Buying Advice Has anyone bought a tractor thru alibaba?

[roujesky]

I know these are Chinese tractors and parts may be dificult. But has anyone bought one and assembled it? For instance:
4wd 55hp Compact Tractor For Sale With Backhoe And Loader - Buy Compact Tractor,55hp Compact Tractor,Compact Tractor For Sale Product on Alibaba.com

 

[fried1765]

I know these are Chinese tractors and parts may be dificult. But has anyone bought one and assembled it? For instance:
4wd 55hp Compact Tractor For Sale With Backhoe And Loader - Buy Compact Tractor,55hp Compact Tractor,Compact Tractor For Sale Product on Alibaba.com

The attachment advertisement indicates that tractors are sold in a 40' container, with 4 to each container.
4 x $9000 = $36,000 USD.
That would be a rather heavy bet to place on an unknown/unsupported Chinese tractor...... 4 tractors .... actually!
I doubt that there will be many takers for such an offer.

 

[fried1765]

I know these are Chinese tractors and parts may be dificult. But has anyone bought one and assembled it? For instance:
4wd 55hp Compact Tractor For Sale With Backhoe And Loader - Buy Compact Tractor,55hp Compact Tractor,Compact Tractor For Sale Product on Alibaba.com

The attachment advertisement indicates that tractors are sold in a 40' container, with 4 to each container.
4 x $9000 = $36,000 USD.
That would be a rather heavy bet to place on an unknown/unsupported Chinese tractor...... 4 tractors .... actually!
I doubt that there will be many takers for such an offer.

 

[LD1]

Lack of specs, pics dont match the description (for example....it says 11-28 and 7.5-16 tires but that is WAY too small for a 55hp 4wd, and AINT whats pictured), no pics of the loader and backhoe......

Id pass all day long

 

[imnukensc]

I wouldn't buy a light bulb from alibaba, much less a tractor.

 

[newbury]

My cousin-in-law, a very successful dentist, had a John Deere 6' tiller. He broke it. Cost to repair was quoted as "might get by for $1,000" but might be more. Apparently he bent the shaft. A new JD was above $3K, even a cheap 6' one is about $2K. So he bought a chinese tiller direct from china for $800. After a month or so it got here, nicely crated.

By then one of his drinking buddies had come by and fixed his 6' JD for about the same cost, $800 for parts. My CIL never even unboxed the chinese tiller and sold it to someone for cost.

Last I heard it worked well. But looking at it the welds looked like something I might have done, the paint looked like a poor spray can job.

But like my Jinma chipper it was definitely worth the $$.

As far as the OP's link - Does it pass EPA regs?

Or does he plan on using it out of the country?

 

[Tractorable]

The whole idea of buying a cheap unknown tractor from china with limited details and no dealer support makes my spidey senses go off big time.

No way would I ever do that.

 

[Oldpath05]

Boy that it a great price on a tractor, temping, funny we buy everything else from China, tools, laptops, cellphone, cloths.....but when it comes to tractors and cars, we all become skittish. Probably the only way for Chinese tractors to become popular in the USA is to buy now pay later like after a 5 year use of the machine and they pay for the parts and repairs if needed, THEN if satisfied buy, if not they come and get what's left of it, with duct tape holding it together, sign me up I'll take one to go.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Chinese tractors were quietly selling well in the US until the latest round of EPA regulations. If you attempt to import an engine that does not meet EPA specs it will be impounded and destroyed and the owner (you) is out their money and out of luck.

I believe the only Chinese tractors that can legally be imported today are those with Perkins Tier IV engines, which are in some Jinmas and Fotons. These are being sold by Northern Tool under the NorTrac brand and by Affordable Tractor Company under their own brand names. Those are the only two brands I would look at. As a Jinma owner I'll say that Foton seems to have a slightly higher reputation for fit and finish, particularly in the more powerful models.

Almost everyone who sells on Alibaba is a broker. I think a lot of those guys don't even know the stuff they're selling, they just go through manufacturers' websites and pull stuff off and list it.

