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.

emaherx

Sounds familiar alright,

What were they looking for it?

It was in need of a little TLC after 22 years with me.

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121802588#Comment_121802588

I think 15.5K but don’t hold me to it. I think it was for sale in Co. Galway but again don’t hold me to that either.

Suckler

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

Any 4000 series I looked at recently was well shook and a lot being sold as is.

irishguy19772

Very hard to know what is genuine. A lot being sold with high Miles on the clock.

Would dealers be genuine?

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121803121#Comment_121803121

Ah no bother @White Clover I was just wondering if they were looking much more than I got 😁. I took a bit less but it still had a gearbox issue leaving that I had decided wasn't worth the time and effort considering what I was offered as is, I hope it's resolved at that sort of money with the hours on it. It served us well here, I would loved to have done it up and kept it alongside the new one but it would probably still be sitting at the back of the shed beside the digger project I started about 8 years ago.

It's mad to see them selling for nearly as much as we paid in 2000.

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121806099#Comment_121806099

Ya tractors have been a good investment up to a couple of years ago. I have one tractor that was bought for just over 4k in 2015 that is worth about 8k today albeit about 2k spent on it over that time to get it in great condition. Another tractor bought for 25k with very low hours in 2014 is worth at least 30k today (still low hours). I wish I had bought more of them back then!

patsy_mccabe

They stopped making tractors during covid and the effect from that is still there today. I have noticed that tractors are staying up a lot longer on Donedeal now. No wonder with the crazy asking prices.

Tileman

Yea I’m on the look out for a mf 4355 or simillar. But the money being asked for rough yokes is incredible. As I am watching it more closely for past 6 months I see allot of tractors in dealers garage and DoneDeal not moving.

eire23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121811289#Comment_121811289

I looked at a few 4255's and 43's the last few weeks and to me their day is done, most are painted up and they have a lot more work done than the hours are showing. All were 30k plus and rough as hell. And the roof rotten on them all.

Tileman

Yea that’s why I have I have not purchased any yet. Roof leaking is a serious issue in allot of them. Saw a lovely one up north but the issue was customs and with vat was working very expensive

irishguy19772

Getting offered a landini ghibli 90 for around 18000 from a dealer that will be traded in shortly.

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121812966#Comment_121812966

The ghibli weren't Landini's finest offering. Do you know the tractor?

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121811325#Comment_121811325

Is it steel roof on all 43's? I have one of the last of them with the black cab frame. I was standing in the tipping trailer attached today and had a good look at the roof and there isn't a mark on it. I must check tomorrow if it's some other material.

irishguy19772

Unfortunately don't know the tractor

Will be traded in the coming months and dealer reckoned it was a decent tractor

will steer clear so of the ghibli

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121814493#Comment_121814493

The Landini Vision were a great tractor if you could get one of them.

eire23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121813927#Comment_121813927

The plastic part was just around the edges like a sort of trim. Ive a black cab 4355 as well. They are very rare.

Here a roof on a 2012 5480 I looked at two years ago. Not what ya would expect to find on a 2012 tractor!

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121814622#Comment_121814622

Is it stored inside in a dry shed?

It's not bad if it's spent 10 years parked in a passage way or outdoors

eire23

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121814888#Comment_121814888

The roof on my 4355 is perfect. If it's not working it's in a shed. Spent ages looking at 4355/45's before I bought it.

I couldn't imagine that 5480 saw to many nights inside. It was a fine tractor but I left it there when I saw that. It's still a design flaw in them to me. It's a problem with Massey's since the 4200's came out in 97/98 and that 5480 has the same problem and it made 14 years later. Ya would think they would have came up with a solution. At

divillybit

Best to avoid the 42 series Massey's OP, we had one and was glad the day it was sold. Leaky cab, awful gearbox and little things like the the lever on the mudguard to raise and lower the lift arms was a pure pox of a set up.