There is no "free" money... $7,000 cash rebate means that the "zero percent" finance = $7k finance
Even if there were not the $7k rebate; the loan price WILL include "finance" charges.
The cash option is not free either, the exact cost comparison is somewhat involved.
I'm unsure of the price of the insurance - would love to get an idea of the price per thousand of an addition to say a homeowners policy- i imagine it's not much.
One the one side:
Pay cash:
Positives: get 7000$ discount- this is in 2025 dollars (good), may not need/want insurance
Negatives: Lose the opportunity to invest the Total bill-7000 (all expenditures are in 2025 dollars)
The other:
Negatives:
Principal is 7k larger
Insurance of some type is likely required (may or may not be an additional amount)
Positives:
Ability to invest the Principal ( all as 2025 dollars)
Payments effectively decline as inflation takes its toll.
At 7% annual return over 10 years each $1000 dollars invested would yield roughly $1967. So a 20K tractor would require a 13k cash payment which could have become 25.5k if it had been invested. of course long-term cap gains tax would apply but 7% is well under the long term market averages.
regarding the payments, The US long term inflation average is 3.30% meaning the that the $167 payment on that 20k loan at zero percent effectively becomes $120 in current value at the end of the 10yr period.
the higher your rate of return and inflation is the lower breakeven is