Buying Advice tractor buying advice please

[Victoria Bell]

I need to buy a 30?? horse tractor with a loader for use in spreading mulch (a couple of dump truck loads per year), general dirt and rock work on a farm/garden. I've been shoveling all this, but age is creeping up on me, and it's time to make the tractor buying leap. I've been looking at the Chinese brands, and they look good, the price looks great. My family swears by Kubota, but they're expensive. My question, are Chinese tractors built well? Would you recomend saving a few more years and getting the Kubota? Thanks, Vicki

 

[ToadHill]

The only drawback to "some" of the Chinese tractors is getting service work done on them. If you are near a reliable dealer with a good mechanic you will be "ok". If that isn't the case and you aren't able to service it yourself, save for a different new tractor, or look for a good used one.

 

[Ranch_Hand_Supp]

As a Jinma Dealer / Importer.

I have had good service out of the ones I have sold but, I go over them from one end to the other and it has paid off. Someone has to do it.

Purchasing assemblied does not mean it has been serviced properly. That where you have to do your home work.

Your selling dealer is key ... my opinion.

Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

 

[RonMar]

Yep, unless you are willing and able to turn a wrench from time to time for maintenance, and have the knowledge to go thru the thing initially and insure it is set up properly, you should probably look for a good dealer that has been around for a while. Proper setup includes but is not limited to:
Flush and change all fluids and filters(repeated again after initial breakin period).
Check all electrical connections.
Check clutch adjustment(requires removal of front end loader frame).
check all fasteners(repeated during routine maintenance as things do shake loose).
grease all fittings(there are quite a few and this is repeated at maintenance time).

If you are not prepared to do these, a good dealer in new chinese, or perhaps a used Kubota, deere, or whatever with a good servicing dealer nearby would be a better option.

For your described uses, a 30HP sounds a little on the large size. From your description, I would think an 18-20HP or perhaps a 25HP tractor would probably be fine.

My.02

Good Luck

 

[teg]

Getting a kubota does not always mean you will not have problems. My L2800 has it's share but the dealer isn't worth crap. Never knows about Product Improvement Bulletins, even if I give him the number to look up. I bought as cheap as I could and got the service from he11. Look for a good dealer, know roughly what you need and see if he can get something in the price range you can afford. Talking to the dealer will help let you know how helpful he might be.

 

[Flyhiflylo]

For the price of a Kaboota you could buy 2 Chinese tractors with all the extras.

My take on buying Chinese is this. If it blows up my luck would be the same if I spent 10,000 or 20,000.... Just the parts are cheaper on the Chinese.

I'm a lead footed hacker and I think anything lasts as long as you treat it should. I'm sure I could distroy a 30K Deere or Kaboota in the same amount of time I ruin my Chinese tractor. Or... Vise Versa

 

[geobar]

Make sure that you actually see the loader that the dealer offers. The oe loader on my Jinma 284 is almost useless for loading since the bucket does not tilt up enough (unless carried a dangerous 6 feet in the air) and the load spills out while transporting.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I think a Jinma 254 or 284, same tractor, will do everything you want it to do. I replace a 35hp 2 wheel drive tractor with a 254 in 2003 and now have 425+ hours on it and it has never not ran when I needed it too. Its had a few small problems like thermostat, oil pressure sending unit, but nothing major. I would get a Koyker loader on it and you will be happy. With what the others have said any tractor can have problems but as long as you can do minor repairs to cars you will be ok with the these tractors. Make sure you get a well assembled unit with all the flush and quality oils done and this will make it a turn key experience for the most part. I was like you but I wanted a New Holland TC29 and it was 2x as much. I had the same mind set as others where I figured I could buy 2 for that price. I would do it all over again.

Chris

 

[rdbigfarmboy]

Foton from Rural King.
If you have some mechanical ability and are willing to do self repairs as needed Foton is the best cheap tractor on the market.
I have 2 both from RK.

 

[bluechip]

Vicki,
If you are close someone on our small but growing list of dealers, you might want to look at an AgTrac with the synchro-shuttle transmission. a little more than a jinma, foton or KAMA, but much easier to drive and operate due to the easy shifting. I have sold tractors made by all of the currently popular chinese factories and the reliability and I personally would place the DF made AgTrac tractors at the top of the list. To get a nicer tractor you will have to move to Korean made brands and the price goes up quite a bit. You can see our dealer list at Dealers