Buying Advice Did anyone import their own gray tractor?

[selkie]

Well, after looking more closely at the local market for a JD 1050 or 1070, coupled with my work being one casualty of the pandemic, such that budget is kinda a big thing these days...

I remember there was a big to-do with Little Miami Trading awhile back, and with a few of the Japanese tractor manufacturers doing their best to end the gray-market imports in America, such that almost nobody (except, I realize, Fredericks who have a contract with Yanmar allowing them to do it officially) imports them commercially anymore.

I also realize that EPA-wise, post-1996 isn't going to happen. Not a problem for me, I like simple old designs =) especially if they also come with a big honkin' rototiller, as the Japanese ones often seem to do, on a quick look through their auction sites.

But with all of that said, is there anything stopping me from importing a pre-1996 tractor myself, for my own use? I know the car guys have done that for awhile, in order to have Japanese cars that were never sold here (Skyline, diesel Landcruisers, etc).

Anyone done it? In reading the experiences of a guy who brought in his own Landcruiser, I think his shipment got picked for special inspection in customs, which added to the cost, but other than that he was pretty happy with how everything turned out.

Thanks in advance...

 

[Roadworthy]

I can't really answer your question EPA wise. We have a relatively local outfit still importing but they do have to add ROPS to resell the tractors. You can check them out at TractorCo.com - Thorp and North Bend, WA - Offering New & Used Tractors, Implements, and Equipment Repair

 

[Rebeldad1]

cant see where you are from so cant say locally. You can do your own and you may do OK.

The ones you see that are for sale by tractor importers as the above post are upgraded and gone through with a buyers guarantee. Most of these guys go overseas and hand pick the tractors. You get a better chance of owning a good one.

You can also go overseas and pick out the one you want as well.

 

[radios1]

I don't think they would have a warranty though!. and where would you get parts?.

 

[selkie]

cant see where you are from so cant say locally.

Our farm is north of Pittsburgh, so southwest PA. Could pick up from Ohio or WV, maybe western NY if the deal was right.

You can do your own and you may do OK.

The ones you see that are for sale by tractor importers as the above post are upgraded and gone through with a buyers guarantee. Most of these guys go overseas and hand pick the tractors. You get a better chance of owning a good one.

You can also go overseas and pick out the one you want as well.

Would be cool, although even when people can travel again, I think going to other countries is going to be a lot different from how it once was.

And given that some of the "reconditioned" ones get fixed up in sketchy places (Vietnam)... I'd kinda rather have an original one with its original wear-n-tear from Japan.

One logistical question, it seems like the shippers put them in 20ft multimodal containers. Do you get to keep that when the delivery is finished?

 

[selkie]

I don't think they would have a warranty though!. and where would you get parts?.

All our stuff is so old that the warranty is history anyway. Actually, we had a good laugh a few months ago, my 24 year old truck was at the welder (PA road salt...) and I got one of those spam calls saying the warranty was about to expire. The welder got a kick out of that one.

Parts, from what I'm reading, if you choose certain models then common consumables are either already stocked here stateside by aftermarket shops or you can cross-reference them to things that Yanmar (or Kubota, etc) sold here.

 

[kenmac]

I owned grey yanmar from Fredricks for many years. Sold it a couple yrs ago.
Having said that, unless you have a good contact in japan that would ensure you get a good tractor . You would also have to deal with the import fees ,inspections, etc,. I really doubt it would be worth the cost to ship just one tractor in a container.

Fredricks ships several tractors in a container

 

[kenmac]

Parts, from what I'm reading, if you choose certain models then common consumables are either already stocked here stateside by aftermarket shops or you can cross-reference them to things that Yanmar (or Kubota, etc) sold here.

You will not be allowed to import a kubota grey tractor here. It will be stopped at customs, if it even gets shipped at all.

The yanmars are the best supported tractors. Fredricks has imported so many, he actually has parts made for the popular models that he sells.

