How do I determine Model Year

[snowmanhat]

Hi Guys,

New here - looking at buying a "new" L2501HST. And need help determining the year the tractor was manufactured. I have read that the first letter on the SN corresponds to the year G (2016) H (2017) and the second number in the SN corresponds to the month it was made. The serial numbers I have found online do not start with a letter but rather a number. Should I be looking at the engine or frame when inspecting. Several different dealers mentioned Kubota does not have a "Model Year" and that the year the machine is purchased/registered is is the model year. I think they are trying to pass off a "Leftover" for new.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - mostly concerned about resale as 0 hours is 0 hours.

Thanks again

 

[sdk1968]

theres a couple of real good threads here on reading serial numbers & some of the guys here can help you if what you find is like mine (not in there)...

if you dont mind posting the serial number it makes it a lot easier to figure it out.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Several different dealers mentioned Kubota does not have a "Model Year" and that the year the machine is purchased/registered is is the model year. I think they are trying to pass off a "Leftover" for new.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - mostly concerned about resale as 0 hours is 0 hours.

"Several Dealers" are right, there is no way to know model year by the serial # on most models.
I would have thought the conspiracy theory, that they were just trying to pass off "leftovers", would have passed when several dealer gave you the same answer!

You just answered your own dilemma, as 0 hours is 0 Hours old, doesn't really matter if it is physically a 1 year old or 4 year old tractor.
The only time year comes into play with Kubota's is if they drastically changed a model through the years of production, The L2501 They did not change anything yet.

 

[snowmanhat]

Thanks for the help - much appreciated.

 

[D2Cat]

North Idaho Wolfman, when Kubota made a major change in the model year, didn't they note that by the - (dash) and 1,2,or 3 after the serial number? The serial number decal located on the frame under the engine indicates the change?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

North Idaho Wolfman, when Kubota made a major change in the model year, didn't they note that by the - (dash) and 1,2,or 3 after the serial number? The serial number decal located on the frame under the engine indicates the change?

On newer tractors they do do that, older models they did not.
One note is older tractors had fewer variances.
The B7100 is one that has a great variance in models.
Another case in point, the M7040 has many model variations spanning many years, I've seen a lot of variances in that one and they are not noted in the model #.