Would You Go These Miles On Low Price For A Zetor?

[Cabinholler]

I have found a dealer that is a little under 300 miles from me that will sell me a new 4341 Zetor tractor with cab, with 4X4, with shuttle, and with a new Zetor 102SL loader for a certain price. The dealer said that the loader on this tractor was worth around $4,000.00. There is a dealer that is under 50 miles from me that wants $500.00 more for the same tractor package, but without a loader. Another dealer in a few miles from me wants $2,000.00 more for the same tractor package, but without a loader. By the way I figure this is the second dealer would want $4,500.00 more for the complete tractor package with loader than the first dealer, and the third dealer would want $6,000.00 more for the complete tractor package with loader than the first dealer.

My question to the people on this board is this: Would you buy a new tractor from a dealer that is a little under 300 miles from your farm to save $4,500.00, or $6,000.00? I know that a lot of people on this board states that they want to buy a tractor from a dealer that is near their farm for warranty and service work. I would also like to buy a new tractor near me for warranty and service work, but I cannot bring myself to give the second dealer $4,500.00 more for just warranty and service work, or can I bring myself to give the third dealer $6,000.00 more for warranty and service work. I have worked hard for my money through the years, and to give the second and third dealer that much more money for warranty and service work makes me look like a fool. The only extra money that I would have to pay the first dealer is for shipping the tractor. He stated the total shipping price to my farm would be around $385.00, or a little less.

People on this board, what say you on this deal. I would like to hear your pros and cons about this complete tractor package.

Cabinholler

 

[Evasive1]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My question to the people on this board is this: Would you buy a new tractor from a dealer that is a little under 300 miles from your farm to save $4,500.00, or $6,000.00 )</font>

In a heartbeat.

The dealer I bought from is over 100 miles away. In the past year I have only needed to take the tractor to him once. When it came to the 50 hour service I just called him and he mailed me the filters.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I'd go back to the closer dealers and talk to them about the price. Tell them you've looked at other brands, and tell them that you've also gotten significantly better pricing on an identical tractor set up. Ask them to sharpen their pencil. A lot. Tell them how far away they are from a competitive price. See if they will meet it or at least get close. And if they are close, ask for things like free pick & delivery for any warrenty work during the warrenty period.

I was pricing a smaller tractor about 18 months ago and my local dealer started out high, but dropped his price to meet competition. I was fair and asked him to meet a delivered price. And now my dealer also deliveres implements to me and has beaten every price on every implemnt I have ever had him give me a quote on, in each case I reward him by purchasing from him. I want price AND service AND a relationship in the future. By working with my local dealer I was able to get all those things. Give it another try.

 

[BarryinMN]

I went 1600 miles round trip for a crawler. Saved $6-8K for my trouble.

The better value dealer may be quoting from his paid inventory where your closer dealers are ordering new price inventory with higher shipping expense.

Buying locally for an overpowering reason might make sense. Is one dealer owned by spouse relatives? Have you bought $250K from one that gives you 24/7 365 no questions asked service? Free loaner tractor if needed?

Otherwise I'd opt for the loader tractor at the same price! It's a handy thing to have even if there's two around the farm.

If you have a little mechanical know how you can do almost every repair yourself - Zetor simple straight forward engineering. Most dealers don't cover pick up & delivery for service like they do on the lawnmower sized tractors anyway.

Your 300 mile dealer charges ~ $1.25 loaded mile a good rate! Get an agreement for the same ship rate for the duration of the warranty if there is a major tractor splitting repair needed - if you want the selling dealer to do warranty.

Get the Zetor service & parts manuals $45 ea.

 

[Cabinholler]

Bob Skurka

I have already gone back to these two high dealers on this tractor and loader, and told them what kind of total price that I can get. You know something. Both of those dealers just laughed at me, and said no way a dealer can sell a new 4341 Zetor tractor and loader for that much money less than they could. One of those high dealers told me that this low price that I got on this tractor and loader was way below what they paid for them. Well! I got news for those dealers. I sure can get that tractor and loader for that many thousands of dollars below them, because the dealer has told me so.

Here in Central Kentucky most new tractor dealers will give you a price on a tractor, and that is it. Take it or leave it. That is what I am thinking about doing on this deal with these two high priced dealers is leave it. Now and them a person might find a tractor dealer around here that will take a little less on a tractor from the price he or she first stated, but that is a small percentage of the time.

