Buying Advice 1510D Advice

[normde2001]

I originally put this in the General Forum, it was suggested I move it here.

Just got roughly 2 acres to landscape and garden
Looking at a Yanmar 1510D with tiller, scraper box, and loader. They are asking $6,500

Tractor started right up and sounded good.....
It was on the small side but tiller looked like it was a good size for my needs and having a small front loader would be nice

This price seem acceptable on the left coast?

He said he rebuilt the steering column and it is the John Deere green, not red like most pictures I have found

Anything to look for? Common issues?
Hour meter shows 700 but I know that could easily be 2700 since only 3 places

Thanks

If the seller is happy with the price the buyer paid too much.

 

[jerrybob]

Good little tractor.....just check it out before you buy. Lots of good advice above. Check out the Hoye Tractor site......lots of good info on your potential tractor. If you do buy.....Hoye has most parts you might need. Good luck.

 

[kenmac]

Finding any kind of 4 wheel drive tractor with a loader in East Texas for less than $6000 is rare. I never see tillers for less than $600, most for considerable more. Box blades on the other hand are numerous and sometimes sell as low as 2 to $300. No doubt, condition is important.

I was on craigs list last night.. Fredricks is listing a refurbed RS 1400 5 ft tiller for $795....RS1200 4FT for $600

 

[careyo63]

IMHO. I would have thought the RS 1400 would cost a lot more. I gave Fredricks 675.00$ with basicly just new Tines in 09. It sure done a nice job for the time I owned it. If I was in the Market for a tiller I would have to check into that. I Sold it in 2 days on CL. for what I gave for it 3-4 yrs. later.

 

[woolyAcres]

@tums20- I posted this reply in your original post, but copied it here so others can see the opinion of a fairly recent Yanmar owner. Short version is that's more than I'd be willing to pay in my area.

You may get more comments by posting in the Yanmar specific forum. There are a number of super helpful fellows over there and they know these old tractors in and out.

I'm new to the Yanmar owner's group having bought a YM240D a few months ago. It's the first tractor I've ever purchased though I've been around tractors for a long time. My experience is they are very well built and very durable. Mine was clearly well used but it still runs well provided I don't over do it. I'm used to larger tractors but this is what I could afford. I paid $2300 for mine so I'd say your price seems a bit high. Though the condition of mine certainly brought down the value some.

Having a front loader is super handy and I really think it's worth having. Once you have one you'll find all sorts of uses for it. I wouldn't overvalue the box scraper. Around here they are pretty easy to get for only a few hundred bucks. I don't know much about tillers but I wouldn't think it's worth more than a $1000. Where I am I think a 1510D in good shape with loader would get something like $4000. Add in the tiller and box blade and I'd think $5500 or less.

Do you have any photos? When I posted photos of the one I was considering I got lots of helpful comments- from likely year to the front tires being mounted backwards. Gave me some knowledge and bargaining leverage when I went to go see/buy it.

Too bad you weren't shopping a bit earlier this summer. A fellow on here had a YM186- a really nice machine- for sale. I think he ended up selling it for around $2000. Although not normally recommended for cost reasons, you could have added a loader if you'd wanted and still been under $4000. And the 186 is a nicer machine in my opinion.

Depending on how eager you are to buy, I'd keep looking, or offer $4000 and see where it goes. But to me $6500 is too much.

 

[California]

Too bad you weren't shopping a bit earlier this summer. A fellow on here had a YM186- a really nice machine- for sale. I think he ended up selling it for around $2000. Although not normally recommended for cost reasons, you could have added a loader if you'd wanted and still been under $4000. And the 186 is a nicer machine in my opinion.

Mine? I mentioned it in the last paragraph of post #8 above (with photo), its also the YM186D in my sig photo below this post. Here's a longwinded thread where I asked here for advice on how to make it more presentable. Summary - it took a frustrating year to get anyone to come look at it then it sold to the first person who saw it.

 

[tums20]

Thank you for all the information. I am going to see it this weekend, I will try to get pics.
If it changes anything, the tiller it comes with is a Yanmar. He mentioned you didn't need the 3 pt to hook up the Yanmar tiller, but three point connections come with the scraper box.
I will try to get pics. By the outward appearance it was in better shape than yours California

Looks like overall they are good little tractors, probably about perfect for my use on 2 acres. Hopefully driving it and seeing it in the sunshine, not by flashlight, will help. Not many smaller tractors available at moment. A lot of Ford 8 and 9Ns but I do not want to go too big. There is a 2x4 JD 650 w/ tiller but no front loader offered at $4800 and a 650 4x4 with tiller and loader at $6500, though add says hydraulic leak. First timer, do not want to drop a load of money on a POS

I'll keep you posted thank you all again

 

[woolyAcres]

Mine? I mentioned it in the last paragraph of post #8 above (with photo), its also the YM186D in my sig photo below this post. Here's a longwinded thread where I asked here for advice on how to make it more presentable. Summary - it took a frustrating year to get anyone to come look at it then it sold to the first person who saw it.

