gregfender
Gold Member
I've been in the market for a new, smaller tractor. I loved my JD 1070, but it was 20 years old and a bit too big for what I needed now. While looking for a replacement, I posted the tractor on Craigslist while I began my search. I looked at most colors, Liked the Kubota, B3200, really liked the Kioti CK27 and CK30, and also looked at the Massey Ferguson 1529.
The problem was, how my tractor eventually got sold. I told all the dealers what I had, why I was trading, and what I needed. Always a good place to start, right? While at the MF dealer looking at the 1529, the owner tells me, "no worries at all, I can get your tractor sold, in fact, I'm going to be in your town (40 miles away) tomorrow and I will pick it up and put it on my lot so folks can see it and it will be inside the fence. I made absolutely no commitment to him and the next day he calls and says he has a guy that he thinks wants the tractor and could he pick it up. I say sure...and tell him the bottom price I will take. He calls me a couple of days later and says he's waiting on the guy to come pick it up, its sold. I also notice he has a Craigslist ad for my tractor listed at $500 more than I told him my bottom price was. Hmmm....anyway, I wait and wait...he tells me its sold but the guy hasn't had a chance to come and get it.
Since it hadn't been picked up yet, I kept my ad active on CL and told folks if they wanted to see the tractor, it was at the dealer and what I would take for it. I get another call this week and one of those guys apparently bought it and financed it through the dealer and I can come pick my check up Friday. Today, I verified with the dealer that I could pick my funds up Friday and he still wants to sell me a MF 1629. Of all the tractors I tested, I like it least. Ergonomics are not for me. Besides, Rick Wallace found me a deal on a Bobcat CT225 (same as the Kioti CK27) for $4000 less than the best price on the MF. Today the dealer tells me he really wants to sell me a tractor since he wasn't making anything on mine.
Should I feel guilty at all for not giving him any business? There is a piece of me that was actually kind of annoyed when I saw he listed my machine on CL. Anyway, bottom line is I'm picking up the check and buying what I want. I suppose I just wanted to vent.
The problem was, how my tractor eventually got sold. I told all the dealers what I had, why I was trading, and what I needed. Always a good place to start, right? While at the MF dealer looking at the 1529, the owner tells me, "no worries at all, I can get your tractor sold, in fact, I'm going to be in your town (40 miles away) tomorrow and I will pick it up and put it on my lot so folks can see it and it will be inside the fence. I made absolutely no commitment to him and the next day he calls and says he has a guy that he thinks wants the tractor and could he pick it up. I say sure...and tell him the bottom price I will take. He calls me a couple of days later and says he's waiting on the guy to come pick it up, its sold. I also notice he has a Craigslist ad for my tractor listed at $500 more than I told him my bottom price was. Hmmm....anyway, I wait and wait...he tells me its sold but the guy hasn't had a chance to come and get it.
Since it hadn't been picked up yet, I kept my ad active on CL and told folks if they wanted to see the tractor, it was at the dealer and what I would take for it. I get another call this week and one of those guys apparently bought it and financed it through the dealer and I can come pick my check up Friday. Today, I verified with the dealer that I could pick my funds up Friday and he still wants to sell me a MF 1629. Of all the tractors I tested, I like it least. Ergonomics are not for me. Besides, Rick Wallace found me a deal on a Bobcat CT225 (same as the Kioti CK27) for $4000 less than the best price on the MF. Today the dealer tells me he really wants to sell me a tractor since he wasn't making anything on mine.
Should I feel guilty at all for not giving him any business? There is a piece of me that was actually kind of annoyed when I saw he listed my machine on CL. Anyway, bottom line is I'm picking up the check and buying what I want. I suppose I just wanted to vent.
