Buying Used Compacts and Compromising

[bpence]

It's lots of fun for many of us to talk about new Kubotas and John Deeres and New Hollands and others, and sometimes to even go hassle with the dealers and drink coffee, drive the new tractors around, move dirt, and play for a bit. But the reality of the situation is lots of folks buy used compacts, often times price being the deciding factor, often times other things.

I've been wondering. For those folks who have bought used tractors, how did you make the compromising decision to buy what you bought. Let me share my own experience as nothing more than a thought starter. About 2 1/2 years ago I started looking for an "experienced" tractor to do mowing, grading, bush hogging, etc. I started by thinking I wanted a 24-25 hp tractor. Diesel, 4wd would be nice, power steering that worked, no real tire preference, "decent" condition (not too beat up), maybe a front loader, color really didn't matter as long as it was orange, green, or blue. I originally thought maybe $4,000-5,000 for a used tractor, but found reality pretty quickly.

After 3-4 months of looking, I ended up with a Kubota B7100HST that gave me some of the things I wanted. Diesel, 4wd, real nice condition. But, it's a lot less than 25 hp and doesn't have a front loader. The price was right, though, and it only had a couple of hundred hours on it....... mostly mowing, pushing snow, and maintaining a private road. I looked at a lot of "extremely experienced" tractors along the way that were, in my humble opinion, just way too used and way too pricey.

In my case, a nice little diesel tractor that could do what I needed it to do, was kind of decided by price and availability. With multiple kids in college, a new machine just wasn't on the radar screen. So I compromised, and actually am kind of glad I did. The B7100 with HST is a great little tractor that I've been able to do a lot of work with, tinker with and improve a little, and my kids got to stay in college.

So, how did everyone else that's bought a used compact tractor get to their compromise? Or, if you were going to buy a used tractor, what would the things be that you would be willing to compromise?

Bob Pence

 

[cowboydoc]

For me I couldn't compromise at all Bob. I needed all the hp that I could out of a compact. I needed a compact to get around my place with and in and out of barns etc. and a regular size tractor was just too big. But I had to have enough power to run mowers, lift big round bales, etc. The only compromise I did was go from the 4700 to the 4600 and that was only because of the huge price difference because they had the 4600 right there and wanted it out of there. If I had had to order it would have been the 4700. All I had to compromise was a few hp which so far hasn't made any difference in anything I've tryed to do.

 

[Harv]

Price, horsepower and time were the factors I had to juggle when shopping for a used tractor.

I wanted an L-series Kubota w/FEL to handle 42 acres of rough terrain, but the budget said I should hold it to about $10K. Not much question I was shopping for a used machine at that point. Went through a tractor broker who turned up several possibilities over a few months, but anything with 30 hp or more that fit into my price range was... well, it was junk. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

So gradually I came up on price and down on horsepower until I settled on my L2500DT for $14K. That included a brand new loader and full warranty (187 hours on the meter), tax, shipping, etc. Barely $1K under list for a brand new L2600DT, but I was way over budget as it was.

With patience, I might have found a better deal, but I had significant chores I wanted to complete before the rains started, and the sky was already clouding up. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

No complaints so far, after 1 year of use. More muscle would be welcome, but I suspect I would always feel that way, no matter what I bought. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

BTW - not to play the color card here (really), but at the time, there was a much larger selection of JD's available used, many in my price range, but that fact alone pushed me to Kubota. To this day I wonder if I did the right thing.

 

[bpence]

Funny you mention that there were more JDs available on the "experienced tractor market" than others. I saw exactly the same thing. Very few Fords or New Hollands and only an occasional Kubota. And, most everything I saw was just plain beat to death. Lots of hours, banged up and rusted, and only 4/5/6 years old and real pricey. I almost, out of shopping desperation after many months, bought a JD 750 with a FEL and a 5 ft rear finish mower. 5 years old at the time, 1,800 hours and the fellow was asking $10,000. I'm glad I came to my senses.

I have to believe buying a new tractor is almost easier.

Bob Pence

 

[canuk]

I bought my 2 yr old B1700HST in incredible condition with only 70 hrs on it just this past June (2001). I looked at the new BX's and 4100's, but my machine just begged me for a new home! The BX was too small and the 4100 was too large, and both were thousands of dollars more. What sold me on my machine were comments on TractorbyNet and a glowing recommendation by a small engine mechanic that used to work at the Kubota dealer I was dealing with. The dealer also agreed to a 6 month, 50/50 powertrain warranty. The package I bought was almost $6000 less than a new 4100. So far my machine has done everything I've needed it to do, (except lift an engine/transmission combination - no surprise). I had looked briefly at a well-used MF compact but the guy wanted $10,000 for it - so obviously resale value isn't going to be a problem with the Kubota!
My only concern was on the warranty side, but the 50/50 warranty was a good enough compromise for me.
Warren

 

[HR_Mutt]

bpence
You picked a Great tractor to buy there{wink] The B7100 is gutsy. I watch the ads for another one w/ mid-mower and FEL or other goodies. I'll pluck off what I want and then probably sell it again. Can't get attached to it..no place to park it.
regards
Mutt

 

[GlueGuy]

The B7100 was the machine that pushed us over the edge. A friend has had one now for 6 years, and it's doing great. He brought it over to demo it for us. We saw that it could do everything we needed. So we went down and got one of the nearest later models. Turned out to be a B7500. Nope, it's not used, so I guess I'll shut up now. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

The GlueGuy

 

[bgott]

I hope that 50/50 warranty is better than the old used car warranty...50 feet or 50 seconds!

 

[Youare]

I bought my first tractor 20 years ago a 1951 Ford 8N. After 10 years of use and the rise in popularity of the compact tractor I started thinking that one of those things would really be nice. With a young family a stay at home wife, which I wouldn't change, the price of these compacts was out of reach. So I thought that in a few years the used market would offer something I could afford, after all I paid about $2,000 for my 8N and it is still going strong.

