches apart. The overall seating position, and especially the tire sizes, make the 186D able to maneuver and do work in places the 2000 cannot even go. They LOOK much different in size, but on the tape measure they're pretty close. (For a survey of some different things side by side by side, go here.)

I don't know anything about working in woods or logging or anything like that, but I do know about getting tractors into places too small for them to work. I'm not telling you it won't work, but make sure to consider whether you can get a bigger machine into the area you need to go. The 1715 is a good sized machine, about like my 284. The 336 may be awkward if you need to get it into compact or tight, overhung areas. Maybe not.

Many people, with solid experience behind them, advise people to buy a size bigger than what they think they need. They aren't wrong, in my book. For their applications it is true. I've found, on my property, and for my jobs, that I always get limited by the ability to fit. I almost sold, but decided to keep, my little loader equipped B6000, because it fits through a normal gated sidewalk with some careful driving. My needs aren't yours, but if you're regularly working in tight spots, be very careful going up too much in size. The visibility over and around large tires is more restricted, and it's generally tougher to get through small places.

If you have narrow trails or access points, you may not be able to fit the bigger, wider, and heavier machine through. Or, it may work perfectly. You'll have to gauge that.

There will be times where you wish you had an even bigger tractor than whatever you'll buy. There will also be times you'll wish you had something smaller.

Either way, the Yanmar machines you're looking at are good units. Let us know what you find when you go check them out, then take and post photographs! Good luck!

 

[red alder ranch]

I went to check out the 3220 today, and I think I am going to go back and get it this weekend. It is used, but not abused, and it doesn't look like it was reconditioned at any point along the way. There is one small coolant leak in a little bypass hose right on top of the engine where it's easy to fix. Otherwise all fluids were good, and there were no other leaks of any kind anywhere. Steering linkage was tight, transmission shifted and worked fine in all gears, as did the PTO and the reduction box. It started easily from being cold.

The guy said that it was his wife's tractor for her horse enterprises, and she thought it was too big and scary for what she wanted. They have had it about a year, and are going to get her a smaller unit. He said it came from Gorilla Tractor in Puyallup, and I thought I understood him to say that they were the ones that put the loader on, but I could be wrong about that. Prior to that, it had been an orchard tractor pulling wagons full of fruit around.

Once I was standing there in person, it was clear that the loader is definitely not a light duty one, although it does look a little light in the pics in the ad. But it should be more than adequate for my needs. I still need to round up a mower right away, but this tractor seems solid and tight for the money.

As to size, it will easily fit on my car hauler trailer, and I don't have any trails in the woods that I can't make a little wider if I need to. My barn has 10' tall doors, so no worries there, either... :thumbsup:

My only concern is the parts availability, but as near as I can tell, this is a pretty common engine in this thing, at least.

 

[Pete Judd]

The loader parts are only a few miles away from me. I am sure that the whole unit came from Coldwater just west of me. I am in Elma 30 miles west of Oly. Should be a good unit. And you will love the powershift.

 

[Coldwater]

I went to check out the 3220 today, and I think I am going to go back and get it this weekend. It is used, but not abused, and it doesn't look like it was reconditioned at any point along the way. There is one small coolant leak in a little bypass hose right on top of the engine where it's easy to fix. Otherwise all fluids were good, and there were no other leaks of any kind anywhere. Steering linkage was tight, transmission shifted and worked fine in all gears, as did the PTO and the reduction box. It started easily from being cold.

The guy said that it was his wife's tractor for her horse enterprises, and she thought it was too big and scary for what she wanted. They have had it about a year, and are going to get her a smaller unit. He said it came from Gorilla Tractor in Puyallup, and I thought I understood him to say that they were the ones that put the loader on, but I could be wrong about that. Prior to that, it had been an orchard tractor pulling wagons full of fruit around.

Once I was standing there in person, it was clear that the loader is definitely not a light duty one, although it does look a little light in the pics in the ad. But it should be more than adequate for my needs. I still need to round up a mower right away, but this tractor seems solid and tight for the money.

As to size, it will easily fit on my car hauler trailer, and I don't have any trails in the woods that I can't make a little wider if I need to. My barn has 10' tall doors, so no worries there, either... :thumbsup:

My only concern is the parts availability, but as near as I can tell, this is a pretty common engine in this thing, at least.

we sold tractors to gorilla tractors.

 

[msjanket]

The used Japanese tractors are being sold for higher and higher prices. Only if you deal with a novice seller can you get a buy. I saw a Beaver 3 for 7500 recently. Outta my league.