All of these discussions involve the fact that a grey Yanmars may be one of several different products. Used or reconditioned--common model or near orphan. A good remanufactured tractor may be as almost as good as new, but a poorly done tractor is worse than a well worn half-broken used tractor. There is no quality control currently on refurbishing. Some tell of "quality factories" other tell of horror stories of factories that mish-mash parts together. There are stories of some tractors with multiple issues which have been sold as factory re-manufactured.
This fact, superimposed on front yard dealers who have no support, and who may indicate some sort of warranty leads to un-informed buyers buying a tractor that they know has been used, but assume is in good to excellent condition and even has a "warranty".
When the tractor comes up with a problem(s) the buyer contacts the seller who first may give them the refurbisher who may try to help with parts (often used) and the seller often gives them a list of yanmar dealers for parts and service. Little does the buyer know that these other yanmar dealers who service and sell used or reconditioned yanmars are not authorized by yanmar and have no relationship with Yanmar USA or that front yard seller. Yanmar USA didn't issue the warranty (if the customer actually has one), and there is no allied dealer network who have a relationship with each other who issued a warranty. The dealers who offers service didn't profit from the sale and didn't issue the warranty. He finds himself with a customer who is already angry and who has a tractor of highly questionable or unknow quality. Furthermore, the customer thinks there is some sort of obligation by this dealer to fix their tractor--perhaps for free.
The dealer who services what he sells may try to help or may not want to get involved with part searches (for which he does not get paid and which may take alot of time), repairs for which there may be an argument over payment, and the potential minefield of repairs. The buyer is angry because he doesn't understand the market, has a (worthless or near worthless warranty) and was given names and numbers for service that don't want to help. Somehow the buyer isn't mad at the seller who he thinks gave him a good deal and probably told him upfront that he doesn't perform service. Furthemore the original seller gave him the names of dealers to perform the service he needs. In the buyer's mind, the problem is the dealers who provide service and won't honor the warranty.
The real problem is the uninformed buyer who doesn't understand the market. He buys a tractor and assumes a nationwide network of factory authorized dealers with a nationwide warranty. He receives a tractor of whatever quality and no method to service or fix problems. He either turns into a maechanic, sells his tractor, or stays angry.
From the delear's perspective (the ones who provide service), here is a customer, who already feels the dealer has an obligation for something free. The customer has an unknown quality of tractor and may have an orphan tractor or a true problem child that needs a complete tear down and rebuild. Maybe its a good tractor with a few problems, but its just best to not get involved. Send him to Yanmar USA's web site.
A truly odd market for a product. It's as if there were 3 different types of Honda automobiles. Older US Hondas, used foreign market hondas and remanufactured foreign market hondas. The foreign market hondas are not supported by Honda America and has few that want to fix them. Parts for foreign market ones may be hard to come by. Furthermore, the buyers don't know about the markets and conflicts arise.
