buying a bx22

[teach]

buying a bx22

I recently found a bx22 (tractor, loader, backhoe, trailor) that I reeeeeally want to purchase (used), but...it is 2000 miles away. The private owner suggests we use a company called "Sqaure Deal" to set up an equity account, then I would put in a down payment (rather a large one I thought) and she would ship the tractor. After I recieved it I would have 10 days to make up my mind and release the remainder of the money. The machine looks like a good deal (too good?) but I am leary of this method as it is my first such long distance purchase involving so much money. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make this work (without offending the owner)? Driving out to pick it up is not an option for me, its just too far.
teach

 

[awlchu]

Re: buying a bx22

One idea,

I purchase and sell motorcycles long distances. I have done this: Find out if a local Kubota dealer would (say for $50-100 fee) would go take a look at look at the machine and phone you with his/her impression.

You will learn this:

- the machine actually exists, not a scam
- Does the machine match the description
- Does the SN provided by the owner match the machine offered

Also, with the SN you can check to see that it is not stolen.

Downside? You're spending some $s to validate their claims.
Upside? You're only out some $s if the machine is a dog!

I have also leveraged others that lived in the immediate area to go visit the machine and report back. I have found that close-interest groups (like TBN) have many people who are interested in looking at the machine.

 

[SeymourBota]

Re: buying a bx22

You are describing the classic scam- frequently perpetrated through ebay, although not necessarily. There is a thread on this up in the Buying/Price Comparisons category at this moment- read it!!

Having someone check it out for you is good advice!!!

 

[teach]

Re: buying a bx22

Thanks! I described the event with a few more details on that thread you described Semour. This situation fits several of the items in the checklist at the beginning of that thread. Hopefully more people will read it.

 

[txhawg]

Re: buying a bx22

You can't find a decent deal closer than 2000 miles away? I would think that somebody has a used BX22 just a little bit closer.

What happens if you don't like it? Do you have to ship it back at your own expense? That can be very expensive.

 

[keeney]

Re: buying a bx22

RE: ... (without offending the owner)?

If the seller becomes offended by any arrangements to increase your confidence in the security of the transaction, it is almost certainly a scam. Its very strange, but as a last resort, almost all scammers become angry when their scam is exposed. Its kind of a last-ditch effort to intimidate the mark into following through, or at the very least, intimidate them into not reporting the scammer.

A legitimate seller may not want to go through the hassle of such arrangements, or pay for them, but at worst, they will become un-interested in you as a buyer, not angry or offended.

- Rick

 

[DDT]

Re: buying a bx22

There may be a TBN member close to this tractor, They might offer to check it out.

 

[teach]

Re: buying a bx22

Sure I can find a machine closer to home, but this same machine (if it exists) would easily sell for over $10,000 here in little Rhody. They were asking $6800. Small machines are very expensive and very hard to come by in RI.
The seller did act offended when I pressed for some form of ID paperwork, a phone number, and when I questioned this payment method, as well as the size of the downment.
So I guess all I can say based on everyone's comments, which I really appreciate, is beware of a bx22 being listed as in Penn. (though they recently took it off of the tractorbynet classified page) but as being sold out of SD. It includes a 16' trailor, tractor, loader, backhoe with low hours (under 500 I think) for $6,800. I tried to attach the pictures, but I don't know how to put them into this post. Cut and paste doesn't work.
teach

 

[jim_wilson]

Re: buying a bx22

There are tractor scams galore on Ebay and there is current post somewhere here on Tractorbynet about a scam poster right here in the tractorbynet classifieds. One of the things you mentioned brings up a red flag for me - the $2000 amount seems to be the sweet spot for these scams. When originally was looking for a piece of equipment last year I got turned on to CUT's because I found an auction on Ebay for a BX22 - before that I didn't even know these tractors existed. I ended up talking with the person doing the auction thru email and all sorts of things did not add up. The pictures in the auction were taken in the US but the tractor was in Portugal , things like that. They wanted a $2000 deposit also and it was going to be thru Western Union - turned out that $2000 was the money transfer limit on Western Union. I kept pressing the person on details and eventually they stopped responding.

If the seller is legit they should respond to your requests for information pleasantly and in a timely fashion. Last but not least $6800 seems like way too good of a deal for that tractor - I might believe $10,000 for a BX22 with a good amount of hours but $6800 is way too low. I would keep looking if I was you.

 

[teach]

Re: buying a bx22

It is definately a SCAM. See the post about this very topic and this very tractor ad in the Kubota buying and selling message board. I would suggest that we all let Abalatsirt@aol.com kow how we feel about her/him (gave me the name Joanne Karstens?) attempted scamming. BEWARE OF A KUBOTA BX22 IN SD FOR $6,800 THAT COMES WITH LOADER, BACKHOE, AND 16' TRAILOR. THE REAL AD COMES FROM EBAY AND LISTS FOR $18000!
teach