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 | Don M
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 120 myLocation 
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2001-03-30 26115
I just cannot bring myself to buy a JD or Kubota compact tractor. I know they are great machines, but the price.... yikes.I am a private landowner. I want a compact tractor for occasional loader use, pushing snow, pulling a 72" 3pt finish mower, and some other 3pt uses now and then. What can I look at in a used Yanmar 4wd that would fit this bill? And how much should I expect to spend? Thanks.
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2001-03-31 26127
Dealer and parts support are two of the reasons why people are willing to pay a premium for one of the big three. In addition, new and used prices are high because compacts are in demand and also are in short production runs (at least compared to cars and trucks). Once you step outside of the big three orbit, you accept some risk and also the potential need to turn yourself into an expert mechanic or parts guy. A decent used Yanmar might save some money and last forever in occasional light use, but there are risks and it's still not going to be cheap. There are some other well regarded gray market Japanese compacts as well. Chinese tractors are much cheaper but generally are not as well regarded. Who knows one could last indefinitely in light occasional use. I think if you're considering something other than NH, JD or KU, or one of the brands now supported by those dealers, then you should be capable of doing major maintenance on the tractor, have acquired a repair manual and have identified a secure source of parts. An alternative might be to talk to a local dealer and see what they are willing to work on. ....
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| Don M
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 120 myLocation
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2001-03-31 26129
(My original post should have been "sticker shock". Must have been the keyboard, yeah, that's it). Tom, your point is good and well taken. I just "know" in my heart that these compacts from the big 3 are overpriced for me, since any one I buy will only be lightly used by me. But the parts/service issue is a concern. I see there are some Yanmar dealers around who support these tractors. I have noticed there is one about an hour from me but I haven't spoken to him yet. I dunno. Decisions decsions. :) ....
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| Ted Kennedy
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-03-31 26130
Don, check out Cub Cadet. Their line of Mitsubishi tractors are well made and represent an excellent value for the dollar. Parts are plentiful and as for dealerships, like anything else, its the luck of the draw. One Cub dealer I used to do business with was the pits, the one I go to now is excellent. I am amused when only the "big three" enter into the conversation, IMHO there is nothing wrong with Yanmar (except for some dorky styling), or Cub Cadet, or Steiner, or MF, so long as they are North American market units. Judging from the continuous problems associated with JD and the remaining two of the "big 3", posted on this board and elsewhere, I'd say no one today is perfect. ....
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| Don M
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 120 myLocation
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2001-03-31 26131
Ted, there is a Cub dealer in a tiny village just 10 minutes from me. My brother bought a garden tractor there. I guess I just assumed their compacts were as pricey as the others. What model do you have experience with?
Thanks. ....
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 | harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY 
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2001-03-31 26134
Don not really sure what size you are lookin for. An excellent site is ackerman he has a post here somewhere under Jim about an auction. He has prices and many used units. That should get you a feel for the market in used tractors. I'm thinking a used tractor is fine if the size is right. I bought a little 1982 Ford 1500 4X4 used in 87 gave 5000 just traded on a new one and got 6500 for trade. It was garage kept and well maintained also well used by me. These little snots hold their value over time. If your age is not a concern I would not hesitate to buy a name brand. Me thinks Art can verify tractors holding their value over time. Yup I do not expect to get my new price back any time before 10 years, but then again this one should take me to the end... ....
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| PJDrew
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-03-31 26135
Don,
I echo everything said here. I had grey compact for 5 years and now have a Cub 7275. I think if you look for late model used compact(JD, Kubota, Cub, NH, etc) you'll be the most satisfied. New are a little pricey, however there are excellent used models out there if you look and I think the best bet. A tractor with a few hundred hours is just getting broke in. (A lot of these tractors are babied- kept in the garage, washed, waxed and maintained!) A good used tractor will hold its value well and if you get something built in the last 5 years you can get hydro(Once you go hydro you'll never go back:), PS, 4x4, ROPS and a tractor that is just down right fun to use. I chose a Cub because they are less popular in my area and I just got way more tractor for my money than a comparable JD or Kubota.
My dealer is the also a significant reason for buying the Cub. He's great. But depends where you live. My brothers farm and have John Deere's, (which are excellent tractors as well) but they bought them because the dealer is so good.
(You think compacts are high priced, look at the big boys for fun and that will give you a real case of sticker shock.)
