Worth buying a demo/old stock unit?

stumpfield · Mar 19, 2008

what are the concerns of buying a demo/old stock tractor that has been sitting in the dealer's lot for over a year?

It has 11 hours on the tractor. The rubber hoses show sign of cracks. The plastic parts look a little faded from the sun's UV light. This is something has been demo/start/stop/test drive on the dealer's lot by various potential buyers for over a year. My main concern is the diesel engine. The engine only gets to run a few minutes and never got a chance to warm up to operating temperature. Will this cause any damage or affect the longivity of the engine and other moving parts? Any other concerns? The dealer said he will do a full inspection and replace all the crack hoses. He's giving me $1000 off the price comparing to a brand new one. Worth it? What's your opinion? Thanks.

Builder · Mar 19, 2008

stumpfield said:
what are the concerns of buying a demo/old stock tractor that has been sitting in the dealer's lot for over a year?

It has 11 hours on the tractor. The rubber hoses show sign of cracks. The plastic parts look a little faded from the sun's UV light. This is something has been demo/start/stop/test drive on the dealer's lot by various potential buyers for over a year. My main concern is the diesel engine. The engine only gets to run a few minutes and never got a chance to warm up to operating temperature. Will this cause any damage or affect the longivity of the engine and other moving parts? Any other concerns? The dealer said he will do a full inspection and replace all the crack hoses. He's giving me $1000 off the price comparing to a brand new one. Worth it? What's your opinion? Thanks.

$1,000 is a joke if you're talking about a $30,000 tractor, but a lot if you're talking about a $8,000 tractor. What price point are you looking at?

DonWorrell · Mar 19, 2008

stumpfield said:
what are the concerns of buying a demo/old stock tractor that has been sitting in the dealer's lot for over a year?

It has 11 hours on the tractor. The rubber hoses show sign of cracks. The plastic parts look a little faded from the sun's UV light. This is something has been demo/start/stop/test drive on the dealer's lot by various potential buyers for over a year. My main concern is the diesel engine. The engine only gets to run a few minutes and never got a chance to warm up to operating temperature. Will this cause any damage or affect the longivity of the engine and other moving parts? Any other concerns? The dealer said he will do a full inspection and replace all the crack hoses. He's giving me $1000 off the price comparing to a brand new one. Worth it? What's your opinion? Thanks.

Same warranty as an new one right off the truck? Are you financing and if so can you get same rates at a new one?

Don

offroadr · Mar 19, 2008

I think you can do better. $1k is not alot off considering the wear and exposure you are describing. Have you shopped around for a new one at other places? I just had a dealer beat another dealer by $1500 on a $19k tractor. Keep looking or press for addional savings.

Heywood Jannockitov · Mar 19, 2008

To me, 11 hours is "used". That would equal 132, 5 minute test drives around the dealer's lot. Or possibly the dealer used it to move stuff around like wagons, trailers etc. What make/model are you looking at?

stumpfield · Mar 19, 2008

Builder said:
$1,000 is a joke if you're talking about a $30,000 tractor, but a lot if you're talking about a $8,000 tractor. What price point are you looking at?

$17,000 tractor. The reduced price is about $16,000. Warranty is same as new starting the day I take delivery. I can take the 0% financing for 24 months or take a cash rebate just like a new one. The dealer agrees to replace all sun damaged cracked rubber hoses, change oil / filters, clean and detail the tractor to make it look as new as possible. He can't do anything about the faded plastic parts. Should the rubber hydralic hoses crack in just 1 year exposed to the Sun? It doesn't leak or anything... just the rubber. Is it normal for the plastic to fade in just 1 year?

The big question is will hundreds of start/stop 5 min test drive cause a problem to the engine?

Double Orange · Mar 19, 2008

Turn the situation around into your favor. You aparantly are seriusly concidering this deal. Walk into dealer with checkbook or completed credit application, and tell him you'll take a new unit at the 1K discount and put your John Henry on the contract today!

Let him squarm!

Good Luck!

deereguy · Mar 19, 2008

I bought a similar tractor, it had 5 hours on it after a year of sitting on the lot, after the dealer detailed it and changed oil, etc, it looked new. Now problems I have had since then (900 hours/2000 model) , the seat is cracked and I'm not hard on it nor do I weigh alot (190lbs) and the battery failed WAY before it should have (2 years into my ownership- not covered under warranty). If I remember correctly the dealer knocked off $2K but he was also going out of business and found some great financing at the time that saved me another $2K on the loan. This was for the base tractor alone, he didn't have a loader in stock so I did go to another dealer and have them install a loader/remote valve which I paid for out-right.

Sounds like your dealer is still proud of this demo unit.

Soundguy · Mar 19, 2008

stumpfield said:
$17,000 tractor. The reduced price is about $16,000. Warranty is same as new starting the day I take delivery. I can take the 0% financing for 24 months or take a cash rebate just like a new one. The dealer agrees to replace all sun damaged cracked rubber hoses, change oil / filters, clean and detail the tractor to make it look as new as possible. He can't do anything about the faded plastic parts. Should the rubber hydralic hoses crack in just 1 year exposed to the Sun? It doesn't leak or anything... just the rubber. Is it normal for the plastic to fade in just 1 year?

The big question is will hundreds of start/stop 5 min test drive cause a problem to the engine?

I may be in the minority here.. but it don't sound like all that bad of a deal to me.. it's going to be serviced, and have 'damaged' parts like the hoses replaced, and be discounted 1000$, and is sold as new.. so you get the good financing, and the full warranty.

I think of all the times i have started my tractor to move it out of the barn.. or to lift something.. etc.. and can remember many many 5 minute trips.

I have a little farm vehicle.. a scout CUV ( golf cart on steroids ).. I start it 2-3x per day.. I load fee dinto the back, start it.. make a 30 second run to feed animals.. if it will take me a bit.. i shut it off.. otherwise it idels for a few minutes, and then i hop back in and zoom back tot he house and shut her down.. and then again at night. I've got 53 hours on her doing that now....

soundguy

DonWorrell · Mar 19, 2008

If you get the same warranty and finance rate then the only problem is discount.

Did you say the tractor had an MSRP of $17.000 and he was giving $1,000 off. Well if that is correct they run away from the deal it isn't enough for a 1 year old tractor. But if he was selling these tractor last year for $17,000 after discount then that is another thing. If I like the tractor I would price out a new one exactly like it at another dealer. Then I would compare the new tractor price to the dicounted price of the one year old tractor. How much are you actually saving over a new tractor? Could be alot considering rise in steel and such. Does the new tractor have more plastic than the last year model? Some tractor from a few years ago were built better then than they are today. Now come the hard question. Does $1,000 move you to buy?

Sound like it doesn't or you wouldn't be here asking if you should buy.

A tractor is worth nothing more than what you are willing to pay for it.

Don