YT235 Experiences and Opinions

[Terrapro88]

Hi all!

I am looking at the Yanmar YT235. Unfortunately, I am finding very little in the way of reviews. Those of you that have a YT235, what has been your experience so far? Any issues that have required a trip to the dealer to fix? Any known issues with these tractors yet? All the dealers are 50min to 1.5 hours from me. I would have to get someone to haul the tractor for me if it needed to go back to the dealer for warranty work. As everyone else I am sure, I would prefer not to buy a tractor that could potentially need to go back to the dealer fairly often; especially since I have no way to haul it myself.

I have been to 3 different Yanmar dealers so far. I have seen cash prices advertised (far from my area) for as low as $21,100 and have been quoted cash prices as much as $23,800. Yanmar, between the tractor and loader only has $1500 in rebates on the YT235 right now. Anyone have any insight into if that is a small rebate or a big rebate on the YT235. When y'all bought was the rebate more or less? I am not opposed to waiting a little while if Yanmar usually rolls out better rebates later in the spring or summer. Anyone have an opinion on a good price for a YT235 with R4's and loader?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Geosankie]

Hi all!

I am looking at the Yanmar YT235. Unfortunately, I am finding very little in the way of reviews. Those of you that have a YT235, what has been your experience so far? Any issues that have required a trip to the dealer to fix? Any known issues with these tractors yet? All the dealers are 50min to 1.5 hours from me. I would have to get someone to haul the tractor for me if it needed to go back to the dealer for warranty work. As everyone else I am sure, I would prefer not to buy a tractor that could potentially need to go back to the dealer fairly often; especially since I have no way to haul it myself.

I have been to 3 different Yanmar dealers so far. I have seen cash prices advertised (far from my area) for as low as $21,100 and have been quoted cash prices as much as $23,800. Yanmar, between the tractor and loader only has $1500 in rebates on the YT235 right now. Anyone have any insight into if that is a small rebate or a big rebate on the YT235. When y'all bought was the rebate more or less? I am not opposed to waiting a little while if Yanmar usually rolls out better rebates later in the spring or summer. Anyone have an opinion on a good price for a YT235 with R4's and loader?

Thanks in advance!

I bought my YT235 one year ago...now have 200 hrs on it... Still thrilled with the tractor. I bought new a Yanmar 187d over 25 yrs ago, still have it, and it never saw a dealer after purchase date. They, Yanmars, just do not break or need anything other than normal fluid and filters.
I have worked my yt235 pretty hard, not abused, and it is kept in a buiding out of the elements. Mine has the loader and 60" MMM, and I'd say the prices you are getting are very reasonable. My neighbor just took delivery on his new YT235 and is like a kid at Christmas.
Have no fear, get one...they are the Cadillac of CUTS and will last you many decades if you treat it with a little love. G

 

[Tractorable]

I can't help you with costs and rebates, etc because I haven't bought my future YT235 yet. It's a very nice machine, and Yanmar builds some of the best Diesel engines in the world. The company has built over 10 million Diesel engines over 90 years, and has built entire tractors for many decades, I would wager that reliability should be excellent.

What kind of tasks do you intend to accomplish with the YT235?

 

[Terrapro88]

I bought my YT235 one year ago...now have 200 hrs on it... Still thrilled with the tractor. I bought new a Yanmar 187d over 25 yrs ago, still have it, and it never saw a dealer after purchase date. They, Yanmars, just do not break or need anything other than normal fluid and filters.
I have worked my yt235 pretty hard, not abused, and it is kept in a buiding out of the elements. Mine has the loader and 60" MMM, and I'd say the prices you are getting are very reasonable. My neighbor just took delivery on his new YT235 and is like a kid at Christmas.
Have no fear, get one...they are the Cadillac of CUTS and will last you many decades if you treat it with a little love. G

Thank you for the great response! It's reassuring to hear from an actual owner.

I found out this morning that there is a $1000 rebate on old stock. I guess to get close to the $21,100 number I need to be on the lookout for a 2017 that has been on the lot a while.

You mentioned your 187d. I live about 1.5hrs from Fredricks importing that refurbishes the older model Yanmars. I have had one of their Yanmar 2820d's with Koyker 160 loaders on my short list. (However, I would really like a hydrostatic) It's about $13.3K with the loader. The price is very attractive....lol

YM282 — Fredricks Outdoor

Do you like the mid-mount mower or would you buy a rear finish mower I stead?

Thanks Again!

