Mitsubishi D1803 Tractor

   / Mitsubishi D1803 Tractor #1  
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MasseyWV

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Does anyone know anything about the Mitsubishi model D1803 tractor? I believe it's a greymarket tractor but other than that, I know very little about it. Are parts and manuals hard to get?
 
   / Mitsubishi D1803 Tractor
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#2  
Nevermind.

I kept seeing this little tractor on Craigslist and my curiosity got the better of me. Based on what I was able to find, it is definitely a greymarket tractor and parts are next to impossible to get for it so I'm gonna heed my better judgement and stick with my original plan to either get an older Massey 135 or wait and get a new/newer tractor. It was a nice thought but like the old saying goes, if it looks too good to be true, it usually is.

Here is what I found, if anyone is interested.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/mitsubishi-satoh/11039-mitsubishi-satoh-vendor-list-general.html
 
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#3  
Also, here is a Youtube video I found that shows how most of the greymarket tractors look before they start their journey into the US. The video speaks for itself.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQNPV49TlbM]JAPAN TRACTORS by SunRouteJapan Co.,ltd - YouTube[/ame]
 
   / Mitsubishi D1803 Tractor #4  
MasseyWV said:
Also, here is a Youtube video I found that shows how most of the greymarket tractors look before they start their journey into the US. The video speaks for itself.

JAPAN TRACTORS by SunRouteJapan Co.,ltd - YouTube
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting the video MasseyWV... interesting to see those (though the video made its point in about 60 seconds). I was hoping they were going to show how they'd converted some of those junkers into ones that looked "showroom new"!

Some grey-markets come up for sale around here, and I've called on a few. But I was cautious like you... never found a deal good enough to make me pull the trigger. In my research, some folks claimed that it can sometimes be harder to find parts for the old US-authorized versions of these tractors than it is for the grey-market ones, but I'm sure each is an individual case.
-Mitch
 
   / Mitsubishi D1803 Tractor
  • Thread Starter
#5  
PatasColo said:
Thanks for posting the video MasseyWV... interesting to see those (though the video made its point in about 60 seconds). I was hoping they were going to show how they'd converted some of those junkers into ones that looked "showroom new"!

Some grey-markets come up for sale around here, and I've called on a few. But I was cautious like you... never found a deal good enough to make me pull the trigger. In my research, some folks claimed that it can sometimes be harder to find parts for the old US-authorized versions of these tractors than it is for the grey-market ones, but I'm sure each is an individual case.
-Mitch
Click to expand...

Aside from it being a suspected greymarket tractor, a huge red flag was that the Craigslist ad mentioned that it wasn't charging properly. Normally, this would an easy and inexpensive repair so I wondered why the seller had not bothered to repair it before trying to sell it. Well, it didn't take long to discover why...

You can't make repairs if you can't find parts.
 
   / Mitsubishi D1803 Tractor
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Oh, and I almost forgot...

Guess what kind of tractor the seller told me they had bought to replace the little greymarket Mitsubishi. None other than a new Massey Ferguson. Now how's that for ironic?
 
   / Mitsubishi D1803 Tractor #7  
I watched the video. It looked like they were trying to pick quite a few tractors that had been in collisions or fires. I've imported tractors from Japan since 1997. There is a big difference in the quality of tractor from different yards. My suppliers are very selective in the tractors they will offer to US customers. Other yards aren't as reputable & will try to sell junk as good tractors. You have to know who you are dealoing with. I'd bet most of the tractors pictured will go to Viet Nam, get a new paint job, have the hour meter turned bak to zero, & fixed enough to sell in the US as a "reconditioned" tractor. I've bought 30 year old tractors that look & run like an all most new tractor. The Japanese owner had taken good car of it & buying them used is a good alternative to a new tractor. As to parts availability, it does vary by model for both US & grey models. I haven't heard of a D1803. It might be a Suzue model.
 
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   / Mitsubishi D1803 Tractor
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#8  
lens12 said:
I watched the video. It looked like they were trying to pick quite a few tractors that had been in collisions or fires. I've imported tractors from Japan since 1997. There is a big difference in the quality of tractor from different yards. My suppliers are very selective in the tractors they will offer to US customers. Other yards aren't as reputable & will try to sell junk as good tractors. You have to know who you are dealoing with. I'd bet most of the tractors pictured will go to Viet Nam, get a new paint job, have the hour meter turned bak to zero, & fixed enough to sell in the US as a "reconditioned" tractor. I've bought 30 year old tractors that look & run like an all most new tractor. The Japanese owner had taken good car of it & buying them used is a good alternative to a new tractor. As to parts availability, it does vary by model for both US & grey models. I haven't heard of a D1803. It might be a Suzue model.
Click to expand...

Regardless of how good or bad a greymarket tractor is at the time of purchase, parts availability, or a lack thereof, is enough to dissuade me from ever considering the purchase of one. They may or may not be great little tractors, but sooner or later everything breaks, which means it will require parts.
 
   / Mitsubishi D1803 Tractor #9  
If you are concerned about parts availabilty on a grey tractor, you should also be concerned about it on a US model of the same age. They have the same parts problems. You probably should stick to a tractor that is less than 15 years old.
 
   / Mitsubishi D1803 Tractor #10  
I have a grey D1450FD and a US model S-470. I know this doesn't apply to all but you could interchange most of the parts on these tractors. The 470 has a larger displacement engine and there are a few other minor differences. So, if parts are available for one, there should be parts for the other. That could go the other way too. One thing I heard recently is that local Yanmar grey dealer said he would not be getting any more at least for a while due to the tsunami. Guessing a lot of these greys (all brands) got washed away. This could have an affect on parts. Not enough concern to cause me to rush out and trade though.
 
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