Price Check Good Price for Branson 3510???

[Bob1431]

All you guys and gals out there have convinced me that the Branson/Century is the way to go. I have read about everything that has been posted. I'm just about ready to "pull the plug". A local Branson Dealer has ofered a new 3510 for $ 14,950 with a TAS loader. This seems like a pretty good price but I wonder if I should make a lower offer or just go for it. He seemed pretty set on his price. This is a new game for me. I have "haggled" on other things but I've never had any buying experience with a tractor. I plan to use the 3510 for clearing some Cedar trees, grading my gravel drives and general landscape work on our 1 1/3 acres Texas Hill Country "Spread". I hope the 3510 won't be overkill. I would welcome any comments.
Thanks,
Bob

 

[shoppintractors]

<font color="blue">I plan to use the 3510 for clearing some Cedar trees, grading my gravel drives and general landscape work on our 1 1/3 acres Texas Hill Country "Spread". I hope the 3510 won't be overkill. </font>

The 3510 is a pretty good sized tractor. It's a lot of tractor for 1 and a third acres. "Texas Hill Country" Does that mean a hilly 1 and a third acres? I personally would want a hydrostat model because with 1 and a third acres I would forsee a lot of back and forth loader work...

Don

 

[sassafraspete]

You can do a search on the internet and get several dealers that advertise to see what the ballpark is....eg http://www.discountnewtractors.com/ . In my case, I paid a little more locally, because the dealer is a great tractor mechanic....actually that is his business and he just started selling the Bransons as an additional business. I wanted to know that the person I bought the tractor from could fix it when I had any issues. I still think I got a great price too. There is more to weigh in than just price. I am not familiar with the TAS loader. I have the bigger frame 20 series, while my brother has a 3510. He is crazy about his, and it does everything he wants it to do. He uses the front end loader for everything. Moves a lot of gravel, firewood and some dirt around his place.

good luck.

sassafraspete

 

[Bob1431]

Thanks for the web site. So far it looks like a good price. Price is not all that matters, but its a place to start. Dealer seems like a nice guy.

 

[Bob1431]

Don,
Thanks for the input. About 1/2 of our lot is a hill with lots of old and some new cedars. Some old stumps that should have been pulled or dug out when the house was built 4 years ago. We just bought the place and we are trying to clear out some of the trees so the grass will grow. (I like to mow with my rider.) Semi-retired and not a lot to do that's fun.
Bob

 

[DavesTractor]

Bob, list price on the 3510 with loader is about $18,500. Our normal sales price is about $15,500 to $15,750, depending on tire choice. Occasionally we dip below that a ways if Branson is offering us incentives. So I'd say $14,950 is real fair, if not a bargain.

 

[shoppintractors]

Bob,

I would see if the dealer will bring the tractor over and demo it on your property. Does your property have a lot of obstacles to maneuver around? 1/2 the lot is now trees? Once you get your larger jobs done you might appreciate a slightly smaller frame size for less bulk and easier maneuvering around the property.

Don

 

[Bob1431]

Dave,
I was hoping to hear from you as it seems that you have a lot of good information and advice for the Branson/Century group. Thanks for the input.
Bob

 

[Bob1431]

Don,
I suggested that he demo it on my place. He looked at me like I had slipped a cog. Good thought about having a smaller unit for later. Maybe a smaller unit would make the jobs last longer and I could get more fun out of using it.
I guess one more night of mulling this over. Oh well, can't sleep well anyway. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Maybe too many tractors to think about.
Bob

 

[shoppintractors]

Bob,

A wonderful TBN contributor by the name of Rick Jay has just posted in another thread and thought I'd copy a part of his post to present another viewpoint. Rick is the 'poster person' for the small lot/large tractor scenerio.

<font color="blue"> I suppose I should state that I have a B2910 on 2/3 acre, so my judgement might be biased, but I've never regretted my purchase. I don't use it to mow, I have an 18 year old (wow, time flies) Honda HT3813 (paid $3000 back in '86) that does the mowing and light snow plowing jobs quite well, and is still going strong. At the time, I justified about 1/3 of the cost of my B2910 to do jobs I needed to be done, I figured about 1/3 of the cost for jobs "as yet to be named", and the last 1/3 'cause I wanted it. Now, 3 1/2 years later, it's all paid for, a whopping 80+ hours on the meter, and I couldn't be happier. As I said...life's too short. </font>

More food for thought......

Don