Dealer ??? on yanmar tractors/??? on dealership in KS

[wendelin]

I am wanting to buy a small compact tractor. So fair I have liked what I have read about yanmar. I have a millon question.
I was talking to a dealer in TX about becomeing a dealer in KS. [LCI equipment in Canton Tx] Would this be a good place to get tractors or dose anyone have any suggestion on good dealer out their? They said that their tractor are 100% recondition and they come from vietnam.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE TRACTORS THAT COME FROM VIETNAM? Should I stay away from them or are they just as good as the other out their?
IF THEIR IS ANYONE ON THIS BOARD THAT IS CLOSE TO KS DO YOU THINK A DEALER IN KS WOULD GO OVER WELL? or just a wast of time and money?
CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT THE DIFFERENCT BETWEEN 3 AND 4 DIGIT MODLE NUMBER MEANS?
Any information on tractors and/or dealership would be great!!
I personnelly I am looking for a 20-25 hp 4x4 probably a 3 cyl.
Are their better models andor years that I suould consider over any others?
thanks for all your time and information
wendelin

 

[Tom_Veatch]

Hi Wendelin,

I'm in Wichita and just bought a YM2220D from Compact Tractor Sales in Lowry City, MO web page which is right in the range you are looking at (20-25hp, etc). As far as it being worthwhile to become a dealer, I can't say. But I'm evidence that at least one Kansan has recently bought a Yanmar grey market.

It is my understanding that the difference between the 3 digit and 4 digit models is that the 3 digit is a US Model built for export to the US while the 4 digit is a (usually) Japanese model built for the Japanese market, used in Japan and then exported to the US as a "grey market" tractor. See here for Yanmar's position on the grey market.

You can find a wealth of information about Yanmar grey market tractors, years of manufacture, specifications, decoding the model numbers, etc. here.

Good luck.

 

[pruntyc]

You could probably make some money in becomeing a dealer, if you know how to work on them to. As far as from Vietnam, I would run as fast as I could from them. They are junk tractors, that they take two or three and try to make a good tractor out of that from all I hear. The ones from Japan where they were made and most of them was used is the place you need to get them as they are most in very good shape. Of course it wouldn't pay you to import as you need to know a lot to be able to do it and make any money. But there is dealers where you can buy them like Hoye Tractor in Texas, or Triple D Equipment in Texas. Of course there are many others also, these are just a couple of them off the top of my head. You need to be sure you are buying from a good dealer or you could get riped.

 

[fivestring]

There are a lot of owners of Yanmar and other grey market tractors like Iseki, Hinomoto and Shibaura. There is nothing wrong with grey market tractors. If they were a problem, laws would have already been passed making it illegal to import them. They have been imported for years and years now.
The safety differences are a disclaimer prepared by lawyers to reduce liability and scare potential buyers into buying a non-grey market tractor.
A R.O.P.S. is defininitely a good safety item. It can be made for your tractor for a couple of hundred bucks.
P.T.O. shields are a good safety feature that most people remove because they get in the way when changing implements. They too, can be made for your tractor.
Most greys do have safety switches to prevent starting the tractor while it is in gear. My Iseki will not start unless the clutch is pushed in.
Having multiple P.T.O. speeds is no big deal. Our implements run on the 540 speed, though.
An overrunning clutch can be bought (about 30-80 bucks) for use with rotary implements to keep the tractor from being pushed by the rotary implement.
Manuals can be translated.
Parts can be cross-referenced to other manufacturers.
Do not be scared by grey market tractors.
The cost for such a tractor is usually less than half of a big three tractor. Most newbie CUT tractor buyers haven't even heard of grey market tractors. If you had a dealership, you probably would make a decent living.
Keep in mind that most greys are under 30 hp or so.
If the average Kansas farm is over 30 or 40 acres, a CUT is probably not the best choice. Nothing beats power on a large farm.
You won't get bells and whistles with grey market tractors. Hydro, power steering, computer-controlled this and that, etc. are left for the big three. Does it make the job better? I doubt it. Does it make the job easier? Maybe. Does it make a tractor more expensive to operate or work on? YES.
If you like gear trannies and simplicity, greys are the best buy out there, hands down! If you like to do your own work and your own modifications, greys are for you. You will void most big three warranties if you do any modifications.
I wish you well if you choose being a dealer of import tractors.