I was thinking of your machine . In fact there was a short while back when I was hunting for a tractor that I considered buying it and having it shipped. The shipping quotations quickly dispelled that idea. But I was convinced it was a great machine, well cared for, and honestly presented. But thankfully that headache is over for you.

 

[woolyAcres]

Thank you for all the information. I am going to see it this weekend, I will try to get pics.
If it changes anything, the tiller it comes with is a Yanmar. He mentioned you didn't need the 3 pt to hook up the Yanmar tiller, but three point connections come with the scraper box.
I will try to get pics. By the outward appearance it was in better shape than yours California

Looks like overall they are good little tractors, probably about perfect for my use on 2 acres. Hopefully driving it and seeing it in the sunshine, not by flashlight, will help. Not many smaller tractors available at moment. A lot of Ford 8 and 9Ns but I do not want to go too big. There is a 2x4 JD 650 w/ tiller but no front loader offered at $4800 and a 650 4x4 with tiller and loader at $6500, though add says hydraulic leak. First timer, do not want to drop a load of money on a POS

I'll keep you posted thank you all again

Sounds like your market is a bit higher than around here. On my local craigslist there have been any number of YM1500D (without FELs) that were up for sale when I was looking several months ago. They are listed at $4500 and come with box scrapers, tillers, 4' brush hogs, etc. Very few have sold at that price. The one I purchased was only on craigslist for a day (YM240D with FEL for $2500). I guess my point is those are asking prices and if they were in a hurry to sell, they'd have lower prices.

If you're able test drive it, check the fluids, and post some pics back to this thread you'll get lots of comments.

Here's a thread you might look over if you've got the time.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/yanmar/343391-looking-first-yanmar.html

The one I actually purchased for $2300 is here. Might be useful as a reference point.

The fluids on mine all checked out and it sounded good and no smoke. The aspect that I was underprepared to evaluate was the loader. It had one very leaky cylinder, which I figured wasn't a big deal. Knowing what I know now, I think I would have pressed him a bit harder on price (he was asking $2500). The loader really lacked strength, wouldn't lift the front of the tractor off the ground, had very poor curl (which I attributed to the oversized bucket), and had very slow rise. I figured all that would be solved by replacing that single cylinder. There's a whole other saga on here about my FEL troubles, but in the end I followed the advice on here and rebuilt them which didn't cost much (~$40 to redo all 4), but did take some time and running around but it was worth it just to learn how to do it. They are much better now, but not perfect. However, I've still got problems with the loader and I've purchased (but not yet installed) a new loader control valve.

My point is to check out the loader as well as the tractor. Get a load in it and lift, dump, etc. I knew my tractor would need some work at the price I paid. I'd hope at these asking prices, you won't need to do this stuff. Although I'd be tempted to change fluids unless the owner can convince you all that's been done recently.

 

[clemsonfor]

Thank you for all the information. I am going to see it this weekend, I will try to get pics.
If it changes anything, the tiller it comes with is a Yanmar. He mentioned you didn't need the 3 pt to hook up the Yanmar tiller, but three point connections come with the scraper box.
I will try to get pics. By the outward appearance it was in better shape than yours California

Looks like overall they are good little tractors, probably about perfect for my use on 2 acres. Hopefully driving it and seeing it in the sunshine, not by flashlight, will help. Not many smaller tractors available at moment. A lot of Ford 8 and 9Ns but I do not want to go too big. There is a 2x4 JD 650 w/ tiller but no front loader offered at $4800 and a 650 4x4 with tiller and loader at $6500, though add says hydraulic leak. First timer, do not want to drop a load of money on a POS

I'll keep you posted thank you all again

Hydro leak can be as simple as a bad hose which is like $30-50 or could be a cylinder that needs repacking and those parts are like $20 plus your time.

I would not really want a ford N tractor for what you want. They dont really bushhog that well or do that. They can and will and lots do but on small areas as small as you i would want a smaller more nimble and efecient tractor.