Mitsubishi or Iseki

[Phillip w]

I've got a 2005 MF1533 Iseki and it has been bulletproof. Only issues not our fault have been hub seal on front axle. We've put it through it's paces, too, and has right at 1k hours.

The little engine although not a power house, doesn't like to start when it's cold and you gotta watch the heat gauge in the summer has been pretty ok. The hydrostatic drive has held up really well. I started having trouble about 900 hrs and it has snowballed. Finally found someone close that has one of these 1500 series. He has right at 1100 hours on his and he is starting to have trouble. I got a little over 1600 hrs on mine. The last 650 hrs have been extremely expensive. I don't use mine to much anymore, seems like every time i do something breaks. I rely heavily on my "old dinosaur " models. Say what they want but at 14000+ on one tractor and 20000+ on the other tractor durabilty, reliability, dependability, and ruggedness speaks for it self. I hope you don't start having troubles, agco repair jobs are pricy. I will never again buy a newer agco product. Got in the same boat years ago with a Kubota. I'm pretty gun shy of all these little foreign tractors. I want and expect something I can put at least 5000 + hours without alot of problems.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Both are manuf. in Japan.. & w/ all the tornados, tsunamis, landslides & earthquakes, its getting VERY HARD to keep a manuf. plant open & running.. & for that reason, you couldn't GIVE me a Mitsubishi vehicle to own.. Just my .02

 

[Streetcar]

What scut or cut tractors are not foreign? No major manufacturers

 

[plowhog]

Philip,

Between your Deere and Allis Chalmers you have logged 34,000 tractor hours. Throw in an occasional holiday or vacation and that is 100 hours of tractor time each month for 30 years. That by itself is impressive! Compare that to a lot of users here who don't even hit 100 hours in a year.

I know the frustration of a machine that seems to be a maintenance hog, and I sympathize. But to be fair, you also have work demands well above the average user here. Some higher amount of maintenance could be expected. But that doesn't excuse manufacturing defects.

btw, the best, nicest, and fastest airplane I ever owned was a maintenance hog. I had seven straight flights in it where something broke, each time costing thousands of dollars to fix. Seven in a row. And it is a well regarded plane in the industry, if you have the pockets to keep it operating. Yes, I sold it and bought something else. Since you already burnt up a Kubota and now dislike Massey as well, I don't have any suggestions other than to revert and use "old reliable" instead?

 

[JFahey]

I have the same outlook on tractors. I need a cab Tractor of at least 35hp with a loader on it. Can’t go too big because I have to haul it a dozen times a year to another farm for brush chopping. I want reliability. When does a tractor go from being called a compact Tractor to a regular farm Tractor?? Is it HP rating? physical size? Seems like your right...the big old tractors just keep going. That’s what I need...but not too big. What would be a good choice Phil ?? I don’t want to go any heavier than about 7000 pounds.

 

[TSO]

I currently own a Massey 1652 HST cab. That's an Iseki 3.0L 4cyl (55hp) diesel. ((Previously i owned: Massey 1648 with Iseki 2.2L 4cyl (48hp); LS R4041 & R4047 with LS built Mitsubishi 2.2L 4cyl engines; Kioti CK20 with Kioti 0.9L 3cyl (21hp).

I also currently have a Terex/ASV track loader with Cat-Perkins 3.3L 4cyl (80hp) which is actually a Mitsubishi engine.

I also currently have a Hustler Super-Z Diesel commercial mower, with a Shibaura 1.7L 3cyl (25hp).

----
I will say that my Cat-Perkins Mitsubishi in my Terex is the best winter starter of the bunch. It starts smooth even in the winter. The next best were the LS built Mitsubishi engines. Then, i would say that my Iseki, Shibaura, and Kioti diesels all share the bottom spots in my fleet for winter starting.

Can't complain about any of them regarding performance, they've all performed as expected. The Iseki Tier3 engines are good, old tech engines.

I don't think you'll go wrong with either.

 

[Cub 7274]

I had a Cub Cadet 7274 with the Mitsubishi 3cyl diesel for 21 yrs and it never failed to start.
I also had a MF 1533 which was a little grumpier but always started..sold them both no longer needed them
Now I have a brand new MF GC 1715 and man I'm not used to "trying" to get it to start in this cold weather, lesson learned I need a block heater the glow plugs just dont cut it

 

[PILOON]

I have an '80's Mitsubishi tractor and can't fault that engine. IMHO opinion they rank with Kubota.
Massy, Ford (NH) use them in all sorts of equipment as do many other brands.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

My 205-4 massey has Toyosha, 2 cylinder engine.

