[AT] compact tractor article

[Mike Sloane]

When I was the salesman at a local New Holland dealer, most of my sales 
of compact tractors fell into two categories: The bigger ones went to 
landscapers who were doing final site preparation and landscaping on new 
homes/condos/townhouses (of which there were a LOT back then). The small 
to medium size models were mostly bought by owners of "farmettes" - 2-5 
acre places with one or two horses and a half million dollar house. I 
only recall selling one compact tractor to a customer with a working farm.

My boss, whose dad started the business selling Fordsons in the '20s, 
couldn't seem to grasp that he wasn't dealing with old time farmers and 
was more than happy to let me to the negotiations on compacts. He was 
used to jawboning over the deal, with offers and counter offers, 
discussion of the weather and the price of crops, the farmer making 3 or 
4 visits before coming to a decision, and then starting work on the 
credit, possible trade in, etc. The buyers of compacts, would come in, 
spend about 10 minutes with the machine, ask for a price, and either 
write out a check or walk away. It is a very different world.

Mike

CEE VILL wrote:
> Interesting story.  By the time I am too old to get on it, there may be 
> enough used ones around so I can afford one.
> 
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11677340/site/newsweek/
> 

-- 
Mike Sloane
Allamuchy NJ
<mikesloane at verizon.net>
Website: <www.geocities.com/mikesloane>
Images: <www.fotki.com/mikesloane>

Dissent is what rescues democracy from a quiet death behind
closed doors.
-Lewis H. Lapham, editor (1935- )


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