How long did you Shop before buying

RalphVa · Jan 24, 2005

I started my shopping about a year ahead by reading the posts here and getting comparisons on Kubota and John Deere sites. Went to a couple county fairs and saw some Kubotas, John Deeres and NHs on display, with prices. Only took me a couple weeks of driving tractors and getting quotes to buy one when we finally got the money to pay for one. I'd narrowed my choices down by then to not want to try all makes and various sizes of tractors.

JerryG · Jan 24, 2005

I didn't shop for the tractor that I have now. I just went in and ordered it. The previous tractor took about a week, from the time I started until I made the deal.

zekeman · Jan 24, 2005

I started at the NY Farm Show in Feb. 04, spent the next six months eventually visiting every brand/dealer (including Chinese) that was at the show. Sort of put on hold once the warm weather arrived, getting busy with horses and Horse Shows and 4-H, While at our County Fair Got a great price from a dealer, end of Aug., Because I had so much pricing and info I knew right away that the price I got was a good buy , Tractor delivered early Sept.

Ron

Volfandt · Jan 24, 2005

1st tractor took alittle over 2 weeks as I knew what I wanted and was looking for the best deal on a used tractor.

My last one took alittle over a month but thats partially due to waiting on the monetary funds. If I had the $$'s I'd probably have done it in about 2 weeks as the additional time kept me vascillating back & forth.

I wouldn't change a thing as I got to go to every tractor dealer within a couple hrs drive and test drive every model I was interested in also. You might say that I enjoyed the journey /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Volfandt

Boondox · Jan 24, 2005

I shopped for about 2 months, first for the tractor and then for the dealer. In the end, the dealer I wanted didn't sell the tractors I wanted, so I switched brands and went with Kubota. Did a lot of test driving in the process.

Pete

CajunRider · Jan 24, 2005

I was planning to buy within a month of looking but then the permit to build on my land drags out so I won't be buying for another 6 months. Of course I can buy it and let it sit for 6 months. That would be torture! Prolonging the buying process allow me to think of owning any thing hehehe.

JJT · Jan 24, 2005

2 months for the big tractor - L3710, about 2 weeks for the ZD21 zero turn. I wouldn't do anything different.

I'm the same way with new cars, do a ton of research, try a bunch, and then shop hard on the short list.

Phils · Jan 24, 2005

Make mine about 3 months. I was to receive an inheritance that I figured would just about buy a CUT. I'd been mowing with a 20" rotary mower an ever enlarging space that's up to about 3 acres now. At my age, it was good excercise that I'd prefer to do without.

I checked out the county fair displays. I stopped and looked at a couple of local dealers. I checked on Bobcats and JDs. My BIL came by the house with a 6 wheel skidsteer hunting vehicle. We had fun, but tore up the ground everywhere we went. So, BobCat or any skidsteer was eliminated from the choices.

Then I searched and found TBN. Bought the book and read it. From that I knew what I needed was a 4WD mower more than a CUT, so started looking closer at the JD 4WD mowers.

Then due to a thread started by Bob Skurka, learned about the PowerTrac and Ventrac. Another month of reading back posts made up my mind and now I've had the PT about 3 months or so. Use it every good-weather day I'm home and it never fails to amaze me in how versatile and agile it is.

And if it wasn't for TBN there's no telling what I would've bought in the end.... but I suspect it would've been a riding mower from Lowe's and I'd still have a use for my wheelbarrow and shovel. And no fun.

Phil

frank_f15 · Jan 24, 2005

i kind of knew what i wanted (size & implements) so looked at the dealers and some of them did not seem interesed, and some thought my name was ROCKEFELLER /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif FOUND THE MACHINE I WANTED ONLINE AND BOUGHT IT WITHIN 3 DAYS. ALL TOLD , TIME WAS ABOUT 1 MONTH fron decesion to buy to actually buying

allpontiac · Jan 24, 2005

I shopped hard for about 6 months to find the right used tractor. This included a bunch of research and investigating the "gray" market. The most difficult part was finding a used one with power steering - found plenty of nice used tractors without power steering. Finally found the 97 Ford New Holland 1715 with 240 hours at a decent price then had a new FEL installed.