Advice on replacement tractor

Shorty69664

Hi Guys,

I'm looking to replace an old MF165 that has come to the end of it's days.
So I'm basically seeking a good 2nd hand tractor that does everything the 165 did. In other words, i want something fairly basic and not too fancy....... And cheap.

What type would people recommend I look for?????

TIA

reilig

Shorty69664 wrote: »

Hi Guys,

I'm looking to replace an old MF165 that has come to the end of it's days.
So I'm basically seeking a good 2nd hand tractor that does everything the 165 did. In other words, i want something fairly basic and not too fancy....... And cheap.

What type would people recommend I look for?????

TIA

To be honest, you couldn't go wrong with a good MF165. They are a lot cheaper these days than they were 2 years ago. You could pick up a good reconditioned one that would last for 20 years at right money IMO.

5live

If you want to stay with massey type you could look at ursus. I have an ursus 4512 with a loader from 94 whick only cost E5500. It is pretty much a 165 with a different badge. Simple and reliable( wait till i try to start it today after this post) and mostly ferguson. Spare parts can be a problem though as getting them from poland can be slow but the majority of parts should be off the shelf

Shorty69664

Thanks guys. This is exactly the type of info I'm looking for......

Dozer1

Would recommend the ursus aswell, got a 475 a with tanco loader and it does everything I ask of it cutting, rowing and stacking round bales. Its pretty basic but its cheap and there is a dealer only 10 miles away so its handy for parts etc.
Doesn't have any of the fancy stuff that you get with the popular models but if you never had the fancy stuff on the 165 you won't miss it now.

snowman707

landini

same perkins engines as the MF but far superior in other aspects,

mayo_lad

snowman707 wrote: »

landini

same perkins engines as the MF but far superior in other aspects,

if you look closely at the older pre 94 landni front axles on the 4 wheel drive models you mite spot a small imprint of a mf badge on them only about a cm wide proving that they have a lot of common parts with MF .

also op you haven't specified how much you are willing to pay and whether you want 4 wheel drive or not. any of the above tractors are of a good quality but if you want to stick with a MF tractor the 200's and 300's share a lot of components with the 100 series tractors . we had a 290 at home and it gave us no problems for the 10 years we had it

Tipp Man

snowman707 wrote: »

landini

same perkins engines as the MF but far superior in other aspects,

Really?? I haven't heard that before

Personally I wouldn't take a gift of a Landini or am I just thinking of the more recent Landini models?

reilig

Tipp Man wrote: »

Really?? I haven't heard that before

Personally I wouldn't take a gift of a Landini or am I just thinking of the more recent Landini models?

I'd have no issue with the Landini. They are very well built. The perkins engine is tried and tested over the last 40 years.
I'm not a fan of the Ursus. I've seen my fair share of problems with them. yes, they have the perkins engine and share many of the components of MF. But i feel that they are badly built. Every one I've ever driven has had problems with hyraulics. If it wasn't a leak, it was a pump.

Put an ursus side by side with a MF 165. The Ursus being 1994 and the 165 being 1964. In 10, 20 or 30 years time, which one is most likely to be still working??? the MF 165 of course. This is all be cause of build quality.

Bitten & Hisses

Some might say I sound like a stuck record, but what about a Renault?

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/tractors/1447416

This is not much more complicated than a 165 and is infinitely more comfortable while being every bit as reliable. Chances are one of these wouldn't be dearer than a good 165, but the fella in that advert is being a cute hoor with his price.

mayo_lad

Bitten & Hisses wrote: »

Some might say I sound like a stuck record, but what about a Renault?

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/tractors/1447416

This is not much more complicated than a 165 and is infinitely more comfortable while being every bit as reliable. Chances are one of these wouldn't be dearer than a good 165, but the fella in that advert is being a cute hoor with his price.

the only problem i would have with going for a slightly rarer make like that would be parts at least i know i can get parts for most makes at my local dealership i wouldn't be so confident with a make like renault

bogman_bass

I heard renaults are basically massey back ends and JD gearboxes and engines. is this true.

anyways have a Ford 5610 and cant fault it. Had a zetor before that and it broke our hearts

the Fords startds when it has to and is a sturdy machine

Shorty69664

mayo_lad wrote: »

also op you haven't specified how much you are willing to pay and whether you want 4 wheel drive or not. any of the above tractors are of a good quality but if you want to stick with a MF tractor the 200's and 300's share a lot of components with the 100 series tractors . we had a 290 at home and it gave us no problems for the 10 years we had it

Don't need a 4 wheel drive (survived for years without) and as for what I would be willing to spend, well I would be looking at spending about 4-5K. If possible I 'd trade in the old 165 as well.
Had a look at a place in Tuam today but didn't have anything along these prices.

Again, thanks for all he advice I'm getting here.

mayo_lad

Shorty69664 wrote: »

Don't need a 4 wheel drive (survived for years without) and as for what I would be willing to spend, well I would be looking at spending about 4-5K. If possible I 'd trade in the old 165 as well.
Had a look at a place in Tuam today but didn't have anything along these prices.

Again, thanks for all he advice I'm getting here.

well for that sort of money you could get this http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/tractors/1594847 it has the same engine as the 165 and a nicer cab than most one's fitted to a 165 you do have a lot more options as well for that money there are plenty of 575's around that money which all are very simeler to the 165. done deal really is your friend at the moment

reilig

mayo_lad wrote: »

well for that sort of money you could get this http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/tractors/1594847 it has the same engine as the 165 and a nicer cab than most one's fitted to a 165 you do have a lot more options as well for that money there are plenty of 575's around that money which all are very simeler to the 165. done deal really is your friend at the moment

This 290 would be a good buy at that money.