About ten years ago it was pretty common to import directly. Do a Google search for "crate tractor" to see some stories. A lot of those were poorly assembled by their owners and have problems. I think that Jinma and Foton have stopped doing direct sales and now sell only through dealers.

Chinese tractors are simple but powerful. A lot of owners compare them to American tractors of the 50's and 60's. They are simple to work on, which is good because you're probably not going to have a local dealer. Parts are readily available. Jinma is owned by Mahindra, the worlds largest tractor company. In India and China -- where a quarter of the world lives --
they are the market leader.

 

[roujesky]

The attachment advertisement indicates that tractors are sold in a 40' container, with 4 to each container.
4 x $9000 = $36,000 USD.
That would be a rather heavy bet to place on an unknown/unsupported Chinese tractor...... 4 tractors .... actually!
I doubt that there will be many takers for such an offer.

yeah, I saw that. I haven't contacted them for more information. Kinda conflicting information. It looks like you can buy 1 at a time, but shipping is 4 to a container. Not sure how far I want to pursue this...

 

[roujesky]

Yes, the EPA changes worry me a lot!
I like the simple aspect also. My current tractor is an Allis Chalmers 1976ish(?). Engine, transmission, PTO, 4 tires, that's all.
I want one big enough with a FEL to haul round bales among other things....

 

[roujesky]

I don't know about EPA status.
Yeah, in the country. Lift round bales with FEL, shred, and just play with the backhoe

 

[fried1765]

I don't know about EPA status.
Yeah, in the country. Lift round bales with FEL, shred, and just play with the backhoe

Look for a good used tractor! Investigate, and BE PATIENT!
In my opinion, new is a bad idea. New has all the complicated electronics, and Tier IV garbage.
Contact several dealers for used tractor ideas, and availability.
Check Craigslist......but BE CAREFUL!
Make certain that you buy BIG enough!
If not big enough, you will buy two tractors!
The search for the right tractor can be both fun, and rewarding!
Good luck!

 

[sd455dan]

I don't know about EPA status.
Yeah, in the country. Lift round bales with FEL, shred, and just play with the backhoe

Unfortunately even if you could get a shipping container full would never make it out of customs because most the tractors do not meet meet tier 4. i think that is the case with many china sourced tractors on Alibaba, but they sell to many countries with no emission standards.

If I really wanted another chinese tractor- I would be more inclined to find a used 1 already in the US and because of the depreciation they have already been thru and the fact that most of the early bugs have probably been dealt with- they can be a real bargain

I did see a used 6144 Rhino on tractorhouse recently with a US made Koyker loader - if it is in good running condition might work .

TractorHouse.com | RHINO 6144 For Sale

The way it sits in the picture is around 7700lb and should easily pick up and drive and stack large round or square bales-

other brands that have been imported YTO, Foton, Jinma in the 55 hp + class

If you really want a new Chinese tractor Check out one of the sponsored sellers in the Chinese tractor section stickies or even Northern.

 

[N2DFire]

I have not purchased a tractor from Alibaba but I have done serious investigation into buying some implements through there.

Aside from brokering the actual sale of whatever, you will also have to arrange everything else to get it to your door. The seller will usually deliver to one or two of the closest shipping ports for free but after that it's your baby.

That means you need to arrange:

1) A carrier (i.e. a boat) to bring it from that port to a port in the U.S. As has been pointed out already, you're probably not looking to buy an entire containers worth of tractors so you need a shipper who will take LCL (Less-than Container Load) freight. There are two ways to go about this. One is to find a "Freight Forwarder" which in simple terms is someone who pays for shipping an entire container from port to port & then resells space in the container till they fill it up. The other is finding a shipper that will handle LCL directly, which in most cases means it will be lashed to the open deck & exposed to the weather in whatever packing the seller sent it in.

2) You'll need someone to pick it up from the seller at the port & to make sure it gets on the ship.

3) You need someone to make sure it clears customs going out

If you used a freight forwarder above in Item 1, they will take care of these, otherwise you will need to find & arrange all this through individual handlers & brokers.

