Used Tractor Run Hours

I found a used 2018 Kubota Grand L4760 HSTC HST for $13,000 it has 525 hours on it. I'm sure only driven to Church on Sunday's.
I hate Rule-of-Thumbs but here we go... I appreciate that a lot depends on what functions the tractor performed during those 525 hours of use and more importantly- how well it was maintained. It's in great condition and for spit balling purposes, let's pretend it performed mostly loader work since that's the only attachment they ever have ever owned. Is 525 hours a lot?

525 hours is brand spanking new. No matter what it was doing for a living (barring some kind of accident).

We change oil in our tractors every 200 hours. It's not even to it's third oil change yet.
All our tractors have 13,000 plus on them. My every day tractor is pushing 15,000 and our payloader is just shy of 20,000 although to be fair the loader is in the shop right now getting a rebuild.

Think about it, that is only 10 hours a week for ONE year.

Without knowing anything else about the machine it sounds like a great deal.

Not really too many hours. I'm not a tractor expert. But grab the loader and shake it to see how much slop it has. See if the pivot points are dry or are they greased properly? Just my 2 cents.

Show some more pics please!

Wouldn't think that's real high for a tractor, I'd worry more about how well it was maintained as you said.

Give the loader arms a good look over. I’ve watched people use the corner of the bucket a little too aggressively on things. They make them
Tough but used wrong can still cause damage.

My nephew was in your situation a couple years ago. He was looking at a 10 year old machine 4wd, loader and back hoe attachment with about 800 hours on it. He called me from the dealership saying that they were talking him into a new shiny one. In his situation I recommended the new one. He was worried about the hours. I told him to forget about the hours it practically new . BUT he was going to borrow money to buy it either way and could get a better deal on financing on the new one. In the end figuring in the financing the new one (with a warranty that the used one didn't have) only cost 2600 extra spread over a 6 or 7 year loan.

EE, find out what dealer it was purchased from and if the scheduled maintenance was done there. They will have records to everything done on it. If, ask them to email you a copy of them :-)

Bought an '87 with 500 hours and was thrilled.
One like this has sat around a lot.
They do not have memories. They are ready to go, or not.

Wonder how easy it is to change the gauge.
Edit, well, mine has a mechanical gauge.

a 5 year old tractor with 105 hours a year on it would be rather low for any sort of real work environment.

a lot of folks buy those kubotas for hobby farms and then may move on or die

I know a co-worker bought one just for moving snow different model but he put a big blower on the back of a cabbed model his driveway drifts badly.

besides that he moves some hay for the horses

if they had never changed the oil it would likely be dirty , if it looks clean after a 30 minute test run it probably did get changed at least once.

if they are wiling to take your offer in private sale that you want it if an oil analysis comes back good you could send off an oil sample or they may well have maintenance records people who put that few hours on a tractor may take it to the dealer for an oil change.

if it sat longer than 5 years you might wonder what seals were drying out but 5 years isn't long

I wouldn't expect seals to dry out in 5 years from new

You should buy it. Thats a real good deal. Get on tractor house or machinery pete and check used prices.

Roll the bucket up and back and check the cutter bar and bottom for wear. PTO splines for wear. Leaks around joystick and hoses, the pin hole in drawbar. The normal stuff.

If it was greased from the factory you could not damage the pins in 500 hrs unless you were banging on rock with it.

I run a 290 Komatsu shovel and believe me I have absolutely abused it in many ways on my job and we have not had a problem with it yet. 7000 hrs. Operator abuse 😆

If you don't buy it, lemme know where it's at

Buy it. That is a great price.

look over the tires real good, make sure all the date codes match and that they all have about the same amount of wear. I would be skeptical if they have lots of edge wear on the tread and lots of cuts and chunks missing from the tires.
Like others have stated, look at the pto shaft and bucket for wear and cracking.

Have you actually seen the tractor in person or is it an ad? That is about half value. Do not send them a deposit as it could be a scam.

Check wear points . But with that low hours even if didn't grease it regularly there probably not going to show much . Could pull a oil sample to have checked . But there too with such low hours probably wouldn't show much

With most new diesel engine 500 hr is the first oil change

One of the most common scams on Craigslist is lightly used Kubotas,that don't really exist.

Keith

not even broken in! my old allis i bought with 3600 hrs and i thought that was a low hour machine