New Tractor??? Maxium hours on meter????

BOTAMAN · Dec 6, 2003

In my part of the country that many hours is unusal on a new tractor sitting on the lot. Most of the units we sell have between 0.7 to 1.5 hours. Sometimes we will have a tractor we have let the high school band use or some other group use to pull a float or something of that nature, but they will not normally have over 4-5 hours

Henro · Dec 6, 2003

Just thought of something else to keep in mind...

Some hour meters are tachometer driven...ie...an hour is only an hour if the engine was running at rated rpm for that hour.

Since I was breaking in my Kubota B2910, and not running at full rpm until after the 50 hour mark...it took a lot longer than 20 hours of seat time to get the first 20 hours on the hour meter...

JacknCoke · Dec 6, 2003

At our dealership we have many harvest rental tractors that usually have 20 to 100 hours on them. Most of these are used in the vineyards during grape harvest which last about a month or two. Some of these vineyards rent 10 to 30 tractors and most are used just to pull grape bins around.
Once we get them back they are cleaned up to look like new and any broken parts are replaced. The new owner will get a good discount and warranty starts at time of purchase.
As for the 50 hour service. If the tractor has over 30 hours on it we do the 50 hour service before it is delivered to the new owner. On any other tractor we sell (new or harvest rental) we only charge the customer for the parts an fluid and we pay for labor and that includes travel time.
Sometimes we let schools or the fairgrounds borrow tractors but they usually only have a couple hours on them.

J.D.

PineRidge · Dec 6, 2003

My NH had 3.4 hours on the meter. I am sure a few people got to drive it around the lot before I made my purchase but its still new to me!

bigpete · Dec 6, 2003

I'm not really sure why I feel this way, but I think 10-15 would be about the limit for me. I can buy a little shuttling and set up time, and a few customers trying out the inventory. Anything above 10 I think I would yank a free service out of the dealership, or a price break, or a discounted attachment. Perhaps even ask for new fluids if it were much more than 10 hours, mosly because this would signify extended time on the lot in varying condiions which could meen condensation, etc.

I know 10 to 20 hours is nothing for one of these tractors, but five hours in the wrong hands or under the wrong conditions can change things. All of my equipment has been delivered truly "new."

stonebase · Dec 7, 2003

Thanks guys for all the follow up!!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I think I got a pretty good idea how to react to this situation if and when it comes up at purchase time!!!!

Bird · Dec 7, 2003

( Some hour meters are tachometer driven...ie...an hour is only an hour if the engine was running at rated rpm for that hour )

Yep, that's right, and on the other hand, some are electric, so on those (such as my 1995 B7100) if someone left the key in the "on" position overnight, it could have 8 to 12 hours on the meter without the engine ever having been started.

Larry_Van_Horn · Dec 8, 2003

I was the guy who posted awhile back when my "new" tractor was delivered with 14.5 hours on it. The dealership was not clear where the 14.5 came from since they had not let it out to anyone and expected 8 hours from the Dyno process. They wanted to keep me happy and threw in a "free" hydraulic toplink cylinder, 50 hour service, and I purchased my chipper from them at their cost. I was worked up at the time, but not now.
Lar

PineRidge · Dec 8, 2003

I was the guy who posted awhile back when my "new" tractor was delivered with 14.5 hours on it. The dealership was not clear where the 14.5 came from since they had not let it out to anyone and expected 8 hours from the Dyno process. They wanted to keep me happy and threw in a "free" hydraulic toplink cylinder, 50 hour service, and I purchased my chipper from them at their cost. I was worked up at the time, but not now.
Lar


Sounds to me like you came out on the top end. Most dealers want to keep their customers coming back for many years to come. They did an excellent job of keeping you satisfied. Glad it worked out for you.