Anybody here shipped a tractor before?

[JINMA224XR]

<font color="blue"> I have friends with pickup trucks but I'd have to find a car hauler to rent. I'll check with U HAUL. Any other ideas who I could rent one from?
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Hey Canoe,

I think that you are making more out of this problem, than it is.

If you have a friend that is dependable, that is very good, but don't be surprised, if they have 101 excuses, when the time comes to actually get the job done.

Just rent a Uhaul Van and a Car Hauler for it, at the same time. Drive that unit and go pick up your new tractor and then take it back to your house. Or if the distance is very far, then get on a plane, to your tractor, and rent the Uhaul and Car Hauler there.

Make an adventure out of it. Have some fun and save a ton of money's doing it. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Get your tractors running &
Have a nice day,
Joe /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[RedDog]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Reddog - very interested in hearing from you to get some idea of what it would cost for LTL and if something like this could be arranged with an LTL company. )</font>


As far as cost, I really do not know. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Your main thing in my opinion would be getting export papers. The seller would have to provide them.

I am positive any of the above companys would transport it, as long as it has the papers. To make it a little cheaper for you would be to have the seller take it to one of the LTL carriers dock and drop it off. They would then drive it into the nose (front) of a trailer and park it. This would be called a headload, and it really shouldn't be move until it reaches its final destination.

Once it reaches Canada you should go to that terminal and pick it up. Reason for that is it would be cheaper for you. They would drive it out of the trailer and down a ramp outside for you to load on your trailer.

All of our terminals have ramps that I know of, and we have terminals in all States and Canada. So I would think one would be fairly close to you.

I think your main problem is going to be the export papers. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif If they are done wrong it will be a while before you would see your tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif


Good luck, RedDog

 

[canoetrpr]

Thanks Reddog. Sounds like dropping it off and picking it up should be easy enough to arrange particularly if I bought used from a dealer in the U.S.

I am told that it is very easy to export a tractor from the U.S. to Canada. As long as it is manufactured in North America there is no duty. A NAFTA certificate of origin is required.

If there is one or more LTL company that you would recommend that has docs in the U.S. and Canada let me know here or send me a P.M.

 

[rozett]

I bought my tractor slightly used from a dealer in Alabama, while I was living in New Hampshire. The dealer contacted their local freight hauler and made all the arrangements. They just removed most of the fuel and loaded it onto a regular trailer. The only arrangements I had to make were for a loading dock at my end. Fortunately, we had an apple grower a mile away that we knew. He had a loading dock at his barn. I didn't even need to be there when the truck came in. The farmer unloaded it an left it out in his yard. Total cost of shipping (4 years ago) was $1000.

 

[TobaccoRoad]

You might want to check with Artrac , they deliver and have good prices on the Kama brand.

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="blue"> a word of caution and without any offence to anyone, going to have to start watching out for the water logged tractor victims of Katrina with their own little problems after being dried out and put up for sale to dump them.
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This is just as bad as flood damaged cars and trucks.

 

[3RRL]

I live in SO. Cal and had a tractor with loader and backhoe plus 3 other implements shipped to me from the dealer who was in Lebanon, Mo. I guess that's about 1500 miles or so. He made all the arrangements and delivered no problem. His delivery guy unloaded everything and I helped. Cost was included in the package but I estimate it to be about $2000 for the load back in August this year.
You're only 700 miles away you say? Should cost you less than half of that to get it to you. Dealer should take care of any paper work crossing the border.

My opinion...you're better off having them deliver to you than taking the time off and renting a trailer to pick it up. You'll be surprised what it costs in gas and rental and your time and hassle to do it. If you are not an experienced heavily loaded trailer driver, you may encounter some problems enroute, or with the load not being as secure or positioned on the trailer correctly. Hence, you assume all the liability FOB their place. With them (the dealer) delivering, it's their responsibilty until it gets to your place. Just something to think about.

 

[nftractor]

I am trying to do the same thing. The best solution for you is to beg/borrow/steal a truck with a hitch and rent a trailer locally and do a round trip (it will save you the one-way charge).

I am only looking to get it to Fort Erie so I have an additional option of getting a 24' Uhaul and returning it to Buffalo.

Where did you find your listings in the US?

 

[canoetrpr]

Thanks to many of the folks that provided advice here.

Thought I'd post a summary of what I've found from my research.

The best shipping deal that I have found is from Best Ways Brokerage Inc. Looks like they specialize in moving equipment. Williams Tractor Sales in Longview, Tx pointed me in their direction as they use them often. They offerred farily reasonble LTL shipping of a tractor from Tx to Toronto, ON. I would have to find a customs broker to work with them on the paperwork at the border and would have to pay GST and PST through the customs broker. I would also be responsible for finding a way to unload the tractor when it arrived - they would deliver to my home or to a loading dock if I had one available. Most people seem to hire a flat bed wrecker truck to transfer the tractor from the delivery try if they go for a home delivery. Seems like this would not be too tough to organize at my end.

Having been armed with this information and the costs, I've decided that shipping is still a lot of logistics and I an going to continue to look for a local deal - particularly a private one so that I can save on taxes. Even with the higher price of tractors here, once you add in the shipping, brokerage, unloading costs and the logistical hassle and risk of not seeing the tractor in person before you buy, I've decided its not worthwhile unless it comes close to spring time and I have pastures to cut and have not been able to locate what I am looking for.

Most folks I know up here have Kubotas and are very happy with them. As a result this is the colour I planned to go with. However I had vastly different experience visiting JD and Kubota dealers locally. First off there are a lot of JD dealers around and very few Kubota. And the local JD dealers all seemd a lot more organized, professional etc. Not a general statement, this is just what I found within 50 miles of me.

As a result I'll be keeping my eye open for a JD deal if possible - 4300/4310/4400/4410 and as an alternative look at a Kubota if the right one comes along.

Thanks again for all the wisdom from everyone who has contributed.

 

[777777]

Hey Canoetrpr,

Northern Tool ( northerntool.ca ) now sells their Dongfengs in Canada as new with free shipping.

Also, your could try this URL for a MF 1035 with 950 Hrs and loader. Is north of Toronto and would probably deal.

http://www.bargainshopper.ca/bishoptractor/24.htm

Have fun in your quest.

Tom