Good question. I'd also consider 17 hours new, but it wasn't 'fresh out of the box new' - the 2350 was, which surprised me and why I commented on it. I don't really expect to buy a tractor with 0 hours, unless I want to order it and wait, but to answer your question some of the dealers I've spoken to tend to have a few 'demo' models each season.
For example: the Kubota dealer has a
BX2350, a
B7510 a
B7800 and several of the larger units that they shuttle around the area so that the same tractor is getting the scratches on it and the ones on the lot look pristine. They then sell them at a slight discount based on the hours when they no longer need to demo that model. Since there seem to be enough people wanting to try these tractors out for their various applications, I would imagine that shuttling a few demos around the area makes more sense. Some people don't want to buy other peoples' scratches. For some models the dealer is selling them as soon as the wheels go on (at the same dealership there are no 7800's in the yard), so they are getting delivered with virtually no hours on them. Of course if one of those people wanted a tractor RIGHT NOW, they could probably buy the demo unit, but unless the lag time is huge, I guess they're waiting.
Keep in mind too that I'm in a small city that has only one of each dealership for probably a 100 mile radius in an agricultural area. If there were several competing dealers close, I wouldn't expect each of them to do the same thing.
In some ways I'd rather buy a demo unit that has had its 50 hour service and had any small glitches worked out - but if it is exactly the same price, on the same lot, sitting side by side, I'd probably buy the new unit. Besides, given the choice, I'm sure my wife would pick new paint.
Chris
