I have been shopping for a used Kubota for close to 6 months at this point. I have consistently seen the EXACT SAME machines for sale at the SAME dealers for 6 months. Every time I inquire about the machines the dealers say "we are open for offers, but truly the machine is worth the asking price". If that is the case...wouldn't the machine SELL?
What's the deal?
Do the dealers hold onto used units because they artificially inflate resale value?
"Buy this new one, it is only a few thou more than that used one...and in 5 years it will only lose a few thou in value."
The machines I have been looking at all appear to be stagnant in the same price range and are in reasonable driving distance of me. It would appear that if one dealer would drop price a few k, they could sell easily.
Thoughts?
ac
Yes, I think you pretty much understand the game.
Part of it is to support the myth that THEIR brand has very high resale value.
Part of it is to upsell you into "new and improved", "latest and greatest"; translation "thinner and lighter", "manufacturing cost reduced", "less metal, more plastic".
New machines are often financed by the manufacturers and have a carrying cost known as the floor plan, i.e. the dealer is paying interest on a loan to have those new machines sitting there depreciating, they are at risk of becoming last year's models, etc.
The trade ins are close to flat on their depreciation curves, if they sell to a first time naive buyer - WOW ! a straight fat profit right on the top (-:
So, Craig's List is an option, you can use Search Tempest to find CListings within whatever you regard as a convenient radius of your zip code - and you won't be sucked into upsell.
A lot of the time you will be dealing with amateurs.
I use the term charitably, i.e. folk who have little or no more selling experience than you have buying experience and don't know if they should accept your first offer, make a counter offer, etc.
You MIGHT be looking at something that is a day or a week away from repo, so be sure that you can get clear title - whatever that is in your jurisdiction.
If you can offer ca$h for the outstanding debt - well, this is all part of "feeling out" the seller, you might be able to get the answers you need and decide to buy "through" the finance company.... details, details,,,
E-Bay has it's problems, I see it as a way to pay more for something than anyone else thinks it is worth - but that is my general view of auctions anyway.
With e-bay you get the chance to pay more than anyone else in THE WORLD (almost, lets just say a much wider circle than a physical auction house normally draws in ?) thinks it is worth.
Wadda way to "WIN" (-:
WONDERFUL for sellers, but BAD for buyers - especially if/when they get caught up in a bidding fever.
