New or Used

[GinNB]

I balance new/used tractor purchases on financing costs, tax credits (I'm a farmer and in Canada, so your tax credit situation is different), and use/reliability left in the machine. A good new-ish fairly low-hours tractor costs not much less than new, so you lose most/all of the warranty, pay most of the cost, and have to buy it outright or finance it through your bank.

My last 3 tractors have been new Kubotas (2x M9000 and an M105S) because I've needed the reliability of new or almost new and the financing/tax credit/warranty equation made new ones a better financial decision than buying used. The 0% financing (even if you have to pay a substantial service charge to get it) is still a much better deal than I've been able to find from the other local ag brands. For those that don't consider the Kubota M-series tractors ag-worthy, well, they haven't been out to my place lately.

The financing/warranty part would be the same for smaller homeowner use, but with most likely no tax credit or business writeoff implications. The importance of reliability, other than costing you to fix what's broken, is something you'd have to decide for yourself. Does it matter if your garden's a week or two late getting planted? Your lawn a little shaggier once or twice a year? Your driveway a little more slippery? Your firewood supply a little smaller? What about losing some of your spare time to fix the problem or even arrange to get the machine taken to a mechanic? Do little aggravations drive you up the wall or do you see them as a way to save money by fixing them yourself in all your free time?

Reliability is much more important to me if I'm making money with my machinery doing something time-sensitive, like farming my own ground or doing work for someone else who's on a tight schedule.

So, if it were me and I was getting something for my home for lots of use and I'd be keeping for a long time, I'd buy new, pay cash if I could, and make sure I used/maintained it better than the average guy.

I live off-farm, so when I get a place with a larger driveway and a bigger lot, I'll be juggling similar problems with a hobby tractor for yard maintenance as I do with my ag stuff. It seems kinda funny to have a bunch of flail mowers/bushhogs and lots of tractors with buckets but for now I do my lawn with a pushmower and my driveway with a 7hp 25+yr old Ariens snowblower.

 

[Soundguy]

Good used is cheaper than new. As with anything you have to make sure it is -GOOD- used.

If you are wrenchy, and don't mind cosmetic damage, you can usually score a few bargains.

find models that have good parts support, and perhaps even still in production. scut/cut do hold value well, much better than utility or ag.. but there is some 'off the lot' depreciation..e tc.

if buying used, start it cold.. run it in all ranges till warm check pto and steering.. and oil / water for signs of emulsion... check for leaks.. and overall condition and tell-tale signs. Good repairs are ok..hack-repairs may be a sign for alarm.

soundguy

 

[RETIRED]

I bought 2 used tractors to use on my 100+ acre hobby farm because the prices were what I could afford.

I fought with them for more than 12 years. Then I traded them both in for a brand new JD 4520 with FEL. I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven!!, best equipment purchase I ever made. The peace of mind knowing it is always going to start and I will get the job done in comfort with no break downs is worth every dollar I spent.

I have since sold my farm and moved to an acre and a half. The 4520 came with me. It's to nice to sell. I don't use it very often, but when I do I have so much fun.

I know if I sold it someone would get a great tractor for a few thousand less than new and enjoy a lifetime of reliable use, you may want to go to: Used Tractors at TractorHouse.com: John Deere Tractors, used farm tractors and farm equipment, Case IH, New Holland, Agco, Caterpillar. to get an idea of what your type of used equipment is selling for. I've seen several used cuts with low hours that are still under warranty for some attractive prices.

Hope this helps.

RETIRED

 

[Soundguy]

I bought 2 used tractors to use on my 100+ acre hobby farm because the prices were what I could afford.

I fought with them for more than 12 years. Then I traded them both in for a brand new JD 4520 with FEL. I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven!!, best equipment purchase I ever made.

Sounds like the used ones you bought were just too far gone, or not repaired to bring them up to spec.. or were not maintained very well.

