Newbie with a few q's

[19th_VA]

Re: Newbie with a few q\'s

Century does offer the same loaders as Branson, though my understanding is that they are trying to phase them out. The C-50 is significantly heavier than either the C-30 or C-40 (Branson equivalent bl10 and bl20, though the specs (compared to the C-40/Bl20) are pretty much a wash. The C40/Bl20, however, are still very stoutly mounted. The joystick on the C-50 is definitely better designed and in a better location, except that the hydaulic lines need to run under the deck to get to the better position right next to the driver on the fender. Seems to me they far more vulnerable to viscious, blood thirsty saplings.

 

[chrisjbell]

Re: Newbie with a few q\'s

I think you ought to reconsider the Kubota financing deal. When I bought mine I was at a 3.99% rate, and I figured that was nearly free financing, especially for 60 months (I did 48, which was the best they offered at the time). Payments were pretty low - to be honest I don't remember what they were so they weren't too painful /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

I've been really happy with my tractor and would highly recommend it (B7300 - but the B7800 is better [power steering]). Handles lots of implements with the Cat 1 3Pt.

It does sound like you have serious tractor fever. It is one of those diseases that gets worse when you get the cure /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Newbie with a few q\'s

I am basically looking for the cheapest note.I realize I'll pay more in the long run but there are several factors enticing me to a cheaper monthly payment instead of a smaller overall payment. #1 We had become very accustomed to living way below our income.And since we were so far ahead there,I bumped up my contribution into my psp at work which still left us plenty of expendable income.I can't reduce my contributed % of pay until January 04 barring some disaster.My psp is also not mature enough for me to make a loan from it to myself which would be ideal. We broke down & bought the wife a new car last summer. The new house is also going to run us about $350 more per mo than what our current mortgage does. Then there's the fact that I'm UAW. There is always the chance of a strike during contract negotiations. I'd hate to be drawing no pay & screw everything up by not be able to meet the bills. Better to pay more in the long run with a higher interest but longer term lower payment & still have the tractor than to go for the shorter term with lower interest & higher payment & have it repo'ed. Now if we were on strike,I know I could probably file financial hardship & dip into my savings in the psp.But the charges are steep.Plus as the wife says,if I lower my % I'm putting in, knowing me I'll never bump the % back up as I get spoiled to having more $$ in my pocket. We had gotten so used to paying cash for everything & now we're taking on a lot more in monthly expenses.Then there's the fact that while we do have a substantial amount of cash on hand,most of it is earmarked for home improvement projects such as creating a yard where we now have craters & dirt,fencing in a good bit of the yard, building a garage & workshop, etc etc etc. However since I've decided to sell one of my trucks, that's gonna help alot but I sure hate to get rid of it.I know I'll kick myself for it one day. Sorry for the long posts I've been making lately but I feel like the more you guys know of what & why the better advice I get from you. Once again you guys rock!!!! PS I checked into the Branson & Century tractors online,& unfortunately the dealers are a little farther away than the orange, purple & reds . The plus to that is,if I need parts etc, or if I need to take the tractor in for something,I can always tow it to work with me & drop it at the dealer as soon as I get off.Whereas with a dealer that's 50 mi away,I probably couldn't get there before they closed.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Newbie with a few q\'s

Do you have any "nice" relatives that would "loan" you enough of a down payment to take advantage of the cheaper financing ?

Just a thought...

 

[cstocks]

Re: Newbie with a few q\'s

You must have visited the John Deere dealership on I-20 on the east side of Shreveport. I live near Houston but travel through Shreveport several times a year on my way to visit family in south Ark. When I was shopping for a tractor in 2001 I stopped at the JD dealership there in Sheveport. It took 15 minutes to get waited on, even though they were not busy, and when the sales guy found out where I lived he pretty much told me I did not want to buy from them. He gave me the song and dance about only getting good service from the dealer I bought from and since I was so far away I probably did not want to buy from them. I ended up buying my NH from Fallin Tractor in Magnolia, AR, which is another hour and a half further from my home. So I live in southeast TX and my dealer is in Ark. That has not been a problem for me in the last year and a half. If I am in Ark. and I have a problem I leave my tractor at Fallin for work. Otherwise I take it to the dealer here in Houston and get treated just as good. So I agree with you if you and I are talking about the same dealer in Shreveport. He can take a long walk on a short pier as far as I care.

You are taking the right approach by making sure that you not only get the right tractor for your needs but also that you buy from a dealer that wants your business and will treat you right. It looks like you have really done your homework and I know that you will enjoy whatever brand you decide to go with. Good luck with your decision making and have fun with your new tractor!

 

[frank_f15]

Re: Newbie with a few q\'s

i am not one to make financial decesions for anyone, but i was wondering what the difference in the mo. payment for the 2 tractors is? if u were out of a job for a short time could u afford either payment? a million ways to look at things! good luck in YOUR decesion.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Newbie with a few q\'s

You hit that nail square cstocks. I know my logic on the finance might be causing some head scratching. I looked into the smaller tractors & even though I myself don't own much land I will be tackling some pretty big jobs. So I'm pretty sure of the size I want ,now it comes down to the color. I also know my creed.....Too much is almost enough. So far it looks like the 15k neighborhood for the tractor. I'm hoping to either negotiate longer terms,lower % rates,or some implements thrown in for the same $$. Like the old saying goes,you get half of what you ask for & none of what you don't. I haven't read much on dealers negotiating price but I'm guessing with the economy they might be at their most agreeable right now just to get something sold. Still comparing specs on the 3 I like so far & will soon put them all through their paces on the dealer lots to see what fits best. I still have some more research on a few other dealerships in the area. I am spreading my geographical search a bit further as there are quite a few dealerships that are farther than the mileage I originally wanted to travel, but thanks to the tbn gang I had my eyes opened to the fact that a better deal may be just a few more miles down the highway.

 

[timb]

Re: Newbie with a few q\'s

Leadfoot - one thing I'd check on is how the loan is structured. On all the auto loans I've taken out in the last 15 years you could pay down the principal - and the interest only accrued on the unpaid balance. In other words you weren't signing off on and held to an absolute overall fixed financing charge. The loan interest was always higher for the longer term loans, but if you did the math you'd find that by taking the longest repayment terms (say 60 months) and paying extra towards the principal each month so that the loan was repaid more quickly (say 36 months) - you ended up with the same overall effective interest rate that the 36 month loan had - but you always had the "safety" of the lower minimum payment if you ever needed it in a tight month.