Dealer Finally, after 2 years

[jcb67]

Need advice on a used 2004 Branson 4220 with loader and backhoe. Has 500 hours for sale by dealer. Dealer just repleaced the clutch. I am concerned since a well respected private used tractor dealer, mechanic said that the Branson is a good tractor but is known for clutch problems. The dealer wants 11,000. Trying to decide on brand and new or used. Problem is on a new tractor the backhoe is out of my budget. Thanks for any advice.

I posted the thread above, about the used Branson two years ago. In a later thread I said I bought the Branson, but I ended up not buying it. Please see my latest posting below which I posted earlier on the general forum.

I joined TRACTORYNET February 2010. I was looking for advice on buying a used Branson tractor. I got several informative responses immediately. The dealer selling the Branson was Lazenby Equipment of Starke, Florida. The day I went to pick up the tractor, the mechanic detected a problem, which turned out to be a blown head gasket. The dealership owner said he would make the repairs and install a new head at no cost to me. I told him I would prefer to get out of the deal and get my $7500 deposit back. To my surprise he returned the deposit with no hard feelings.

I then began to shop for new tractors. I shopped John Deere, Kubota and Mahindra for several months. I stopped shopping after using all my tractor buying money to build a new house. Recently a close friend wanted me to go tractor shopping with him. We looked at some of the previously mentioned brands and ended up stopping by Lazenby Equipment to check out what they were selling. Turned out they had picked up the Mahindra and Yanmar tractor brands. Well, I got tractor fever again and to shorten this story, my friend and I purchased two new Mahindra tractors, a 28Max and 3616, respectively.

Brad, was our salesman at Lazenby, and was the same salesman who had tried to sell me the used Branson two years earlier. I want to compliment Lazenby on their integrity and for being customer centered. Lazenby and owner, Scott, have an excellent reputation in the area and they have certainly earned it with the way they do business. There was a Mahindra dealer much closer to my house, but the way Lazenby treated me two years ago sealed the deal.

I did continue to read the forums on Tractorbynet during the last two years before buying my tractor. What a mass of knowledge, unselfishly shared by a great bunch of folks interested in tractors.

I did want to give a special thank you to Dave of Dave's Tractors. He was very patient in accepting multiple emails from me about tractor buying.

I would like to add a thank you to, jda1961, polo1665, dbear, Diamondpilot, bdog, dcyrilc and Lunk for your responses two years ago about the used Branson.

I attached pictures of our salesman, Brad, and my friend Joe and me. I got the bigger tractor.

John

[DavesTractor]

Congrats on the new Mahindra! Enjoy.

[kootch88]

Nice tractor, a good dealer experience is invaluable. I bought another Toyota FJ for my wife Saturday. Got a "better deal" at one dealer, but was so happy with the dealership and salesman from the last that I decided to goi with the same guy at a cost of a couple hundred to me. I didn;t even tell them I went to the other guys to shop the deal. Anyway, the dealership sure can make buying something like this a pleasure, sounds like that is what you have with these folks.

[creekbend]

Congratulations.

[flusher]

Nice to hear your success story. Enjoy your Mahindra--I'm having a ball with my 2008 Mahindra 5525.

[Nissan197]

Congratulations. I am hoping I hit the lottery then I can upgrade my 3215.