M4800 buying help

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.

Roadworthy said:

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.

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

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.

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!

10 years old would be a non-starter for us