NOW I KNOW THE MUSIC

[Anonymous Poster]

This goes out to everyone who has been so helpful /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif, patient/w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif and obvioulsy spent too long looking at a computer screen /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif in the JD versus Kubota HELP thread. (Am I getting the terminology yet???/w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif)

This whole tractor education and search reminds me of learning a piece of music. You take forever to learn the piece, lucky if you memorize it...but once you learn it, THAT is when the work begins on the piece. Okay, so there may not be too many violin fans in this tractor forum, but ...now that I know what tractor I want, my work begins on how I am going to get a fair price.

So...I have studied, listened, read and test drove myself to death, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS: I drove one that I decided on today. I loved it as soon as I sat in it and turned it over, and continued liking it as I drove it ALL OVER the place at the dealership.

One issue still remains, and that is, that they are trying to come up with some kind of grass bagger for the 72" MMM. I have heard conflicting information on this one if it exists or not. That aside, the place where I test drove this....OH YEAH, it's a B2710, had the best price in my official chart of quotes and prices.

So...how does one know if a dealer is giving you a 'list price'? While I ask this question, I DID look into TractorSmart.com, and found a price that they actually CALL a factory list price, which is $15,500.00 for the 2710.

Where I went today, here are some prices that I was quoted. Just before I left, I said to the guy, that I assumed that if I was buying the 'tools and toys' (implements) at the same time, as one package deal, that the quotes would be somewhat negotiable? He said that he could 'work with me' a bit. I took that as a good sign. I know that the deal I strike, is ultimately up to me...how much I can hold up to their dealing with this day to day...how much it matters to me when I will be looking for service in years to come. All of the things that this forum has been 'coaching' me on. That said, may I inquire to all you 'helpfuls' with my quotes? Please /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif?

B2710 4wd hydro turf tires $13,000.00
72"MMM 2,948.00
3 bag collecter (if used) 1,713.00
51" Snowblower (all attch's) 3,468.00

TOTAL $21,129.00

(bush hog and post hole digger sought as used items...still in ?)

If tractorsmart.com says that the list on the tractor alone is $15,500, and the dealership has quoted me $13,000, then I know I am around 16% of list. And based on what you guys have told me, that is good.

Interestingly, of the implements, the one item that has been exact and to the penny between dealers, is the 3 bag collection at 1713.00. The rest of the implements vary...thought that was strange.

Anyone dare to offer an opinion /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif on this price business /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. I DID try to find implement list prices in tractorsmart.com. If they are there, I have failed to find them, in all of my limited computer capacities.

Thanks in advance... Joyce

I just had to start a new thread...the other one was boggling my mind. Were we trying to set a record here?/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif ha ha...

I guess I cannot exit this post until I mention that from the information in my 'chart of quotes', if I compare the closest sized JD with the closest implements, and take the best quote given me (remember, I have not done ANY negotiating yet), the JD came in:

$3,646.00 HIGHER /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

When I talked to the JD dealer, and was very honest about what I felt were all very good tractors, I could not figure how the difference could be so much. He politely gave me a few differences that he was aware of, and I'm certainly no expert, but they didn't seem to add up to $3,646 worth of difference. It is too bad for them, because from what I have seen so far, I think the green tractors and the orange tractors are both very nice. Yikes!/w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[gordon]

I really believe that your going way too small in the hp range. But as long as your happy that is all that counts. Should be at least an L series. Well you can always trade up in size and you will./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Gordon

 

[glennmac]

Well, Joyce, you certainly have learned to fiddle with the emoticons. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

So glad you don't appear to be in distress this evening. I'll be lengthy anyway. (I usually am.)

I think 16% of the factory list prices is a good deal. I would suggest that you tell the dealer that you know the list prices on the Kubota equipment and that you would like 16% off on all the Kubota equipment.

I dont know if the bagger and blower are Kubota. Find out. Come back here and ask questions about what kind of cutter you should get. (Ah, I'll tell you now: Woods Brushbull). Once you have the 16% in your pocket on all the Kubota hardware, I would try to get 20% off on the implements that are not Kubota. Tell him that you will competively shop to get the implements at 20%, but you'd rather deal with him. Settle for no less than 16%.

