M4800 buying help

[bowmbd]

Hey everyone,
I've never owned a Kubota before but a local municipality is auctioning off 2008 M4800 4WD with 2900 hours on it. I have a backhoe and skid steer but looking for something to hook up attachments to for food plots. I've never bought from a municipality before so can't attest to how they treat their equipment. They tell me that it runs but the pin for the Hi/Low range broke off so it no longer engages. In everyones expert opinion is this something that's still worth considering to buy if the price is right and if so what would that price be? I'm hesitant because I'm wondering if this means the tractor has been abused for awhile and other things could be wrong that aren't disclosed and without being able to drive it is there anyway to tell what else could be going on? Just looking for any and all input if I should tuck tail and run or keep an eye on the price. Thanks for the help.

 

[Roadworthy]

If you can't run the tractor you can't really tell what else might be wrong. It may be a good value (if the price is right) but only if you can perform whatever repairs may be needed. It's county property. Assume it's been abused. You may also assume maintenance has been sporadic and on an as needed basis.

 

[eserv]

If you can't run the tractor you can't really tell what else might be wrong. It may be a good value (if the price is right) but only if you can perform whatever repairs may be needed. It's county property. Assume it's been abused. You may also assume maintenance has been sporadic and on an as needed basis.

Maybe you can find someone who worked for the municipality that can give you more information?

 

[PaulL]

I bought a BX2350 from an outfit that contracted to local council. I suspect similar to what you're looking at.

They clearly had let the apprentice drive it. It had been beaten on a lot. Every panel on it is broken (the BX2350 is the only plastic model Kubota made), the lights are missing, the bits of the mower that say "don't step" have all been stepped on and chewed out by the belts.

It goes fine. Kubotas are tough. Sure, you can break them if you try, but often with a municipality they'll do all the regular maintenance (fluids etc), and you don't wear a tractor out by using it, you wear it out by not maintaining it. Well, that and by letting idiots drive it, which a municipality definitely will have done.

On the upside, it was really really cheap. It went to auction and the auction site couldn't say whether it ran or not, they weren't clear that it had all its parts, and so it was a risk. I paid less than $3K for it, and it's never missed a beat.

So I'd say if it's really really cheap (and it may be), then it's worth the risk. Worst case you can probably flip it for what you paid for it, or just junk it and not be out of pocket much money. Best case it turns out to run for years and do what you want - which doesn't sound too demanding. Even an average condition M4800 would do food plots for about 100 years before wearing out.

 

[D2Cat]

I second what Eserv said. You already talked to someone at the municipality, so go back and find who actually ran the machine, what it was used for, why it is set aside. Also, find the guy in maintenance who worked on it and get his insight.

The idea ALL municipalities or other government entities do not take care of equipment or have operators who destroy them is false. I am aware of some cities who routinely trade in equipment because it's "in the budget", not because they need something new.

But yes, be aware and do your homework, or you may buy something you wish you hadn't!

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

10 years old would be a non-starter for us