To Buy New or Used, That is the Question

I am sure everyone is getting tired of hearing the words "in this economy", but actually we are still in a recession and businesses are still struggling to make ends meet. This brings me to my topic of the day. Is there value and/or savings in buying used equipment for your golf course operation? In my years of experience at golf operations, I have been part of buying many dollars worth of both new and used equipment. I can see both sides of the coin.

In my earliest years at a golf course, and working with my father as a youngster, I watched him buy mostly new equipment. New carts, and new turf equipment. This was the late 1960's. Dad's reasoning for the new purchase I think was twofold. One, in that time period there were really very few true used equipment dealers in the marketplace. You were hard pressed to find many buying outlets for good used equipment. Most of what you could find was basically "junk for parts". I know Dad had just such a graveyard of equipment that he cannibalized to keep his other machines running. Two, although Dad had a competent staff at his golf operation, he really didn't have a strong mechanic type to work on his down or ailing equipment. Because of this, I think he was weary of buying older used machines.

In my adult years in the golf business, I began to buy a substantial amounts of used equipment. My reasoning was gleaned from what I learned from my father and the changing used equipment market. Firstly, the superintendent I hired was not only a good egronomist, he was also an excellent mechanic. We purchased used equipment that he knew well and could fix and maintain. Having a strong mechanic was a money saving investment for us. Secondly, there are so many reputable used equipment outlets in the marketplace now that a person should have no worries when buying used. Many manufacturers now have used outlets where courses can buy the traded and leased equipment they own. Also, there are many large used equipment dealers out there that have been in business for many years. This longevity shows me they are selling equipment of the highest standards or they wouldn't still be in business.

In closing I say this. If your course can afford to buy new equipment within the budget, by all means I think that is the way to go. But; if your operation is not in that financial place, and you have a good mechanic on your staff the used equipment market of today offers many viable, economical and safe alternatives to new equipment. The choice is yours.