Wayne, I still think you and those who accept the bogus refurbs are talking right past each other. You scorn a tractor if it isn't original and authentic, meanwhile most 30+ year old tractors whether import or domestic, have been patched up with non-oem parts. As these old tractors get sold for hobby use where a month of downtime isn't much of a problem, there are customers who accept these issues as a reasonable tradeoff for cheap price.
Look who those refurbs are selling against - 8n's and similar cheap old iron. Buyer beware.There is probably just as much misrepresentation in the old American iron as in the 'refurb' market. The rational customer will go to the auction or roadside dealer with a several hundred dollar reserve for after-purchase repairs, he knows anything sold that way is not ready to put into service. And I suppose some people have to learn this by experience if their pappy didn't tell them the facts of life. The hobby market is completely different from the guy who earns his living using his equipment and his tractor simply has to start in the morning.
As I see it, the nice paint on the refurbs is a nice bonus but all the old iron is about the same unless it is bought from a first class supporting dealer - buyer beware, you take your chances, and always budget something for getting it ready to use.
It's perfectly reasonable to attack a bogus dealer for fraudulent sales practices but after some poor turkey has bought any old equipment, American or gray, why give him a hard time? I would think it would be profitable to just sell him whatever he needs. And as I noted in replying to Ernie's post, with a real steep restocking fee so the customer soon is forced to figure out just what his refurb was built from.
Here's what my true-blue American Yanmar came with, straight from a True-Blue (firefighter, even!) American farmer.
First, I didn't get a picture of the 'original' fuel filter because I replaced it immediately. But this is a replica of what I found on it:
I soon got manuals and realized that wasn't right, so I ordered a "Yanmar Diesel Fuel Filter, Bowl and Mount" [exact title of the ebay auction] from Corriher Implement Co., a true-blue American tractor dealer.
(I ran double filters for a while until I sorted out a rubbish-in-the-fuel problem. I think the American Farmer gave me a tank of pre-1993 high sulphur diesel judging by the nauseating exhaust stink.)
Ok, still not right. That "Yanmar Diesel Fuel Filter, Bowl and Mount" won't accept yanmar filter elements.
So I went to the local VN importer and watched them strip a filter assembly off a YM2000.
Dang. still not right. I bought a fresh OEM filter element and realized I still needed a bowl to replace the unknown one that was on the VN refurb. Back to another ebay auction.
This sequence was a nuisance, but not expensive. Under $50 overall.
In summary - I got about the same level of 'service' from the good ol boy American sources as the VN importer. Buyer beware, I don't see any reason to consider those refurb importers as different from any other nonsupporting merchant. Just budget some money for post-sale setup of the refurbs same as if you are buying 30 year old anything.
