Buying Used

[rScotty]

I'd like to explore what people think about buying used versus new. Specifically new versus used tractors and implements. I'm under the impression that it used to be more common to buy things used than it is today, and I'm curious to hear if others think so and how it got that way.

Just using my own example, I'm an older guy, mechanically capable who has usually bought on the used market, and been decently successful at it.

My favorite purchases have been proven, classic or sought-after examples with low hours on them. Tractors, tools, cars, whatever.....from people who appreciate them and cared for them. That way I get the twin advantages of the previous owner having proven that the tool is good, and I save a little money in process. A few hundred hours of considerate use are as likely to be as valuable to me as a warranty.

Opinions? Differences?
rScotty

 

[4570Man]

I’ve never bought a new vehicle, a new piece of equipment with wheels or new trailer. The trailer is the closest one to being a good idea to buy new. They hold their value pretty good. But with vehicles and equipment you can save a lot of money if you’re patient.

 

[Richard]

I'm in 100% agreement. My Wife wants to buy her car new... feels more safe that way. She buys/pays for it so I figure "ok".

I've never had a 'new' car. Heck, a year or so ago, I bought a used International 1066....from what I gather, it goes back to "around" 1975/77 era. Runs like a monster but, had to tinker on some things to get it roaring.

My rolling tool chest was falling apart. Stumbled across someone who had a Snapon rolling chest (about 6' tall) with side drawers on the right and a door/cabinet with shelves on the left. Had a full set of Snapon metric combo wrenches as well as a full set of Snapon SAE combo wrenches. Had a big bag of loose sockets (several of which helped to make my incomplete set, complete with some extras)

Had a near full set of Proto wrenches, some MAC tools, gasoline (yuck) generator that worked, AIR compressor (gas engine, yuck) that worked, some testing tools (relay tester some other oddity) and some odds/ends tools....

"come & pick up where it is, ALL of it.... for $1,500"

As it happened, my brother in law was heading his way in general, so drove the extra two hours to get it all and brought it all back to me.

Just in the right place at the right time with a requisite amount of luck.

 

[mred2]

I have done both. In today's market the used equipment is bring a high price. And with the financing being so much easier to do on new and the warranties, it is hard not to consider new. I can understand and see both sides. I have purchased a good bit new in the past 3 years due to the used price being so high. Example: 7 ft disc, a good used, heavy duty,3 years old was priced at $1800. He had paid $2400. It had been on the market for several months. I purchased the same unit new for $2000. But I have not purchased a new truck in the past 30 years.

 

[Stubee]

I think it depends on what you’re looking for and it’s intended use. I’ve bought plenty of used cars, trucks, boats etc and done pretty well with that. It of course helps to know enough about what you’re buying to avoid mistakes, plus be able to wrench a bit. I’ve also bought many used guitars, guns, recurve bows, tools, etc where the story is the same.

When I decided to get a tractor my needs were a bit different because it’s main use was going to be at my deer camp 800 miles from my house, and it’d be a mile back in the woods doing it’s thing and a minimum of 16 miles from any help except for me. So I needed something that was very reliable + good trailer. I looked at tractors ranging from Ford N through recent Kubota, JD and NH and a bunch in between. I finally realized that a good used unit with attachments + a trailer was gonna cost me nearly as much as a new one. So I bought new and haven’t had to wrench on it once in 9 years except for maintenance. I love it.

I did start buying new half tons in 1990 but I keep them 10+ years and buy pretty basic models. I found that with the trucks I buy and use (pretty hard) that it’s a wash because decent low mileage used ones are butting up against new pricing with “deals”.

 

[Rebeldad1]

its just like anything else. you have to be street smart about buying and educated on what you intend to buy.... new or used.
We are in a time period where there are soooo many people without street smarts and life skills. We all see this and will be effected by it.
so
Buying new or buying used is all good depending on how you see it.

 

[Roadworthy]

I buy both ways, it depends on the deal. If new is less expensive than used (yes that can happen) I'll buy new. If used is in short supply for what I'm after I'll buy new. If I can find used that's a good value I'll go that way. Actually a good deal used is my preference it just doesn't always work out that way.

