Buying Advice Item for sale not on lot, in owners garage

[sixdogs]

Well, I see a problem. Simply, it doesn't fit the mould of what a normal business would do and how I would expect them to behave. Based on that, and since the price is no particular deal, I'd move on. Yes, dealers do this all the time but it doesn't impress me as being squeaky clean as I would hope my dealer is. And if not squeaky clean on that, is there anything else I should ask?
There are lots of tractors for sale and they keep making more every day. Buy one of those.

 

[BleedingOrange]

The frustrating part is, if that is the exact machine you want, that it is hard to get a bargain, if they aren,t really very interested in selling it.

 

[DavesTractor]

Another thing that limits this type of "demo" use is that most dealers have their rolling stock inventory on a floor plan. Floor checkers pop in occasionally and audit inventory, and the item must be on the lot. This keeps dealers honest and is a good thing all the way around.

 

[MHarryE]

In the construction equipment business a large amount of equipment is rented for a few years prior to final sale. At some point the machine is depreciated down to the point where customers are willing to pay the price rather than buy new. Many of those machines may be out on rental when a retail customer comes to look at it and so will be taken to the current customer's job site. I bought my mini-excavator that way except at the point where I decided to buy, I went to the dealer and the machine was in between jobs and was sitting on the lot. This may not be the case for you but in my example I would have been able to see the machine and try it out on the customer's site, the dealer would have made sure it was cleaned and serviced and the condition had not deteriorated since the time I saw it.

 

[jeff9366]

Sounds like I should become a used equipment seller. I can use the equipment all I want and not have to pay sales tax on it!

Trust me, your repairs and maintenance on a commercial mower with be astronomically higher than any sales tax if you pilot mower yourself. If an EMPLOYEE drives the mower repairs will double over repair costs with you driving it.

Forget the 6% or 7% or whatever the sales tax is in Pennsylvania; you pay sales tax only once. Repairs and maintenance are ongoing, increasing as equipment ages.

 

[dgeesaman]

Trust me, your repairs and maintenance on a commercial mower with be astronomically higher than any sales tax if you pilot mower yourself. If an EMPLOYEE drives the mower repairs will double over repair costs with you driving it.

Forget the 6% or 7% or whatever the sales tax is in Pennsylvania; you pay sales tax only once. Repairs and maintenance are ongoing, increasing as equipment ages.

I was pretty much kidding about the becoming a dealer remark.

One thing that's developed since I first posted is that I'm now 3rd party financed and I can walk in cash-in-hand. It's hard to find exactly what I want but I'm slowly uncovering an option here and there. Also I found a couple of other options so between those two items, if they're not interested in making any kind of deal I'll tell them it's too bad I'm gone.

There is one dealer that I have to travel for but he has a demo unit in a 72" deck (bigger) and more expensive but with a full factory warranty and priced at his cost. I won't get that from any used option.

David

 

[jeff9366]

Anticipation is 50% of satisfaction. This is an expensive purchase, research, take your time. Keep examining the options.

 

[Arc weld]

A dealer can do whatever they want with their equipment. Have you ever heard the saying, "Everything is for sale... for the right price." I would suspect they're not in a hurry to sell it unless someone makes an offer they can't refuse. That offer might have to be a lot more than the machine is worth for them to even get excited.

NEVER believe a dealer that says they're selling something at cost! It sounds like you haven't made a lot of equipment purchases. There's always room to negotiate on used or demo machines. If you make too low an offer, the worst they can do is say no.