Buying a Rental

[RidgeHiker]

I posted this in the general buying section earlier but this may make more sense.

My son and I are looking at a late 90's L35 with 1200+ hours that for the first 1000 hours was a rental unit. I am, like many of you, concerned with abuse as a rental. I have a few questions:

1. I know the L35's are very heavy duty. Is rental abuse less of a concern with a tractor like this, especially if it checks out OK?
2. Have any of you bought rental units? What was your experience with them?

Thanks!

 

[Unregistered2013]

price?

 

[ITHINKICAN]

I watched a guy mow an overgrown school field with a rental one time - wfo the whole time - and he ran over anything and everything curbs and all (sparks everywhere) - it would have been a scary youtube video. I doubt I'm the only person (when I was a kid) who used to use the parking brake to power slide my Hertz rental car through every corner. :laughing:

Who knows - maybe the dealership was more dilligent with regular maintenance - possibly more regular vs a private owner.

But at the same time - maybe the people who rented the unit may have driven her hard and put her away wet - possibly more abuse vs a private owner.

Good luck either way!

 

[lakeside]

You have two sides to the argument. One the one side are those who wouldn't touch a rental with a barge pole, and on the other those who say rentals get routine maintenance and get lubed every time they come back from a rental.

I bought a B26 two year ago with 313 hours on it. Apart from some dings on the hood; likely from rocks falling out of overfull bucket, everything seems to be OK.

I guess it comes down to price and how comfortable you are with the dealer. I don't know if equipment dealers are like car dealers but car dealers get rid of their dogs. They only keep good cars on their lot to keep up their reputation. Let's hope equipment dealers are the same.

 

[RidgeHiker]

price?

We are still working on that part....

 

[Reg]

Interesting possibilities re its previous use.

Chances are SOME renters took it out with the express intention of saving wear and tear on their own equipment, knew they had harder jobs to do than their equipment could handle, etc.

Others with little/no experience MIGHT have taken it out and been too scared to do any REAL work with it.

My guess is it probably balances out - more or less...
Any SERIOUS breakages have been repaired, heck it could have so many replacement parts on as to be a wonderful deal.... who knows ? I don't.

 

[CurlyDave]

More than 50% of the time I rent anything, it breaks down before the day is over.

If this is any indication of average maintenance, stay away.

 

[PHILIP8N]

Can you rent it for a few days without buying it? If it is a good dealer, will he let you use it for a few days with the intent to buy if nothing goes wrong? I know how I use rented equipment, like it is not my own!!! I doubt if any rental yard maintains and services equipment like I do, or any other personally owned equipment. I would be very cautious. Good luck. Philip.

 

[RidgeHiker]

Can you rent it for a few days without buying it? If it is a good dealer, will he let you use it for a few days with the intent to buy if nothing goes wrong?

It is owned by a 2nd owner now - not the rental company.

 

[Johndeere3720]

I would really check it over. There are a lot of things to be looking at with a rental unit before purchase.