# Pricing



## carl.chipman (Feb 19, 2009)

Howdy. I just joined the forum, and have been looking around a bit. 

My wife and I have recently move out to a 10 acre place, with about 2 acres of "lawn", and 8 acres of pasture. Well, it's more accurately "land that will be a pasture once we get rid of all of the weeds that have currently claimed that land"

Sooooo, we are looking at tractors, and with a MF dealer just down the road, we have been talking to him.

One thing I'm having difficulty finding out though, is MSRP for MFs.

Is there a place I can find that information?

The other thing I'd appreciate some advice on is whether we should go for the GC2XXX series sub-compact, or the 15XX compact tractor. 

The price difference at the local dealer is fairly big (say around $5k).


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## chrpmaster (May 5, 2004)

What else are you planning on doing with your equipment? Any need for a front end loader or ground engaging equipment (tiller for a garden, grader box to smooth out a gravel driveway or rough ground left by the builder). How often are you planning on mowing the "pasture"? Are you planning on having horses or other animals? 

Answers to these questions will determine what equipment you need. 

If you just want to mow the 2 acre lawn you will be much happier with a zero turn mower. They mow well and faster than most tractors. Especially around landscaping and trees.

Then you could pick up a nice used bigger tractor that would easily mow down the pasture a couple times a year. Something like a John Deere 790 is bullet proof and easy to maintain. There are several similarly sized tractors from the competitors which would also be good choices. It would operate a 6 foot bush hog without straining and give years of service. 

All of this could be purchases for about the same money as a single new CUT. Plus you would get you jobs done faster and better.

Just my .02

Andy

P.S. Welcome to the Tractor Forum!


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## carl.chipman (Feb 19, 2009)

> _Originally posted by chrpmaster _
> *What else are you planning on doing with your equipment? Any need for a front end loader or ground engaging equipment (tiller for a garden, grader box to smooth out a gravel driveway or rough ground left by the builder).
> *


We definitely are going to need (at least intermittently) all of the things you mention. We have a 400 foot driveway that needs to be smoothed, and my wife would like to do a garden, and we need to put in more fence posts.


> *
> How often are you planning on mowing the "pasture"?
> *


I'd say probably every month or so this year. We need to get all of the fences fixed and redone before we can get animals on the property, but after that, yes we'd like to get some horses.



> *
> Are you planning on having horses or other animals?
> 
> Answers to these questions will determine what equipment you need.
> ...


Thanks, and I appreciate the help. Do my answers change what your response would be?


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## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

I'm new here myself ... but if you don't need a loader an older tractor in the 45-hp range will sell for less than a new one in the 25-hp range and do a lot more work.

I just bought a 1955 Ford 960 for my mowing / grading needs. I've got a 90-inch finishing mower for it ... and if I needed a bush hog I'm sure it would run a 6-footer without trouble. And I'm under $5000 so far.


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## carl.chipman (Feb 19, 2009)

> _Originally posted by DanielWilson _
> *I'm new here myself ... but if you don't need a loader an older tractor in the 45-hp range will sell for less than a new one in the 25-hp range and do a lot more work.
> 
> I just bought a 1955 Ford 960 for my mowing / grading needs. I've got a 90-inch finishing mower for it ... and if I needed a bush hog I'm sure it would run a 6-footer without trouble. And I'm under $5000 so far. *


Hmm, $5000 is not a lot true, but I'm not extremely mechanically inclined. How much work do you put into it?

Also, I will be using this mostly on evening and weekends, and need it work more than I want to fiddle about with it.

Finally, most of the places are offering 0% financing, and I'd rather not cut $5000 out of my badly hit funding (Money Market and Mutual funds, natch) when I could just pay $150 a month.

Back on topic though, I'm still wanting to find out what the MSRP prices are, to be able to evaluate what a fair price for the tractor is.

TIA,
Carl


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## MFreund (May 2, 2008)

Did you try their website??


