Why hasn't Yanmar been more active in the USA?

[Sid Post]

Yanmar tractors seem really nice and would be a good SCUT and CUT tractor for many people but, instead, they seem to have abandoned the USA marketplace.

I know Yanmar has sold tractors under different OEM names previously but, those deals seem to have ended. Are they just afraid to compete against Kubota and the Korean options? Is it too much financial risk to set up dealerships and distribution in the USA with TYM coming on strong, LS, Kioti, and now Mahindra?

Is Yanmar just going to find a big name to sell under like Massey/Iseki since they no longer do John Deere small tractors and the Cub Cadets seem to have evaporated from the marketplace for SCUT/CUT diesels?

 

[Yander]

It's a great question and one that I have myself as a yanmar owner.

I remember watching a video a few years back that they're planning to try to proliferate the dealership Network.

I can't say if that is happening or not.

My guess is, that is much harder to do than it is to say you're going to do.

 

[Sid Post]

With TYM (& Kukje/Branson) expanding, I was thinking Yanmar would be a good competitor as well. I know Kubota is a huge behemoth in the USA market but, not everyone wants what Kubota does and their high price point.

I know John Deere lost me with their current dealership requirements and mergers along with their high prices so, right now I'm looking at TYM since Kubota shortages and price gouging on their larger tractors soured me a bit.

It seems like Yanmar would be a good alternative for me but, where in the world would I find one and any dealer support locally? My sister and a friend both have Kioti and I'm not impressed with what I have seen and experienced. I'm sure the newer tractors are a lot better but, dealer support is an issue there as well.

I see a lot of happy Branson owners locally though they are in the 30Hp~55Hp class of tractors. That suggests to me there is room for Yanmar as well in a relatively lucrative market segment when you consider the numbers of tractors sold and their pricing, especially when Kubota was not able to deliver requested models to people with money to buy them.

I was looking to cash buy ~$75K of Kubota tractor but, they could not deliver a tractor with my options (transmission, 540E PTO, hydraulics) within 18 months. I was offered a different tractor with a transmission I specifically did not want (8-speed gear drive) 12 months later for ~$10K more!

Before I get a Massey with a Dyna transmission, I really need to shop an alternative and TYM might be just the ticket I'm looking for. Yanmar would be a much easier sell for me than a Korean tractor though.

The Cub Cadet "Yanmar" I saw ~6 years ago would be nice today but, it just doesn't exist today. A good solid Yanmar CUT/UT tractor would do well if they had a dealer network as good as Mahindra today which is thin with a bit of a disjointed model range but, workable from an owner support perspective in most cases.

 

[deserteagle71]

Maybe because of parts availability?

Got a friend who has owned a Yanmar for quite a few years now. He hasn't been able to use it for nearly a year...a hydraulic control valve of some sort went out on it. It seems to be unavailable - he has searched all over. Dealer told him it has been discontinued and they don't know of a replacement. Can't get the seals and other parts to rebuild it either.

If there is no owner support then why would anyone want to buy a Yanmar? All tractors need repair parts eventually. I have a 60 year old John Deere and yet if I need a part I can have it the next day.

 

[Sid Post]

Maybe because of parts availability?

Got a friend who has owned a Yanmar for quite a few years now. He hasn't been able to use it for nearly a year...a hydraulic control valve of some sort went out on it. It seems to be unavailable - he has searched all over. Dealer told him it has been discontinued and they don't know of a replacement. Can't get the seals and other parts to rebuild it either.

If there is no owner support then why would anyone want to buy a Yanmar? All tractors need repair parts eventually. I have a 60 year old John Deere and yet if I need a part I can have it the next day.

Was his tractor a "grey market" model or, something bought new in the USA?

If it has only been a few years, he should still be covered with parts availability. If the part has been discontinued, I'm guessing he bought it used and it was not a USA model. Has he tried Cub Cadet? Depending on how old it is, it very well could be the same as the Cub Cadet I looked at.

I passed on a Mahindra tractor for a really good price because the last thing I wanted to do was chase parts down remotely in India and have them air freighted to me here in Texas. The local Mahindra dealer only brings in certain models not made in India for this same reason. The tractors they have in stock look a lot like the various Korean models I have looked at, and a few seem to have similar quality and design features as my Kubota and a few small Iseki/Massey's I have looked at.

 

[K5lwq]

Maybe because of parts availability?

Got a friend who has owned a Yanmar for quite a few years now. He hasn't been able to use it for nearly a year...a hydraulic control valve of some sort went out on it. It seems to be unavailable - he has searched all over. Dealer told him it has been discontinued and they don't know of a replacement. Can't get the seals and other parts to rebuild it either.

If there is no owner support then why would anyone want to buy a Yanmar? All tractors need repair parts eventually. I have a 60 year old John Deere and yet if I need a part I can have it the next day.

That is a shame. Try to encourage your friend to post his problem here. I can not imagine a hydraulic control valve keeping him from using his tractor as there is plenty of ways to replace a valve without buying through a dealer.

 

[Sid Post]

That is a shame. Try to encourage your friend to post his problem here. I can not imagine a hydraulic control valve keeping him from using his tractor as there is plenty of ways to replace a valve without buying through a dealer.

Too many unknowns at the moment to be sure of anything but, I doubt it is a simple Hydraulic control valve problem that can't be solved by his dealer/mechanic unless said mechanic is totally clueless.

Often in situations like this, it turns out to be a "grey market" tractor that is a hodge podge of parts. We won't know without pictures or additional details. I have seen a lot of tractors described this way that weren't worth the effort to be repaired because they were a Franken'tractor of unknown pedigree in a Kubota mainly, but some Yanmar, bodies, and frames.

If you view them as disposable like a Bic lighter or bank pen and pay accordingly, they can be an okay deal while they work. However, they often don't turn out to be a good long term solution.

 

[K5lwq]

Too many unknowns at the moment to be sure of anything but, I doubt it is a simple Hydraulic control valve problem that can't be solved by his dealer/mechanic unless said mechanic is totally clueless.

Often in situations like this, it turns out to be a "grey market" tractor that is a hodge podge of parts. We won't know without pictures or additional details. I have seen a lot of tractors described this way that weren't worth the effort to be repaired because they were a Franken'tractor of unknown pedigree in a Kubota mainly, but some Yanmar, bodies, and frames.

If you view them as disposable like a Bic lighter or bank pen and pay accordingly, they can be an okay deal while they work. However, they often don't turn out to be a good long term solution.

Exactly why he should post here. If we know what is wrong we probably can come up with a creative solution for him. I have to do that with my Kioti. I have made parts from several manufacturers work when the one I needed was not available from Kioti.

 

[ddbackhoe]

If you view them as disposable like a Bic lighter or bank pen and pay accordingly, they can be an okay deal while they work. However, they often don't turn out to be a good long term solution.

Somewhat attributable to the dumbing down of our population. People often give up on things because someone said it cant be fixed, others say anything can be fixed and know how. People that actually fix things have disappeared by the thousands. The local grease monkey, gone with the arrival of the self serve gas station. Shoe repair guy, whats that? Machine shop, huh? Need a dealer tractor service on site, that guy is 2 hours away. Need something done to your truck, schedule an appt. (one friends tow truck has been sitting 7 months waiting on parts). Need a part for your truck or tractor, better hope its listed in the computer data base.

 

[ddbackhoe]

Exactly why he should post here. If we know what is wrong we probably can come up with a creative solution for him. I have to do that with my Kioti. I have made parts from several manufacturers work when the one I needed was not available from Kioti.

Damn, after I bought one you tell me…but yeah sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.