 

[Terrapro88]

I can't help you with costs and rebates, etc because I haven't bought my future YT235 yet. It's a very nice machine, and Yanmar builds some of the best Diesel engines in the world. The company has built over 10 million Diesel engines over 90 years, and has built entire tractors for many decades, I would wager that reliability should be excellent.

What kind of tasks do you intend to accomplish with the YT235?

Hi! Thanks for the response!

I have about 5 acres and some of my neighbors have a little land also where it could possibly see some occasional work. In the beginning it would be used for a fair amount of landscaping, dirt work (smoothing out and grading a few areas with a box blade), moving dirt to build flower beds, grading a short section of gravel drive and I have a few rocks that I need a little more persuasion than me with a shovel to get out of the ground, mowing about an acre of yard and bush hogging the rest. I have some trees and other brush to cut up and haul or chip up. I'll probably also use it and an auger to plant a good number of fruit trees around the perimeter of our property and plant/replant about 75 blueberry bushes at some point as well as building a fence. So, I really have a wide range of things to do with the tractor.

I don't think it will be anything that will push the boundaries of the tractor. After the first year or two, it would have a pretty easy life for the most part. It would be stored in our basement with my Yamaha Terrapro and equipment.

I keep seeing some of the South Korean tractors with some higher lift capacities, and a few more nice features like a suspension seat. However, I always have that nagging reliability question in the back of my mind....

At this point, the thing that really gives me pause with the Yanmar is dealer support in my area, vs Kubota. I have several Kubota dealers around me (2 within about 30min). However, that may be a mute point if I don't need much in the way of service.

Thanks!

 

[Geosankie]

Thank you for the great response! It's reassuring to hear from an actual owner.

I found out this morning that there is a $1000 rebate on old stock. I guess to get close to the $21,100 number I need to be on the lookout for a 2017 that has been on the lot a while.

You mentioned your 187d. I live about 1.5hrs from Fredricks importing that refurbishes the older model Yanmars. I have had one of their Yanmar 2820d's with Koyker 160 loaders on my short list. (However, I would really like a hydrostatic) It's about $13.3K with the loader. The price is very attractive....lol

YM282 — Fredricks Outdoor

Do you like the mid-mount mower or would you buy a rear finish mower I stead?

Thanks Again!

I mowed for 25 years with a 3pt Woods 60" finish mower. Worked very well, obviously. But, with many "things" in the lawn area, it was a bit troublesome while making turns without it taking out some of those "things" by accident. On a positive note, it was a snap to attach and detach when the job at hand dictated and to service it was easy/peasey. Also, you can back the mower under low hanging shrubs to mow under there. The MMM is better for mowing up close to "things" with no worry about accidents to shrubs during turns. The negatives I find are: Difficult to grease all 3 spindles while mounted. In the way when doing Dirt work ,even when blocked up it still reduces ground clearance. So, the jury is still out as to which I prefer. G

 

[jeff9366]

VIDEOS: yt235 yanmar - YouTube

 

[Terrapro88]

VIDEOS: yt235 yanmar - YouTube

Thanks! Some of those I had seen, some I had not.

 

[BlueberryDreams]

Thanks for info on YT235 and MMM. We are in the market for a CUT with a factory cab, MMM, and backhoe (hard combo to find in Pacific NW). Currently use our Deere X595 (no cab) mainly to blow tree debris off of 1/2 mi of gravel driveway throughout the year (snow rare here but it gets cold and rainy so a heated cab would be nice) and mowing 4 out of our 16 very hilly, Douglas fir wooded acres in the summer. Loader and box blade for maintaining gravel driveway. Deere X595 is really not powerful enough to run our Bear Cat chipper. And we have backhoe projects in mind. Plus dreams of a small blueberry farm in the near future. So looking to go bigger.

Looked at Deere 2 (no cab) and 3 series (to big), Kubota, Branson (no cab MMM). Then went to look at New Hollands (Boomer 40 cab but no MMM and rather big). At the New Holland dealer I noticed a Yanmar TY235 (ROPS, haven't seen a cab version, can't locate one in WA state). Dealer said it could take several weeks to get parts but (me, the wife) fell in love with the overall design, fit and finish, deep red and gold/green wheel paint colors, and overall size. Seems a good match for us.

Questions:

1. Does the YT235 Cab work with MMM and a backhoe? Saw one older post that said backhoe frame had to come off for MMM use but Yanmar site lets us build with MMM and backhoe ... can anyone confirm if this has been redesigned to work together?

