Tractor opinions

awheelterd

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Location
Kenly, NC
What is the general consensus on tym tractors? South Korean brand that looks like an affordable alternative to kubota. Local hardware store sells and services them. Been looking at kubotas and Massey Fergusons since there is a dealer 10 miles up the road, but the tyms have caught my eye. I haven't read any real horror stories online about them yet and several "influencer" online farmers seem to run them
 
im probably not the guy to ask since i sure a 40 year old grey market Mitsubishi tractor, but between facebook and ebay i can find any part i need for it and ive gotten a translated manual for it. i think sourcing parts is way easier than it use to be so go for it.
 
I haven't heard anything terrible about tym and I think they build several other rebranded tractors. Since you have someone that services them nearby, go talk to them. I was set on an LS tractor until the local shop abruptly dropped them. I talked to them and they said they had issues getting parts and didn't want to sell something they couldn't stand behind.
 
Well, I have had this rant a couple times...so what's one more!
To qualify, I had a Mahindra that was mostly a TYM tractor, the tractor worked well....when it worked, I am fairly confident I could have shaken all the bugs out of it (I might have fixed all its short comings before I sold it, I don't know). But the first couple hundred hours of ownership were frustrating to say the least.

Regarding parts availability, these tractors seem to be sold at 'pop-up' dealers (not long established dealerships). They carry very little overhead, don't think you can walk into your dealer and get anything other than belts and filters, my local dealerships couldn't even get the Mahindra branded HST oil, and the manual did not list any oil standard to look for a replacement.

The secondary parts market is OK, you can get most of what you might need, BUT it will cost you, and it won't be as quick of a turn around. The secondary market seems to be individuals with decent websites that must bulk buy parts that overlap to the most models. I am embarassed to say, I spent $200 on a washer fluid bottle for the Mahindra when I was fixing it up to sell it.....$70 each for the cheapest plastic mirrors. You can always fabri-cobble something....but it had to be 100% to stand out and sell.

When that random valve breaks on your loader, be prepared to spend HOURS looking for something that might be comparable, gamble, spend the cash, wait for a week or two...then hope it fits. Parts change mid model lineup with zero documentation anywhere.

The manuals are a joke, they are generic at best, then translated from Chinese to Hindi to english. The manual for mine said the engine took 8 quarts of oil, the dipstick showed severely overfilled when I put 6qts in to replace the 6qts I took out.

Don't take advice from influencers, they are all paid to have the opinions they have. If you like to tinker, go ahead and buy one. If you need it to work and want super easy parts availibility and service....you gotta pay to play...Orange and Green dominate the market.

I sold my Mahindra and bought a used Kubota, I logged onto Messicks and bought every single part I needed from one place, parts diagrams are readily available on their site, and any historical changes within a single model are clearly noted.

TLDR....buy a used Kubota. (and I guess, also a skidsteer)
 
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