Buying Advice Has anyone bought a tractor thru alibaba?

[roujesky]

Yes, the EPA changes worry me a lot!
I like the simple aspect also. My current tractor is an Allis Chalmers 1976ish(?). Engine, transmission, PTO, 4 tires, that's all.
I want one big enough with a FEL to haul round bales among other things....

 

[roujesky]

I don't know about EPA status.
Yeah, in the country. Lift round bales with FEL, shred, and just play with the backhoe

 

[fried1765]

I don't know about EPA status.
Yeah, in the country. Lift round bales with FEL, shred, and just play with the backhoe

Look for a good used tractor! Investigate, and BE PATIENT!
In my opinion, new is a bad idea. New has all the complicated electronics, and Tier IV garbage.
Contact several dealers for used tractor ideas, and availability.
Check Craigslist......but BE CAREFUL!
Make certain that you buy BIG enough!
If not big enough, you will buy two tractors!
The search for the right tractor can be both fun, and rewarding!
Good luck!

 

[sd455dan]

I don't know about EPA status.
Yeah, in the country. Lift round bales with FEL, shred, and just play with the backhoe

Unfortunately even if you could get a shipping container full would never make it out of customs because most the tractors do not meet meet tier 4. i think that is the case with many china sourced tractors on Alibaba, but they sell to many countries with no emission standards.

If I really wanted another chinese tractor- I would be more inclined to find a used 1 already in the US and because of the depreciation they have already been thru and the fact that most of the early bugs have probably been dealt with- they can be a real bargain

I did see a used 6144 Rhino on tractorhouse recently with a US made Koyker loader - if it is in good running condition might work .

TractorHouse.com | RHINO 6144 For Sale

The way it sits in the picture is around 7700lb and should easily pick up and drive and stack large round or square bales-

other brands that have been imported YTO, Foton, Jinma in the 55 hp + class

If you really want a new Chinese tractor Check out one of the sponsored sellers in the Chinese tractor section stickies or even Northern.

 

[N2DFire]

I have not purchased a tractor from Alibaba but I have done serious investigation into buying some implements through there.

Aside from brokering the actual sale of whatever, you will also have to arrange everything else to get it to your door. The seller will usually deliver to one or two of the closest shipping ports for free but after that it's your baby.

That means you need to arrange:

1) A carrier (i.e. a boat) to bring it from that port to a port in the U.S. As has been pointed out already, you're probably not looking to buy an entire containers worth of tractors so you need a shipper who will take LCL (Less-than Container Load) freight. There are two ways to go about this. One is to find a "Freight Forwarder" which in simple terms is someone who pays for shipping an entire container from port to port & then resells space in the container till they fill it up. The other is finding a shipper that will handle LCL directly, which in most cases means it will be lashed to the open deck & exposed to the weather in whatever packing the seller sent it in.

2) You'll need someone to pick it up from the seller at the port & to make sure it gets on the ship.

3) You need someone to make sure it clears customs going out

If you used a freight forwarder above in Item 1, they will take care of these, otherwise you will need to find & arrange all this through individual handlers & brokers.

4) If you made it this far (and your ship did too) then now you need someone to get it off the ship and take custody of it & get it thru customs. Again a freight forwarder will handle this or you can arrange your own broker

5) Finally out of customs and in the good old US of A - you need someone to pick it up at the port and deliver it to you. (DHL, FedEx Freight, private shipper, etc)


So let's say we clear ALL those hurdles - let's not overlook a couple of other important items.
1) You OWN whatever it is from the time it leaves the sellers hand at the foreign port. So if it gets lost, stolen, damaged, sunk, kidnapped by pirates (ok maybe not pirates) - YOU are out the funds for it . . . unless you buy insurance for it. I'm sure international shipping still has better odds than any game in Vegas but do you really want to take the chance?

2) If you ever have any issues with it, your only support from the seller will be in the form of e-mail or possibly some internet Live Chat and any documents they send you are typically not the top end technical kind.


I know there are a couple folks who have done this with non-powered equipment - the EPA part adds a whole new twist on things to consider - so the process is do-able, but at what cost? Is there really any savings to be had in the long run?

If you're really that interested I can provide you with some of my research links (nothing you can't google on your own but at least I know these folks will answer your questions).

What I determined was that there are plenty of U.S. based importers already selling the implements I am interested in. They offer 1 or 2 year warranties, they have live persons I can speak with if I have a problem, and their prices are not far above what it would cost me to do everything on my own (hey those guys have to have a profit margin, it IS a business after all).

Your mileage may vary & your research might find something mine didn't but my free advice (worth what you paid to get it) would be to steer clear of importing and look for a U.S. based vendor.

 

[stuckmotor]

Look for a good used tractor! Investigate, and BE PATIENT!
In my opinion, new is a bad idea. New has all the complicated electronics, and Tier IV garbage.
Contact several dealers for used tractor ideas, and availability.
Check Craigslist......but BE CAREFUL!
Make certain that you buy BIG enough!
If not big enough, you will buy two tractors!
The search for the right tractor can be both fun, and rewarding!
Good luck!

My sentiments exactly.

 

[Oldpath05]

I have not purchased a tractor from Alibaba but I have done serious investigation into buying some implements through there.

Aside from brokering the actual sale of whatever, you will also have to arrange everything else to get it to your door. The seller will usually deliver to one or two of the closest shipping ports for free but after that it's your baby.