 

[2ndhalf]

You cannot go wrong with either engine IMO. Mitsubishi is known for great engines and put them in all kinds of large equipment. I have love my MF with the Iseki though I do have to glow it about 3 or 4 times sometimes to get it to start in cold weather. Started it in 5 degrees just a bit ago no block heater.

Regardless of what tractor you get, if possible, I would get some power to your barn. Any diesel could be served well by just having a battery tender on it.

IMO I would go with the used MF and use some of the savings on attachements.

 

[greggyy]

I dont have power in my barn so I wont be able to plug it in. I壇 like the least cold blooded and easiest tractor to start in the cold as I can find.

This may be hard to work out on a forum.

I have 2 tractors, one is quite old Inter from the 60s, had some on here say they are pigs to start etc etc, the one I got has no glow connected, and fires very quick in the 3 seasons, and will take a few goes in winter if freezing or close to it, so needs a charged battery in winter.

I have a jap one from 80s and it has working glow, you need about 30 secs glow even in hot weather ! No cheating in winter.

So, yeah, will depend on design and condition of engine and battery, who would think a 60s era tractor with a lot of hrs and no glow would fire so easily, also, both have same HP rating, but the International donk is so much stronger and torquey, it is in another era....lol

 

[daugen]

I have a jap one from 80s and it has working glow,
you need about 30 secs glow even in hot weather ! No cheating in winter.

Exactly like my MF 1230/Iseki tractor, always have to remind neighbor who helps me to
run the glow plug for 30 seconds on red, unless the engine had just been running.
Cold hearted engine. Mine clatters like mad for awhile expressing
its disapproval of being woken up in such a chilly situation. And then in two minutes it's humming along.
Just have to let them wake up. That little tractor is easy and fun to drive.
I now have a carryall on the back I finished off with lumber, hauls a lot more than UTV bed.
21 years old and still running fine. And with big new turf tires, it can go on my often wet lawn when
everything else is off limits.

I occasionally put a smart charger on the battery of this tractor to make sure
it's desulphated and makes max power. Then I don't worry about holding down that key for what seems forever
at times watching the little red glowing wires. Today you get a nice light on the dash.
Glowing wires are ok too, likely a seriously less efficient way of saying the circuit is on.
But with a good battery and a working alternator, everything works the way it should.

I've owned a Mitsubishi (CaseIH) and an Iseki, my little Massey, and I think they are both very high quality products.
Perhaps they are the Hondas and Toyotas of the Japanese tractor market.
Of course, Mitsubishi also makes cars too. And jets. And...

 

[dodgecumminsguy]

I currently own a Massey 1652 HST cab. That's an Iseki 3.0L 4cyl (55hp) diesel. ((Previously i owned: Massey 1648 with Iseki 2.2L 4cyl (48hp); LS R4041 & R4047 with LS built Mitsubishi 2.2L 4cyl engines; Kioti CK20 with Kioti 0.9L 3cyl (21hp).

I also currently have a Terex/ASV track loader with Cat-Perkins 3.3L 4cyl (80hp) which is actually a Mitsubishi engine.

I also currently have a Hustler Super-Z Diesel commercial mower, with a Shibaura 1.7L 3cyl (25hp).

----
I will say that my Cat-Perkins Mitsubishi in my Terex is the best winter starter of the bunch. It starts smooth even in the winter. The next best were the LS built Mitsubishi engines. Then, i would say that my Iseki, Shibaura, and Kioti diesels all share the bottom spots in my fleet for winter starting.

Can't complain about any of them regarding performance, they've all performed as expected. The Iseki Tier3 engines are good, old tech engines.

I don't think you'll go wrong with either.

I am Currently looking at a 2011 Massey 1652 with a cab & Iseki 3.0 4 cylinder with under 400hrs. Looks like new. Im curious how yours has held up and how many hours you currently have on it. Im upgrading from my 2010 Kubota L3400 that I bought new that currently has 565 hours with 0 issues or problems since new.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

I have never had a problem getting mitsubishi generators or light tower engines started in cold weather on jobsites. Always started with one cycle of the glow plugs around freezing temps. And with two or three glow plug cycles when it got colder (0 degrees F).
My tractor also has a Mitsubishi engine in it that is identical to most light tower engines that I maintained on jobsites. They are a good cold starting engine.