Newbie needs advice in VT

   / Newbie needs advice in VT #1  

veggieguy

New member
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
4
Location
Vermont, USA
Tractor
JD 990; Ford 3000
Hi all,

New to this forum. The info here has been incredibly helpful to date.

Our family has a small organic vegetable farm in northern Vermont. We have 3-5 acres of veggies, about 40 open acres of pasture, and about another 115 acres of woods. This being Vermont, there are some hilly parts to the property. Implements we use include a bucket loader, a two bottom plow, an 8' disc, 5' chisel plow, brush hog, an old manure spreader, and occasionally our post hole digger.

We need something to replace our aging Ford 3000, and we think we have the dough to go new. I am starting to settle in on a JD 990, 4WD, with a bucket, cold weather package, ag tires. I like the size, reputation, geared transmission (we do some significant plowing, discing, etc.) of this tractor, but here are some questions:

1. I have a quote of $20,400 with R4s from a local (15 miles) dealer. I have another quote from the next nearest dealer of $21,800, with ag tires. No haggling has taken place, just a phone call and a quote. I am assuming I can get the first guy to switch to ag tires and come down a couple of hundred bucks, so I am looking at right around $20K for a 990, 4WD, 430 loader, ag tires, cold weather package. Since VT offers a sales tax exemption for farm equipment, that will be my real cost. From what I have seen here, this price strikes me as a little on the high side, but not outrageous. And the lower quote is from the dealership I want to buy from (for a variety of reasons). Any thoughts?

2. Is there some major recent news about the 990 line that I might have missed, like it is being discontinued, or something?

3. I am assuming it is appropriate to haggle for a new tractor like you might for a new car. Is that right? And if so, how the heck do I haggle with the lower guy? Should I just offer him $19,000, and when he says "No", cave and give him $20,000. I am not good at stuff like negotiating, and don't even know how to start.

4. The two dealers I am dealing with are Blackmount Equipment in North Haverhill, NH, and Harvest Equipment in Newport, VT. If anyone out there has ever dealt with either of these outfits (postive of negative), I would love to hear about it, either here, or in a private email.

Any thoughts on any of this would be greatly appreciated.

Peter
 
   / Newbie needs advice in VT #2  
Peter,

While I can't advise to the best tractor for your property, I can tell you of the 990 I just purchased.

I just purchased (took delivery two weeks ago) a 990 in central Vermont. 4wd, ag tires, 430 FEL, hd bucket, 82" medium duty rear blade, pallet forks, block heater, loaded tires, and two work lights - $20,099 (no tax) No haggling. I just told the dealer I was going to purchase this setup from whoever gave me the best price.

The dealership was great to deal with. Even delivered my tractor 2 weeks before they said they were going to.

Good luck, however I'd push for better pricing.

jason
 
   / Newbie needs advice in VT
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Thanks for the post Jason. I would love to know which VT dealership you went with. If you don't want to post it here, I think there is a way for you to email me privately on this board or you email me at peter (at) oldshawfarm (dot) com. Thanks!
 
 
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