Massey Ferguson 390 they worth it?

irishguy19772

Part time farmer here with the father. We have a couple of old Sames which have a few issues.

Thinking off buying a 390 as heard very reliable.

Is this sort of money mad for a 92? Are they as good as I hear they are? The landcrusier of the tractor world.

2 parcels of land are about 5 miles apart. Be used for some topping and spreading fertiliser etc. nothing too major

See one in gort for 16509 https://www.donedeal.ie/tractors-for-sale/massey-ferguson-390/36204991

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058334625/massey-ferguson-390-they-worth-it

I like them because they are simple to work on and they are so popular there is plenty of parts available new and second handm

That one in the link seems good value and won't be for sale for long I'd imagine

kk.man

It's like everything in life ...you get what you pay for...only dear the first day.

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058334625/massey-ferguson-390-they-worth-it

That's a nice one. Hi line cab on it too.

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121720219#Comment_121720219

Its the 3 sticks on the floor model which is why it looks good value but if were the shuttle model they'd be looking a good bit more.

I've had 3 300 series tractors with 3 different gearboxes and they are a good tractor but you'd have to question if they are worth anywhere near as much as being asked for machines over 30 years old.

Silverdream

If the hours are correct then it would be a good find, but in reality <5000hours for a 30 year old tractor doesn't seem realistic. You'd need to get it checked out and factor in a new set of tires into the budget

patsy_mccabe

Do DH Farm Mach sell many tractors? Th engine does sound good from the video, in fairness.

Bleating Lamb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121724176#Comment_121724176

Would agree regarding the tyres,the ones on it are at least 50%+ worn.

See if they will put on new tyres on it…….it’s worth asking anyway.

Hours do sound on the low side as well,but depends a lot on who owned it previously,if it was part time farmer/s the hours could be genuine.

Tbf it looks like a tractor that wasn’t abused anyway.

Sugarbowl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058334625/massey-ferguson-390-they-worth-it

There isn’t any more space on the hour clock so could be 14K hours rather than 4k. I have one here that’s the same way. When it gets to 9999k it will go back to zero.

patsy_mccabe

Tractor is 32 years old. 4996 hours would equate to 0.43 hours per day on average. That seems reasonable for a small part-time farmer.

1,4996 would equate to 1.3 hours per day. Also realistic.

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121729477#Comment_121729477

It doesn't look overly painted up except maybe the rims, you can see little spots of rust here and there, upholstery looks very good for years too. I'd say hours a genuine enough, I put over 10,000 hours on 2 300 series tractors here and they showed every bit of it from wear on upholstery and gear knobs / levers that tractor looks genuinely fresh with some minor touchups.

Markcheese

I've no idea what your same tractors are like or what their history is like , but if you spent half the money of a good 300 series on doing each up would you end up with a pair of tractors you could trust ,?

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121729612#Comment_121729612

Possibly but they are all gone now though.

390T was the last to go, the gearbox was giving a little bother, PTO input shaft was rattling, I took it out to repair and found that every spline on every shaft and coupler was really worn on both sides probably because it was a shuttle model. It was either go all in or start looking for a replacement, in the end I replaced the input shaft and bearings, sold the tractor and bought a McCormick CX95 with less than a quarter of the hours. Realistically cost would have been similar but with tractor out of action and all the work done myself (But time and money could quickly go out of budget too).

We had 3 in total, first one was an 8-speed shuttle 390 (the only one I've ever seen) but was replaced with a 12x12 390T about 2 years later and the other was a 365 sticks on the floor which had high hours from the start and was bought as a rough yard tractor.

Personally if I were looking at the tractor in the ad I'd also look at some of the older models as with the sticks on the floor it's not much of an upgrade from 200,500 or 600(except potential rust issues) series models. It's practically a 290 with a slightly nicer cab, no shuttle or 4 wheel braking.

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121730003#Comment_121730003

Wasn't it only later models from '95 onwards that were 40km/hr and had 4 wheel braking.

emaherx

No, the 12x12 models with electro mechanical diff/4wd had 4 wheel braking. Mine were all pre 95 and none of them 40km/hr.

It made a huge difference to hauling trailers.

limo_100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058334625/massey-ferguson-390-they-worth-it

That's not that expensive for a 390 but you would be better with a shuttle box version much easier to use

irishguy19772

Budget is around 20000. Rang a dealer today. New Holland 760 but price was closet to 30000. Had a Massey 4245 coming in with a front loader for around 20000.

hopeso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121794690#Comment_121794690

I'd expect the Massey to be fairly worn, or rough, to be around that kind of money with a loader included.....

Tileman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121794925#Comment_121794925

Yea most of them are between 28-30€k price range that sounds very cheap. Did he say what hours were on it

irishguy19772

What would be the best things to ask a dealer about a tractor?never bought one secondhand before. Tyres left, previous owner, service history? Clutch and brakes?

irishguy19772

This one look any good?

https://www.donedeal.ie/tractors-for-sale/massey-ferguson-390/35942826

Donald Trump

Is it 15Hp difference between the 390 and the 390T?

The 390Ts always looked that bit physically bigger too

irishguy19772

10hp I thought

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121799958#Comment_121799958

Possibly. I always thought 80Hp vs 95Hp for some reason.

leoch

80hp and 90hp

emaherx

79hp and 92hp 😁

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121799895#Comment_121799895

Hours are high and paint is freshly done, it could be OK but it's not exactly cheap, worth knowing what if any work has been done on it, could well be due an engine and/or transmission overhaul.

It's an early 12x12 model so worth checking if the infamous gearbox spring has been done.

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121800384#Comment_121800384

Was that your old 390T that was on Done Deal the other day? I think I spotted the tractor that @Dinzee Conlee bought some time back too?

148multi

Would a 10 series Deere be a much better tractor and easier on the driver

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121800629#Comment_121800629

I don't see it now, it left here 18 months ago, is all I could tell you.

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121801049#Comment_121801049

Ya it seems to be gone now. Very like your one. 94 MH with Trima loader.