I made the trip to go over the tractor today.
The bad:
Cosmetically its not as pretty as I was hoping for a 70 hour tractor. Not abused, or really even too many signs of use, but its faded and there is rust here and there. Looks like it may have had a canopy or been under a pole barn, but it wasn't kept indoors.
It's a 2009. Again, with 70 hrs I was hoping it would be a 2012 or 2013.
It has the original oil in it. The dealer noted that it had a gray filter. He called the owner (its on consignment), who confirmed that it's never been changed. How someone can think that 7 years is a reasonable amount of time to leave oil in, regardless of hours, is beyond me.
The good:
Part of the reason its had the same oil in it for 7 years is because the owner seemingly forgot about the machine. There was warranty work done in 2009 for a faulty GST valve (wouldn't go into high gear) and the rubber boots on the front axle (linkage?) where it was documented at 19 hrs. According to the dealer the owner, an elderly man, has a larger tractor with a loader- which is why he purchased this one without one. Not sure what this one was used for, but it wasn't used much. The molding marks on the edges of the rear tire tread are intact, as are the little fins left from molding between the tread on the front and rear tires. I asked if the hour meter could be manipulated, and he said not without a new $1,000 panel- and no such purchase was attached to the serial number.
Everything works perfectly
Price. We're down to $19,500 WITH oil/filter change and fuel filter change. Hydraulic filter has been changed (probably during warranty service.) The dealer is also replacing the 3pt pin that currently has a hitch pin in it. The breakdown is $12,500 for the tractor, $5,000 for the LA724 loader, and $2,000 for the 6' land pride medium duty rotary cutter with slip clutch.
Interest rate. The implements are 0% for 48, and combining them with the 4.98% used tractor rate put me at 3% for the package. 5% is the best I've seen on used equipment from a dealer, and what I've read about financing a private purchase is 6% with "exceptional" credit.
The dealer. This is the first one that has been straight with me. I sell prison sentences for a living, so I know when somebody is giving me a pitch. This guy gave me the sellers bottom line the first day I called him. After I negotiated on price HIS numbers moved on the implements, the seller's stayed the same. He originally told me he'd need money up front so he wouldn't get stuck with the loader, then made the agreement today on a handshake.
I've done a lot of shopping and I haven't seen anything better for the money. The only new tractor that I'd buy at that price is the
L2501 (with hydro now
). Total cost would be roughly the same. My biggest concern, obviously, is 7 year old oil. If it weren't for that I would have insisted that he take my down payment today. He hasn't ordered the loader yet, so I can still sleep on it.