The reality of the situation was that the compact tractors never seemed to loose their value, as the newer one's came out the price of used stuff followed right along. Several years ago my brother went to work as a mechainc at the local NH dealership. I asked him to keep an eye open for a "good" deal if one came along. The good deal never materalized. Most of the equipment they took in was in trade because the life had been worked out of it. The other brand dealers had similar offerings. Every now and then you would hear of someone who bought a low hour tractor cheap from some widow who sold her late husbands tractor not knowing the value.

The last tractor I looked at at the NH dealer was a 1985 Ford 1710 with 1200 hrs. and a blown head gasket and four bad tires for $10,000. They would fix the head gasket and put two tires on the front, not the rear and give me a 50/50 30 day package. Same experiences at the othe dealers.

I decided to spend the extra money and purchase a new Kubota L3000. In my 10 years of looking the family grew up and the wife took a job teaching, now it was possible to spend a little more. I am thankful that I had to wait the new one was worth it.

Randy

 

[gws]

I wanted (maybe needed) a tractor. I had a hard budget wall that was not going to move (wife).
I had a good bit of flexability on HP, I have a few acres to bush hog, maybe some finish mowing. I want
a FEL to handle some hauling and lifting chores I looked and look and could not find a match. Found a Fewf JD's that could handle the hog and finish mower, but by the time I added the hydraulics for a FEL and the FEL, I might as well bought new. Used JD's with FEL already on were outside of my price range.
Used orange was almost NIL. When you did find them, they were on death bed, or price as new, Again outside my price range. Not many blues around my area. Lots of 8n, but nothing modern. Used compact MF were not to be found, Used case/IH were few and far and didnt seem to support a FEL without a lot of cost.

I ended up going graymarket. Found a nice 600hr Yanmar YM1810. Was able to get 20hp/18pto 2WD, tractor, FEL for a nice price. I was way within my limits so I could still buy the bush hog, finish mower, back blade and carry all and still be under the price of a new tractors without any fel or attchments. Only some minor risk with the Yanmar on part avability in my opinion, Lots of online support from other Yanmar owners.
Now I am not planning on passing the tractor on to my kids when I go, but the money saved they can buy there own.

Gary.

 

[RichNJ]

After looking at everything from Ford 9Ns to new compacts and talking to alot of people about my needs for the tractor I knew that I needed a 40+ HP compact tractor. Went thru same stuff as everyone else. Basically nothing used (experienced) was either way to high priced or was junk. So, buy a new one. BUT, the price was too much. A new Kubota L4310HST w/FEL was 22 to 24 grand depending on the dealer. Holy Cow Batman! For that kind of money I could probably buy the batmobile. But after looking at old batman flicks I noticed much to my dismay that the batmobile does not have a 3Pt hitch.
I decided to wait another year ( I had been waiting 4 years already) and depend on others to do the work for one more year when I met a farmer who was trading his L4310 in for a bigger Kubota. He had already signed all the papers so I waited for the dealer to get the L4310. Called the salesman and bought it for $15,800. The dealer gave me a new left tie rod ($144 value). The original had one bad ball joint.
So, I got exactly what I wanted for the price I could afford. I've had it for about 1 month now and has 1000 hours on it. It has been fine with no problems. Changed all filters and fluids. Repainted the fenders and did some other touch up. It looks almost new now. And as a bonus the guy that had the tractor is going to bale the hay next year. I can take that time and do others tasks.

 

[geneP]

I'm probably just to cheap to buy a new one. I can't justify a new tractor to use 60-80 hours a year. I've been using tractors around my small acreage (22+) for more than 30 years. I started with a used TO-20 Ferguson and have traded up every few years, always to a newer used one. I've never had any major expense with a used one.

What am I willing to compromise to buy used? Shiney paint, warranty, brand loyalty, the latest technology, maybe some less important options, and effort to clean/make small repairs.

I was looking for a +/- 25 hp tractor to use primarily to brush hog my open, grassy areas and sometimes run a box blade.. I really wanted a Kubota, but had about given up on finding one in my area so I had begun to consider a grey market Yanmar. On my way to look at a Yanmar, I passed a dealer with a Kubota on his lot. It turned ou to be a 900+ hr 26 hp unit with power steering and a 2 stage clutch. After checking it out I forgot about the Yanmar and took the Kubota home with me. I've had it for 14 trouble free, enjoyable months now. Unless my tractor needs change, it just might be my last one.

 

[RichZ]

I was planning on buying a new tractor when we bought our place last year. We even had it narrowed down to an NH TC29D with all the bells and whistles. Then one of our trucks needed replacing, and we couldn't afford 2 loans on top of a mortgage. We looked for used tractors, and they weren't much cheaper. So I had to set my sights to a vintage tractor in good shape, and did alot of research. We got a 1951 Ferguson TO-20. It's been great for everything we needed it for, and has never needed ANY maitenance. Of course I change the oil and have tuned it up. I really enjoy my old Fergie. The only thing I miss, not having is an FEL. But so far, I've been able to exist without it.

Rich

 

[heehaw]

seems like a lot of us started out with a TO-20; mine came with the place, it was sittin out in the middle of the 17 acres. I could clean the plugs, start it and get @200ft before it started missing again. I pulled the head, dropped the pan and pushed the pistons out, the bearings looked great, so i just put in new rings, and it worked great. i couldn't hit the starter and get off of it fast enough to keep it from starting.
i am curious where the "compact" term for a tractor stops, a previous post mentioned a 40hp compact? i now have a JD 1020, 38hp, an i don't consider it a compact, but maybe i'm wrong?
heehaw