This is not something for just the tractors, but just about everything, and I feel is only going to get worse. Reports of Q3 2023 being the return point for inventory is quite scary when you think about it.
I ordered an L4060 HSTC a few weeks ago. Considering there are only about 14 across the country for sale, including used, I am not expecting to see it any time soon. I had to go to the dealer to get parts for my new to me IH 35 rake since they are also a Case dealer and as I walked past the salesmans office, "is it here yet? Is it here yet?" He just smiled and shook his head, knowing I was just teasing. Their lot, like others have said, is bare They used to have a 5 acre field just loaded with used and new equipment, and now they have something like 6 pieces of equipment out front, and anything new is in the crates in the parking lot. They have 5 or 6 locations, and looking through their inventory from all sites is very slim. For the most part it is all big ticket items listed for sale.
I did some research for real estate tax help and found that if I turn my horse pastures into crop, it will knock a couple to several grand off the taxes, so going to convert 3.2 into hay and started looking into used equipment. OH MY!!! Some of the Shiznit out there and asking huge prices for it had my head swimming!!! $3K for a beat up old JD 1209 MoCo, $2K for a beat up old rusty JD 660 rake, $6K for a NH Baler.
I eventually found all 3 items via Craigslist. Found a NH 273 baler in really good mechanical condition for $1200, and an IH 35 rake that would have been in better shape had it been trailered home and rebuilt, but the trip destroyed the left axle and hubs, in the end I fully rebuilt it and all told spent $1800 on it and other than needing a coat of paint is in like new condition now. The last item I found was at a dealer 2 hours away on a JD 1206 MoCo. They really didn't know what they had and only asked $1650 for it and threw in a bearing that was missing. It just needs new sections on the cutter, so for $60 in parts and my time is a fully functioning serviceable cutter.
Deals are out there, just not like they used to be, just have to search for them and be willing to travel.
Now just impatiently waiting on the new tractor to arrive, but won't be bugging the dealer on when, when, when. I won't really need it until next spring, but I do hope to get it before winter fully hits, will be nice to clear the drive with a heated cab instead of the OOS on the B2410 and what little heat it can give off the cowl. Keeping that little bugger too, so don't ask if for sale.
The dealer I got the MoCo from was a JD dealer, they had 6 yard tractors on the lot, 1 sub compact, and a few used implements. The JD dealer a mile or two from my Kubota dealer had 4 sub and compacts on the lot, and some Implements. Another JD dealer 24 miles away had a few new tractors, and one I had given a good thought to, a 3046R but it didn't have a loader, and I found out the loader is not detachable. It also is not a direct comparison to the L4060, and cost several grand more, so sticking with Kubota.