The peace of mind knowing it is always going to start

I almost spilled my soda on that one! age in no way denotes ability to start. Not that florida gets super cold.. but i remember one cold january day a few years back I was going to teach my wife how to use one of the tractors to help feed the animals in case I couldn't be there. The 3yr old imacuately kept diesel wouldn't start.. the 50 year old gasser on 6v fired right up.. go figure!

and I will get the job done in comfort with no break downs .

Again.. 'newness' is not a shield against breakdowns.

My oldest rotary cutter has never had any breakdown.. my next oldest has had lots of corrective main and repairs, and only 1 breakdown. My newest rotary cutter, which is 6ys newer than the next oldest has had the most breakdowns...

Care, use and corrective action will dictate a machines lifespan.

dending on what you paid for that new one.. you might have been able to refurb both of the used ones.

I continually amazes me to see people have an older tractor that needs about 2-4K$ of rebuilding to return it to showroom mechanical condition.. yet they would rather spens 15K and get a new one that does the same thing.

guess it's the new car smell kind of thing???

My 50 year old tractors start as fast as my newish tractors... and it has little to do with age...

soundguy

 

[RETIRED]

No question about that, they were too far gone when I bought them. Of course they could have been rebuilt and improved. Seemed the breakdowns always happened at the wrong time & I was a long ways from a dealer with parts. I didn't enjoy spending my spare time wrenching on tractors. (especially when the temp was below zero). So when I could afford it I upgraded and for me it was the right thing to do.

I've seen lots of older tractors that start and run like new and I envy the guys that can maintain them in that condition.

As for the "New car smell kind of thing" You got that right. not being as tractor savy as some, I could not resist the temptation.

RETIRED

 

[john_bud]

The other thing is some tractors don't like some people. No, wait! I'm serious! I've seen tractors that broke every time they got touched, rod's started knocking, rad leaks, injectors stuck, etc. They get sold (cheap) and the new owner runs them for 15 years with only routine maintenance. Bad karma or something, who knows?

jb

 

[Gittyup]

Another data point:

I bought new; paid cash to get the rebate. Two months later I see the same tractor for sale used, < 100 hours, $4000 less than what I paid. I thought to myself: "Since I didn't need/want the financing, I should have bought used. I could have saved a bundle."

But, this also means that you will have to be able to wait for that "right" deal to come along. Not everyone has that luxury.

 

[Soundguy]

Yep, all understandable situations. i got nothing against what you did.

It's unfortunate that sometimes people's experience with used or older equipment goes bad due to 'previous owner's sins' that are not always disclosed.

The 'new' smell is hard to overcome as well. Though both of the 'new' tractor's I've bought were only 'new-ish' IE.. 2ys old.. they still have the 'smell and look' and they certaintly are tempting!

soundguy

No question about that, they were too far gone when I bought them. Of course they could have been rebuilt and improved. Seemed the breakdowns always happened at the wrong time & I was a long ways from a dealer with parts. I didn't enjoy spending my spare time wrenching on tractors. (especially when the temp was below zero). So when I could afford it I upgraded and for me it was the right thing to do.

I've seen lots of older tractors that start and run like new and I envy the guys that can maintain them in that condition.

As for the "New car smell kind of thing" You got that right. not being as tractor savy as some, I could not resist the temptation.

RETIRED

 

[IXLR8]

I was doing the new/used debate. I looked for almost a year for a decent used machine. What I found in my area... if it was decent, it was only $2K less than new. For that $2K I would get 0% financing, a warranty and I would know it's history, seemed like a no brainer to go new. Just as I was about to pull the trigger on new, I found a good 1 year old machine, with all the options I wanted already on it, for $6K less than the same thing new... I put a deposit on it and I am presently waiting for financing. Sometimes you just need to be in the right place at the right time.

 

[GinNB]

I'd check carefully to see if there are any liens against the tractor. That's another pitfall to watch for if you find a good deal when most newish tractors are still owned by the bank...