Buying the first Test Tractor

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I posted this in another thread but I think it needs it's own thread.
Being a ponderer I think I have come up with a new theory concerning tractor buying for a first time buyer that will make the decision easier and with less self doubt and self punishment when you realize you bought the wrong tractor.
Right up front tell yourself you are buying a test/evaluation tractor. It's prpbably not going to be the end decision/final tractor. Pick a tractor for the best possible price that will retain the most resale value. If you get cheaper out of town, buy out of town and buy your real final tractor in town if that makes you feel better.
Buy new so there won't be any costs other than the monthly payment and count that as the cost of determining the right tractor. Buy the tractor that best suits your current needs because if things change it won't cause distress because it's only a temporary tractor anyway. If things don't change then it could possibly move in to the actual life time tractor slot and could become a lucky unexpected break.
OK a pmnt of $200 a month for the test tractor with no money down. You work it for 12 months and get some benefit out of using it. That's a cost of $2400 for using a tractor for 12 months. If you can keep the hours down to below 200 hours for that time, service the tractor properly at the 50 hours and keep the tractor clean. Remember, your not keeping it and are going to resale it. That's actually only a cost of about $12 per hour used. That's actually fairly cheap, less than renting one I would imagine.
Now while your using it determine which jobs would be done much easier or faster with a larger, more HP or smaller tractor or if your test tractor does the job well enough to suit you. Also find out if your tractor always stays at one location or if you maybe need/want to move it around and then determine how easy/difficult it is to move with the trailer/truck/vehicle you have. Will it be as easy/easier/more difficult to move a bigger/smaller tractor (the final tractor).
Now after 12 months I believe you could maybe sell/trade the tractor in on the final tractor and only be out the monthly pmnt, maybe a little more or a little less. Keep it clean and serviced these suckers retain their value very well. Look at prices for used tractors.
Now if you ended up with a lucky guess and the first test tractor ends up "The One" you've been lucky and done well. If it doesn't, just like you planned from the beginning that it wouldn't, then you've been really smart and exactly what you planned has happened and you now can choose the right final tractor based on your actual needs and personal experience on your property.
Now, If this looks like a good plan, then try it. If you disagree then do it your own way and forget my plan.:laughing:
This plan is also flexible enough that the test period can be different than just one year. Maybe two or three years until one is absolutley sure which tractor is the right permanent final tractor.
Course circumstances can change and even the permanent tractor can become a test tractor with no feelings of guilt or self condemnation..

 

[chuckd1277]

I may have entered into your plan without even knowing it. I got my Massey GC2600 in January using my best guess on my needs, based mainly on info gathered here. While I will always say this is one of the best sources of info, it can't beat personal experience. Having never owned a tractor like this there was no way I could really know what would meet my needs since I really didn't fully understand what my needs were. I purchased my tractor when I did to take advantage of a holiday rebate and 2010 pricing expecting it to collect dust until the spring. Within days of taking delivery it started snowing and it seemed like it didn't stop for weeks. I quickly had 10 hours on it, then 15 and now just hitting 20 hours on it that I never expected it to have and I haven't even put the mower back on. I read about these machines for a year before buying but until I had it at the house and used it in my yard there was no way to really know how I would and could use it. There are things that I would like to have that I didn't anticipate but I have yet to mow with it, which is what I believe will be the majority of its use. I have already thought about trading up to a larger tractor but I will wait to get through a complete year to find out what other needs I might have. For all I know I might want to keep this one after mowing and seeing how it maneuvers in my yard. I agree with your recommendation to go into the purchase with the mindset that this may not be the final purchase as you are bound to uncover needs that you never knew you had. These tractors are so versatile I feel like I could find a different use for mine every day. I am having a ton of fun finding out what my tractor can do. If it ends up being mine for years, great. If not, that's ok too.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I may have entered into your plan without even knowing it. I got my Massey GC2600 in January using my best guess on my needs, based mainly on info gathered here. While I will always say this is one of the best sources of info, it can't beat personal experience. Having never owned a tractor like this there was no way I could really know what would meet my needs since I really didn't fully understand what my needs were. I purchased my tractor when I did to take advantage of a holiday rebate and 2010 pricing expecting it to collect dust until the spring. Within days of taking delivery it started snowing and it seemed like it didn't stop for weeks. I quickly had 10 hours on it, then 15 and now just hitting 20 hours on it that I never expected it to have and I haven't even put the mower back on. I read about these machines for a year before buying but until I had it at the house and used it in my yard there was no way to really know how I would and could use it. There are things that I would like to have that I didn't anticipate but I have yet to mow with it, which is what I believe will be the majority of its use. I have already thought about trading up to a larger tractor but I will wait to get through a complete year to find out what other needs I might have. For all I know I might want to keep this one after mowing and seeing how it maneuvers in my yard. I agree with your recommendation to go into the purchase with the mindset that this may not be the final purchase as you are bound to uncover needs that you never knew you had. These tractors are so versatile I feel like I could find a different use for mine every day. I am having a ton of fun finding out what my tractor can do. If it ends up being mine for years, great. If not, that's ok too.

