Harvest lease return VS. New

[Woodcab]

I have narrowed my tractor search to a NH TC40DA or a Case DX40 and have recieved several quotes on these tractors. I also have a quote for the same tractor but it would be a tractor that had been rented for the harvest season and returned with around 150 hours. I would save around $5000.00 if I went this route. Tractor comes with the remaining warrenty.
Has anyone purchased a harvest return tractor?
If so any unusual problems or regrets?

This seems like a good deal to me, but thought running it by you all would be the safe route.

Thanks,

 

[MikePA]

150 hours is nothing, barely broken in. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I'd ask the dealer if they have the service records. If they look OK, to save $5,000, I'd go for the lease return in a heartbeat.

 

[Golfgar4]

I agree with Mike.

Get the service records and make sure that it was serviced properly. Also, see if you can find out if it was rented by one person or business vs. being available to anyone. Chances are if it was rented to a single person or business, it would have received better care. If a variety of people were able to rent it, then it was operated in a variety of ways, most of which would probably have been wrong.

That $5,000 could be some awfully nice implements! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[higgy]

yaa surree, it might have been rented by da norrveegins!

 

[Golfgar4]

/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gifOooooo.....

Oh ya! If da tractor has da Fel, it might have been used to cook da lutefisk, don't ya know! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Mr. Woodcab - make sure ya clean da fel real good! If it was used for da lutefisk, you don't want to go smelling dat stuff, no way! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[thcri]

150 hours is not much and there probably would be no service records other than the 50 hour oil change.

Just think of all you could do with 5K. You could get a bush hog, a back blade, a tiller, new kitchen cabinets for your wife, Ooops scratch the cabinets at this time, you can buy tools, a box blade, gee the list can go on??

Murph

 

[Riddler]

Matt, I have decided to go the harvest rental return route as well (but orange, not blue). With the dealers in Northern California getting hundreds of units back in a relatively short period of time, one would think that they might be more anxious to move inventory now than at other times of the year. Also, a slightly used machine can be better than a brand new machine because the "bugs" (if any) have a chance to be identified and corrected in advance.

If you don't mind my asking, what discount in percentage terms is the dealer offering you for the slightly used machine? If I am not mistaken, the list price for a new "loader ready" TC40DA (i.e., including joystick and mounting kit) with R1s is almost $22K. Are you getting $5K off of that? I am trying to get a sense of whether the discount I am being offered for the orange rental return I am considering is comparable to what your NH dealer is giving you.

 

[KiotiJohn]

I would assure that you know what you can get a new tractor for before accepting that the $5K discount is really a good deal. Other than that, as was said, try to assure that the 50 hours service was done, or at least the first 50 hours because there can be a lot of new metal in the fluids doing damage if the service wasn't done. May not show up in the time you own the tractor, but could reduce the life overall. John

 

[Woodcab]

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

Murph,

I think the 5,000 difference is safe from kitchen cabinets for the wife . . . I'm a cabinet maker. We'll just assume the $ is safe for implements or a trailer /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Riddler,

You were the one that suggested I talk to Craig at Garton Tractor in Santa Rosa and he has been excellent. He is extremely knowledgeable and patient with questions. He is offering TC40DA rental return with loader and quick attach for $17,900. His price for the same thing new is $23,900.

The best price I have found on a new tractor with the implements that I want came from Team Power in Sacramento with Wilkenson International (Case Dealer) in Woodland a close second. Basically, the harvest return with all the implements I want is $5,000 less than the best new price I can get (unless I buy one from Tarheel Tractor, also really great people).

Craig's lease returns come from farms with different crops so they trickle in throughout the year as the different harvests end. When I was looking at orange tractors, lease returns were only about $1500 less than new. I didn't think that was significant enough to go that route. I found several Kubota dealers far less than helpful (very disappointing).

 

[thcri]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I found several Kubota dealers far less than helpful (very disappointing).
)</font>

Matt unfortunately we find too many dealers of all kinds that are less than helpful. That is why most people here will tell you the dealer means so much more than the color of the tractor. Stick with the dealer you like and feel the most comfortable with even though it may cost a few bucks more.

I am sure you will make the right decision.

murph