saw some jinma at a small show today

Soundguy · Dec 5, 2004

One of the tractor clubs I belong to aranged to have a parking lot tractor show at the TSC in eustis, fl today. Pretty neat.. had a few IH and JD, and a few others. I also noticed 3 farm pro tractors. And was glad to see them there, as I am getting serious about getting one.

All had 1999 dated engine plates, if anyone was wondering.

I can deffinately say that fit and finish is going up. Fiberglass looks better, hood fit, and dash looks about the same, however.. it looks like fitting issues and the castings are looking better since I last test drove one a couple years ago. Also looks like things like levers and handles and wires are attatched and routed better.

I would deffinately say that the tractors are now at a point that they can stand on their own merits and sell themselves as an economy tractor. For the average small user that is mechanically inclined enough to consider using an antique tractor, these would be a competitor to the antique power units.. similar power ratings, cost, and fitting/technology... better safety features.. updated drive trains.. etc.

One problem I saw.. the seller/dealer needed anger management therapy.

A group of us antique iron people walked over and were browsing the units and someone asked about parts availability., And the guy gave good parts about the size of the parts network just due to the 2 big dealers, northern tool, and homier., but then shot himself in the foot and got an attitude and walked away saying over his shoulder that 'JD is using asain parts and tractors as well'. I think he would have been better off clarifying his statement. I doubt any of the old rusty iron gues there were even aware of the JD - Yanmar connection, and if they were.. probably don't understand that yanmar is jap, and jinma is chinese. To take that a bit further.. I doubt they knew about the JD 'presence' and chinese jd units for that market.. etc.

When he got sarcastic, the group of us left, and the 2 people he was walking towards, fled into the store. As far as i saw, he had not a single passerby after that ordeal for the next couple hours while I was at the show.

Someone needed to give him that honey/vinegar/flies talk.

Salespeople like that are not helping jinma in anyway...that's where some of the negative chineese tractor rumors and 'info' may be coming from... bad experiences with dealers / salespeople.

Not a rant.. just wanting opinions / comments.

Soundguy

ToolManRick · Dec 5, 2004

Agree with you Soundman. Sounds like he's a little sensitive about the parts issue. He'd probably be a happy camper if he also had a JD dealership. Then he could sell both on their own merits. My Dad was the first person person in Toledo, Oh to get a Volkswagon "Beetle" in 196?. Boy did he take a lot of heat, but then VW really took off and he was then a smart guy. Funny how the marketing approach and customer knowledge can make or break any product. Myself, I hope Jinma remains a competitor in the market and parts continue to be readily available. If you like to tinker and improve on a sound piece of equipment I know you'd enjoy a Jinma.

Harrygoodwrench · Dec 5, 2004

Soundguy,
did you get to hear the whole story? What I mean is some of the old iron guys are downright nasty themselves when it comes to something different. I'm not protecting this salesguy whatsoever but sometimes there is more to the story.

Soundguy · Dec 6, 2004

Well.. I was standing right there.. and there were only 5 of us, plus the dealer, plus the couple that were walking up. The question went something like this:

"Can you get parts for them?"

It was a fairly straight forward question, as we antique tractor people know just how frustrating it is to have a piece of equipment and find that parts are NLA, can't be found in salvage yards.. etc.. etc.

Soundguy

dancce · Dec 6, 2004

As a dealer for several lines, I have come to expect the question about parts availability--especially with regard to FarmPro--and I welcome it.
It is a legitimate question, and one that I would ask as a consumer--also it is a very important one for me as a dealer when talking to the constant stream of salesmen that I see every day.( I will NOT handle any product that I can not easily get parts for.)
There is no excuse for a dealer to get defensive about any question regarding a product he sells---especially the "parts question".
In the situation that you descrbed--I (as a potential customer) would have walked away, also.

dancce

thegreatrandini · Dec 6, 2004

I would like to get a jinma with turf tires for finish mowing for my second tractor. Just need the money.... I think they are a great value. That sales dude should just stick a big L on his forehead. I hope the price remains low after they run out of 1999 engines and the steel taxes kick in.......

F100Panel · Dec 6, 2004

Today I was putting together a 284 with shuttle. A year newer than my 224. 2002 engine.... 9/04 manufacture date on the 284. LARGE improvements over the 8/03 224/fit/finish & ELECTRIC.... I looked to sell the 224 5 months ago & I can sympathize with the dealer. Some people seem to LIVE to run down Chinese... I ran an ad in a local paper for the 224 & most of the callers weren't interested in buying just seemed to want to call & run the tractor down. The others wanted/expected a John Deere for that price/WHATS A JINMA??? I started hanging up on people. First few calls I thought is was just ignorance on the subject of Chinese... After a while I figured out lack of knowledge on a subject don't justify insults... yup... I'm MIGHTY touchy when people take my time with genuine curiousity not the goal but running the tractor down seeming to be. I'll sell the 224 eventually likely just by word of mouth... Not desperate to sell, heck I liked the 224 enough to buy a second Jinma.... Not saying the scenario you reference was proper bussiness... Just explaining us Chinese owners/sellers get a lot of BS & we do get touchy.... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Soundguy · Dec 7, 2004

( I hope the price remains low after they run out of 1999 engines )

You know.. I hadn't thought about that.. but those units he had at the show might be the last of his 1999 stock, as I hear that the new engines have been approved and will be in soon.

He had a good deal going for price. .. just too rotten an attitude to risk my money and have to put up with him for support... Really was a loose-loose situation, as the price was right..

Soundguy

Soundguy · Dec 7, 2004

( us Chinese owners/sellers get a lot of BS & we do get touchy )

I understand that.. but you guys just can't blast away with both barrels at the 'many' customers, cuz a 'few' of the customers get on your nerves /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif.

Probably the only reason I havn't bought a jinma yest has been dealer issues.

The 3 places I've saw them in person, was a homier show, at a flea market, and then at this last show.

As I reported.. at this last show.. the dealer had anger management issues.

At the flea market, the unit, a farm pro/small dealer was really a landscape businees owner and sold the tractors on the side.. knew nothing about them.. said they had yanmar engines... ran, not walked, away from there.

The homier show I saw them at and actually test drove one.. I had to show the salesguy how to get the tranny into gear (hi-lo), and a couple of the other controlls. And the only reason I knew anything baout them was from this site. The units had a few minor issues.. like fuel drips, and bad grease fittings, poor looking welds on some of the 3pt linkage, and many of the handles and levers were bent and the pins holding them on buggered. Minor issues.. nothing a bit of work wouldn't have fixed. Believe me.. I went down there with my checkbook and toted a trailer... just didn't get any confidence from the homier people.. they should at least set down and go over that little folding phamplet with their salespeople so they could answer some of the obvious questions...

I guess I looked at a 4th dealer, though not in person, as I did investigate Nortrac units. I was literally a few hours away from calling back to order a unit after I had called and got northern to fax me some info over.. but instead saw a too-good-to-pass-up deal at my local NH dealer that used up my money that same day, instead.

Soundguy

Buckcreek · Dec 7, 2004

I was at a farm pro dealer today. ive stopped there quite a few times its in cattletsburg KY. The owner salesman, and i think hes the mechanic most of the time seems very knowledgible on these tractors. He moves alot of them too. He had a big one with a nice cab on it,but i didnt look at it very well. I was busy looking at the little bulldozers. He is always busy but always tries his best to help ans. questions. His price on the little trakking bulldozer is cheaper than northern tool. He priced it for $13,200. He said he bought one for himself and it surprized him on what it woul do.