 

[Hay Dude]

I'd like to explore what people think about buying used versus new. Specifically new versus used tractors and implements. I'm under the impression that it used to be more common to buy things used than it is today, and I'm curious to hear if others think so and how it got that way.

Just using my own example, I'm an older guy, mechanically capable who has usually bought on the used market, and been decently successful at it.

My favorite purchases have been proven, classic or sought-after examples with low hours on them. Tractors, tools, cars, whatever.....from people who appreciate them and cared for them. That way I get the twin advantages of the previous owner having proven that the tool is good, and I save a little money in process. A few hundred hours of considerate use are as likely to be as valuable to me as a warranty.

Opinions? Differences?
rScotty

What a great topic/question. I have a mix of both.
IMO new versus used is like say payments versus repairs :laughing:
I cannot write checks out for $100,000 farm tractors and square balers, so I would have to make payments
However, I am not capable of disassembling a power shift transmission on a bench in my shop, either. So I have to pay for some of my many repairs.
Repairs also cause down time at critical times (harvest, digging footings, etc) and its a lot less typical problem with new equipment. I cannot be repairing equipment with 100 acres of hay on the ground.

Over the last 30 years, it seems like to me that buying new works out better for a slightly bigger majority of owners and that majority grows slightly larger as each year goes by because fewer and fewer young uns are learning how to spin wrenches and equipment is much more complicated to fix. Probably a good marketing strategy for manufacturers, too. :laughing:

In summary, I kind of do both. Ill drive a new truck but buy used equipment I am capable of fixing or I believe will survive at least 2-3 years before a repair. Im sure everyone has their own sweet spot that works for them.

 

[dodge man]

My most recent purchases, a tractor, a car and a pickup truck were all new. In the case of the truck and tractor, the cost of new was maybe 10% more than used so we bought new. You factor in warranty, rebates, and maybe 0% financings and new often comes out to be a better deal.

 

[fried1765]

I’ve never bought a new vehicle, a new piece of equipment with wheels or new trailer. The trailer is the closest one to being a good idea to buy new. They hold their value pretty good. But with vehicles and equipment you can save a lot of money if you’re patient.

SO TRUE !!!

 

[fried1765]

My most recent purchases, a tractor, a car and a pickup truck were all new. In the case of the truck and tractor, the cost of new was maybe 10% more than used so we bought new. You factor in warranty, rebates, and maybe 0% financings and new often comes out to be a better deal.

A new Kubota L47 with similar accessories and tax is over $60K.
I bought my equivalent L48 used (250.9 hours) for $32K cash, from a private party.
Only 28K difference.
Ya really think.... "new" would have been a better idea?
$28K+ for shiny new paint/warranty/rebate/0%?
Somebody would have to be smoking the funny weed to subscribe to that concept!
250.9 hours!

 

[Hay Dude]

My most recent purchases, a tractor, a car and a pickup truck were all new. In the case of the truck and tractor, the cost of new was maybe 10% more than used so we bought new. You factor in warranty, rebates, and maybe 0% financings and new often comes out to be a better deal.

Thats what twisted my arm. I had an F-550 with a failing 6.4L Diesel. Would have cost me 15k for a reman engine. I went with the best low finance rate new truck I could. It was time to turn the page. I could have bought a 5 year old used version for 45k, but with no warranty and higher finance cost, it didnt make sense for MY application.

On the trailers: so true! They exhibit amazingly low depreciation. I bought my 2015 Big Tex 24K gooseneck for $9900 and sold it 6/20 for $9,000!!! 5 years of trouble free ownership for $900. :laughing: I estimate I hauled 3000 tons of hay, a couple hundred tons of lumber and 20 tractors with it.
Bit the bullet and bought a 2020 Kaufman 35 38K gooseneck-should be here Monday :licking:

 

[dodge man]

A new Kubota L47 with similar accessories and tax is over $60K.
I bought my equivalent L48 used (250.9 hours) for $32K cash.
Only 28K difference.
Ya think.... "new" would have been a better idea?
$28K for shiny new paint/warranty/rebate, and 0%?
Somebody's gotta be smoking the funny weed to believe that!
250.9 hours!

