buying LS, smart or not

[Gary Fowler]

Thank you all very much. If there was only one more LS dealership around I would feel more confident in owning one. Not sure what to do[/QUOTE

If you are using the LS website dealer search for a dealer, it will only give you the closest one. There may be several LS dealers close by that you arent aware of. I dont know why the website does that.

That said, my closest dealer is 60 miles away and another is about 100 but I have only put my tractor back to the dealer once in 2 years and that was for a broken seat bracket and replacing the drawbar hitch which I broke foolishly trying to pull a fully loaded 14 yard dump truck out of the mud. I did finally get him out by pushing with the FEL after unloading about half his load.
I see more and more dealers handling LS now than when I bought mine in Oct. 2010. The main reasons I bought was price first, quality and fit second. It is much better fit and finish than Mahindra. I compared them side by side at the same dealer. I got a 70 HP for less than a 50 HP from any of the other big 5 brands and it has more standard options that others even offer

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I see more and more dealers handling LS now than when I bought mine in Oct. 2010. The main reasons I bought was price first, quality and fit second. It is much better fit and finish than Mahindra. I compared them side by side at the same dealer. I got a 70 HP for less than a 50 HP from any of the other big 5 brands and it has more standard options that others even offer

Gary, would you mind saying, if you remember what models of Mahindra it was that you were looking at back then when you were looking at them? It doesn't really matter, I'm just curious is all. :confused3:

 

[Gary Fowler]

I dont remember the model number but I was looking for 50HP models with a cab when I bought the LS P7010 because it was as cheap as a 50HP-cheaper in many instances- than all the other brands even Mahindra.
I had internet searched for months and ended up doing my tractor shopping rather quickly visiting all the dealers in a 100 mile radius over a 10 day time period. I was working a 8 week on 3 week off and wanted to get the tractor before I had to go back to work so was limited by what dealers had in stock. Not many of them had cab models in stock but would offer a price to order it and wait for months for them to come in. This also may have been a reason for higher pricing on special orders.
I had just about exhausted all the dealers when I visited the Mahindra dealer who unknown to me also had several LS models. I had figured that it would cost me about $35K for the 50 HP with cab which my brother in law had just bought a NH a few months before so when the dealer said $35,500 for the P7010C loaded with standard features, I said load it up. I was going to pay cash but dealer said I can get 24 months interest free so I gave him 10% down and financed the rest. 24 months worked out just right as I only had 3 months left to pay when I retired.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I dont remember the model number but I was looking for 50HP models with a cab when I bought the LS P7010 because it was as cheap as a 50HP-cheaper in many instances- than all the other brands even Mahindra.
I had internet searched for months and ended up doing my tractor shopping rather quickly visiting all the dealers in a 100 mile radius over a 10 day time period. I was working a 8 week on 3 week off and wanted to get the tractor before I had to go back to work so was limited by what dealers had in stock. Not many of them had cab models in stock but would offer a price to order it and wait for months for them to come in. This also may have been a reason for higher pricing on special orders.
I had just about exhausted all the dealers when I visited the Mahindra dealer who unknown to me also had several LS models. I had figured that it would cost me about $35K for the 50 HP with cab which my brother in law had just bought a NH a few months before so when the dealer said $35,500 for the P7010C loaded with standard features, I said load it up. I was going to pay cash but dealer said I can get 24 months interest free so I gave him 10% down and financed the rest. 24 months worked out just right as I only had 3 months left to pay when I retired.

Gary, thanks for the response. The problems that you had seen are in fact one of the problems that Mahindra has with having other manufacturers building some of their units for them IMO. The Mahindra tractors that you were looking at are in fact made by TYM for Mahindra. What gets me is that if you look at the equivalent TYM model, it is assembled better than the Mahindra model and the TYM model has std items that are options on the Mahindra and I believe that the TYM tractor is less money. Another one of the problems with having your stuff made by others I guess.

 

[Gary Fowler]

That seems to be the way of the world now. Rape and Pillage Companies buy a big name for qualityrecognition and immediately move all the manufacturing to a sub that builds them cheaper. That seems to work at least for a few years and then they take all the profits, sell the company shares while they are still up and move on to another. Tractor companies seem to just jump from foreign supplier to supplier to keep getting cheaper and cheaper all the while living on brand recognition. It seems now that many of these foreign companies have wisened up and now are trying to sell under their own name brand.
JD, MF, NH, Case better get their own factories back up and running and start making their own products again or they will soon be out in the cold without a tractor to market. America cant continue to export their dollars to import everything that we need or want in life. That only works for oil exporting countries and even those run out of oil eventually.

 

[Gary Fowler]

That seems to be the way of the world now. Rape and Pillage Companies buy a big name for qualityrecognition and immediately move all the manufacturing to a sub that builds them cheaper. That seems to work at least for a few years and then they take all the profits, sell the company shares while they are still up and move on to another. Tractor companies seem to just jump from foreign supplier to supplier to keep getting cheaper and cheaper all the while living on brand recognition. It seems now that many of these foreign companies have wisened up and now are trying to sell under their own name brand.
JD, MF, NH, Case better get their own factories back up and running and start making their own products again or they will soon be out in the cold without a tractor to market. America cant continue to export their dollars to import everything that we need or want in life. That only works for oil exporting countries and even those run out of oil eventually.

 

[Budds All Tractor]

I would NOT be afraid to buy there products, The Koreans are doing a great job on there products, I think they have better strength castings than the indians or japs, look at there weight to horsepower ratio, also LS built the Montana tractor, Mccormic CT tractors & are building Case New Holland compacts now, they were tied in with FarmTrak when there products were around. You will get the opinion of anyone based on what they own or have experience with. Ultimatley you want to feel your dealer out, does it appear that they have the knowledge & ability to service you down the road... A big dealer is not always going to take care of you like a small growing one is. The small one needs & wants it customers to return, there in the growth side of things, a bigger dealer is seasoned in the sales area, a little more stiff in the art of giving. This is just my opinion... As for the purchace GO FOR IT. As for price if you pay less up front then as things go its worth less at the end. so you trade hi price up front for the held value at the end. I feel most of the time it's a wash.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Sometimes you get a better deal when brand recognition is low and then a few years later as the brand is more recognized and liked, your tractor value gains so you win / win by buying early in the game. Unlike the famous name ones who have inflated their prices to begin with and you immediately loose money on depreciation.