Heartbroken...

[Anonymous Poster]

Harv,
Don't have the figures in front of me but it was a year ago. ..Paid right around 10K for the tractor, here in Texas. Dealer wanted to sell me FEL and Box Blade. I had to resist. Because of budget, really couldn't justify a FEL. Sure they come in handy to "haul" things around the yard, but didn't really need it. Opted for the platform from Tractor Supply for $175. I built sides on it and use it to haul dirt, rocks, etc. I also use it to mount a 55 gal plastic tank on it (got it for free), bought a 12v pump, and rigged up a tempory spray arm. I use if for spraying my field. Works great. If I remember your earlier posts, I think you said your main goal was to maintain your property. Mostly mowing. That's kind of where I had to make some $ decisions as opposed to comfort/wants...not needs. I NEEDED a tractor....I would have liked HST...but didn't need because I have open field. Put it in gear and run for 2 hrs without ever having to back up or go around a tree. I NEEDED a new truck...2 kids in college. I got a new toy, mamma got a new truck, kids getting educated (I hope) and if sometime down the road I find I NEED a FEL and have the $ at the time, then I might be able to talk the better half in giving up the extra $2500.

 

[geneP]

Harv, I lean toward your point of view on used/new, and I back it up with my personal practices. Let me preface my position by stating my use for a tractor is to maintain my own 22 acres and any monetary profit resulting from it's use is from increased property values. I'm not looking for day in/day out use and don't need the latest in technology. I've been hobbying with tractors for 30 years, never have had a new one. Every time I trade, I get a little more modern one than the last. Of the tractors I've bought/sold, I've lost money ($300) on one, and I only kept it 6 mo because I hated the way it was geared. The others I actually sold for several hundreds more that I paid, as the equipment values typically follow inflation. I use them until another one attracts my attention, and move on. As is the opinion of several others on this board, tractors are tough machines and can take a lot of hard work. IF a prospect is evaluated properly before purchase, there is a very good chance you won't find serious problems after you get it home. I'm on my sixth tractor, and I've never been disappointed in it's service to me. If you can find a tractor to do the job you want at a savings and are reasonably assured of it's condition (warranty?), I say go for it.

 

[glennmac]

Harv, sounds as if you've got a good new vs. used discussion going now. A few thoughts.

As to those who are advocating used, I would inquire as to whether (a) they are mechanically-inclined tractor-fixer-uppers or (b) are near a dealer. If you are neither (a) nor (b), I think used is a significantly bigger risk for you.

When I started shopping for tractors I was thinking in absolute dollar terms--I need to withdraw $X from my retirement account to pay cash. (I hate debt but cant avoid it, and have 3 kids in college and law school.) When I found out that cheap tractors cost $10K I almost choked. How can such a basic thing cost more than a Ford Focus? (I still dont understand why tractors are so expensive.) Of course, I still think you can buy a new VW bug for $1750. When I started looking at the bigger-is-better-and-by-the-way-more-expensive-machines, the choking got serious. Well, now I think financing. You can finance new. 7.9% with Kubota with a 25% down payment. Green and Blue have even more aggressive offers: no payments at all for 9 months, for example. Consider how that would affect you. If you buy new and finance and need a bigger or smaller machine later, you can trade-in and refinance.

Having said that, I hate debt. Mine and yours.

Glenn

 

[Harv]

Thanks, Gene and Glenn!

It's experiences like yours that make this board so worthwhile.

You make some very good points which strike very close to home. Since my 42 acres is a 2-1/2 hour drive from where I live right now, I will be, at best, a weekend tractor warrior. Fact is, I won't be up there more than 2 or 3 weekends a month. That alone should be a factor in deciding which tractor to get, but I'm only just now seeing what that really means.

Certainly I can get along just fine with a "no frills" machine, which is good 'cuz things like HST are probably out of my financial grasp. I tell people, "I ain't no mechanic", but what I really mean is that cars were never a hobby of mine. I started out in college as a mechanical engineer because I had the aptitude and the interest, but I fell in love with computers and the rest is history. The point here is that I'm not completely inept (despite what everybody says /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif) and tractors hold an appeal for me that cars never did. I'm already looking forward to at least the routine maintenance I've been reading about, I'm fairly handy with tools of all kinds, and I love to tinker. If something serious comes up I can have the tractor shipped to the not-so-local Kubota dealer for about $50 each way. Not a hopeless situation.

So although I am now talked into looking at new, I am still keeping my eye out for that well-maintained old workhorse with my name on it.

 

[Harv]

Wen -

I'm old enough I don't have time to waste being broken-hearted for very long. I'm still bummed, but thanks to you guys I am now taking up the hunt again, this time with renewed vigor. Like so many have said, I might very well find something better this time. Gotta love that attitude. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Not that it matters at this point, but the L2350 I lost out on was a '97 -- not 10 years old. I get your point nonetheless.

I am in a position to pay cash, it's just that until my new business is launched and I have an income again, I really hate parting with any more cash than I have to. Financing sounds good, but these days all I have is a perfect credit record -- no viable income. Loan people don't like that too much. Hmmmm... I do have just about enough room on my VISA... WAIT!!! Let's not go there. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

Like Glenn, I see "debt" as a four-letter word.