That’s your situation, mine was obviously different.

 

[Hay Dude]

A new Kubota L47 with similar accessories and tax is over $60K.
I bought my equivalent L48 used (250.9 hours) for $32K cash.
Only 28K difference.
Ya think.... "new" would have been a better idea?
$28K for shiny new paint/warranty/rebate, and 0%?
Somebody would have to be smoking the funny weed to believe that!
250.9 hours!

And the new one has a DPF

 

[RichZ]

I also do a mix of both. New pick ups are too rich for my blood, and I don't use a pick up as a daily driver. I mostly use a pick up to transport hay. I bought a low mileage 2001 GMC Sierra about 7 years ago, and it still runs great. It's got some rust and the AC doesn't work anymore, but for occasional use it's fine. As far as cars, my wife and I car pool to our jobs about 35 miles each way. We bought a Nissan Versa, new in January. I got a deal on it for $14,500, it's a nice little car and it gets 42.8 mpg. I couldn't have gotten a used car to give me what that little go cart gives me. I also bought a new 2018 Outback for more comfortable driving. As far as tractors, I've bought several used and even vintage tractors, but in 2007 I bought a new Kubota, which has been absolutely trouble free.

Buying new or used depends on your use and how much you want to spend. Both can work for certain situations.

 

[Deere Dude]

I generally go for the new.

I can find a used 5 year old pickup with 50k miles for the going rate but many times it has been sitting idling for hours on end or farmers pound them across plowed fields pulling hay wagons. They still look like new but usage was terrible. Same with tractors. I understand how people can be very rough on equipment so I will mostly by new and pound it myself.

A lot of the wear is unidentifiable until the problem surfaces after I bought it. Can't rip a tractor apart easily to see if it was abused.

Many times a unsolvable problem gets pawned off to the next sucker in line.

 

[shooterdon]

I do both and it depends on the numbers. There is no hard and fast rule. But it is foolish for someone like me (not a mechanic and no desire to be one) to save 15-20% on a used tractor....and in my market, that was my reality.

 

[rademamj1]

I have never purchased a new car. Always have purchased a low milage used car, typically after it comes back from a 3 year lease. Significant deals are available and it makes good financial sense.

When searching for a tractor, I looked hard for 18 months for good used tractors, and just could not believe the prices on used tractors. There were very few bargains that could be found on used tractors, and most used tractors lacked any good maintenance records, unlike the used car market which provides such maintenance records.

Most used tractors required cash when buying from the original owner, though some dealers do provide financing on used tractor purchases. Ultimately, I just purchased a new tractor with full warranty, taking advantage of the tremendous 0% for 7 years financing programs. I was ultimately quite happy with the financials of purchasing a new tractor.

 

[chim]

Bought two used tractors, then two new, and last one was used.

Bought a mixture of new and used cars/trucks since the late 60’s. We tend to keep vehicles for a long time. There are different reasons. I’ve had company vehicles since the mid-70’s so they have low miles. They are well maintained and are garage kept. The last one is a 2002 Olds Alero that still looks new and has around 60K miles on it.

 

[Hay Dude]

The best idea is to be open minded and flexible. There’s great buys out there and I have found a few new and a few used. I was looking for a newer or clean used 125HP tractor, no brand in particular, just looking for a great deal. While showing me a new Case IH at a dealer, I spied a Kubota M126X about 300’ away on the lot. I asked the salesman about it. It was loaned to a race track for 100 hours as a demo. It was stickered at 84k. I bought it for 72k as a new tractor with self leveling loader. You have to be flexible and look under every rock for deals, but they ARE out there.
I bought a fully loaded low hour clean New Holland backhoe from southern California for 25k because CA introduced new pollution standards and that backhoe no longer could be operated there. Best I could do on a similar unit here was 35k or more.