Nothing is perfect and if you have a problem you want to be able to take your tractor to someone who knows what they are doing and is fair.
Regards, PJ Drew ....
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| JonB
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-03-31 26144
Don, one advantage to the big three is the availability of more dealers. I loved my JD dealer, but he closed shop. But I had a choice of 5 more dealers, all within an hour, and my choice filled the gap with even better service (parts was never a question). I don't think I'd have had the same result with Yanmar, or even Cub (in my neck of the woods). Compacts are definitely expensive, but then they perform beyond expectations in most cases. Best of luck. JonB ....
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| KlayW in MI
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-03-31 26145
Perspective, try this one. Go price a big garden tractor, read "big lawn mower" then realize you get soooo much more for just a little more in a compact. More weight, power, 3pt, diesel (usually), more types styles of attachments, etc. Try selling a lawn mower 10 years from now for nearly what you paid for it! ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-04-01 26150
It wasn't my intention to limit the idea of quality to what I called the big three. There are other fine tractors in North America and elsewhere. The big three seems to me to be an economic reality rather than a quality measure. Much like North American auto manufacturers where countless fine cars were gobbled up and digested in the making of the big three. Eventually, several independent manufacturers of decent cars also couldn't survive. There's a premium to be paid for buying from one a tractor from the big three, but that premium doesn't necessarily buy more quality. Whether or not paying the premium makes sense depends on a bunch of things like whether a person thinks they're going to move within the next 20 years. With the big three, no matter where you move, there's probably a dealer somewhere nearby. Actually, I guess I'm out of the big three since I have a Ford tractor. The company has gone from 'Ford/New Holland' to simply New Holland'. I don't imagine there's any particular fondness for Fords in the new company. The main reason to keep supporting the old Fords is that the owners might eventually buy Boomers. I guess that support could end tomorrow with a simple speech by a Board member that talked about 'responsibility' to share holders' and need to maintain 'the bottom line'. That's not a real comforting idea for me. Ford is a quality tractor, but quality doesn't necessarily survive economic realities. I always sort of liked ’55 and later Steudebakers too, but I'm happy I didn't buy one and plan to use it for regular transportation for a long time. ....
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 | lsheaffer
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 1082 Northern Illinois
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2001-04-02 26175
Ford & New Holland are both made by Shibaura. I doubt that the Fords will lose their support. ....
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| Ted Kennedy
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-04-02 26178
Don, I've owned several Cub compacts, two 7230's and one 7275. The 7230's were gear drive machines and have been upgraded by Cub Cadet to today's 7260 and/or 7265 models. The 7275 is now the 7305, a thirty horse three range hydrostatic with MFWD and represents many minor refinements over the earlier 7275. My machines were all cared for according to the maker's recommended service intervals, were washed & waxed after every job was completed, and degreased to remove grime and grit that can be abrasive and cause wear. This may be why they held up so well. I do know of Cub's that have had major problems due to abuse, dealer ignorance, and "lemon" defects. These are not the norm, any more than those are that affect other brands like NH, Deere, Kubota, MF, Yanmar, etc. From my experience, you can find a used 7275 with loader and hoe in the $17K to $19K range under 500 hours. Cub's best commercial compact, the 7360, does not have hydrostatic, it has a shuttle shift transmission that works very well (I prefer the hydrostatic), however, they are expensive and used machines are hard to find. It is a rare find in today's market to find a used compact in good condition for less than 80% of its original cost. Happy hunting. ....
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| Don M
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 120 myLocation
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2001-04-02 26208
How much less is a Cub Cadet than "The Other Three" ;) on an apples to apples machine basis? A couple of the prices I saw for Cubs did not appear to be much less than Kubota or Deere, but I hope I'm wrong. Also, are the NH any less than green or orange tractors?
Thanks,
Don M ....
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| Roger L.