 

[phatgemi]

Your post stated that you can get a ROPS made for a grey tractor for a couple hundred bucks. Just curious where you are getting them made. EVERY and I mean EVERY source/welder I have checked with wont touch that with a ten foot pole. Liability issues on down the road is the reason. I think that if you want one made you will have to weld yourself. Factory rops will run quite a bit more! Nothing wrong with greys as I have a YM2000 and can live with the limitations but its not as easy as most think to equip them with all the latest safety features. Take them for the great tractors they are and live with the limits. I love mine and if you can locate me a rops for a couple hundred bucks, I'd like to talk.

 

[fivestring]

<font color="red">"EVERY source/welder I have checked with wont touch that with a ten foot pole. Liability issues on down the road is the reason." </font>


Don't get me started on lawyers again. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Fifteen or so years ago, liability wasn't even talked about.

It's like you said, you have to do it yourself or have friends that do welding make it for you. The material is not that expensive. Making one is not that difficult. The hardest part is choosing the mounting location. On mine, it is the rear axle. I suspect it will be on most others.
Check with some welding shops in your area. If you have to sign a waiver releasing them from liability, that's no big deal. I would do it in a heartbeat. Thinking out loud here now.... If I'm trying to save my life by making a R.O.P.S., why would I sue them if it didn't work? At least I tried to improve safety.
It's probably better that not having a R.O.P.S. in the first place.

 

[gatractorman]

I sell the reconditioned tractors and have had good results thus far, but I could possibly be swayed to the ones directly from Japan if I had a dealer closer than 200 miles to me, also my recon. dealers let me buy 1 or 2 at a time, the Japan importers that I've talked to want to sell in quantity of 4 or more which is fine, but more than I can afford at once. It's always in the back of my mind exactly what the reconditioning process consists of, I had just as soon see a tractor that came from its natural environment with correct hours on the meter as one that has been painted with 0 hours on the meter. It probably is true that several tractors are used to make one decent one, but whats the problem with that? It's done everyday to everything from tractors to cars to computers if this one has a good part thats needed on another one whats the harm in removing it to make the other one better? Straddlin'-the-fence in Georgia. LOL

 

[normde2001]

I suspect only non-mechanics have a problem with used parts, cannibalizing, and reconditioning in general. In my opinion a "good" used part is just as good as a new part, plus it has been tested. As far as reconditioning goes, if I disassemble, inspect, lube and test an assembly, and see that it is good, I would call it reconditioned and give it a warranty.

 

[pruntyc]

I don't think they are going to give you a warranty. And if it was so treated that it had some parts go bad, then the other parts are probably weakened too. Its like buying a old beater, compared to buying a good used product that hasn't had problems. And besides the way you might work on something and the was some other country that is just makeing them good enough to sell , is probably a lot different to. No thanks I wouldn't knowingly ever buy a reconditioned one, if I knew it. I have always done all my mechanical work, except really major things myself, so I think I would say I am mechanical. Even worked as a mechanic for a while.

 

[gpierce]

yanmar, i have recently drove from houston to canton for a yanmar tractor, after i got the first one home the 4wheel drive went out and it leaked every kind of fluid it holds or dont hold, the loader was mounted wrong and a few other problems. they assured me tractors were also completely reconditioned and ready. after driving all the way back my tractor was replaced with a similar model which seemed a little nicer but had same features. last night after using it for first time i found out my front left wheel is not driving, more 4 wheel drive problems. at this point i would not trust anything about what lci has said. it is also my understanding they have a problem with mixing up model numbers on tractors? surely to thier benefit. thier quality control has serious problems and i will inform everyone i can from this point on and welcome any advice on this problem. be aware. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif