Buying Advice Buy or Rent??

fatnfur · Dec 5, 2013

I am in need of a small tractor for a 2.5 acre piece of property in south fl, which is flat and comprised mostly of sand. I would like to do quite a bit of landscaping, which includes mounding soil, digging a koi pond, replacing my septic field, (which has to be put in a mound) and misc other stuff.
Wondering if purchasing a scut (used) with the intent of reselling in a year or two would be wise or just relying on rentals. I would love some input on what brand and model would be easier to resell, and how many hours does it take to make folks weary of purchasing a used tractor?
Thank for the input!

RoyJackson · Dec 5, 2013

Rather then rent, which can get really expensive, you might ask a dealer about leasing a tractor. Like any lease, I'm sure there are disadvantages (maybe something like a maximum number of hours per year). However, leasing would provide more flexibility since you could operate and work at your convenience rather then the rental company's convenience.
Buying a used machine...well, that can be useful. Selling one might take a while...but if you're in no hurry to sell, that might not be a problem.

I suggest you look at Used Farm & Agricultural Equipment - John Deere MachineFinder and www.tractorhouse.com. Although these are dealer listings, you can get an idea of what's available in the area of your lot.

Fallon · Dec 6, 2013

Resale of CUTs is pretty good. I've seen a hand full of similar ones to my Kubota L3200 going for $15k+. Just my tractor & loader was around $20k new.

Renting a smaller B something with a hoe from Home Depot is $2k per month. Haven't cared to look if there are better rent/lease options.

Generally I'm guessing a couple years & a couple hundred hours will cost me under $5k in resale. Much better than 2.5 months of rent.

Poopdeck Pappy · Dec 6, 2013

If you buy a used tractor, there's no way you should lose $5k when you sell it unless you tear it up. I recently bought a used Kubota BX23TLB because I needed a small backhoe and didn't want to spend $7k or more for a model-specific hoe for my tractor. I think I can use it for a couple of years and sell it for somewhere close to what I paid for it. I don't expect to lose more than $1,000 if I sell it in a year or two. (Side note: I like it so much, I'm not sure I can ever bring myself to sell it so this may be a moot point.)