new vs. used

[/pine]

...What are some of the pros/cons of new vs. used machines?...

new:...it's new!... initial depreciation, warranty...oh yeah...it's new!

used:...often no sales tax, no initial depreciation...if you don't tear it up it will hold its current value...if you do more than general maintenance it could increase the value...

Here is the scenario I would look for...it may take a while but it's a proven method ...:

Visit all the dealers in your area and tell them you are interested in a used tractor that one of their previous customers is trading in...describe your wants/needs and be sure to state that you are only interested in tractors that they (dealer) did the regular service on...Many dealers will allow 3rd party sales between interested buyers and their customers...thus no sales tax.
You will either have to be willing to wait if you want the ideal machine...or compromise here and there and maybe not have to wait so long...keep checking back with as many dealers as you can...you will get some calls...And

The thing is you will have a dealer with the maitenance records of a tractor since they sold it off their lot...

 

[smstonypoint]

As I read it, the OP wants a new tractor. I'm guessing he has heard the arguments for buying used from his wife and has not been convinced. We should be providing him with moral and tactical support.

Steve

 

[bp fick]

As I read it, the OP wants a new tractor. I'm guessing he has heard the arguments for buying used from his wife and has not been convinced. We should be providing him with moral and tactical support.

Steve

Yup, unless I missed the boat, this isn't really about new versus used at all.

It's about the wife.

I'll simply repeat what I said at the top of this thread. Ask her if she is comfortable about "wiping out OUR cash"? (Emphasis upon WE not having the cash any longer).

"So, dear, you'd be OK with us not having that $16,000 fall back reserve?"

 

[bp fick]

Oh, to carry this imagined, yet oh-so-familiar conversation out one more step.

If she says, "No, I'm not comfortable wiping out $16,000 of our cash reserves, right now." You're golden!!!

But, if she says, "No, I'm not crazy about it, but I'd just rather not take on any more payments. I'd rather we owned what we have and be done with it."

In the latter case, my friend, you'd best be on your horse and shopping for a quality, used machine that you can steal from someone who's in a bad way financially. And, be very grateful for your wife's blessing upon you getting a tractor, and when you get it home, give her a big kiss and say, Thank you. :laughing:

 

[TripleR]

As I read it, the OP wants a new tractor. I'm guessing he has heard the arguments for buying used from his wife and has not been convinced. We should be providing him with moral and tactical support.

Steve

True, but I have learned it best to always have a fall back position.

My wife of 43 years loves our farms and tractors, so I have no experience in convincing her of anything like this.

Did I mention she also likes guns, motorcycles, ATV/RUV:thumbsup:

 

[smstonypoint]

True, but I have learned it best to always have a fall back position.

No disagreement here, but I believe the OP should maintain a positive attitude about his prospects.

Steve

 

[fredhargis]

I looked for a used one for 6 months and only saw a few. They generally fell into 2 categories: aged/used beyond the point I would buy them (and still priced quite high), or very low hours, but usually priced the same as a new one. If I buy used I'm doing it to save money and the prices I saw wouldn't save me anything but the sales tax (maybe). So I moved on to a new one. Murphy's law being what is, I did finally see a used one I would buy about 2 months ago...but it was 6 months too late. On the mechanical issue possibility, a well cared for tractor with low hours might have a transferable warranty (if that's important to you) or at the very least (IMHO) be worth the risk; that, of course, assuming you save money on the purchase.

 

[bigbull338]

ok im going to start with the used rout,with a little background 1st.last winter is was wet all winter.so finding safe places to put hay out with a 2wd drive was impossable.i know we stuck the tractor 5 or 6 times.in doing that i started looking for a 4 wheel drive used.an i wasnt looking for an HST because i wasnt planning on driving it.the used tractors i found was $16000 to $27000.but i just couldnt see giving that for a used tractor.so then i decided i wanted a tractor i could drive.an friend told me to get a HST.so i started looking for used.no luck because they dont sell good used HSTs.then i found the biggest HST in kubota put a FEL on it an bought a new tractor.bottomline used tractors is $8000 to $10,000 cheaper.so new tractor is the best buy.

 

[Piston]

Just convince her that a used tractor will cost more money in the long run, with all the repairs you'll have to do, so say it will be cheaper initially to buy the used tractor, but then there is a good chance that something very expensive will break on it because it's been used before, and that will drive the price higher than just buying new....
Maybe she would buy that and realize its better to buy new than used, and cheaper. It might be hard to convince her of this because of course none of us know your wife, and because its not really all that true, but she doesn't have to know that

Also I didn't realize how much of a regional thing it is for used tractors. Up here in New England there are tons of people who want a tractor more for a toy than a necessity. Many times they have it for years and barely use it, garage it, some even wax them! And then they are over it and want to sell it for another toy or maybe need the cash or whatever. It seems like a lot of places through the country this isn't the case, and people only sell the junk tractors, so you could convince her thats the case for your area. :thumbsup:

How is the discussion coming along with your wife? Any progress so far? Good luck and on the positive side, at least she hasn't ruled out your idea of a brand new one, so your still in the game!
We're all routing for ya! :thumbsup:

 

[First one]

I wanted to buy new. But ended up getting a used cab tractor 08 L3240 in 09 with 224hrs on it just like new,it never had the PTO hooked up to anything. I was planning on a B or Bx new.
Could see how the cab might not be a bad idea in the long run ,and the extra hp and all the goodies that came with it made it too good to pass up.
You never know what you're going to find when you start looking. If the tractor had more hrs on it or looked anything but new, I wouldn't have gone used.
If you do go used ,at least ask for all schedule maintenance and repair receipts.
You could also say the price you would get for selling a new tractor would be alot more than trying to sell a older one.
Of course there is the old" I just wanted a new tractor just once before I die.:thumbsup: It was going to work for me.