2. Will the rear wheel spacers work with the MMM?

3. Also want to get a Grapple: a Factory 3rd function value is on brochure but Yanmar online build site doesn't let me build it with it. Would like it factory installed with it integrated into the joystick (like the picture on the brochure) rather than dealer strapped on control on the joystick.

4. Any experience (+ or -) with the DPF regen?

Thanks in advance!

 

[sloeffle]

3. Also want to get a Grapple: a Factory 3rd function value is on brochure but Yanmar online build site doesn't let me build it with it. Would like it factory installed with it integrated into the joystick (like the picture on the brochure) rather than dealer strapped on control on the joystick.

4. Any experience (+ or -) with the DPF regen?

Thanks in advance!

The 3rd function is built into the loader joystick. You simply push the 3rd function button and tilt the handle like your normally would to operate the grapple. I had the 3rd function installed on my YT347. One of these days I'll get some pictures posted.

No experience with a regen yet, but from what I have read in the owners manual. You hold the button down for 3 seconds and then work the tractor like normal. Yanmar makes some of the best diesels in the world and I am sure they have the regen process down to a science.

 

[Yanmar Tractor]

The 3rd function is built into the loader joystick. You simply push the 3rd function button and tilt the handle like your normally would to operate the grapple. I had the 3rd function installed on my YT347. One of these days I'll get some pictures posted.

No experience with a regen yet, but from what I have read in the owners manual. You hold the button down for 3 seconds and then work the tractor like normal. Yanmar makes some of the best diesels in the world and I am sure they have the regen process down to a science.

sloeffle,

A clarification --- The built-into-the-loader-joystick 3rd function button is standard equipment on YT3 Series Yanmar tractors. This loader control lever design is unique to the YT3 Series tractors. The loader control lever on YT2 Series is a different design that does not have the same integrated function control buttons as the YT3 Series loader control lever.

 

[sloeffle]

sloeffle,

A clarification --- The built-into-the-loader-joystick 3rd function button is standard equipment on YT3 Series Yanmar tractors. This loader control lever design is unique to the YT3 Series tractors. The loader control lever on YT2 Series is a different design that does not have the same integrated function control buttons as the YT3 Series loader control lever.

Thank you for the clarification.

 

[Tractorable]

Can you buy a third function handle/button from a YT347/359 and fit it onto a YT235 loader stick?

 

[Tractorable]

Thanks for info on YT235 and MMM. We are in the market for a CUT with a factory cab, MMM, and backhoe (hard combo to find in Pacific NW). Currently use our Deere X595 (no cab) mainly to blow tree debris off of 1/2 mi of gravel driveway throughout the year (snow rare here but it gets cold and rainy so a heated cab would be nice) and mowing 4 out of our 16 very hilly, Douglas fir wooded acres in the summer. Loader and box blade for maintaining gravel driveway. Deere X595 is really not powerful enough to run our Bear Cat chipper. And we have backhoe projects in mind. Plus dreams of a small blueberry farm in the near future. So looking to go bigger.

Looked at Deere 2 (no cab) and 3 series (to big), Kubota, Branson (no cab MMM). Then went to look at New Hollands (Boomer 40 cab but no MMM and rather big). At the New Holland dealer I noticed a Yanmar TY235 (ROPS, haven't seen a cab version, can't locate one in WA state). Dealer said it could take several weeks to get parts but (me, the wife) fell in love with the overall design, fit and finish, deep red and gold/green wheel paint colors, and overall size. Seems a good match for us.

Questions:

1. Does the YT235 Cab work with MMM and a backhoe? Saw one older post that said backhoe frame had to come off for MMM use but Yanmar site lets us build with MMM and backhoe ... can anyone confirm if this has been redesigned to work together?

2. Will the rear wheel spacers work with the MMM?

3. Also want to get a Grapple: a Factory 3rd function value is on brochure but Yanmar online build site doesn't let me build it with it. Would like it factory installed with it integrated into the joystick (like the picture on the brochure) rather than dealer strapped on control on the joystick.

4. Any experience (+ or -) with the DPF regen?

Thanks in advance!

Hi Blueberry Dreams, you should probably start your own thread to ask about a new tractor purchase.

Quick question: are you set on the MMM for the YT235? The downside to MMM's is that they're 1) expensive, 2) proprietary, and 3) eliminate ground clearance. For the same price you could get a rear finish mower, riding mower, or zero turn all of which would perform better and you can sell them. To sell a proprietary MMM the buyer would have to have the exact same tractor as you do, unlike a universal fit 3pt mower.

The YT235 is a beautiful machine. I'm in love with it too!

