Buying Advice Northern Tool tractors

[TheMan419]

Exactly! What's crucial to any tractor purchase decision is having a good maintenance and support system like you get with name brand dealers. No thank you to a mail order Chinese tractor!

Amen. I am not a handy guy, but have friends that are. So I trade their work on the tractor for other stuff I can do. However I have a New Holland so we can get whatever parts we need for the particular project. Cannot imagine having to try to find the part and then wait for it to come on the slow boat....

Sometimes my NH dealer has to order things for me, but usually can get them in a couple days so annoying, but no big deal.

That reminds me I need to check my anti-freeze before winter really sets in....

 

[tradosaurus]

If I would never buy a Chinese built tractor I certainly wouldn't recommend anyone else.

Pay a little more for a well known brand with good dealer support.

 

[Fallon]

good to know. I went to regular truck tires cause the chinese trailer tires were junk. Maybe these will be much better

Truck tires do fine for single axle, I do that for my small camper. You really should have trailer tires on a double axle or bigger though. They are designed to take the massive sidewall loading that occurs when the drag sideways on a tight turn

 

[radios1]

if a tractor has an unusally cheap price, you need to think WHY??.. you think an abnormally low wage worker is going to take pride in their work??..

 

[nards444]

if a tractor has an unusally cheap price, you need to think WHY??.. you think an abnormally low wage worker is going to take pride in their work??..

not really true as alot of those workers are paid ok, and if they are not are paid something which is better than nothing where they live. The problem with imported items isnt that chinese cant make part x or machine y as good, factory is factory to a certain extent. The real problem is the specs and designs that come from the American companies selling you the consumer the product. There is some american products out there that are real junk as well.

 

[stevem5215]

Chinese can be ok even if low quality depending on the use. For example: We have a FarmPro 2420 (Jinma 204) at our family farm. It is used less than 75hrs a year. Usually in the 50 - 75 range depending on amount of grass growing during the season. We found that when used lightly like this it can last a long time. IMO these things are just machine with a low duty cycle rating. So if it sits more it has less trouble than if used continually. In the Chinese tractor forum we like to call them "hobby tractors" for a reason. They are a hobby to buy, use and repair. The rubber isn't great so you better plan on keeping it inside when not in use. The hoses and belts are low quality and the wiring harness and connections are third world country style with lousy connectors and low quality components. Ours has broken a few times but with the hours we have on it it will probably run a lifetime till it finally dies and has no parts available. But, i will say it starts regularly in below freezing temps, the 2 cyl engine is still going despite it being rated poorly as a quality item and since we only use it to cut grass it does the job just fine. Don't push it hard of course and don't plan on just running it with no maintenance. It needs tlc since it's a hobby tractor. I would recommend one to anyone who uses it like we do. But if you are going to use a loader and have dirt on it's back and have graders and other accessories forget it. Go with something better.
And remember, this tractor was just $3,000 new in 2003.

Steve

 

[nards444]

Chinese can be ok even if low quality depending on the use. For example: We have a FarmPro 2420 (Jinma 204) at our family farm. It is used less than 75hrs a year. Usually in the 50 - 75 range depending on amount of grass growing during the season. We found that when used lightly like this it can last a long time. IMO these things are just machine with a low duty cycle rating. So if it sits more it has less trouble than if used continually. In the Chinese tractor forum we like to call them "hobby tractors" for a reason. They are a hobby to buy, use and repair. The rubber isn't great so you better plan on keeping it inside when not in use. The hoses and belts are low quality and the wiring harness and connections are third world country style with lousy connectors and low quality components. Ours has broken a few times but with the hours we have on it it will probably run a lifetime till it finally dies and has no parts available. But, i will say it starts regularly in below freezing temps, the 2 cyl engine is still going despite it being rated poorly as a quality item and since we only use it to cut grass it does the job just fine. Don't push it hard of course and don't plan on just running it with no maintenance. It needs tlc since it's a hobby tractor. I would recommend one to anyone who uses it like we do. But if you are going to use a loader and have dirt on it's back and have graders and other accessories forget it. Go with something better.
And remember, this tractor was just $3,000 new in 2003.

Steve

good points. I think people sometime fail to realize what they are using things for and to do the math. Im not saying I would always approve of this approach or its best for everybody. just a simple example. I had to buy a weed whacker a while back went to the store looked them all over, looked on the internet etc. Ended up buying the $69 home depot special. Or I could have went and bought the $400 stihl. So far with care that $69 machine has lasted me 5 years. If 5 years is my low point for life span, then I could buy almost 6 of those machine for the price of one stihl over 30 years. For my home use would that stihl do better, absolutely not, wouldnt know the difference between the two. Again I dont advocate that is works for everybody or in every situation, just an example of buying equipment.

 

[Gem99ultra]

I understand the above testimonies of going the cheap route. I'm a believer of the quip "Buy cheap, buy again., "therefore, I buy the best quality I can afford.

I have tools of quality that I've had only occasional use of now for over 40 years. They're there when I need them, ready for work. When I 'need' a tool, what I don't need is to have to jack around for a hour trying to make some cheap junk work, then have to go shopping for another cheap piece of junk that also may or may not work.

If buying cheap tools work for you - I say "Go for it." They don't for me.

 

[ovrszd]

I understand the above testimonies of going the cheap route. I'm a believer of the quip "Buy cheap, buy again., "therefore, I buy the best quality I can afford.

I have tools of quality that I've had only occasional use of now for over 40 years. They're there when I need them, ready for work. When I 'need' a tool, what I don't need is to have to jack around for a hour trying to make some cheap junk work, then have to go shopping for another cheap piece of junk that also may or may not work.

If buying cheap tools work for you - I say "Go for it." They don't for me.

I absolutely agree.

Here's an example. Two pair of "vise grips". Have no idea what I paid for each. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter if the Vise Grip brand cost ten times as much as the "no name" brand. No comparison in usability. As you can see by the rust, the no name brand takes up drawer space. If I ever found myself in a position where I had to sacrifice a pair of vise grips the no name brand would be selected. When I use the Vise Grip brand I'm satisfied. When I use the no name brand I'm aggravated.