“The Ranger is handy because it’s compact. We can pull it into the aisles of the barns and load up the bed with waste and take it to the compost area. We use it to move bales of hay, troughs and equipment. It’s a lot eas- ier to use than a pickup because the bed is lower,” says Mullen. Other sell- ing points were the bed capacity and electronic fuel injection for reliable starts in cold weather. The Ranger is also used for showing donors around the grounds.
Mullen turned to other users for advice before buying. “I looked online to see comments for different products. We were interested in trying some- thing different,” she says.
The ranch’s other recent purchase
is the Kubota 3940 bought in 2011 from Schaeperkoetter Sales & Service, with locations in Mt. Sterling and Owensville, Mo.
“We had compared prices with
“I’m looking for a dealer who is honest and can give us the best trade-in value…”
another Kubota dealership. Because Schaeperkoetter gave us a better trade- in value, we were able to buy a blade and an auger. We knew we needed that other equipment and they helped us stretch the dollar as much as we could,” Mullen says. A volunteer helped research options and Schaeperkoetter’s customer service sealed the sale. “They spent a lot of time talking about what we needed. They were quick to respond and found the tractor fast,” says Mullen.
Watching Budget
The ranch’s fiscal year runs from November 1 to October 31 and Mullen presents a budget in late
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RuralLifestyleDealer.com/RS and indicate No. 107 RURAL LIFESTYLE DEALER SUMMER 2013 51
summer for the board to approve. While equipment requests need to be included in that budget, she is able to make special requests. “I have to keep an eye on the life of the equipment and if it might need more repairs. Because we are a non- profit, we do have budget constraints. I wish we could get a new tractor every 5 years,” she says.
When it’s time to trade in or pur- chase new, Mullen says she needs this from a dealer: “I’m looking for a dealer who is honest and can give us the best trade-in value. I want their best price — and their best advice, too. I’m spending donor monies and I need to get maxi- mum value for every dollar we spend. Whatever I can save means more ani- mals we can help.”
RLD
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