PitbullMidwest
Platinum Member
Re: Farm Pro tractors from Homier Sales UPDATE
Went by Homier on the way to lunch today and they now have tractors on display. I've been wanting to see and feel one of the chinese tractors for quite some time so I stopped in for a look.
I told the sales guy that I knew they were Jinmas and were made in China, asked him straight out "What can you tell me about them.?" He actually did know about the product he was selling.
He walked me through all of the controls, started and ran it, told me that they weren't FNH or JD. He told me that Homier's number one warrenty item to date were pinched o-rings and that the operator of this particular show included a set of meteric o-rings with the tractor. He said that anyone who can provide proof that they are certified as a diesel machanic can be paid for warrenty work at a labor rate of $46/hr. He said that to date Homier has sold between 450 and 500 tractors nation wide.
Some observations:
* the metal fenders are thin, I wonder how they will hold up to the elements over the long haul (my father-in-laws 1948 8n has held up well and was never sheltered)
* the steering cylinder is in front of the axle, I think I remember a lot of discussion on the CTOA about the draw backs of this setup
* the castings are not first rate but not nearly as bad as Jinma-bashers would lead you to believe
* the wiring needs some help, all of the individual wires were exposed instead of run through chases or bundled together, many were stretched to make it to their destination. The lighting "harness" under the fenders just hung loose and probably wouldn't survive the first outing in my timber.
*the loader is crude, probably of the same quality that many associate with the tractor.
The JM254 was $5999, $8300 with the FEL and in my opinion is over priced considering that a Koyker 160 can be had for a similar price.
Overall I was impressed. While not a top shelf brand it isn't the "uninformed sucker" brand that so many "experts" claim it is either, it's diffinately a work horse and not a show horse.
Oh yeah, one last thing. The only time the sales guy broke eye contact was when he stated "The reason Homier can sell these for so cheap is because we import them as parts, not tractors and don't pay tarriffs". I think he knew that he had gone too far (he is a salesman and just could help himself!)
Went by Homier on the way to lunch today and they now have tractors on display. I've been wanting to see and feel one of the chinese tractors for quite some time so I stopped in for a look.
I told the sales guy that I knew they were Jinmas and were made in China, asked him straight out "What can you tell me about them.?" He actually did know about the product he was selling.
He walked me through all of the controls, started and ran it, told me that they weren't FNH or JD. He told me that Homier's number one warrenty item to date were pinched o-rings and that the operator of this particular show included a set of meteric o-rings with the tractor. He said that anyone who can provide proof that they are certified as a diesel machanic can be paid for warrenty work at a labor rate of $46/hr. He said that to date Homier has sold between 450 and 500 tractors nation wide.
Some observations:
* the metal fenders are thin, I wonder how they will hold up to the elements over the long haul (my father-in-laws 1948 8n has held up well and was never sheltered)
* the steering cylinder is in front of the axle, I think I remember a lot of discussion on the CTOA about the draw backs of this setup
* the castings are not first rate but not nearly as bad as Jinma-bashers would lead you to believe
* the wiring needs some help, all of the individual wires were exposed instead of run through chases or bundled together, many were stretched to make it to their destination. The lighting "harness" under the fenders just hung loose and probably wouldn't survive the first outing in my timber.
*the loader is crude, probably of the same quality that many associate with the tractor.
The JM254 was $5999, $8300 with the FEL and in my opinion is over priced considering that a Koyker 160 can be had for a similar price.
Overall I was impressed. While not a top shelf brand it isn't the "uninformed sucker" brand that so many "experts" claim it is either, it's diffinately a work horse and not a show horse.
Oh yeah, one last thing. The only time the sales guy broke eye contact was when he stated "The reason Homier can sell these for so cheap is because we import them as parts, not tractors and don't pay tarriffs". I think he knew that he had gone too far (he is a salesman and just could help himself!)