There are probably thousands on this board that can ditto your response. There are some that bought their first small tractor to mow a large suburban lot and will not understand this. And that's OK. They just want a life time mower and no more. That's what they have. (ps: It's really alot more but don't tell)
When first time tractor owners move beyond mowing (reason for buying for many) and get a FEL, tiller, forks, toothbar, RatchetRake, snow blower/blade/ boxblade, fertilizer spreader, overseeder, Quick hitches, plows, cultivators, Backhoe then the knowledge that their original purchase of a life time mower is so far beyond what they had thought they were buying that they begin appreciating their tractor for what it is. Then may move on to realizing that they want to do even more. Maybe even do less but anyway they need another or different machine to fullfil that deep down inner (man) (being) crying to get out to move/manipulate that land and/or rocks and try to conquer their patch of land God has put in their care. You know who I'm talking about, yeah, you, don't look around it's you!!!!:laughing:
Now it appears the most common progression is to get a different machine and I've done that a few, well, several times but maybe many need to start looking more closely at getting an additional machine instead of a different machine. On this point to each his own.:thumbsup:
Anyway, good luck to all with their test tractor and those that may follow.:thumbsup:

 

[TripleR]

John, all very good points with what I think the most important being the acknowledgment that no matter how hard you try and no matter how much research, you may very well wind up with something less than ideal and possibly unsatisfactory. Accept that up front without undue stress and be prepared to move on when you can and get a different machine.

I fully realize for some this will take longer for some than others due to finances and even some will choose to simply live with what they have, but it is certainly a valid approach.

 

[bigbull338]

since ive been back at TBNive seen a dangerious trend develope.thats buy a new undersized tractor from the start an then trade it within a year or so.wich means you could get in a bad way rolling 1 tractor note into another an owe an bunch more money.because most dealers wont trade even up paying off the tractor your trading.when i bought my tractor i bought the biggest HST that kubota had.that way i would not get trader fever.i dont intend to trade the tractor at all,even though i might buy another tractor in the future.

 

[CORamos]

JT, this is an interesting way of looking at it.

I finally got to try out my backhoe. It was very satisfying, and I'm glad I got my BX, but at the end of the day when I parked her in the garage for the night, I couln't help but wonder.... "Wow, that was cool.... I wonder what I could do with a bigger backhoe?":laughing:

 

[TripleR]

since ive been back at TBNive seen a dangerous trend develope.thats buy a new undersized tractor from the start an then trade it within a year or so.wich means you could get in a bad way rolling 1 tractor note into another an owe an bunch more money.because most dealers wont trade even up paying off the tractor your trading.when i bought my tractor i bought the biggest HST that kubota had.that way i would not get trader fever.i don't intend to trade the tractor at all,even though i might buy another tractor in the future.

bigbull338, I am certainly not the only one or even in the minority in recommending to a new inexperienced buyer to buy bigger than you think. This goes for shops, garages and such. Even then, you can under buy.

There will be exceptions especially with experienced owners or those with small properties and unchanging needs.

I don't think anyone under buys intentionally.

Note, one of JOHNTHOMAS's tractors was too big which can be as bad as too small.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

since ive been back at TBNive seen a dangerious trend develope.thats buy a new undersized tractor from the start an then trade it within a year or so.wich means you could get in a bad way rolling 1 tractor note into another an owe an bunch more money.because most dealers wont trade even up paying off the tractor your trading.when i bought my tractor i bought the biggest HST that kubota had.that way i would not get trader fever.i dont intend to trade the tractor at all,even though i might buy another tractor in the future.

I've done alot of trading and still owe Kubota but soon, very soon one will be paid off and then every year or so another will be paid off. I've not experienced the big loss considering I used it for a year that you speak of but I shop for good price and I have a dealer that gives me good trade in prices (Barlows). I did buy one to big and traded it sooner than all the others other than the BX2350 with the abrupt stop.

JT, this is an interesting way of looking at it.

I finally got to try out my backhoe. It was very satisfying, and I'm glad I got my BX, but at the end of the day when I parked her in the garage for the night, I couln't help but wonder.... "Wow, that was cool.... I wonder what I could do with a bigger backhoe?":laughing:

LOL:laughing:

bigbull338, I am certainly not the only one or even in the minority in recommending to a new inexperienced buyer to buy bigger than you think. This goes for shops, garages and such. Even then, you can under buy.

There will be exceptions especially with experienced owners or those with small properties and unchanging needs.

I don't think anyone under buys intentionally.

Note, one of JOHNTHOMAS's tractors was too big which can be as bad as too small.

In my opinion from my experience buying to big is just as bad as buying to little. I'm not speaking of HP here, I'm speaking of size. Went up from a big B (B3200) to a Grand L3240HST and rarely would get the tractor out because it was to big in size for my purposes. Traded it in with less than 50 hours on it. To much HP is a waste of money but it won't stop some one from using the equipment so size is different than HP.

 

[TripleR]

In my opinion from my experience buying to big is just as bad as buying to little. I'm not speaking of HP here, I'm speaking of size. Went up from a big B (B3200) to a Grand L3240HST and rarely would get the tractor out because it was to big in size for my purposes. Traded it in with less than 50 hours on it. To much HP is a waste of money but it won't stop some one from using the equipment so size is different than HP.[/B]

Ah, but you missed my qualifier and I have specifically referenced your purchase of a tractor too big for your needs. It is truly a balancing act in which we often fail, but I have seen far more people buying too small than too large.

 

[bp fick]

In John's original thesis, he made some very good points. Among them was the simple reality that folks trade cars, truck, boats, shoot, until recently, even houses. Nobody feels bad or guilt ridden about it.

Sometimes the first tractor isn't a mistaken purchase at all. But, life has a way of throwing not only bad curves, but also golden opportunities. Things you don't expect and couldn't possibly have foreseen. Reacting to those new challenges or unexpected changes can be just a part of life.

John's thesis also stated a couple of conditions that I respect. Keep the machine in good service and don't abuse it and it will likely return your money, if you bought it right, for little more than a tiny rental fee per hour used. I thought that was particularly well said.

Beat the crud out of it, neglect it or abuse it, well, all bets are off.

Finally, I'm a HUGE believer in being patient and not forcing things, but allowing things to work out. It may take a little time to sell your "test tractor", but if it's clean, well maintained and you bought it right in the first place, you'll come alright. Just takes a little patience. It's no different than selling your old truck or boat or anything else in life. $.02