Massey Ferguson 383 opinions.

[herofan]

I'm looking at a 1994 Massey Ferguson 383 with loader and canopy with 4400 hours, and the guy wants $13,000.

It obviously doesn't look like it just rolled off the assembly line, but I guess it just looks like a tractor should at that age; there are no glaring negatives about the appearance, and the tires are near new.

My concern is the hours. I'm no expert, but that seems like a lot of hours; however, I have a friend who is a farmer and a mechanic who bought a 393 from the same guy with over 4000 hours, and he acts like he has a gold mine; he says the hours are no issue because he knows the guy and he has taken great care and serviced them regularly.

If I get it, I will mow and rake 30 acres of hay once a year, put out rolls of hay in winter, and bush hog around 70 acres once a year. Of course, there will be other odd and end jobs I will do, but it's not like it will be worked to death.

So, what are opinions about the hours. If I had owned the tractor all along and it had 4400 hours and still going strong, I'd just keep trucking and not give it a second thought, but I would hate to buy one and it be new to me and then have to start repairs every few months.

I know there is no way to say for sure, and a new tractor could have repairs every few months too, but in general, is this tractor getting to a point that things are going to start breaking down just due to age and hours? Is this a tractor that could last 15 more years with proper care?

Opinions?

 

[Nesikep]

That's NOTHING for hours.. I've seen several that have rolled over the 10,000 hr mark

A few things might come up on it at this point.. Alternator, starter, water pump.

Both my Masseys have 3500 hours on them, both run like new.

Good thing about these tractors is fully mechanical fuel injection still... less problematic and cheaper to work on, and you can do it yourself..
Sounds like it'll have a pretty easy life around your place, the bushhogging probably being the hardest part of it
I think it sounds like a decent deal.

 

[herofan]

Thanks for the reply. As I said, I'm no expert, but for whatever reason, I had the idea that 4400 hours was a lot, but according to what others have told me, I'm wrong. I assume hours matter to some degree and serve some purpose so, what would you consider a lot of hours? At what point do you say, "ok, this tractor runs great now, but according to the hours, it could go anytime."

 

[littletom]

Not that many for age at all. History would be more important me. I know of a Kubota with 14000, and a cheaper xx03 model deere with 22000 neither been opened up.

 

[jltrent]

Those are good tractors, a neighbor had a MF283 and it was abused for years and held up and the 383s are better than them. If maintained well there is a lot of life left maybe more than a new tractor would have.

 

[Nesikep]

I usually consider over 8000 a high hour tractor.. Not that they're time bombs necessarily, but they're usually in the general condition that a major repair is not going to be worthwhile... Repairs can happen on anything at any time, but on a low hour tractor you can be more certain it's worthwhile to do it, and the investment will pay off.

 

[herofan]

Thanks for the replies. I decided to make the purchase.

 

[Nesikep]

Thanks for the replies. I decided to make the purchase.

I think that's a good decision!.. hope it treats you well!

 

[cfpinz]

4k hours can be a drop in the bucket, and 4k hours can also be plumb worn out. Just like a truck with 200k interstate miles on it that's been well maintained can have a lot of life left in it, whereas the same truck with 75k miles on it with a bale bed on back can be completely trashed.

It's all in the use/maintenance.

 

[herofan]

I attempted to post a picture, but having difficulty. No success with photobucket.

 

[Nesikep]

can't use the upload image here?

 

[herofan]

can't use the upload image here?

I guess I'm behind. I haven't posted a picture in ages. I thought we had to go through something like photobucket with a url. Can we upload from our computer? If so, how?

 

[herofan]

Oh, I got it. It was right under my nose. Here it is.

 

[Nesikep]

Nice, looks good! should do your for a very long time

 

[jltrent]

Nice looking tractor that looks like it has been taken care. It looks like it has been stored in the dry and those BH loaders are good.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

I have a 383 with FEL and canopy, has around 3800 hours. My grandpa bought it new, its been well maintained and hasn't had anything but normal service. Very good dependable tractor. I highly recommend.

 

[herofan]

I have a 383 with FEL and canopy, has around 3800 hours. My grandpa bought it new, its been well maintained and hasn't had anything but normal service. Very good dependable tractor. I highly recommend.

Does yours have the cold start where you just hold the key in the warmer position for a few seconds before starting or do you have to keep it plugged in during winter?

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

I have a 383 with FEL and canopy, has around 3800 hours. My grandpa bought it new, its been well maintained and hasn't had anything but normal service. Very good dependable tractor. I highly recommend.

Does yours have the cold start where you just hold the key in the warmer position for a few seconds before starting or do you have to keep it plugged in during winter?

No it doesn't we keep it plugged in when it gets in the teen's for a backup.

 

[herofan]

I have a 383 with FEL and canopy, has around 3800 hours. My grandpa bought it new, its been well maintained and hasn't had anything but normal service. Very good dependable tractor. I highly recommend.

Does yours have the cold start where you just hold the key in the warmer position for a few seconds before starting or do you have to keep it plugged in during winter?

No it doesn't we keep it plugged in when it gets in the teen's for a backup.

Is it good until it gets in the teens?

I ask because we have a Long tractor that is diesel. It does not have a plug in, but it has a starter switch that you just hold a few seconds when cold and it will start in colder temperatures. I think that is a handy feature and I wondered why all tractors weren't like that.

As someone else wrote, however, the Long won't start without the cold start switch if you walk by it with an ice cream cone. If the Massey is ok until it gets in the teens, I probably won't have to worry about it too often.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

Does yours have the cold start where you just hold the key in the warmer position for a few seconds before starting or do you have to keep it plugged in during winter?

No it doesn't we keep it plugged in when it gets in the teen's for a backup.

Is it good until it gets in the teens?

I ask because we have a Long tractor that is diesel. It does not have a plug in, but it has a starter switch that you just hold a few seconds when cold and it will start in colder temperatures. I think that is a handy feature and I wondered why all tractors weren't like that.

As someone else wrote, however, the Long won't start without the cold start switch if you walk by it with an ice cream cone. If the Massey is ok until it gets in the teens, I probably won't have to worry about it too often.

Haha had an old oliver like that once. Yes the 383 is very good about starting. I guess if I had a complaint about anything on the tractor it would be the hydraulics. Didn't realize it really until I bought a JD. It will pick up rolls fine just slow, at least that has been my experience.