Yanmar 1500d (run towards or away?)

[blivy]

Posted this in the vintage forum but thought I’d post here too.
Went and looked at this little tractor today. Guy also has it listed in FB FIR ABOUT $500 less.
everything seemed to work but guy didn’t know much anything about history of tractor. He just buys to resell (not a dealer, more of a side job).
he replaced the fluids and front axle seals but beyond that was just reselling.
I've read about “gray models” to steer clear from and a prevalence of salvage yard rebuilds from
Vietnam or Korea on this particular model but don’t have any idea of how to verify that.
he did say he thought this had been reconditioned and it had amateur paint job. Also know that the FEL isn’t original but that might mot be a bad thing and it worked fine.
What are y’all’s thoughts?

Tractor with Front Loader , 4x4 - farm & garden - by owner - sale​

Serious reply with your phone number , I will call you direct to discuss, I dont reply to email. Yanmar Ym 1500d , 4x4 , 2 cylinder diesel, 18 HP, runs great, loader works good, has Rear PTo and...
atlanta.craigslist.org

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[bmaverick]

Indeed this is a VN refurb. The loader is a VN made brand that was once called VTek. The parts are hard to come by and there is no documentation out there for it. Yet, people do take these loaders to equipment shops that work with hydraulics. Thus things do get repaired just fine.

Another tell tale sign of this being a VN is the ops seat. That seat is not OE nor a US made seat. It's found on many of the VN tractors coming over here.

Lastly, most, not all VN refurb machines come without ROPs.

Now, I bought my YM2610 2WD and no loader from a UTDA dealer being Fredricks for about the same price this lower model is selling for. There are a few UTDA dealers in in your state too.

You can buy a BETTER machine called the YM1700D 4WD for LESS

Yanmar Tractors — Fredricks Importing

www.fredricksimporting.com

The UTDA restore process is NOT a simple refurb process. It's a true restore. Click on the larger images to see the before and after.

Quality — Fredricks Importing

www.fredricksimporting.com

And you get a full 1 year warranty! You will NOT find that with a VN or second 'flip' product dealer like your ad shows.

Where in GA can you find a UTDA dealer and support for a Yanmar like this? Try here.

Dealer Locator — Fredricks Importing

www.fredricksimporting.com

 

[blivy]

Thanks. I’m taking it the short version of your answer would be: “be wary of the one I looked at…there are better tractors out there for not much more”

would that be a fair assessment?

 

[clemsonfor]

Depends on the price of the tractor. That's a classic VN tractor. The loaders at one point we're also labeled as V2 over the years. Another competing importer had Bulldog brand loaders.

But if it's been run a bunch of hours. I see the filter says 250 hours. Its probably ok a problem would have shown by now. Those usually came with less than 20 hours on the meter when the owner bought them "refurbished" . Not everyone has problems. The ones that do you hear a lot about .

I'm not saying to buy it, just pointing out a few things. Look at what one would cost you from Frederic's and look at what you think you could buy that one for. If it's a super deal I'd buy this one myself but I'm not there can run it and I don't know the price.

 

[winston1]

Not that it has anything to do with buying or not, but first thing I noticed is front wheels are in wide stance. Not recommended, especially with front end loader.

 

[careyo63]

Local and just a few miles from Athens and seen this. I knew it was VN. but that really doesn't bother me depending on the condition. No loader on my YM 2000. Used a JD. 5103 for Yrs. with a FEL. and know all to well it's capability's. If that one was Bigger I would have been on it. But my property is just to much for a little 1500. Parts and repairs should not be a problem. Esp. if your Mech. inclined. The Big Fredrick is real easy to get to or order from. Delt with them for Yrs.. Been there to pick up a Tiller. The Org. 2000 came from Fredricks supplied Spalding UTDA back then. A Ym 2500 refurb from Steve also. The YM2000 Looked as if It just rolled off the boat from Japan. It was in such good condition. Steve left it ASIS. Which I left a Chk. until I could get back with a trailer for his asking price no questions asked but 1. That was were the He!! did he get it this at. He mumbled a few things but wouldn't say. I still laugh on that one it's true!! Worst thing was Starter had to be rebuilt. 75.00$ in 2010. 1000Hrs. operating coming up. At the 900's and 012 was on the Tach. when I bought it. If that 1500 was bigger I would have been all over it. Don't be shy of the VN. IMO the Ghetto rigging if any would have shown by now. And with Fred. Spalding being so close parts won't be a problem. Great folks..................

