MF 4243 Opinion

steve terplak · Sep 19, 2012

Hi,
There is an upcoming auction here in upstate NY where there is a MF 4243 for sale.
We went to look at it yesterday to assess condition and give it a little test run.
It is a 94, going by serial #. Recieved a paint job recently, does not appear to be overly worn. The hour meter shows 1600 hours.
It will need new rear and front tires shortly.
This would become a primary use tractor on our farm for mowing, baling, a little plowing.
The auctioneer has it listed for sale at 10,500.

Any opinions on this model? We have 70's masseys - 165, 265, 1080...don't know much about the modern ones.

We were thinking of a bidding max at $7500.
We don't need a new tractor...just slowly looking.
Is this a good number?

Thanks
Steve

DavidP, South Wales · Sep 19, 2012

Hi Steve,
OK, its '94 and getting on a bit but why with only 1600 hours has it had a paint job? What is hidden underneath? Is it a blow-over or has someone taken time to do a decent job? To repaint at that time suggests to me that it has had a rough time in its previous life.
Perhaps its been left out all its life or maybe worked in a salt laden atmosphere. If the paint looks good now what will it look like in 5 years time?
I don't know of any weaknesses with the 42 series other than perhaps the clutch when used for a lot of loader work. As far as I know they are largely Landini underneath.
DavidP, South Wales

steve terplak · Sep 19, 2012

Thanks for the response david

I am wondering the same thing about the paint.
It is a fairly nice paint job...took us a minute to figure out it was a paint job and not factory.
I wonder if maybe the hour meter stopped at 1600 and it has quite a few more than that...which could explain the paint job...
it doesn't seem to show the usual signs of extreme wear and abuse...

the other things that strikes me as odd is the dealer has it marked for $10,500 on his website where other dealers all over the country (through fastline, etc...) have this model in the high teens to low 20's...

but it seemed to run/drive/shift/work just fine.

so...we'll see what happens at the auction...

by the way...the pictures you post of your fleet are always excellent...

samn40 · Sep 20, 2012

These trasctors are built in Coventry England and are the US version of the 4245, same tractor different emissions and drawbar. Due to a problem with the undercoat/primer used many of these tractors, including my own three had to be repainted under warranty, quite simply the paint flaked off them!. The price they make over here tells of how good they are In fact they are nearly as expensive now as when they were new. I find them to be excellent tractors, but for better gear ratios I prefer the 18x 6 gearbox, the 12 speed manual shuttle box has quite a gap between ratios, but if you are used to older tractors this will not be a problem. The tractor sounds very cheap to me.
Sam

Anonymous-0 · Sep 20, 2012

Forget the 4243 and really forget that 1855 and try to find the "right" 1100,1130,1105 or 1135. They are some of the best tractors ever built. I'm unloading corn silage with my 1150 now and even with a longer wheelbase than the above mentioned it's plenty nimble to get the wagon to the blower. I'm in NY also and there has to be a reason why you see more 1100 series than you do Oliver 1855's.

jwmfarms · Sep 28, 2012

The 4243 is NOT the US version of a 4245. Both were available for sale here in the US. We sold some of both here at our dealership. A 4243 is really a cheaper version of a 4245. They were produce in big batches with basically the same specs and features, intead of being a "built to order" tractor, which made them cheaper to build. They were good tractors, but we didn't feel they were quite as good as the 300 series they replaced.

MF 4243 Opinion

steve terplak

Member

DavidP, South Wales

Well-known Member

steve terplak

Member

samn40

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

jwmfarms

Member

Similar threads