Tractor: Build Date

[The Gardener]

How do you confirm the build date of a Kubota tractor [new or used]?

Is there plate somewhere on the tractor that would confirm the build date?

Could Kubota actually run the serial #?

Do tractors have a VIN #, and, if so, would the VIN # confirm the build date when I registered it at the town hall for a license plate?

Thanks!
The Gardener

 

[rbargeron]

Look at this thread
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85114
or do a search - there are several threads at TBN about the "year" of tractors.

 

[The Gardener]

Thanks So Much. I read through the linked thread. This comment, concerning build date, came from a post in the thread that you linked me to:

"Kubota considers it to be the year during which it is first sold at retail."

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This is certainly problematic when trying to determine if you are buying a NEW model or a left-over model on the dealer lot. That's what I would like to be able to determine.

Say, for example, you identify a new tractor: a 2006 model that has some performance and/or build issues from the outset. So, you opt to wait until the following summer to buy a new, 2007, model of the same tractor with the hope that the manufacturer has now addressed these *issues* that were discovered in 2006.

How can I be certain that I am buying a new, 2007 model?

Sincerely,
The Gardener

 

[Doc_Bob]

How can I be certain that I am buying a new, 2007 model?

Sincerely,
The Gardener

NH can determine build date versus retail date based upon trator serial number. I assume Kubota can do the same thing.
Bob

 

[rbargeron]

Gardener,

If you look close, you can easily tell a tractor that has just come out of the crate from one that has seen sunshine and rain for 6 months on the lot. With imported tractors the "year" is not a precise concept, so it isn't an easy way to be sure what you are looking at. The Model is a better starting point, followed by hours of service.

In other parts of the world, car models remain unchanged for several years before they are replaced by a revised design. But in the U.S. we are callibrated to the "year" of our vehicles. Marketers use it as a way to differentiate products. Cars are redesigned superficially every year to keep the sales program rolling. But agricultural machines change more slowly.

When buying an imported tractor, some homework is recommended. A forum like this is a good suplement to dealer knowledge. If a particular model has an issue - or has gotten a redesign mid-run (rare), someone here will know what to look for. Some models have gotten dealer-installed modifications - which might not show up in a list keyed to date of manufacture.

 

[ByronBob]

Warranty for a tractor goes by purchase date I think.

 

[The Gardener]

Thanks everyone. Your input has helped a lot. As I approach a Kubota purchase which I hope will be next summer, I will most certainly tap all of you for further opinions, your advice, and your expertise on this matter.

Many Thanks!
The Gardener

 

[Marcussen]

I bought my new L2800 in July it had .4 hours on it. I don't think there is year thing on most tractors, usualy changes are noted by before and after certain serial numbers.

 

[Big_Lug]

Where do you find the serial # at on the tractor ?