You may want to register here, as Bird suggested in the edit to his last post that you may have missed.

 

[GlueGuy]

...and also don't forget to "throw in" the 50 hour service as the clincher (after everything else has been settled). Once you & the dealer have haggled till you can't haggle any more, adding that little bit of icing on the cake will (1) net you about $200-$250 in savings, and (2)make the dealer happy that it's all over.

The GlueGuy

 

[Boondox]

Joyce -- Sounds like you ran into the same dilemma I did. I really liked the JD 4300, but not $3000 more than the Kubota L3010 I finally bought. The clincher was I picked five parts I felt might eventually be damaged and priced replacements. Among those I chose, JD parts were about 30% more than their Kubota equivalents...at least in my area.

So I settled on Clementine, my L3010, and have been pleasantly amazed at her capabilities.

Pete in northern Vermont

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Joyce,

<font color=blue>may not be too many violin fans in this tractor forum</font color=blue>

My wife plays for the Northwest Symphony Orchestra and I am her biggest fan, does that count?

Don't forget the hat. They have Orange with Blue letters and Blue with Orange letters. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Al

 

[JATO_RaT]

Actually Joyce, nothing pulls out the emotions like a violin. Like ol Gus said, the older the violin, the sweeter the music. Well, that may not always be true, but its good to know as you get older, you don't have to get less useful. Good luck with your tractor selection, I still think the Kubotas have the nicest hydrostatic drives and the best diesels, and I don't even own one, Rat...

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Gordon,

I am feeling confident with the 2710 size, but when I figure out what color hat I want, I'll keep it handy, in the event that I might have to eat it.

We could start a betting game here...how long will it take Joyce to think she needs a bigger tractor in one camp, vs. she homeworked herself to death and she picked the right size in the other camp! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif This could be fun...

Joyce

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Glennmac,

True, I LOVE these emoticons! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I like going into this negotiating business 'equipped' shall we say. And I actually DO know the list price of the actual tractor, but shouldn't I go in there knowing the list price of all the implements that I want to get too?? Which leads me to: how and where does one get THAT information? Any ideas? I hate to guess, and then have it thrown in my face that I really don't know. Takes the edge off of the fact that I've 'done my homework', if you know what I mean.

Bagger and blower: the dealer is still looking into this. We are pretty sure we can't get a Kubota bagger with the 72" MMM. He is looking into a company called Peeko (not sure of the spelling, going phonetically). Another dealer that I happened to be talking to a couple of days ago is looking into Tracvac, which has been suggested to me somewhere in this forum. Considering your suggestions regarding the fact that the 72" is a bit easier to take off and put on than the 60", and the obvious fact that it cuts more and it would cut closer, I would really like to get the 72".

Bush hog: I have been given literature on Landpride models and Bush Hog's 'squealer line'. I hadn't looked that much into those, because I thought we might end up going used. When I talked to my husband about how much less the Kubota came in at, than the JD, he said that we should just get a new bush hog. What a guy, huh?/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif So, I will look for Woods Brushbull to see what I or the dealer can find.

I did see Bird's post about registering. When I first got into this site, and after I got up the nerve to post anything myself (hey, it was free), I looked into registering. I was kind of skimming, as I wanted to get back to reading any related threads to questions of my own. So, I didn't take it all in. Got bored with the lists of 'etiquette' (seemed glaringly obvious), so don't quite know what benefits registering would entail. Guess I'd better go back and read some more, but I need to go get a load of gravel (we are having our house foundation put in /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif, and I need to fill a small ditch so the big guy trucks won't tip over when they get here /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif.)

Thanks...Joyce

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Boondox,

Does everyone name their tractors? I LOVE that. Guess I'll have to start thinking of a name for mine when it gets here. (I have named cars before...)

If anyone asked me at this point, if I liked the 4K series JD or the Kubota B series, I'd be hard pressed to give a fair answer. I am falling into the zone where there are features on each that may be preferable on one over the other, etc., but that has all been covered sufficiently. You know...the cup holder and larger issues... I think I'll be happy. Keep you all posted on that /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif!

Joyce