That means you need to arrange:

1) A carrier (i.e. a boat) to bring it from that port to a port in the U.S. As has been pointed out already, you're probably not looking to buy an entire containers worth of tractors so you need a shipper who will take LCL (Less-than Container Load) freight. There are two ways to go about this. One is to find a "Freight Forwarder" which in simple terms is someone who pays for shipping an entire container from port to port & then resells space in the container till they fill it up. The other is finding a shipper that will handle LCL directly, which in most cases means it will be lashed to the open deck & exposed to the weather in whatever packing the seller sent it in.

2) You'll need someone to pick it up from the seller at the port & to make sure it gets on the ship.

3) You need someone to make sure it clears customs going out

If you used a freight forwarder above in Item 1, they will take care of these, otherwise you will need to find & arrange all this through individual handlers & brokers.

4) If you made it this far (and your ship did too) then now you need someone to get it off the ship and take custody of it & get it thru customs. Again a freight forwarder will handle this or you can arrange your own broker

5) Finally out of customs and in the good old US of A - you need someone to pick it up at the port and deliver it to you. (DHL, FedEx Freight, private shipper, etc)


So let's say we clear ALL those hurdles - let's not overlook a couple of other important items.
1) You OWN whatever it is from the time it leaves the sellers hand at the foreign port. So if it gets lost, stolen, damaged, sunk, kidnapped by pirates (ok maybe not pirates) - YOU are out the funds for it . . . unless you buy insurance for it. I'm sure international shipping still has better odds than any game in Vegas but do you really want to take the chance?

2) If you ever have any issues with it, your only support from the seller will be in the form of e-mail or possibly some internet Live Chat and any documents they send you are typically not the top end technical kind.


I know there are a couple folks who have done this with non-powered equipment - the EPA part adds a whole new twist on things to consider - so the process is do-able, but at what cost? Is there really any savings to be had in the long run?

If you're really that interested I can provide you with some of my research links (nothing you can't google on your own but at least I know these folks will answer your questions).

What I determined was that there are plenty of U.S. based importers already selling the implements I am interested in. They offer 1 or 2 year warranties, they have live persons I can speak with if I have a problem, and their prices are not far above what it would cost me to do everything on my own (hey those guys have to have a profit margin, it IS a business after all).

Your mileage may vary & your research might find something mine didn't but my free advice (worth what you paid to get it) would be to steer clear of importing and look for a U.S. based vendor.

Wow you just turned me offfff from Alibabaaaaa, is this just on tractor implements like brush cutters, post hole drill.....or everything from a toaster to flashlight?

 

[California]

Wow you just turned me offfff from Alibabaaaaa, is this just on tractor implements like brush cutters, post hole drill.....or everything from a toaster to flashlight?

I've bought quite a few small items from China vendors on Ebay. Their postal rates are insanely cheap, they can somehow make money selling stuff for less than $1 delivered to your door.

Recently I bought three digital calipers (0.01" increments, not thousandths) for well under $10 delivered. Fine for matching drill bits to bolts etc. And three plastic vernier-scale calipers, three under $5 delivered. That's cheap enough to carry loose in a toolbox.

Most recently I bypassed China and bought the identical 12 volt sump pump from a US firm only because the price was the same as from China and it would arrive sooner. I see my paypal payment went straight to a firm in mainland China.

This will replace a lesser capacity pump in my trailer watering rig. For $30 I can take a chance on quality. So far nearly everything I've bought from China matches Harbor Freight quality - ok, not premium. But something more expensive like a welder is more of a gamble, I think I would buy the China model from a US seller for some hope of warranty support.

Bottom line people such as Harbor Freight are big enough to gamble and make a lot of money. For a one-off purchase with no leverage if things go weird - I think I'll stick with sourcing it from a US vendor and pay him what he needs to bear that gamble. Let him deal with the variability that is sure to exist between various firms that advertise on Alibaba.

 

[ShelleyWeals]

If you want to buy Chinese machine, you are recommended to visit made-in-china site as this is mainly focus on machine.

 

[Troysie]

Hi Folks

I own a 2008 YTO , X704, I purchased this tractor new , maintain 20 acres of field and 180 acre woodlot . I am very happy with my chinese tractor , like a lot of people it was the price that made my choice to purchase a YTO. I purchased from a local dealer, I have 1900 hours on it by 2017 , the only thing I have purchased for it are lubricants and filters.
I use a 3pt backhoe,bush hog,potato digger,tiller, flail mower and I plow snow on 2 miles of private road with a county snowblade on FEL.
When I needed manuals I contacted YTO directly through their website, they immediately put the 2 manuals on a DHL courier, exactly 7 days later they arrived from China to my door in New Brunswick, it did not cost me one cent.
For filters I cross referenced everything from the chinese filters to Baldwin which I get just up the road from my house, the local dealer also has all the original chinese filters, however for example the oil filter chinese version is $30.00, baldwin filter is $8.00 .
For fuel I use the regular ultra low sulfur diesel from the local service station, I also add some conditioner only because my tractors fuel tank holds 35 gallons and I am concerned about diesel bugs as the fuel sometimes sits for long periods of time.
I use the 15W40 supreme diesel engine oil and the Multigrade TDH oil in my combined transmission hydraulic and differential system.
when it comes time that I may need parts, I may need to wait a week, but I have confidence I will be able to get what I need, Chinese seem to use the same parts on a lot of different tractors, all you need to know is what tractors use what parts, I already know that a lot of the regular maintenance type of parts such as alternators, starters,etc I can get from the Jinma dealers.
When I purchased I received the standard 1 year and max hours (can't remember #) , I did not make any claims so I cannot comment on how that service would have been, I am happy with tractor understanding that I paid for what I got and I feel I got a good value for my dollar.
I do my own maintenance and all repairs which is an asset.

Troy