Engine
- Start it from cold — it should fire in one or two tries
- No steady black or blue smoke from the silencer
- No milky oil on the dipstick (water in oil)
- Blow-by: little smoke when the oil filler cap is opened
- Read the hour meter and match it to the tractor’s condition
Gears, clutch and brakes
- Drive it in every gear — no grinding or jumping out
- The clutch should release near the bottom, not at the top
- Both brakes should bite evenly
Hydraulics and PTO
- Lift an implement — it should hold for 10 minutes without dropping
- Run the PTO and listen for noise and vibration
- No oil leaking from hoses or seals
Tyres and body
- Check rear tyre grip and cuts — a new rear pair costs well over ₹40,000
- No welding or cracks on the chassis and front axle
- No excess play in the steering
Papers
- Match the engine and chassis numbers on the RC with the tractor
- If a loan is open, get the bank’s NOC
- Do the insurance and RTO transfer (forms 29 and 30) at the time of sale