 

[BlueberryDreams]

Hi Blueberry Dreams, you should probably start your own thread to ask about a new tractor purchase.

Quick question: are you set on the MMM for the YT235? The downside to MMM's is that they're 1) expensive, 2) proprietary, and 3) eliminate ground clearance. For the same price you could get a rear finish mower, riding mower, or zero turn all of which would perform better and you can sell them. To sell a proprietary MMM the buyer would have to have the exact same tractor as you do, unlike a universal fit 3pt mower.

The YT235 is a beautiful machine. I'm in love with it too!

50% of our use of a mower will be to blow plant debris off of our 1/2 mile gravel driveway (plus occasionally 1/2 mile private community gravel road) throughout the year. Alder catkins in spring, leaves in fall and Doug fir branchlets and needles after wind storms mainly in winter.

Currently we do this with our Deere X595 lawn mower w/o cab but does get cold and dusty. We did consider using a side discharge rear finish mower (with a cab tractor) but it looks like they have stopped making them (could look for a used one). However no experience with a rear mower.

We were also looking into rear PTO debris blowers (like the B10 or B20 from Votex, Canada dealer only?) but then we found the Yanmar YT235Cab with MMM. Although I do have a concern that gravel could break a cab window.

Considering for our present and future projects: YT235 cab with MMM, backhoe, loader, grapple, box blade or
YT235 cab with rear finish mower, B, L, G, BB and rear PTO debris blower

 

[Yanmar Tractor]

Can you buy a third function handle/button from a YT347/359 and fit it onto a YT235 loader stick?

Tractorable,,

What you propose is probably not impossible but the YT3 loader lever is designed to enclose the wiring attached to the buttons in the handle. And to have provision for those wires to attach inside the console to the appropriate tractor and 3rd function kit wiring harnesses. The loader lever on the YT2 tractors is not designed to provide all of those accommodations for the controls wiring.

 

[cabover4us]

50% of our use of a mower will be to blow plant debris off of our 1/2 mile gravel driveway (plus occasionally 1/2 mile private community gravel road) throughout the year. Alder catkins in spring, leaves in fall and Doug fir branchlets and needles after wind storms mainly in winter.

Currently we do this with our Deere X595 lawn mower w/o cab but does get cold and dusty. We did consider using a side discharge rear finish mower (with a cab tractor) but it looks like they have stopped making them (could look for a used one). However no experience with a rear mower.

We were also looking into rear PTO debris blowers (like the B10 or B20 from Votex, Canada dealer only?) but then we found the Yanmar YT235Cab with MMM. Although I do have a concern that gravel could break a cab window.

Considering for our present and future projects: YT235 cab with MMM, backhoe, loader, grapple, box blade or
YT235 cab with rear finish mower, B, L, G, BB and rear PTO debris blower

I also priced a 60" MMM and getting towards the third week dealership said in order to mount and use MMM would have to remove the "WHOLE" backhoe mounting metal. That's including the main frame mounts, completely strip tractor of backhoe mounting in order to put on mid mount mower, plus the 60" mower is inside of the tires R4s so I was not impressed at the last minute before delivery telling me this, so I scraped the mower and bought a used 72" finish mower. Still came out $1000 under, but belly mowing is easier than with machine hanging off the back.

 

[Mauser12]

The jury is out on the reliability of my 235. At just over 50 hours there was a loud bang from the rear of the tractor and it started puking hydraulic fluid from that area as it developed limp bucket syndrome. It has been in the shop for five days. I assume they had to order parts. I am planning on checking on the progress tomorrow. In retrospect, the hydraulics have never been strong. A couple of weeks ago it would only lift 550 pounds to about four feet. I am still hopeful that the dealership will find the issue and have the tractor back together soon.

 

[Terrapro88]

The jury is out on the reliability of my 235. At just over 50 hours there was a loud bang from the rear of the tractor and it started puking hydraulic fluid from that area as it developed limp bucket syndrome. It has been in the shop for five days. I assume they had to order parts. I am planning on checking on the progress tomorrow. In retrospect, the hydraulics have never been strong. A couple of weeks ago it would only lift 550 pounds to about four feet. I am still hopeful that the dealership will find the issue and have the tractor back together soon.

I hate to hear that. Let us know what they find. Hopefully, it's nothing serious.

I have 30 hours on mine now with no issues.

 

[abunchofidiots]

Can you buy a third function handle/button from a YT347/359 and fit it onto a YT235 loader stick?

I have an OEM YT347/359 3rd function kit on my YT235. The joystick adds three buttons. Only one works for the 3rd function in combination with the joystick.