I'm about to be moving to an older farmhouse with some acreage. It's got a good bit of land and I'm thinking that I'll need a tractor, plus I've been wanting one for a while so that I can do more at my hunting lease. I'm thinking that I'll need a bushhog, maybe some discs with it.

Anybody had experience with the refurbished Yanmar tractors that Fredricks Outdoors in B'ham has? The YM2000 24-hp is listed at $4,999. I've never bought a tractor, never really even used one so I have no idea what to look at. Any input would be appreciated...

I looked at the several years ago but ended up with a JD. Wiley had one for years and liked it plus I see several around.

24 hp is pretty small and will limit what you can do and implement size. I'd try to go at least 40 hp even if it costs a little more or you have to go with an older model used one. You'll be glad you did. Also, for what it's worth, I wouldn't own a tractor without a FEL/bucket on it.

They are supposedly pretty tough tractors that have simple designs (very little electrical components and no computers). My biggest gripe is that all the writing on it is in a foreign language. I can't tell what switch or lever controls what just by looking at it.

I'd recommend a tractor with more HP if you are able to afford it.

Rmart30 had a possible tractor for sale, and is an honest guy to deal with in whatever he represents.

http://www.aldeer.com/forum/ubbthreads.p...210#Post2193210

God Bless,
David B.

Definantly one with 4WD and a FEL.

Buy one with at least 40hp. And for me personally, I will never ever ever (again) buy a tractor that doesn't have power steering.

loader and 4wd (my last one has both) are nice but you can do without them if your budget it tight.

Get one with a ROPS. And 4wd.

I used my father-in-law's ym2000 for about five years on a small farm. When I first saw that he bought the tractor I was very skeptical but I could not kill that thing, tough as nails. If I was in the market for a 20 hp compact tractor I would buy one. John Deere and Kubota compact tractor prices are crazy high

I'm in agreement. I wouldn't want a tractor with less than 40 pto hp. It wouldn't suit my needs. I'm not row cropping, but I put 150-200 hrs per year on a tractor. I live in the country on some acreage and I've owned a tractor for over 25 years. Never had one with 4wd or a loader. Never really needed 4wd but there has been a time or 2 a fel would have been nice, but not often. I bush hog a good bit and I'm a food plotting sob. Get what you can afford and fortunately, if you properly maintain a tractor, they will hold their value.

Aren't they built in North Korea?

We have a MF mid 30s HP with a FEL and it's not to small for anything we do. We plant 8-9 acres every year and pull a 6' wide disc.

My buddy has one of those yanmars and it does great with the proper sized implements. Bush hogging trails with it is much easier do to the lack of a FEL

They are great little tractors, but $5k is too much. I sold mine for $3k several years ago.

I still have my YM3000 and it's tough as nails. I seriously doubt that anybody has abused a small tractor as much as I did that one. 33HP and probably has 6K hours on it. It was showing 3100 + hours when I got it. Oil pressure gets low if I work it real hard and it needs a battery now and some clean fuel.

Fredericks imports those grey market tractors with, typically, less than 1K hours, goes thru them to bring them up to spec and they are great tractors. IF I were buying a Yanmar from them I'd get a 3110D with FEL. Basically it's the same as my Yanmar but 4WD, power steering and the FEL. Probably pushing $8K but it would be a damn good tractor.

FWIW, JD uses Yanmar engines on their tractors up to about 90HP if that tells you anything. And Cabela's sells brand new Yanmar's.

Now that I have a Kubota L3430 with a cab and air and other luxuries I only use the Yanmar in places that would wreck my cab.

A place in Hartselle sells refurbished Yanmars. A place in Priceville on the side of the interstate sells new ones. The engines are the same in JD up to 100hp I believe. Tough little tractors, used ones go around 3000-3500 range.

I bought one of the Fredrick's tractors 3 years ago and it's been a fine little machine. As Wiley said, they import them and completely rebuild them. The thing I like is that it's 1979 technology with no computers and no pollution junk. Mine is a 2210BD, with 4wd and a fel. It does what I need to keep up 21 acres.

They were made in Japan and most of them you can buy here spent their first life in a rice paddy. I saw mine before they rebuilt it and it was little more than the frame.

Unless you are like me and don't have a lot of hard work to do, I'd take the advice given and look at a bigger one. You can find older tractors used for less money than a Fredrick's, but I would rather buy a 26 HP restored Yanmar than a new 26 HP made by anyone else.

I'm not sure if Fredrick's sells a 40 hp tractor. The 2000 will be good for a garden and for bush hogging a limited amount of land. It might be all you need. Good luck

Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it