Grey Tractor

cfoxmd · Sep 18, 2004

LMTC is right....what percentage of tractor buyers have internet access? What percentage of vietnamese rebuild owners have internet access? How many find this discussion board? I bet the number that find this board is less than 1%. My guess is that maybe 1/1000 yanmar buyers end up here. That is a poor sampling. Maybe the better business bureau has a file on the big viet dealers. I'd like to see what is up there.

YanmarFever · Sep 18, 2004

Fox
Homestead tractor in CA. used to sell vietnamese tractors.
until it almost put them out of business with the repairs.

mark777 · Sep 18, 2004

Same thing here, Well known dealer shared a container with a "Buddy" two years ago. All said and done the few tractors sold were bought back and most were auctioned off. The few tractors that customers were ok with,...He provided a promisary note stating that the full cost would be applied to anyother tractor regardless of the condition (running or not), not many this honest anymore.

SheriffSRB · Sep 18, 2004

I guess I outta own up to my 1500D being a Viet rebuild.
I have to say that I havn't had a minutes trouble with it ( of course, now that I have typed that last remark, its gonna fall apart).
I enjoy my little 4WD tractor, I think I paid a fair price for it, and if it gives me trouble I THINK I can repair most anything myself. I have to say that I don't abuse it, and I don't do things with it that exceed any reasonable capability of the tractor.
I don't know what to tell you. I hear horror stories about Viet rebuilds, but I am pretty happy with mine.
I cut grass and grade my driveway with mine. 3.5 acres and abouit 200 feet of gravel driveway.
If I needed to work with it every day, or used it commercially, or needed to add things like an FEL, I probably wouldn't buy the Viet rebuild.....

mark777 · Sep 19, 2004

It is my understanding that there is a duty cycle added to a tractor that is not accounted for (VN). These tractors are used in a less than friendly farming environment for one to three years....(as compaired to the use in a Japanese rice paddy). When broken and then collected for their reconditioning process,
they perform small miracles matching like parts and assembling good looking tractors. It is the excessive ware on engine, transmission and there mis-matched tolerances that make some tractors a ticking time bomb, and shy of a serious tare down who could tell?
Good used units imported from Japan have a solid reputation. Most problems are minimal and are addressed at the dealer level. Well established, honest dealers that I have talked to 'network' to weed out the less desireable models and/or difficult models with a very low parts support.

RE your tractor, IMHO: You have a good model, good parts support and the confidence to tackle any problems you may encounter.

fig · Sep 20, 2004

I am like sheriff RSB. I have also purchased a viet rebuild (I am pretty sure?). I did go to several sites before I purchased the tractor to find out about parts avail. and the like, but was not aware of the problems with these units or the TBN website till after purchase.
I purchased from an individual that was very knowledgable about these tractors and he even went as far as checking the units out himself. If he had a bad apple; he would not sell it. Having a JD850 growing up; I was familiar with the Yanmar name, but did not have the "deep pockets" to buy one. I have not had any trouble with this unit (knock on wood!) and enjoy it every chance I have. I mow about 4.5 acres every weekend and keep up my gravel drive with it.
I have made a front weight and added gauges to the tractor (I will try to get some pictures) and will try to make some type of OROPs for it this winter.
It is all about being educated before purchase. I am mechanicaly inclide so I did check everything before I did purchase. Ran the tractor for 20 - 30 minutes, checked the oil, checked for leaks, ran through all the gears, checked the breaks, PTO and everything worked fine. If I found this site before purchase; I probably would not purchased the one I did.

normde2001 · Sep 20, 2004

Do I see a trend developing here? After 3 years of following 4 Yanmar forums, I have now seen two positive posts from Vietnam rebuild users, and no, zero, (0), negative posts. Could it be that, dollar for dollar, they just ain't all that bad?

Soundguy · Sep 20, 2004

My 1700 was a vietnam rebuild as far as i can tell.. or at least the pevious owner said it was 'rebuilt' overseas.. factory recon.. etc.

Other than different front wheels.. it didn't look like it had any rebuilding done. Except it had the wrong alternator on it.. and it was non-working at that.

As for the engine and powertrain it had no problems.. electrics and gauges were easy to fix / replace.

Soundguy

fig · Sep 20, 2004

My 1700 was similar to Soundguy's except everything was working and the rims and tires did match. After surfing TBN; I came to the conclusion that with the taped up radiator hoses, new paint job, and painted gas tank; that this was a vietnam unit.
The other thing that I did look for when buying the tractor is that there was no gasket sealent oozing out of valve covers, heads, etc. I knew that I was buying a used tractor "as is" and was gambeling on the fact that it should last as long as I do (again; knock on wood!). I hope it does!