Purchase concern

Reg · Dec 13, 2009

wampum said:
I have a landtrac 330HST with fel. I was wanting to up grade to about a 40 hp,or more. I have looked at all the main tractors almost jumped on a Kubota L4400HST,but the cost was almost $24000.00,and they would not take my 330 in on trade. I talked to a local Montana dealer,he has a R4944 HST fel R-4 tires,quick release bucket,for $14000.00 after rebates and allowing me $9000.00 on my 330. That's my tractor and $14000.00 out the door. I can not find an LS dealer close,there may be one just do not know of any. Also this week in the farm paper a dealer is selling brand new Landtracs at 40% off. He has a 390hst with loader for $14995.00 and will give me $7000.00 for my 330.That would be $8000.00 and my tractor.The 330 and 390 share the same frame,the 330 has the 3 cyl. Daewong and the 390 has the 4 cyl. Mitsibishi. Both the Montana and 390 are LS or LG's. I should be able to get parts for both through Montana or LS. I am leaning towards the R4944,because of the 47 HP,and a lot of features not on other tractors. I would buy the Kubota but selling my 330 does not look good. It has 465 hours on it but watching the local papers,auctions and ebay,it seems like 3500.00 is about all its worth. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Is the 47 HP to much power for that 4944 frame,will it hold up?

This is what typically happens when trying to trade up at a dealership that doesn't generally handle the brand that you have.
They don't have a market for it, they don't want it, they would have to palm it off onto a dealer who does handle that brand and "dealer to dealer deals aren't".

Yes, I think long term you will be able to get parts.
Not always locally, but unless you are a FULL TIME farmer (few of us with CUTS are) you can probably do the web order thing and wait for UPS.
If I digested your numbers correctly it looks like ~$10K for a "premium" brand name and I'm not sure what that buys you other than somewhere to pick up oil and air filters on the way home from work.
No, I don't think 47 HP is "too much" for that frame, but I am not in a position to do a full structural and stress analysis (-:
The 46th and 47th HP don't come on until high revs, I doubt that you would reach into the 40s for most tasks, i.e. common sense and FEEL for what you are doing SHOULD cut in (-:

Yeah, I'd keep the $10K - in fact I would even hold onto it for you while you wait for R4944 to collapse and become irreparable.