Question, buying Used or New?????

[Big Wave D]

I've read a lot of posts about people having problems with their tractors and asking for advice on solving their problem. I think it is awesome that this site exists to help people in their time of need.

However, these posts have gotten me to thinking:

If money were NOT a deciding factor, which route are you more likely to take, Used or New?????

I'll go first.

For me it's most likely I'll be buying used. Something with around 100+ hours or so. I feel like a tractor has been "sorted out" by this time. Yes, something can still go wrong, but if I've really done my homework, I feel confident in my purchase.

I've purchased mostly used equipment and vehicles during my lifetime that have offered me many years of faithful and maintenance free service. Besides, I buy a tractor to be used and every little new scrape, dent, or nick in the paint is like a little part of me dying.

On the flip side, I can somewhat see the point of a person buying New because of the warranty, but I've also read enough threads to know that the warranty is only as good as the 'warrant-er'. Sadly, in many cases, they are worth less than the paper they are written on. That new seat smell just isn't a big enough motivator to me to pull the trigger on a New machine.

So, what about the rest of you. Where do you fall on this topic of conversation? Are you taking the New route or the Used route and why?????

 

[gregsons]

One thing that would bother me is Why would someone buy a new tractor and pay that price tag and then sell it with only 100 hour on it? it seems like a was of money to me. I do under stand that in some cases they may need the money, but other then that?

 

[Famah]

Dear BWD:

I just went through the process you are starting. Here are my thoughts and experiences. I , like you, get no great charge out of being the first person to operate the car/boat/tractor I am acquiring. A car loses a tremendous amount of its value as soon as it is driven off the dealer's lot. Why should I take that hit? Plus, there is a huge number and variety of slightly used cars out there to choose from, many of which are being sold because they were purchased unwisely, and the person ended up realizing quickly that the purchase could not be afforded. Or the finance company decided for them.

Not so with tractors. I had my eye out for something used in the 30-40 hp range for quite a while, and had people "in the know" out there looking for me as well. There was almost nothing out there near my location. What little was out there was going for a premium.

Why? Because we are not talking about a car. Tractor buyers usually, not always, do their financial homework better than Joe Blow car buyer. They rarely sell their compact tractors due to suddenly being unable to afford them. Secondly, a good tractor will last a **** of a long time. They keep their value because "shiny" is irrelevant in their world; they just keep plugging away, working really well with minimum maintenance for many, many years.

I just purchased a new tractor. With 0% down and 0% financing for 5 years, we felt like we couldn't go wrong. And here is the fun/morbid part. I am 47 years old. I know for a fact that that hunk of metal in my garage is going to outlive me. I seriously have to eventually decide who gets it when I am gone.

Your analogy to cars is not the best fit, IMHO. Think of your tractor as a very high quality tool, and your analysis may be more accurate.

All this being said, you need to continue to pound the pavement, looking and researching both the new and the used. This education is vital to making the best final decision. And BTW, you have stumbled upon what I have found to be, hands down, the best source of tractor information, both in quantity and quality. And no matter how hard you search, you will never find a nicer, more knowledgeable, or more giving group of people ready to help you. Good luck, and HAVE FUN!

Nick

 

[DennisH]

I'm buying new in the coming days due to several factors in no particular order.

1. Tractors hold their value
2. Why spend my money when I can use theirs at 0%
3. I can afford new
4. I didn't see much of a price break between new and used on a 5 year old tractor.

In the end I just looked at it as buying a compact car from a price standpoint.

 

[RoyJackson]

One thing that would bother me is Why would someone buy a new tractor and pay that price tag and then sell it with only 100 hour on it? it seems like a was of money to me. I do under stand that in some cases they may need the money, but other then that?

If it's a recent model (maybe a year old), they probably bought on impulse then had "buyer's regret" or determined they couldn't afford it. These are the folks that really screw themselves as they take a beating on the sale.

Then you have the folks who bought the tractor and just never use it or it didn't fit their needs. When I bought my 790 in 2004, it had been traded after about 18 months with 24 hours on the meter. The previous ower parked it inside and never used it. IIRC, he traded for a 990, so I guess the 790 didn't have enough HP for him.

BTW, I buy used. Mostly due to less money required in the purchase and 2 (of the 3) tractors I've owned were at least 8 years old when I bought.