I have been new tractor shopping in this area for several weeks. One thing that I have learned from all these tractor dealers is that most of them have floor plans with the brand tractor companies that they are selling. You know they have to pay interest when they do this. Now who pays for this tractor dealers interest. You and me who buys a tractor from them. This tractor dealer that I can get this real low price from on a new 4341 zetor tractor and loader does not use a floor plan, but pays cash money when he gets his tractors from the tractor company. I know on here some tractor dealers will say that there is no way that a dealer can pay cash for their tractors, but I have found one that does. I am sure thinking about doing business with him, if something else doesn't come up.

The one tractor that I have always wanted to get is a Kioti DK65/C, but I can't get anywhere near on price of a Kioti with loader that I can get on a new 4341 Zetor w/cab, with 4X4, with shuttle, and with loader.

If I go ahead and buy a new 4341 Zetor tractor instead of the Kioti DK65/C, I hope it will be as good as the Kioti, or better, and that I will not have any major problems with it. I have never owned a tractor like these two tractors.

Cabinholler

 

[Cabinholler]

BarryinMN

I am seriously thinking about doing the exact same thing that you did to save myself around 5 or 6 thousand of dollars. To save that much money on a tractor deal is a lot of money for me. Through the years, I have worked hard for my money, and I am not about to take that much money and just throw it into a lake.

The one thing that I have got to do now is make up my mind that I am going to buy a Zetor tractor for sure, and no other brand. If I go ahead and buy a Zetor tractor, I hope that I will have made the best choice of brand of tractors in the price range that I will pay for this tractor. Also, I hope that the Zetor tractor is a good tractor, and that I will not have any major problems with it. I know any brand of tractors could have major problems.

Cabinholler

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I would still give the local guys one more chance. In fact, I'd walk in there with a written quote from the long distance guy. I'd ask. It won't cost you anything but maybe a half-hour's time. And if they do come down in price, and if they have a good shop and parts department, then in the long run you'd probably be better off. If they didn't come down, then I'd drive past them. But over the life of the tractor you may find that dealing long distance for things like warrenty work, part, etc will end up costing you a lot of time in delays. Sure, someone can mail you a part, but that will mean your tractor is down for 3 days while you wait for it and then you'll have to figure out how to put it on. Or if its a major problem, you will be hauling that tractor several hours each way, which will cost you a day in transportation time just hauling it up there to drop it off, and hauling back and empty trailer. It will cost you another day to pick it up.

I'm not saying don't do it, I'm just pointing out there are long term costs. If none of the local dealers will play ball, then yes, I would ultimately make the drive if and only if no other brand of tractor was suitable at a reasonable price.

 

[thegreatrandini]

Take your savings and buy a nice trailer to haul your tractor with.. Then you can haul it over for warranty work..... Also check with Zetor and see if the local dealers have to do warranty work on a tractor even if you did not buy from them...
I think that the warranty work is paid to the dealers from the Manufacturer so any dealer should have to make warranty repairs. I could be wrong but that is what I think.......
If I buy a Dodge under warranty I don't have to take it to the Dodge dealer I bought it from.....There should be profit involved for the dealer to do warranty repairs....
I would not burn my bridges and make enemy of the local guys but I would not pay that big of premium to buy from them.....
Also I don't know what u need a tractor for but unless you have a skid loader or something?.... get a loader. You will use your loader more then anything else if you have it......

 

[BarryinMN]

I'll quote from an old college professor:

"It's not about how much you make... It's ALL about how much you don't spend!

Remember to post back pictures of your new horse (whichever one you get) at work.

 

[LarryRB]

For one, three hundred miles is only a gas pedal away.. I would ask the locals if they can meet or come real close to that bid including loader.,. If not, go for it. I went over 500 miles one way and would do it ten more times if the need warrants it... There comes a point where ( as most state here, local means service and warranty) and I feel the service and warranty issues are still blown out of the water, price wise, and it is still much better to travel some.. I do my own service anyway, so it's down to warranty issues and the particular dealer I went with, this isn't even a concern. The only possible concern would be one day vs three... I can live with this...