# Need purchasing guidance



## trevelle (Sep 3, 2004)

Hey all, I recently posted a question in the Big Tractor General Forum, but realize this is where I should be posting. My wife and I just bought a new property on which we plan to start a greenhouse business. We've got about 17 acres of land -- 4 or 5 of which need to be worked -- brush hogged, plowed and cultivated in the near term -- and about 10 acres are wooded. We expect we'll need a FEL and BH in the next year or so. We were originally looking into used, but a friend suggested that we'd be better off with a new tractor because of the financing options available today. He suggested New Holland. We stopped by the local New Holland dealer and he showed us the TC30 with FEL for around $16500. 

What do people think about this tractor versus another comparable one? If we go with New Holland, are we better off getting the NH attachments, or going with aftermarket attachments -- like Howse or Land Pride? The NH backhoe is an extra $6500 and a brush hog would be about $1500. As a comparison, I saw a Howse brush hog for around $600 in the Northern catalog.

And lastly, never having bought a tractor before, are tractor prices negotiable -- like car prices -- or is the sticker price pretty much what we should expect to pay?

Thanks in advance for any feedback you can offer. We're really excited at the prospect of getting a new tractor. We're a bit overwhelmed with costs of the new property and trying to get the business going, but we also know that a purchase like this will last us a very long time -- and hopefully pay for itself in the work it'll help us get done.


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## Durwood (Sep 16, 2003)

Seems that everyone that has the tc30 loves it. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the newer models but is a solid tractor. It would be in your best interest to look at what dealers are around you and compare prices and features. They should come off the sticker imho at least 10-15%.
Tell the dealer you are gonna look around and you want his best price. I don't believe the blue attachments are better than any others. You are paying for that color. The best advise is to sit on each tractor and see if the layout of the controls and everything else "feels" right to you.
Also , service after the sale is very important! Pick out a dealer with a good reputation.


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## Michael (Sep 16, 2003)

I say that you should look at the all of the tractors in the range YOU can afford. Getting a loan for equipment to me is a option but one I do not like. But if you decide to do this I highly recommend that you also stop at the John Deere, Kubota, even others if they are in your area (Case) I would say that the price is always a negotable. I would also see what they have in the DEMO area sometimes the deals are best. I have a 25 year old Kubota and I have a aftermarket FEL, a off brand box blade, a Woods brush cutter and a unknown brand rototiller. I am not brand loyal except in maybe the vehicles I drive (all Chrysler products).


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