4) If you made it this far (and your ship did too) then now you need someone to get it off the ship and take custody of it & get it thru customs. Again a freight forwarder will handle this or you can arrange your own broker

5) Finally out of customs and in the good old US of A - you need someone to pick it up at the port and deliver it to you. (DHL, FedEx Freight, private shipper, etc)


So let's say we clear ALL those hurdles - let's not overlook a couple of other important items.
1) You OWN whatever it is from the time it leaves the sellers hand at the foreign port. So if it gets lost, stolen, damaged, sunk, kidnapped by pirates (ok maybe not pirates) - YOU are out the funds for it . . . unless you buy insurance for it. I'm sure international shipping still has better odds than any game in Vegas but do you really want to take the chance?

2) If you ever have any issues with it, your only support from the seller will be in the form of e-mail or possibly some internet Live Chat and any documents they send you are typically not the top end technical kind.


I know there are a couple folks who have done this with non-powered equipment - the EPA part adds a whole new twist on things to consider - so the process is do-able, but at what cost? Is there really any savings to be had in the long run?

If you're really that interested I can provide you with some of my research links (nothing you can't google on your own but at least I know these folks will answer your questions).

What I determined was that there are plenty of U.S. based importers already selling the implements I am interested in. They offer 1 or 2 year warranties, they have live persons I can speak with if I have a problem, and their prices are not far above what it would cost me to do everything on my own (hey those guys have to have a profit margin, it IS a business after all).

Your mileage may vary & your research might find something mine didn't but my free advice (worth what you paid to get it) would be to steer clear of importing and look for a U.S. based vendor.

 

[stuckmotor]

Look for a good used tractor! Investigate, and BE PATIENT!
In my opinion, new is a bad idea. New has all the complicated electronics, and Tier IV garbage.
Contact several dealers for used tractor ideas, and availability.
Check Craigslist......but BE CAREFUL!
Make certain that you buy BIG enough!
If not big enough, you will buy two tractors!
The search for the right tractor can be both fun, and rewarding!
Good luck!

My sentiments exactly.

 

[Oldpath05]

I have not purchased a tractor from Alibaba but I have done serious investigation into buying some implements through there.

Aside from brokering the actual sale of whatever, you will also have to arrange everything else to get it to your door. The seller will usually deliver to one or two of the closest shipping ports for free but after that it's your baby.

That means you need to arrange:

1) A carrier (i.e. a boat) to bring it from that port to a port in the U.S. As has been pointed out already, you're probably not looking to buy an entire containers worth of tractors so you need a shipper who will take LCL (Less-than Container Load) freight. There are two ways to go about this. One is to find a "Freight Forwarder" which in simple terms is someone who pays for shipping an entire container from port to port & then resells space in the container till they fill it up. The other is finding a shipper that will handle LCL directly, which in most cases means it will be lashed to the open deck & exposed to the weather in whatever packing the seller sent it in.

2) You'll need someone to pick it up from the seller at the port & to make sure it gets on the ship.

3) You need someone to make sure it clears customs going out

If you used a freight forwarder above in Item 1, they will take care of these, otherwise you will need to find & arrange all this through individual handlers & brokers.

4) If you made it this far (and your ship did too) then now you need someone to get it off the ship and take custody of it & get it thru customs. Again a freight forwarder will handle this or you can arrange your own broker

5) Finally out of customs and in the good old US of A - you need someone to pick it up at the port and deliver it to you. (DHL, FedEx Freight, private shipper, etc)


So let's say we clear ALL those hurdles - let's not overlook a couple of other important items.
1) You OWN whatever it is from the time it leaves the sellers hand at the foreign port. So if it gets lost, stolen, damaged, sunk, kidnapped by pirates (ok maybe not pirates) - YOU are out the funds for it . . . unless you buy insurance for it. I'm sure international shipping still has better odds than any game in Vegas but do you really want to take the chance?

2) If you ever have any issues with it, your only support from the seller will be in the form of e-mail or possibly some internet Live Chat and any documents they send you are typically not the top end technical kind.