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## Lamar Holland (Dec 28, 2005)

their web site has a build and price page on it,, Kind of hard to find and you will dance around a bit till you find it. The other thing is,, do you have to plow snow, what other items does this tractor need to accomplish" I have only 12 acres and wouldn't even come close to thinking of owning a GC 2 series. I suppose if you have all the time in the world and have nothing else to do, then maybe a gc3 series is for you,, I have a TLB L48 Kubota for my 12 acres and am glad I do. After 6 yrs with this tractor I wouldn't dream of anything smaller.


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## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

>>Hmm, $5000 is not a lot true, but I'm not extremely mechanically inclined. How much work do you put into it?

Just got it ... but putting more work in than I'd like. I've got a running thread in the Ford Hundred Series area!


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## chrpmaster (May 5, 2004)

Carl even if you're not mechanically inclined you are still going to need to know how to maintain a new tractor if you want it to last as long as the payments. Lamar also has a good point - size matters. 

Bottom line only you can determine how much maintainance you can handle. There is a lot of room between a $5000 tractor and a $20000 tractor. If you shop around I would think you could find a tractor the size you need in good condition for a lot less than a new one will cost.

Andy


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## carl.chipman (Feb 19, 2009)

I want to thank everyone for the help... Been traveling for work a bit lately, so haven't had time to do more research. 

I have a couple more questions if everyone doesn't mind.

#1) It seems that there's a inclination from the responses *against* buying new. Why? The reason I ask is that based upon what I've seen in the way tractors retain value, if I buy a new tractor for $15000, use it for 6 years and pay it off, I will probably be able to sell it for around $7500+, right? So I'm basically getting it for 6 years, and it's new. So am I missing something important?

#2) It's the lack of information that makes it difficult for me. While there is a whole new array of features that you have to learn when researching tractors, since there just don't seem to be as many buyers and sellers, the amount of information is much less. I *hate* having less information than the salesmen. I don't begrudge them a profit, but I don't want to pay them any more than I absolutely have to.

Again, thanks everyone for all of the advice.


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## SHARTEL (Feb 11, 2009)

Hello Carl,

I’ve been following along and believe the responses to your thread are related to what you’ve listed as the ’Punch List’ of duties assigned for your new tractor purchase. As far as I can tell you need a unit to (1) rough cut 8 acres of pasture, (2) mow 2 acres of manicured lawn, (3) back blade or box blade to periodically maintain 400’ of driveway, and (4) cultivate a small garden. Are we right so far?

I think I see two different pieces of equipment necessary for long term (decades) property maintenance. Like Andy stated, a dedicated mower for the 2 acres would be much better than trying to use a tractor with a finish mower (or belly mower). The tractor would also require Turff tires ($) or you’d be faced with patching and repairing the damage caused from R1/R4 lug style tires on any lawn. A finish mower does give you an excellent cut, but there will be hours of labor, manually trimming fence lines, around trees and out buildings compared to a higher end mower that will cut closer and eliminate much of the additional labor.

I understand the exciting prospect of buying and brand new tractor, especially with all the financial incentives but consider there is ‘no one-machine-does it all’. The base price of the tractor plus the implements necessary to improve and maintain 10 acres add up quickly. I’m seeing a box-blade to maintain/repair a very long driveway. Scarifers for ripping and reshaping the crown at least once every two years (pot holes, rain washout etc.), a shredder (Bush Hog) for rough cutting pasture, a tiller for your garden and a 3PH post hole digger for repairng, installing and maintaining fence posts And probably the single most useful attachment, a FEL….no tractor/property owner should be without one. And finally, a finish mower and turff tires, well over an additional $2K, to maintain the 2 acres. That same $2K would make a hefty down payment on a dedicated mower and eliminate the need for wheel/tire changes.

Massey Ferguson manufactures a darn good tractor but I would expand my tractor search to other dealer brands, even if a road trip is necessary. You need to make comparisons and test drive other machinery….just to avoid buyers remorse. I can’t help you with MSRP’s as they seem subjective unless you walk in, look a salesman in the eye and ask the base price MSRP for this tractor (?). IMO, the single most and common problem is a new owner, who purchased a brand new tractor, and discovers it’s too small.