This 290 on donedeal has a far bigger engine than a 165. Most 165's were built with a perkins 212 engine. (Mark II's) They have a great reputation - engine life is over 15000 hours if serviced regularly. They are reliable for starting on the first turn - unlike the engines in the Mark I or the 165's predecessor the MF 65 or bigger engines that were put into the 168, 175, 178, 185, 188 etc.

The 5 series Massey fergusons (545, 565, 575, 590 etc) are commonly known to be the worst line of tractors that MF ever built. Most were built in france unlike the earlier Coventry built 1 series. You'll pick up a 5 series at reasonable money, but you'll be forever spending money on her to keep her on the road.

mayo_lad

reilig wrote: »

This 290 on donedeal has a far bigger engine than a 165. Most 165's were built with a perkins 212 engine. They have a great reputation - engine life is over 15000 hours if serviced regularly. They are reliable for starting on the first turn - unlike the engines in the 165's predecessor the MF 65 or bigger engines that were put into the 168, 175, 178, 185, 188 etc.

The 5 series Massey fergusons (545, 565, 575, 590 etc) are commonly known to be the worst line of tractors that MF ever built. Most were built in france unlike the earlier Coventry built 1 series. You'll pick up a 5 series at reasonable money, but you'll be forever spending money on her to keep her on the road.

you have fair points the reilig i was unaware that the engine was bigger in the 290 i was of the impression that the engine used in the 290 was a slightly augmented 165 engine to produce 5 horse power more. i have driven both models and they are very simmer to operate

kay 9

mayo_lad wrote: »

well for that sort of money you could get this http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/tractors/1594847 it has the same engine as the 165 and a nicer cab than most one's fitted to a 165 you do have a lot more options as well for that money there are plenty of 575's around that money which all are very simeler to the 165. done deal really is your friend at the moment

Do ya get yer man to drive it with it?:D Check out the 3rd pic:eek:

Shorty69664

kay 9 wrote: »

Do ya get yer man to drive it with it?:D Check out the 3rd pic:eek:

LOL!!!

mayo_lad

kay 9 wrote: »

Do ya get yer man to drive it with it?:D Check out the 3rd pic:eek:

ha ha spotted that don't know if ya do but for the price he's probably worth it he would be handy around silage time any way

Bitten & Hisses

bogman_bass wrote: »

I heard renaults are basically massey back ends and JD gearboxes and engines. is this true.

Yes, in the case of the modern ones. Certain models have a Gima back end/transmission mated to a JD engine. Gima is a joint venture between Renault (now Claas) and Agco.
The older models had an MWM engine mated to a Renault back end/transmission. Anyway, that 290 advertised for €6000 looks to be excellent value if she's a straight example.

kay 9

reilig wrote: »

This 290 would be a good buy at that money.

This 290 on donedeal has a far bigger engine than a 165. Most 165's were built with a perkins 212 engine. (Mark II's) They have a great reputation - engine life is over 15000 hours if serviced regularly. They are reliable for starting on the first turn - unlike the engines in the Mark I or the 165's predecessor the MF 65 or bigger engines that were put into the 168, 175, 178, 185, 188 etc.

The 5 series Massey fergusons (545, 565, 575, 590 etc) are commonly known to be the worst line of tractors that MF ever built. Most were built in france unlike the earlier Coventry built 1 series. You'll pick up a 5 series at reasonable money, but you'll be forever spending money on her to keep her on the road.

We have a Massey Ferguson 65 MkII and not a bother startin it, fastest thing to start I have ever experienced anyway, the heating plug dont even get a chance on the coldest mornings. I agree though about the 5 series fergusons, I'd say that 575 was one the worst breeds of yokes ever built, practically fell apart.

DaNiEl1994

ay a common enough question we wnt from a mf 35x was alright we just needed something new got a fully refurbished mf 265 for 7500 bargain if you ask me should have cost around 10,000 brillaint tractor would suit a farmer who was used to a 165 does all it did and more

ronaldo84

whats wrong with the 165?? my advise wud be 2 stick with a mf again like a 290 or even a 185 or a 188 if u need a bit of weight up front. ford are fairly reliable too

pakalasa

I see nobody has mentioned a David Brown.
Mine is nearly 35 years old now. Still ticking over like a mouse's heart.:D


http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/tractors/1501750

mayo_lad

pakalasa wrote: »

I see nobody has mentioned a David Brown.
Mine is nearly 35 years old now. Still ticking over like a mouse's heart.:D


http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/tractors/1501750

the problem with David Browns and cases is that they have a reputation of braking down a lot . it is not a feature in some models they make but a lot of people have had problems with the electronics and braking system in them .

this is due to the fact that they introduce new technology with out testing them fully

pakalasa

mayo_lad wrote: »

the problem with David Browns and cases is that they have a reputation of braking down a lot . it is not a feature in some models they make but a lot of people have had problems with the electronics and braking system in them .

this is due to the fact that they introduce new technology with out testing them fully

This is true alright!
I had to replace both brake & clutch master cylinders. I also rewired all the lights & ignition.
Still for a 35 year old - not bad.

Bloody hard to start in cold weather though.

LGiamani

kay 9 wrote: »

Do ya get yer man to drive it with it?:D Check out the 3rd pic:eek:

I think that add is a joke.

kay 9

Tis funny alright

cornee

Have a 165, brillant tractor for light work. Last week shaft seized due to oil filter fitted in sump got blocked.

satstheway

Had a 575 for about 10 years only changed a balance weight in the engine.
what about reconditioning your 165 all parts are available and you know what u have afterwards unlike buying a reconditioned tractor that only had very necessary parts changed to flog on

bbam

Lads..
The thread is 2 years old..
I'm sure OP has changed, reconditioned or bought a wheelbarrow at this stage..