Gray Market Grief

[RobVG]

Bosses bought a 200 Hitachi "hybrid". Tried getting keys from the dealer. Was told that Hitachi of North America will not support this machine. No keys. Also told its now illegal to import gray market machines. Washington state has supposedly set up an agency to inspect machines. I guess they are beginning opporations in Pierce County and if you're caught you'll be required to buy an annual permit. I don't know if any of this is correct, it's just what I was told.

 

[John C.]

Sounds pretty fishy to me. Hitachi was the first of the gray market machines when all that started to happen and always was great at providing support. Did you hear this from the dealer? I'm also wondering about the key, is it different than the usual? As far as the import issue goes I haven't seen an engine EPA issue for about six years now. Isuzu was always great about making sure their engines were in compliance with all EPA regulations. They were in compliance with EPA long before any of the US manufacturers. I would like to confirm or deny this type of rumor. Can you provide any other information? You could send a private message if you like.

One last question I have is about the "hybrid" term. Usually that means that there is a combination diesel engine and electric or hydraulic drive system. Is that what is happening here?

 

[DIYDAVE]

Dealers spout a lot of bunk, sometimes. I have a Gray mkt kubota, needed a tranny fluid cap (plastic) knew the line the dealer was gonna spout, so I took my busted cap over to the turf farm, where I usedta work, matched it up to a Kubota L series tractor (all the same). Then went to the dealer, and asked fer an L series oil cap, they hadda barrel display fulla 'em...

Point I trying to make, is to find the non gray mkt equivalent of your machine, and match the key up, or find a switch that matches the # of wires, then order the same as you found, only use the other model #, and don't tell 'em this time that you have a gray mkt machine...

 

[RobVG]

The ignition switch is a "3500" . Its a long double sided key. All our other Hitachis use an H800.
It's not an issue with the EPA.
I've know the guys at the Mt. Vernon Pape' for a very long time. They've always helped me with parts for our other gray market machines. I can't imagine them BS ing me. I've been promised a parts book from the place "we" bought it from. Haven't seen it yet.
As far as I can tell, the hybrid runs a generator off the pump for aux electrical. Havent had a chance to look into it.

 

[RobVG]

Found this:

http://www.hitachi.com/environment/products/hybrid_excavator/index.html

 

[excavator]

Just out of curiosity I'd like to see a picture of the machine. Can you put a standard H800 switch in it?

 

[typ4]

Pierce county, where all the methheads are and theft is crazy and they worry about a gray market machine. Hilarious.

 

[John C.]

Doing a quick search of Washington State and Gray Market Machines only brought up this from 1997.

http://www.lni.wa.gov/safety/hazardalerts/haz971.asp

At that time I was consulting for several different companies and it was relayed to me that Kubota contacted the US government directly wishing this information to be disseminated to all the state's environment and safety entities. So far I have not found anyone who can substantiate the rumor of gray market machinery being illegal anywhere in Washington State. I have seen plenty of stuff that shouldn't be here but only seen a couple of machines that brought concern and those only brought federal action when they didn't have the proper identification on the engines.

 

[RZucker]

The ignition switch is a "3500" . Its a long double sided key. All our other Hitachis use an H800.
It's not an issue with the EPA.
I've know the guys at the Mt. Vernon Pape' for a very long time. They've always helped me with parts for our other gray market machines. I can't imagine them BS ing me. I've been promised a parts book from the place "we" bought it from. Haven't seen it yet.
As far as I can tell, the hybrid runs a generator off the pump for aux electrical. Havent had a chance to look into it.

Sounds like an older Komatsu dozer key or one for the older Yanmar built John Deere mini tractors, like the 650-950 series.

 

[RobVG]

I was chatting with Don at Sonsray today. He had a customer who bought a gray market machine and absolutely loved it, no problems, very reliable.
So his son bought one but his machine went TU and try as they might, the couldn't get parts. The company now has a $30,000 donor machine.