 

[bmaverick]

Thanks. I’m taking it the short version of your answer would be: “be wary of the one I looked at…there are better tractors out there for not much more”

would that be a fair assessment?

EXACTLY.

Some have alright machines from the VN refurbs and others are nightmares. It's a true spin of the wheel and luck of the draw to get a good one.

The VN machines are in fact 3rd and abused machines that make it here. They are not 2nd used lightly as the Japanese use the machines with honor and pride. When VN gets the machines, they beat them to death out in the fields, they Frankenstein the machines when things break with other models OR even competitor parts. So, buyers need to be fully aware that a VN can be a costly thing in the long haul.

 

[clemsonfor]

EXACTLY.

Some have alright machines from the VN refurbs and others are nightmares. It's a true spin of the wheel and luck of the draw to get a good one.

The VN machines are in fact 3rd and abused machines that make it here. They are not 2nd used lightly as the Japanese use the machines with honor and pride. When VN gets the machines, they beat them to death out in the fields, they Frankenstein the machines when things break with other models OR even competitor parts. So, buyers need to be fully aware that a VN can be a costly thing in the long haul.

I'm not saying this has not occurred, I have read a few posts with things that don't make sense. But after being around here for more than a decade, I don't believe it happens as often as people talk about. That said if your one that gets a tractor with random parts it will make buying replacents hard till you figure out what tractor said assembly is actually off of. And if that assembly is off an orphan model that has little support it might make for an even worse day as no available part means your buying a used proper assembly for your tractor

 

[bmaverick]

I'm not saying this has not occurred, I have read a few posts with things that don't make sense. But after being around here for more than a decade, I don't believe it happens as often as people talk about. That said if your one that gets a tractor with random parts it will make buying replacents hard till you figure out what tractor said assembly is actually off of. And if that assembly is off an orphan model that has little support it might make for an even worse day as no available part means your buying a used proper assembly for your tractor

The key thing is, I'm on many tractor forums, even globally in other languages. The VNs are treated like bastard child around the globe. People in Australia hate them due to so many with failures.

I'm happy the OP is in GA and can look over YM machines at Spalding. For the money it would take to get the VN to be long time durable and ROPs and other hardware, the end result is a UTDA machine overall. Just no work on the OP to get it there.

The YM1500 has the wimpy 3 digit hour meter. It's impossible to say it has 1250 hours or 12500 hours. And being on it's 3rd go around in life is very questionable.

 

[blivy]

Thanks for all the feedback! I've decided I'll pass.
3 reasons:
1) the concerns that bmaverick laid out (just to make sure I understand the terms right---"VN" is Vietnamese and UTDA is U.S. distributor????)
All the above said, I think the tractor is currently fine. Probably would be serviceable for my uses (as Careyo63) points out well. And for $6,000 (though at the top of my budget) it probably would be a reasonable price for someone in the market. However, I like to work on my own machines and it's always disheartening when you're working on a pieced together machine that you may not be able to trust a manual on.
2) I know it's funny, but I didn't really hit it off well with the seller. When I asked about the tractor's history he told me that was an irrelevant question. I shot back "why is that irrelevant?" and he worked through a response about buyers not being educated enough to understand how the history would or would not be relevant. I also was clear that i wasn't going to buy on Saturday, but just wanted to look (bank had already closed anyway, and I don't keep $6k in a drawer). However when i showed up he was all pissy that i didn't bring a trailer. Then later when i thanked him and left he got all pissy again and insinuated that I was wasting his time....Just seemed a bit too pushy like he was trying to offload something.
3) Finally, I really want to get something that my little boy can sit on my lap while i use (he's just turned 3 and wants to be around as much as possible). the tight seating and gear shift would make that a bit hard. Might be better off looking for something with HST.

In any case, thanks for all the advice. My suspicion is that the tractor is okay. I do think (despite some strange behavior by the seller) that he has tried to address all the issues with it he knows about, but as I was on the fence about it, the salesmanship tipped me against buying. for someone knowing what they are getting into I'm sure it is a good deal.

thanks again!