I know there are a couple folks who have done this with non-powered equipment - the EPA part adds a whole new twist on things to consider - so the process is do-able, but at what cost? Is there really any savings to be had in the long run?

If you're really that interested I can provide you with some of my research links (nothing you can't google on your own but at least I know these folks will answer your questions).

What I determined was that there are plenty of U.S. based importers already selling the implements I am interested in. They offer 1 or 2 year warranties, they have live persons I can speak with if I have a problem, and their prices are not far above what it would cost me to do everything on my own (hey those guys have to have a profit margin, it IS a business after all).

Your mileage may vary & your research might find something mine didn't but my free advice (worth what you paid to get it) would be to steer clear of importing and look for a U.S. based vendor.

Wow you just turned me offfff from Alibabaaaaa, is this just on tractor implements like brush cutters, post hole drill.....or everything from a toaster to flashlight?

 

[California]

Wow you just turned me offfff from Alibabaaaaa, is this just on tractor implements like brush cutters, post hole drill.....or everything from a toaster to flashlight?

I've bought quite a few small items from China vendors on Ebay. Their postal rates are insanely cheap, they can somehow make money selling stuff for less than $1 delivered to your door.

Recently I bought three digital calipers (0.01" increments, not thousandths) for well under $10 delivered. Fine for matching drill bits to bolts etc. And three plastic vernier-scale calipers, three under $5 delivered. That's cheap enough to carry loose in a toolbox.

Most recently I bypassed China and bought the identical 12 volt sump pump from a US firm only because the price was the same as from China and it would arrive sooner. I see my paypal payment went straight to a firm in mainland China.

This will replace a lesser capacity pump in my trailer watering rig. For $30 I can take a chance on quality. So far nearly everything I've bought from China matches Harbor Freight quality - ok, not premium. But something more expensive like a welder is more of a gamble, I think I would buy the China model from a US seller for some hope of warranty support.

Bottom line people such as Harbor Freight are big enough to gamble and make a lot of money. For a one-off purchase with no leverage if things go weird - I think I'll stick with sourcing it from a US vendor and pay him what he needs to bear that gamble. Let him deal with the variability that is sure to exist between various firms that advertise on Alibaba.

 

[ShelleyWeals]

If you want to buy Chinese machine, you are recommended to visit made-in-china site as this is mainly focus on machine.

 

[Troysie]

Hi Folks

I own a 2008 YTO , X704, I purchased this tractor new , maintain 20 acres of field and 180 acre woodlot . I am very happy with my chinese tractor , like a lot of people it was the price that made my choice to purchase a YTO. I purchased from a local dealer, I have 1900 hours on it by 2017 , the only thing I have purchased for it are lubricants and filters.
I use a 3pt backhoe,bush hog,potato digger,tiller, flail mower and I plow snow on 2 miles of private road with a county snowblade on FEL.
When I needed manuals I contacted YTO directly through their website, they immediately put the 2 manuals on a DHL courier, exactly 7 days later they arrived from China to my door in New Brunswick, it did not cost me one cent.
For filters I cross referenced everything from the chinese filters to Baldwin which I get just up the road from my house, the local dealer also has all the original chinese filters, however for example the oil filter chinese version is $30.00, baldwin filter is $8.00 .
For fuel I use the regular ultra low sulfur diesel from the local service station, I also add some conditioner only because my tractors fuel tank holds 35 gallons and I am concerned about diesel bugs as the fuel sometimes sits for long periods of time.
I use the 15W40 supreme diesel engine oil and the Multigrade TDH oil in my combined transmission hydraulic and differential system.
when it comes time that I may need parts, I may need to wait a week, but I have confidence I will be able to get what I need, Chinese seem to use the same parts on a lot of different tractors, all you need to know is what tractors use what parts, I already know that a lot of the regular maintenance type of parts such as alternators, starters,etc I can get from the Jinma dealers.
When I purchased I received the standard 1 year and max hours (can't remember #) , I did not make any claims so I cannot comment on how that service would have been, I am happy with tractor understanding that I paid for what I got and I feel I got a good value for my dollar.
I do my own maintenance and all repairs which is an asset.

Troy