Buy an existing JD 2020 or wait for newer?

[Zebrafive]

Plenty more out there

 

[fried1765]

Plenty more out there

Not necessarily true!

When I saw an exceptionally clean Kubota L48 TLB on Craigslist, I jumped on it the next day.
I had been looking for 8 months!
It was 350 miles away, but luckily a friend, local to the seller, was able to check it (and the seller) out for me.
I immediately overnighted a 20% ($6,400) bank check deposit to the seller.
Now, two years later, my L48 TLB is worth much more than I paid.
In the two years since, I have seen only one close to similar, with twice the hours, no hyd. thumb, and minus several other other accessories, .... for $10,000 more!

I was the early bird,..... and caught the worm!
I have an almost like new 251 hour machine!

 

[mo1]

Typically what you see for used machines are the 1960s-1970s utility tractors like the 2020 which are 2WD and have a loader about 15-20% of the time or a few year old tractor which is often a lease return, and priced only a few thousand off of new. Those are pretty plentiful, particularly the older units. There are often some pretty beaten up '80s and '90s machines too but anything in decent condition made in the '90s, 2000s, or pre-2014 are pretty rare and sell very quickly. If it is under about 3000 hours and in good condition with a loader, those sell for only a few thousand less than the few hundred hour lease return models, and cost about 75-80% of what you can get a similar new one for. I could never get lucky enough to get one of those newer used units before they sold to somebody else so I ended up buying a new one.