SHARTEL


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## carl.chipman (Feb 19, 2009)

Thanks Shartel. Having given a similar response Chrpmaster, I'll talk to the wife and see how we can go for a good zero turn mower.

Of course than does just exacerbate the issue, as we will then have *two* machines that we'll have to somehow make a decision on.

That problem aside, I'm not to concerned with *what* the price is per, but the fact that it's extremely difficult to find out the pricing for the MSRP. I guess I can start cold-calling lots of dealers, asking for the same configuration and seeing what they say.

If I add multiple brands into the mix, the number of features/prices quickly become super difficult.

*THEN*, if I add the used category into the mix, I then now have to add the age/reliability versus cost into the mix.

I just don't see how anyone can make a rational decision about this stuff without more data.

As an aside, I found the configurator on MFs website, but could not wrangle prices out of it.

Again, thanks to everyone.


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## DanielWilson (Feb 2, 2009)

When I walked into my MF dealership a month ago, they were very forthcoming on one of the models in the showroom ... but didn't want to admit the price on the bigger one. I think the guy was afraid of sticker shock. They were running 0% financing for 72 months ... though if you don't need that, good for you!


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## MFreund (May 2, 2008)

*One tractor fits all*

I would disagree or clarify what Shartel said. I have a fits all tractor. 

I have a 4310 with r-4 tires, 72' MMM, a rototiller, loader and 7' box blade and there is not a project I cannot tackle. The post hole digger would be nice but would not use it enough, back to thought. I use it mostly in the summer to finish mow about 2.5 acres in 2 hrs. It may not be as fast as a zero turn but it also is a LOT smoother to ride. The r-4 tires are easy on the lawn. They are not the "best" for snow and mud but work acceptable. I believe it can handle anything. It may not be the best mower, mud runner, etc but will handle most jobs most of the time. The trimming around the bldgs is handled by Round-up.

Finally If I had the $ and could afford payments I would buy NEW. You get warranty, someone to help make a informed decision on exactly what option would work the best, and a local friend.

Hope this helped


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## carl.chipman (Feb 19, 2009)

*Update*

So I wanted to let everyone know that we ended up purchasing a GC2600 from the shop down the street. After calling around to 12 different dealers, they ended up having the lowest price, and being as they were only 5 miles away, it made it an easy decision.

Here's the quotes we got:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p0LMtz6zylYNmuvURnMT7fw

So far we've put about 5 hours on it, and are learning how to use it. 

Thanks for all the help from everyone, and wanted to give some information back to the group.


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## MFreund (May 2, 2008)

Congratulation!!! Lets see some pictures


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## carl.chipman (Feb 19, 2009)

Here you go.


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## carl.chipman (Feb 19, 2009)

And another, showing the terrible state of the pasture


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## chrpmaster (May 5, 2004)

Congratulations on the new ride! I am sure you will have fun using it. I am curious what your first impressions are of the machine. Surprises (both pleasant and unpleasant). Its always good to get feed back from a new owner.

Andy


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## carl.chipman (Feb 19, 2009)

With only 5 hours on it, I'm pretty happy, but wonder about a few things.

Pro: Horsepower is great. Has no issue running the 5' brush hog, uphill, with 6 foot tall weeds. Controls are great, and as relatively quick to learn as you could hope. Machine *feels* good.

Con: Lack of weight. I can't move things around the brush pile very well yet since the assembly weighs (with me on it, the FEL, and the brush hog on the back) only around 2500 lbs. 

I haven't figured out yet how to properly use the FEL for digging and destroying stuff, so I'm going to have to reserve judgement on that. I'm also going to have to get a finish mower for the front yard, but that's in the next couple of months.


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## MFreund (May 2, 2008)

Looks like the pasture will take some time. Oh darn more seat time!!!


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