Now that makes sense, because there is no letter on that tag. I am confused by the year sold versus the year built. Is that typical in tractors? What does that do for manual and parts? Would a 2005 do it or should I be looking for 2003 documents? Appreciate your input.
Caper: As far as I know, there is only one owner's manual and one service manual for the original DK45 and those manuals are poor, at least in comparison to the latest manuals. Know that the DK45s and DK45se are quite different from your tractor. You should be able to buy DK45 manuals from any Kioti dealer but you can also download the owners manual
here and the sections of the service manual
here. There may be updated manuals, but I doubt it; for example Kioti never produced new manuals for my 2006 DK45s after they changed to a different engine.
As far as parts are concerned, there are several good dealer-sponsored online parts sites like
this one by Michigan Iron. Don't mess with the quick search; use the search by model menus. When a different versions of a part are used during production you need to use your serial number to select the correct version. Generally, tractor builders try produce the same model for several years with only very minor changes but recent US EPA rules (e.g.Tier 4) required more frequent changes recently.
In terms of build year, it is VERY common to buy a tractor "built" the previous year, especially early in the calendar year for tractors built in Asia (which is all of them now). "Two-year-old" machines are less common on a dealer's lot but can be priced very attractively.
Personally, I prefer the older, more mature Tier3/3a engines to the new Tier 4 designs, which are complex and computer-controlled. A DIY mechanic can do a lot on the older machines but I think only a dealer can diagnose the computer stuff.
