Run away or worth a gamble? Kubota B2910

[1savoy]

Russ, if you don't have budget issues, have you considered buying new? The reason I ask is that you sound like a conscientious buyer. If you think you will keep the tractor for a long time, buying new might make sense. But heck, the resale value on newer Kubotas is zoo good you might do OK even if you only keep for a couple years.

s219,

I have thought new and keep looking at them. I bought the L3800 w/ BH77 new from Barlows about 2.5 years ago. I got busy working on other projects and thought I would throw in on craigslist and see if someone was in the market. I had picked up a couple of implements for a real good deal which allowed me to offer it at a good price. I ended up selling it within a week for about what I had into it. Now a little over a year later I can't stand not having a way to do my small projects. When I look new, nothing excites me too much especially when considering the price. I tend to gravitate back toward the L3800, the local dealer still has a few, even though it is more than I probably need. It also does not have all the nice options this B2910 has. The other problem with new is I can't bring myself to leave it outside. Not worried about theft, but the sun damage. I have a 12x40 porch off the side of my garage/ barn, but the sun and rain come in that side. The sun especially for a good part of the day. I tell myself if I bought something used that was not super nice, I would just leave it out. The 34x40 garage just gets too full trying to keep a tractor in all the time. The other tractor I have been keeping an eye on for quite sometime is this. http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=8589757 I have been watching for, I think, about 6 months. The price has come down $2,000 since I first saw it. I was out that direction last week and stopped in to check it out. Super nice little machine. It is faded more now then the pictures show but it is still almost like a new tractor. I don't have enough cash to buy this outright, but can get pretty decent financing at 2.9%. Trying to decide if I want a payment and if I really have to have a BH. If I buy the B21, I could see keeping it around until the wheels fall off, which with my amount of use, would be forever. I tell myself I would be OK with leaving it outside as well. That is a long way around to tell you I have looked at new I have looked at just about every brand out there also.

 

[McREBEL]

Wow, that was a STEAL!! When I traded in my B2920 with 150 hours, I got $11,500 for it on the trade in (tractor, front loader, box blade), and I am sure the dealer was hoping to sell for $12-13K. So you did real well on price.

Apparently the dearlership didn't give the guy who traded my 2920 in a good deal on the trade in. I think that coupled with the fact he bought a much bigger more expensive tractor and that is where the dealership made it's money. It seemed like they didn't care about making a whole lot if anything off the 2920 he traded in. They just took it in to sell him the bigger JD and then wanted the Kubota off their lot asap. A poster here (Tompet) told me about it right after it was listed on tractorhouse. Less than 24 hrs after it was listed I snatched it up. I just barely beat some other guys to it. It was an 11 hour round trip to pick it up but I though it was worth it. I have been curious what I could get on trade in for it.

Good luck on your continued search 1savoy.

 

[1savoy]

Not having actually seen it, as you have (which makes a difference), I think I'da bought that one for $8,500 and if I later, found something better would put it on CL for $11,000. But that's all assuming Pacific NW prices and current local opportunity and not having seen it, just trusting that Kubota is good stuff. I think it's pretty seldom you get a good deal that has service records. Or an auction item with all service records.

Sodo,

Alright, everyone has me talked out of it and you are trying to pull me back in :laughing::laughing: I was sort of feeling the same way at the $8,500 price and that is why I posted the thread. At $8,000 I actually think it would be a heck of a deal, but I do not see the owner going there right now. I really enjoy servicing and cleaning things up along with fixing all the little problems, but I am trying to be wise in my purchase. Hopefully then the tractor would be worth a decent price if I decided to send it down the road. I liked this particular model a lot more than I thought I would. Very comfortable and it ran great. Just had a good feel to it. The 30 HP was nice and the 402 loader should give me plenty of lift capacity. I will have to sleep on it some more and see if I want to spend the time trying to feel out the machine and make sure there is not any major problems from the lack of coolant and hard use. See what you are doing here????? lol

 

[1savoy]

Apparently the dearlership didn't give the guy who traded my 2920 in a good deal on the trade in. I think that coupled with the fact he bought a much bigger more expensive tractor and that is where the dealership made it's money. It seemed like they didn't care about making a whole lot if anything off the 2920 he traded in. They just took it in to sell him the bigger JD and then wanted the Kubota off their lot asap. A poster here (Tompet) told me about it right after it was listed on tractorhouse. Less than 24 hrs after it was listed I snatched it up. I just barely beat some other guys to it. It was an 11 hour round trip to pick it up but I though it was worth it. I have been curious what I could get on trade in for it.