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 0
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2001-04-02 26214
Don, Cub Cadets are fine, but none of the new ones are cheap. For an economical tractor, I happen to like the Yanmars. They have become a "cult" machine and have a surprising amount of support. Some of their features are still not equaled on todays compacts. As far as service, most compacts need very little. "Teething" problems on new machines seem to me to be at least as common as mechanical problems on the ones 10 or 20 years old. I wouldn't have the slightest fear of a 20 year old Yanmar, though I would much, much rather have a US model Yanmar than one of the grey market varieties. Like anything used, try to buy the best one you can find. Not the cheapestl. Yanmar parts are still readily available as Yanmar has "dealerships" which sell parts - not tractors. Yanmar also maintains a well-stocked warehouse in the US. Again, they specialize in supporting the US models that they sold here in the 70s and 80s...not in supporting the grey market tractors. They have expressed that the company feels a duty to continue to support the tractors that they sold. But I hear that parts are available for the greys as well. The fact is that you probably won't need any parts other than normal maintenance items. As far buying a new tractor just for a modern dealership support, I hear both sides of that one. After all, there is also a powerful argument for the old fashioned tractor repair shops. Truth is, these compacts are all very similar and not very complicated. Anyone who can do any mechanical work at all will not have any problem with any of the compacts. I'll go one step farther: Anyone who has trouble working on any compact simply because he hasn't worked on that brand is not someone that you want working on your tractor anyway. ....
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| PJDrew
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-04-03 26276
Don,
I got my Cub 96' 7275 with 700 hrs for 11,800. 9000 for tractor and 2800 for new Koyker loader. I thought it was a heck of a deal. It had been used mainly for mowing and was in excellent condition. I looked at green and orange tractors in my area and couldn't come close to that price for same size tractor with similar features. (I also looked for a few months:) Most of what I saw I liked was 15,000+. Just couldn't sell my wife on those numbers but the Cub I could. Its a great machine. Regards PJ Drew ....
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| RCH
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-04-03 26278
An underappreciated compact tractor,IMHO, are the Massey Ferguson 1200's (Iseki made,a reputable Japanese manufacture that made the under 45 hps Whites in the 80' and early 90' and the bigger Bolens- they even had their name,WHITE-ISEKI on the tractor). AGCO supports parts, they use Isuzu and ,I think Mitsubishi engines. I have a 1986 Bolens G214, the same as a White Field Boss 21, with a loader and backhoe and it's been a great tractor( 21 horse diesel,4 WD). The local AGCO dealer has 6 new ones on the lot and is advertising a lot. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-04-04 26297
I think that AGCO would be one of what I called the big three if both farm and compact tractors are included. AGCO has become a big company. My AGCO dealer is an hour closer than my NH dealer. If they would have had used compacts when I was buying, I might have saved myself some on-going travel time. AGCO tractors are worth checking out, but I doubt there's big price difference. According to a rumor, some models of White, Allis and AGCO differ in colour only and they soon will be marketed only with the AGCO colours. Massey is supposed to retain its identity. If all this is true, I'm not sure if it means anything other than a reduced choice of colours for some farm tractors. However, it's probably a good bet that AGCO will continue to maintain a presence in the compact market, and a nearby dealer should be worth visiting. ....
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| edward_dugas
Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 24 ohio
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2003-12-02 70162
You will be shocked again when you have to buy parts for any of the big three. For what you want to do a used Japanese tractor or a new Chinese tractor would fit the bill. Years can go by before you will ever need a part. Main items needed will be oils and filters which are available at most auto parts stores for less than at the dealer. ....
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 | kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2003-12-04 70270
Heck, I'm shocked when I have to buy parts for my Ford truck! ....
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| gauthier
Join Date: Jun 1999 Posts: 148
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2003-12-04 70289
My neighbor has got one of those yanmar tractors,he of course bought used,I think he paid around 9,000 for with fel,bushog,tiller.He has been trying to tear it up for the past 3 years now,and hasn't managed. Richard ....
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 | Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2003-12-04 70292
Consider a Jinma tractor? From what I have read and comments posted from owners, the Jinma tractor line is a pretty good buy the the dollar spent. This particular model is sold under the "Tractor King" name by Rural King but it looks like a Jinma 254 to me. What you get for $5,999 is NOT a bad deal at all. Worst case, you can haul it to the dump in 10 or 15 years and still be money ahead. Again, from what I have read, they hold up pretty well. Good luck on the tractor search. By the way, Jinma makes a CUT upto 35 or 40 hp. I believe. ....
Link: Tractor King Model: JM254-4WD
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| kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2003-12-04 70306
Yeah, the Jinmas seem to be pretty solid and simple machines with reasonable parts prices. No bells and whistles though. I have the impression that most Jinma owners are tinkerers that do most of the repairs themselves. Some of that is by necessity due to the small number of dealers. Before anyone buys one I'd recommend hanging around the chinese tractor board for awhile to see what kind of repairs people are making on them. Myself, I'm very happy with Green and it was worth the extra money to me. ....
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