Yanmar Rant

[professor]

I just have to put my 2 cents into a discussion. I can't understand why grey market Yanmars get so much bashing. Lately I have read on different forums concerning safety issues, parts availability, age and other negative comments. I have owned two Yanmars one a YM 155 domestic and a 1401 grey market and several other domestic tractors. The Yanmars have been the best both in durability and parts availability. I paid $3200 for the 1401 and tiller, approx. $65 for overrunning clutch, $900 for turf tires and approx. $900 for ROPS. My total investment was less than $6000 and I had a tractor with less than 650 hours. I have owned it since 1999 with very few problems. The parts I have needed were ordered from Hoye and were shipped immediately. In 2000 I bought a 1999 New Holland 3930 4WD for $15000 with 400 hours on it. I have put 600 hours on it and have had the following problems: alternator, starter, front axle seals, pto gears, etc. I had to wait three weeks for some of the pto parts,
The safety issues are ridiculous considering some of the older domestic tractors such as Ford 8N no live hydraulics, tricycle tractors, Farmall cubs reverse pto and top heavy and many tractors had throttles that had to be pulled back.
I know the new compacts and sub-compacts are good tractors but some people can't afford or don't want to spend $12000-19000 for a tractor that will be used 50-100 hours annually. With careful shopping and staying away from some VN rebuilds one can get a great tractor for half the cost of new.
Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[winston1]

Your welcome, thanks for venting.

 

[clemsonfor]

You can get one for way less than half of a new one!!

And if you read a lot of the old posts you will see one member who has left the board who was very knowageable but also would down talk any one who ever mentioned a VN tractor and how every one is a ticking time bomb, this and that and how bad of a decesion they made on and on, telling you to get rid of it now, you paid to much etc etc.

I almost did not join here because of this person. Im glad i stayed and stuck it out and just put on my tough skin to deal with him. He left as he felt he was being "ganged up on" apparently i was not the only one who did not think it necessary to tell every one how bad thier tractor was or that thier lucky that it is still running etc. He has his opinion, i have mine and others have thiers. We stick to geather on some things and disagree on others but thats what makes this a good place. He just could not post much without bringing up his personal feelings on the recons and slinging the mud.

Anyway welcome. These guys here know about every thing there is to know.

 

[clemsonfor]

WOW never mind your one of the original yanmar guys it looks like from your join date!! Your not new!

 

[aczlan]

On the other hand, for about the same price today you can pickup a Kubota B series or older L series with similar hours and 1 attachment (loader, tiller, mower, etc) that is already equipped with a ROPS and turf tires...

Aaron Z

 

[kenmac]

On the other hand, for about the same price today you can pickup a Kubota B series or older L series with similar hours and 1 attachment (loader, tiller, mower, etc) that is already equipped with a ROPS and turf tires...

Aaron Z

No thanks,

I'll keep my yanmar thank you

 

[rmacAU]

No thanks,

I'll keep my yanmar thank you

I've had a Mitsubishi D1550FD for over ten years and found it a great little tractor. I bought a slightly bigger one in the Yanmar F18D when the clutch failed. Why didn't I just repair the Mitsubishi?
i) I was told there were a number of different clutches fitted and that until I broke it open I wouldn't know which one to order. Once I knew which one it was it may or may not be available.
ii) it was an opportunity to get a machine better suited to my needs
iii) at the time I had work to do and a timeline in which to do it - taking week(s) to sort the Mitsubishi wasn't possible

I will now get back to the Mitsubishi and take it apart, see if I can get away with relining the clutch plate and then sell the tractor as a going concern. Hopefully I'll get the value of the FEL back from the sale.

At the price they want for a new (or often secondhand 'genuine') tractor I'd probably not be able to afford one!

The work I've done using the Yanmar has been a pleasure and I'm looking forward to getting out and about once spring comes - it is too wet around the paddocks at the moment and not much growth to slash 'til then anyway.

 

[clemsonfor]

Yea that can be the problem with the Mitsubishis (there good tractors too!!) and the isekis and the other jappaneese tractors. There just as good or close but they just have not developed the market share here so there is not the demand for parts and therefor can be tough to get the parts you need, or basically impossible here in the states.

Cause of the Deere/yanmar connection people have wanted the yannies for years and i guess the parts came second.

Im sure for your tractor the clutch exists as a fastory replacement part or aftermarket part but the language barrier and it being around the world does not help you get it here.

 

[oliver28472]

I've had a Mitsubishi D1550FD for over ten years and found it a great little tractor. I bought a slightly bigger one in the Yanmar F18D when the clutch failed. Why didn't I just repair the Mitsubishi?
i) I was told there were a number of different clutches fitted and that until I broke it open I wouldn't know which one to order. Once I knew which one it was it may or may not be available.
ii) it was an opportunity to get a machine better suited to my needs
iii) at the time I had work to do and a timeline in which to do it - taking week(s) to sort the Mitsubishi wasn't possible

I will now get back to the Mitsubishi and take it apart, see if I can get away with relining the clutch plate and then sell the tractor as a going concern. Hopefully I'll get the value of the FEL back from the sale.

At the price they want for a new (or often secondhand 'genuine') tractor I'd probably not be able to afford one!

The work I've done using the Yanmar has been a pleasure and I'm looking forward to getting out and about once spring comes - it is too wet around the paddocks at the moment and not much growth to slash 'til then anyway.

The 1550 is the equivalent of the S-470 Satoh Buck, if that helps. I think the 373 uses that clutch also. I've had a 1450 since 1996 and have a 470 Buck that my Dad bought new. I have no problem finding parts. I bought the 1450 because it was basically (almost) the same as my Buck. The engine is slightly less HP. I hope this is not TMI on the Yanmar forum but my point is that these same folks have bashed Mitsubishis and Satohs too. Both of mine have been cheap to own and operate.

 

[knotweed]

Older Yanmars (I love my 1610D) were made for a population that has/had access to very few resources for repair parts and were supplied with tractors that were reliable and needed few, if any, major repairs. In in the USA, manufacturers make more money on parts than they do the sale of original unit. Frequent requirements for repairs and parts are inbred into the minds of today's manufacturers. "Keep it simple" has been replaced with "repair and fix frequently" attitudes. I've noticed that my Suburban (11 years old) has started needing repairs to most of the sensors, not the car itself but to the sensors. I'm sure this is the case with the newer tractors also.
Just my thoughts