 

[TripleR]

All kinds of ways to go on this and I could write far more than you would want to read.

I have bought two tractors in the last few months, a seven year old L5030 with 700 hours and a new M8540. The L5030 was at a dealer with all the maintenance records and I just stumbled on it while looking at new ones. I saved a few bucks and got a really good tractor. I bought new with my last due to time constraints.

Basically I will buy new or used depending on the tractor and situation. I have not found the 0% financing to sway me one way or the other, but it is worth serious consideration.

 

[Storm56]

I just bought a new McCormick C80L. I was not in a hurry, that is key when looking for a good buy, it puts you in the driver seat. I would have bought a clean used one if I could have found one at what I considered a good price. I stumbled across 2 killer deals on new tractors and when I called my local dealer and told him I was a cash buyer and was ready to pull the trigger he got on the stick and found the C80L for me at a price that was a tick better than the other deals. Plus I really wanted to buy local. Since I had done my homework I had the leverage to get the dealer motivated.

I have bought used in the past and had no regrets there either. Just depends on what you can dig up. But my feelings are that if I am going to buy used it has to be a worthwhile savings over new, otherwise why bother?

 

[Mousefield]

Took me about 6 months of looking to get my first tractor. Got a new one with 4 year warranty and 3 years of low interest financing. Looked at a lot of used but felt, for me, new was the better way to go. Really looked at what I wanted the tractor to do and got one that fit my needs. One of the best things I have purchased in my life, a very useful tool. The other posts already give a lot of reason regarding used vs. new so will not repeat. Good luck with your upcoming purchase. I have had several small issues with the tractor and backhoe in the over two years I have had it but have been quickly resolved with my dealer in Oregon, I am in Canada. All work done under warranty at no cost to me. Now have 242 hours on it. :thumbsup:

 

[LBrown59]

I've read a lot of posts about people having problems with their tractors and asking for advice on solving their problem. I think it is awesome that this site exists to help people in their time of need.

However, these posts have gotten me to thinking:

If money were NOT a deciding factor, which route are you more likely to take, Used or New?????

I'll go first.

For me it's most likely I'll be buying used. Something with around 100+ hours or so. I feel like a tractor has been "sorted out" by this time. Yes, something can still go wrong, but if I've really done my homework, I feel confident in my purchase.

I've purchased mostly used equipment and vehicles during my lifetime that have offered me many years of faithful and maintenance free service. Besides, I buy a tractor to be used and every little new scrape, dent, or nick in the paint is like a little part of me dying.

On the flip side, I can somewhat see the point of a person buying New because of the warranty, but I've also read enough threads to know that the warranty is only as good as the 'warrant-er'. Sadly, in many cases, they are worth less than the paper they are written on. That new seat smell just isn't a big enough motivator to me to pull the trigger on a New machine.

*So, what about the rest of you. Where do you fall on this topic of conversation? Are you taking the New route or the Used route and why?????

*The thing about used is it usually cost more than new when you add the finance charges to the usesd unit.

 

[Big Wave D]

I didn't mean to mislead anyone. I'm not in the market at the moment for a tractor. I have a Kubota L-35 TLB and a B6200e. These are more than enough tractor to handle my needs for the moment.

Why I posed the question was for future reference. As a previous poster stated, "my tractor(s) are going to outlive me(if taken well care of)"

The 0% finance thing is a powerful incentive, no doubt. I can see the point of using their money and not your own. I just don't know if that alone would cause me to go against my usual nature.

I wasn't trying to compare buying a car/truck to buying a tractor, TOTALLY different experiences. Yes, tractors hold their value far better and patience IS a virtue when it comes to the tractor buying experience. My only point bringing this up is I've bought used for both and not been burned by the choice of going used.

I guess I didn't state my real question very well. I'll try again.

Do you feel better about your purchase because it's new with a Warranty, or does buying used make you feel like that tractor has gone through its 'inaugural shakedown cruise'? Therefore, if something wasn't quite right when brand new, it's been found and addressed.

As I said before, I seem to believe that latter is working in my favor.

I've really enjoyed everyone's input. Who knows, by the time I make my next tractor purchase, maybe I'll be convinced that new is the way to go.

Keep the good advice coming. I'm sure there are some lurkers pondering this very question and this will only help them along their path to ownership. :thumbsup: