When is New Not New!

[HenRut]

An interesting phenomenon (at least to a newbie like me) re equipment dealers is when they advertise equipment, tractors, for instance, as new when they may have a fair amount of hours on them and are 2+ years old. How does that work? I understand demo-ing can put hours on and maybe a sale that didn't turn out after a few hours and was returned, but not for the number of hours I'm seeing or the length of time sitting on a lot.

I also understand a machine that might have been sitting unsold for over a year (I've seen new CTL's on a local lot for over 3 years) that technically qualify as new. So when is "new" not "new" and how much can you trust a machine that has been sitting out for one, two or three plus years? I suppose one way of telling just how new it is is what the factory thinks of it. If they think it's new, they'll warranty it as such. Any thoughts?

 

[Don87]

I personally haven't seen "A fair amount of hours on them and 2+ years old".
I would walk away if I did.

Mine had 3 hours on it when I purchased it, and I was pretty sure it was a leftover from the previous year. So I surmised that it had been test driven a couple times.

I paid retail, and got the full warranty. So far I'm happy with my purchase.

I hope this answers your questions.

 

[moored4]

Mine was 1 1/2 years on the lot an had been in the rental fleet with 59 hours on it and most of those were put on at a plant nursery loading trees and plants on to customers vehicles, I talked to the nursery owner who is local. I bought it as "NEW" with full factory warranty.

 

[Soundguy]

there is new, new, which i would expect to have a few test drive and move around the lot hours on it.. and then there is lease-new.. which.. as long as it had full warranty that started at my purchase date.. I wouldn't be too worried about, especially if lot setting knocked a lil money off of it.

soundguy

 

[JoeinTX]

Agree with the above. Tractor dealers aren't like car dealers. Very different animals and don't forget it.

A "new" tractor can be anything from a zero hour rig fresh off of the truck to a lightly used, lent, machine that they'll still offer a factory warranty on. Not necessarily any demos or "certified" pre-owned stuff.

Quite personally, I've never owned a "new" tractor in my life nor have I have uttered the words "tractor" and "warranty" in the same sentence in my own dealings.

Also, again mentioned above, a "new" tractor can sit on a dealer's lot for a looooooooooong time. Once again, it's not like car dealerships. Please disabuse yourself of that notion quickly and now.

For example, a tractor model down at the dealer that was discontinued two years ago and may have 50-100 hrs on it, but that he will sell as "new" with warrant in the paperwork...........that's a new tractor.

 

[arsenix2001]

Agree with the above. Tractor dealers aren't like car dealers. Very different animals and don't forget it.

A "new" tractor can be anything from a zero hour rig fresh off of the truck to a lightly used, lent, machine that they'll still offer a factory warranty on. Not necessarily any demos or "certified" pre-owned stuff.

Quite personally, I've never owned a "new" tractor in my life nor have I have uttered the words "tractor" and "warranty" in the same sentence in my own dealings.

Also, again mentioned above, a "new" tractor can sit on a dealer's lot for a looooooooooong time. Once again, it's not like car dealerships. Please disabuse yourself of that notion quickly and now.
For example, a tractor model down at the dealer that was discontinued two years ago and may have 50-100 hrs on it, but that he will sell as "new" with warrant in the paperwork...........that's a new tractor.

Yup about 7 years ago i purchased a "new" kubota U35 that when I took delivery had 37 hrs. Needless to say i was pizzed. Got some fre crap from the dealer and that was about it. Five machines later havent taken delivery of a unit over 1.5 hrs and never will. Sell me a demo, give me a discount.

 

[HenRut]

The major factor, I suppose, is what the factory considers "new". I'm frankly surprised that a factory will blindly warranty as new a machine that has been "demoed" (which can mean anything from driven around on the dealers lot to delivered to and worked hard on a prospective buyer's farm)... particularly manufacturers with relatively short warranty periods.

 

[RobertN]

I see "Harvest Returns" sold around here. Farmer/Rancher leases the tractor, mostly to pull trailers in the field. Most had the 3pt arms removed, no loader, so they were basically used just to pull trailers. Most are advertised under 100 hours, lots are less then 50 hours. Dealer puts the 3pt stuff back on. Most I have seen have aftermarket loaders though.

A friend got one 15 years ago, a Kubota L series. Hardly any hours, perfect shape, warranty ect. And a price break over a 1-hour machine.

 

[HenRut]

I suppose if the price is right and the factory doesn't care, "no harm, no foul".

 

[Grandad4]

I'd expect most of those in the business of farming consider a tractor to be a tool with a useful life of x working hours. They probably figured out long ago that if it gets a few hours at the beginning of its life or has some faded paint or a scratch, it generally means nothing to the likelihoood that the thing will still deliver x hours to the new owner. And they'll figure the depreciation on it the same either way. Business decision... no emotional component.

Now a hobby farmer, like me I guess, is a whole different ball game. This is a guy who buys the tractor for... well it's usually not for earning a living. So he's proud of it and wants it to look nice. He'll even detail it once in a while. Take delivery of a unit that someone else actually used for a few hours? Not on your life! Give me that brand spanking new one over there with 0.0 hours! Emotional decision all the way.

Can't say either approach is wrong, just different. And woe unto the dealer who doesn't understand the difference!