Does anyone have experience (good or bad) with hardy tractors? Which is the best low cost tractor available from china and india?

-- hector rodriguez (hector@wabcmail.com), August 24, 2001

Answers

neither India or china,, get an american made one

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), August 24, 2001.

I had one for three weeks three major problems. Bad news.

I paid 700 to get rid of it, that is I took a 700.00 loss for three weeks use.

The fit and finish is horrible, the quality is non-existent. It is crude.

Learn from me and do not buy one.

-- mark (toymeister@hotmail.com), August 24, 2001.

The chineese are shipping hardy and tractors with a dozen other names on them. They are all the same basic design. Some have nice sheet metal covering but they are the same.

If you can find a "NEW" tractor with a beliveable warranty, they are ok if you figure them as lasting 10-15 years. Figure you will replace it. I would not buy a used one unless you had it inspected and it was in execlent shape and now figure it as lasting 5 years.

They are not specificly bad, just quality control is not as use as your were use to. The design is a rip off of an older 60 vintage massey.

Parts avability could be an issue

If you want a lost cost import, look at Yanmar, Parts are available and will likley continue to be. Little chance were going to war with Japan anytime soon.

On top of that, can you live knowing your tractor was built with slave labor?

-- Gary (gws@redbird.net), August 24, 2001.

I was trying to think of a value on a new tractor, and can't. I have no idea what the Hardy tractor it either, can anybody fill me in?

If you look around though, you can still find some good deals on old Ford 8-9Ns, Fergusons, IH, along with several others. All pretty good tractors, most easy to work on and find parts for.

-- Uriah (Uriahdeath2@netscape.net), August 25, 2001.

In my area 8Ns and 9Ns are being sold to collectors, and thus tend to be quite expensive. There was a Ford 860 (I think) that's slightly larger than a 9N (but still a small tractor) went for about $2000 last year, sure wish I'd had the money at the time. Whereas 8Ns and 9Ns generally go for $4k and up, usually without any implements included.

-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), August 25, 2001.