If you are willing to pay the shipping, deal with customs, and fees, and have a contact in Japan that will get it all together for one tractor. By all means go for it. I doubt you are going to save any money though

 

[Rebeldad1]

I don't think they would have a warranty though!. and where would you get parts?.

You can call them and verify
Warranty

90 Day Warranty:
All tractors are warranted to be in perfect operating condition upon receipt to the customer. Our tractors are then warranted 90 days for parts and labor on the engine and transmission (mechanical only). Labor is performed at our location in Thorp, WA on the engine and transmission (mechanical only). The customer is responsible for transportation of the tractor. In order to activate the warranty the customer must accept the tractor in person and receive operation instructions. If the owner is unable to receive the tractor, they may activate by having a third party perform a survey of the tractor prior to shipment.

 

[crashz]

There has to be a more cost effective alternative right here. Have you looked at other models beside the 1050 and 1070s? Do you need that size machine? If you looked at 900 and 700 machines, your choices will open up quite a bit and some will still be somewhat budget friendly.

 

[selkie]

You will not be allowed to import a kubota grey tractor here. It will be stopped at customs, if it even gets shipped at all.

Yikes, you're right. Just did some reading on that. Quite the abuse of the US court system and ends any interest I would have in Kubota, gray or otherwise. Any other tractor manufacturers that did that, or just Kubota?

The yanmars are the best supported tractors. Fredricks has imported so many, he actually has parts made for the popular models that he sells.

If you are willing to pay the shipping, deal with customs, and fees, and have a contact in Japan that will get it all together for one tractor. By all means go for it. I doubt you are going to save any money though

Good to know about the parts. I have nothing against Fredericks, they look like beautiful tractors, they're just out of my league price-wise.

 

[selkie]

There has to be a more cost effective alternative right here. Have you looked at other models beside the 1050 and 1070s? Do you need that size machine? If you looked at 900 and 700 machines, your choices will open up quite a bit and some will still be somewhat budget friendly.

I mean, at one point I considered a 4020. It seems crazy to me that 4020's cost around the same as 1050's, but I guess it's like when I bought a used guitar amp many years ago and ended up with a big one because I couldn't afford a little one. It cost less to get the big one, supply and demand I suppose. Everyone wanted a little practice amp.

Yeah, I considered the 850 and 950. I want to run a loader, and I feel like even a 1050 is kinda pushing it with a loader.

But cost effective is a big thing for me. I don't have my heart set on importing a tractor, I just want something robust. Diesel for fuel economy, and the terrain here means it needs to be 4x4 and have some weight to it. The fields themselves are not hilly but they are connected by hills.

 

[California]

Are you familiar with Searchtempest? Put in a brand name, dollar limit, distance limit, and it will list what's on Craigslist in all the cities within that distance. Driving a half day to get the model you want is easier than going to Japan for it.

 

[slckeys]

Not sure what your budget is, and not sure if this is what you're even looking for, but thought I'd toss this out as I saw it earlier today...

John Deere 43 compact tractor - farm & garden - by owner - sale

 

[BrokenTrack]

We pulled a Gray Market Kubota excavator by way of Canada, and did really good financially. This was a few years ago, so maybe that way around is no longer open, but it might be worth checking into.

 

[selkie]

Not sure what your budget is, and not sure if this is what you're even looking for, but thought I'd toss this out as I saw it earlier today...

John Deere 43 compact tractor - farm & garden - by owner - sale

Nice tractor, but out of my price range, and probably too new ( = too high-tech) for me. I mean, that's more than even the low-hours 1050's with loaders. I realize it's also much newer, which for some folks would be a huge selling point.

 

[selkie]

Are you familiar with Searchtempest? Put in a brand name, dollar limit, distance limit, and it will list what's on Craigslist in all the cities within that distance. Driving a half day to get the model you want is easier than going to Japan for it.

Searchtempest! Thanks for reminding me. I'll check that one every so often.

 

[kenmac]

I had a Yanmar 3110D with loader.. about the same as a 1050 JD without turbo. It never lacked enough power. The 3110 is a strong tractor

it's only lacking in weight