Good luck on your continued search 1savoy.

Thanks!!! That is why I wish dealers around here would sell their trades in instead of wholesaling them off. I spent my whole life in western NY, until the move to Texas 5 years ago, and the dealers always just sold their trade ins. I have bought a couple over the years and there were some good deals to be had. The only bad thing was paying sales tax verses buying from a private party, but the deals were sometimes worth it. I have talked with a few dealers around here and they don't want anything to do with the trade ins. I think they think everyone in North Texas is made of money :confused3::confused3:

 

[Sodo]

Sodo, See what you are doing here????? lol

I'm beating myself up for paying $12,5,,,,, and you're helping me do it by suggesting that an even better deal can be had than $8500 :hissyfit:

 

[1savoy]

I'm beating myself up for paying $12,5,,,,, and you're helping me do it by suggesting that an even better deal can be had than $8500 :hissyfit:

I would bet your 2710 is in nicer shape with service having been done, which is worth quite a lot. You also had some type of warranty buying from a dealer which is also worth something and you have rear hydraulics which is also an expensive add on. As you said different parts of the country demand different prices. I would give the $12,500 for your tractor if it was nice and I felt comfortable about it's history/ service. Here is a B2710 in Texas that they want $11,500 for and it is not as nice as it looks in the pictures. http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=8972229 I think you did good from my perspective.

 

[sixdogs]

Sodo,

I hear you there. I usually don't have much luck getting to auctions and when I do the prices get run up too high. The deals seem to be on stuff no one wants. Also, on craigslist it seems like the good deals get scooped up fast around here. Not a lot I want comes up on craigslist and if so they are usually asking so much, you are better off doing new. I will keep looking and hope to find a deal somewhere.

Take care,
Russ

Part of this is just that you're hot to buy and you want to buy NOW. Life doesn't work that way. How many times have we bought something only to find a better deal six weeks later? Things don't always happen when we want them to.

Also, it's always good to find a greasy tractor. That usually means he greased it early and often and is usually a good sign over other things. I once knew of a guy that passed on a greasy tractor because it looked, well--greasy. Cleaned up it was a great tractor at a great price.

 

[varmint]

1savoy, I am curious why you wouldn't just throw up some framing across one side of your open lean to, and put some corrugated metal or fiberglass panels up to keep the weather, and sunshine, off a new tractor? Maybe I missed something in your description, but if not...?

 

[sixdogs]

You know, I have bought tractors before by running a WANTED ad. In the old days I bought an Int'l H and plow for a great price. It was owned by a local farmer that did excellent maintenance. Today, you could run an ad on Craig's list. If that's where the great "for sale" deals are just head 'em off at the pass. How about:

Want to buy a smaller Kubota tractor--maybe 25 to 35 HP that is in really good condition and maybe one owner. I figure to spend $7,000 to $8,000 or $9,000 but that depends.

Think of the people that want to SELL a tractor but don't know how to take and post pictures or write the words? That's your target. If that doesn't work, change the wording. This has worked for me on many things over the years. You need a discipline and be able to negotiate if you put a price in. If you don't you'll get a whole run of guys that are under water with $30,000 things. Figure it out.

Also, you can search some auction prices on the net. Here's one---click on "auction results" in the upper right.
Used Tractors For Sale at TractorHouse.com: John Deere Tractors, used farm tractors and farm equipment, tractors for sale, Case IH, New Holland, Agco, Kubota

There are lots of other auction results sources as well. Part of the tractor owning experience is about the chase and not necessarily just owning the item. If you live to be old enough you want to reflect back on the deal that didn't get away.

 

[McREBEL]

You know, I have bought tractors before by running a WANTED ad.

I ran a tractor wanted add in the Mississippi Market Bulletin when I was looking. I would think Texas would have something similar. Like you said sixdogs, my purpose was to get to the good deals before someone else did. The risk is if someone knows they have exactly what you are looking for they may up the price a little. But, if you know the tractor's value and what you are willing to pay then you can make an offer. They can take it or leave it. I got two calls from the wanted ad. Both Kubotas. I am not sure how it would have ultimately worked out because I had already bought my tractor before the add published. :laughing: