Used Kubota buying advice

[Seamonster124]

HI everyone, I'm considering a 10-year-old bx25 with 275 hours on it. Questions is how important is the 50-hour service? Rather, how bad is it that this tractor has not received it? Would you pass on it based on that info alone?

 

[DK35vince]

How about engine oil change and greasing, has that been done?

 

[Seamonster124]

How about engine oil change and greasing, has that been done?

Once, recently

 

[oosik]

At the recommendations in my owners manual - at 50 hours I changed EVERY fluid except the diesel fuel. Front axle housing, engine, hydraulic plus the two hydraulic filters, engine oil filter and two air filters. I do grease all 36 zerks on the tractor, rear blade and grapple, at least, every ten hours.

I guess if you are very concerned and the current owner agrees - you could send in samples of the engine & hydraulic oils for analysis.

Otherwise - take a leap of faith - buy the tractor and change the hydraulic fluid/filter(s), engine oil/filter, fuel filter, air filter(s) and grease it.

My initial concern is not the hours on the tractor so much as the ten years with the same hydraulic oil.

By the way - where are you and this tractor located - location will have a bearing on this situation.

And if you are saying that the ten year old tractor has only been greased once recently in ten years - that would concern me also.

 

[Seamonster124]

At the recommendations in my owners manual - at 50 hours I changed EVERY fluid except the diesel fuel. Front axle housing, engine, hydraulic plus the two hydraulic filters, engine oil filter and two air filters. I do grease all 36 zerks on the tractor, rear blade and grapple, at least, every ten hours.

I guess if you are very concerned and the current owner agrees - you could send in samples of the engine & hydraulic oils for analysis.

Otherwise - take a leap of faith - buy the tractor and change the hydraulic fluid/filter(s), engine oil/filter, fuel filter, air filter(s) and grease it.

My initial concern is not the hours on the tractor so much as the ten years with the same hydraulic oil.

By the way - where are you and this tractor located - location will have a bearing on this situation.

And if you are saying that the ten year old tractor has only been greased once recently in ten years - that would concern me also.

Thank you. I'm in the puget sound area which is super damp and muddy.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

HI everyone, I'm considering a 10-year-old bx25 with 275 hours on it. Questions is how important is the 50-hour service? Rather, how bad is it that this tractor has not received it? Would you pass on it based on that info alone?

When we bought our Virginia property in 2012 it came with a 1996 Kubota L something or other, that had 109 hours on it. It came with a bush hog, back blade, and a woods fel. Most importantly, it had always been kept in the shop as well. We changed the oil, radiator fluid, checked everything else and gave her a good greasing. Tractor ran fantastic for two years and another 100 hours. I then traded it in on my L3301 and got 10 grand for it.

 

[mikester]

HI everyone, I'm considering a 10-year-old bx25 with 275 hours on it. Questions is how important is the 50-hour service? Rather, how bad is it that this tractor has not received it? Would you pass on it based on that info alone?

If the guy can't be bothered to do a basic service then it indicates he likely never maintained or cared for his machine. If it's been sitting outside the whole 10 years then you are going to find even more issues including hidden internal corrosion, moisture problems, never greased pins and parts, dried out seals and rubber parts, critters etc...

Pig-in-a-poke.

If you are handy and he accepts low ball then you may get lucky. I'd consider it like a rental machine and probably walk away unless I was going to flip it for a quick profit.

 

[HEC]

I would rather look for another tractor . This tractor could easily end up costing you more than a well taken care of one .

 

[rgr33]

The situation is not good, but if the price is low enough, and you feel like taking the risk, you might end up with a good tractor. Kubotas are good tractors, and can take a bit of abuse from poorly motivated operators.

 

[/pine]

If this was a tractor with a gear drive and after a test drive I would not hesitate if the price was right...being a HST though you never know...!