120 mile purchase.

[swampvol]

I have a chance to pick up a 2007 montana 3040 with fel, bushog, post hole digger, box blade and 16 foot tandem trailer all for $17.7 k. The problem is that the dealer is 120 miles away. The dealers around here are Kubota, John Deere, Kioti and Farmtrac. The best price I can find locally is the following:

Farmtrac 270dtc with fel, bushog and trailer: $18,300.00
Farmtrac 320dtc with fel, bushog and trailer: $19,300.00
Kioti ck30 with fel, bushog and trailer: $20k.

Throw in a box blade, and post hole digger and there all 20k plus.

So.. should I take a chance on the Montana being that the warranty work would be a 240 mile round trip (if it can be fixed in a day) or should I fork over the extra 2-3k for convenience?

I already talked to the Montana dealer about it and he told me that any of my local dealers can service it, but that I would have to bring it to him for warranty work. He did say that Montana is adding 8-9 dealers a month nationally but neither he or anybody at Montana could tell me when they would be in my area.
Thanks

 

[RoyJackson]

Boy, you are in a predicament!

Personally, I'd go with the Deere or Kubota machines...maybe the Kioti.
There's a very solid dealer network for Deere and Kubota...less so for Kioti, but they are growing.
When you look at financing over a 3 to 5 year period, the extra cash for a monthly payment isn't that great

It also depends on how willing and capable you are in doing some of your own maintenance or waiting for parts. Also, if you do go to the Montana dealer, check out his service and parts departments...see how well they're stocked. This should be done before you put your money on the table.

Good luck on your decision!

 

[BobRip]

My dealer is 240 miles away for my Power Trac. I do all of the maintenance myself. Do you intend to do your own maintenance?

 

[swampvol]

This will be my first tractor, but feel I can handle the simple maintenance. From what I have read the Farmtrac 300dtc and this Montana are nearly identical, so I figure I can take it to the Farmtrac guy 15 miles away if I don't feel comfortable with the 50 and 100 hr maintenance.

Then again he may stick it to me since I didn't buy from him.

 

[AndyMA]

I wouldn't assume that a dealer would actually do any work the day you drop off a machine for service. For me it's usually 3 or 4 days.

Andy

 

[MrJimi]

just my thought, I can drive 240 miles lots of times for 3,000 dollars and most of your miles would be for warranty work if you needed any, save your recipes and write it down in a log of some type
Jim

 

[3RRL]

MrJimi makes an excellent point.
I do my own maintenace and it's not that bad at all. How much more dirt can you move with those other tractors?

 

[teg]

Montana dealer out where I worked last summer only lasted 4 months before they were gone... Granted, we were in the middle of nowhere, not sure *any* brand could have survived out there. It sounds like a great deal (almost, too good).

I've had my tractor two years and I'm still trying to save up for attachments but at the same time I had time to find some real "bargains".

 

[Turbys_1700]

Personally 120 miles would not bother me but I hardly ever buy new. The last two tractors I bought my dealers who were different were only 12 miles from my house. I guess that I am lucky to live in a failry highly populated area. I do my own maintenence but a new unit may require warranty work. For $3K though 120 miles is not a long way. If you have a job where it's easy to get off then that would make the decision easier. Keep us informed as to your decision. Good luck.

 

[NewHollandDLR]

From what I understand if you pony up $5000 worth of parts inventory you can be a Montana tractor dealer yourself and get up to 1 year flooring on all the Montana tractors you want. It will save you on a bunch of travel and you can start a new bussiness.



JD DLR