SERVICED TO YOUR NEED
17 March 2000
SECOND-HAND FORAGERS
SERVICED TO YOUR NEED
Looking for a self-propelled forage harvester but daunted
by the cost of buying brand-new? Peter Hill reports on the
Forager World solution – it could be an attractive option
FOR choice, preparation and condition, there is little to beat the "Forager World" park of used self-propelled forage harvesters.
A biased view, perhaps, from someone closely involved in the scheme. But one that could be justified judging by the principles on which the Forager World scheme operates.
This mirror-image of the successful "Combine World" venture, is designed to make it easier for buyers of used foragers to find the machine they want at the right price and in good enough nick to tackle a few more busy silaging seasons.
Operated by a group of Claas dealers from southern England to mid-Scotland, the scheme encourages the ready inter-change of second-hand stock so that a buyer in, say, Arbroath can purchase a forager held in a Hampshire dealers yard without penalty.
Quality control is a key element of the scheme, says Howard Pullen of Sussex Harvest Centre, one of 13 UK Claas dealers involved.
"Every machine is subject to a 165-point check, is fully serviced and prepared ready for work," he explains. "Cabs are professionally valeted to get back to as near original condition as possible, and paint-work tidied up as necessary. A self-propelled forager is a big buy, even second-hand. We have to make sure it is right."
With high volumes of grass and maize silage being put through most contractor machines, the most common policy is to replace them at three years old, typically having clocked up 2000 hours and perhaps 4000ha (10,000 acres) of silage work. Some contractors run them on to between five and six years in the hope of extracting more work before maintenance costs and reliability start to intervene.
"We take in harvesters bought new in 1985 or which are just a couple of years old," notes Howard Pullen. "They are trade-ins mostly but we do buy-in the more popular models which we know will retail easily."
Trade-in values are helped to some extent by international interest, particularly in the older Jaguar 600-series from countries where the outright performance of the newer 800-series is not needed.
Shipped to Japan
"Sussex Harvest Centre alone has shipped a 600-series Jaguar to Japan every year for the past three years; weve sold into Norway, Finland, Denmark and across to Ireland; and I know other Forager World dealers have supplied machines to New Zealand," says Mr Pullen. "We even shipped one to the US recently; the buyer saw it on the internet site, flew across to inspect it, and bought it."
The US has become a good hunting ground for Claas, having almost instantly captured a 30% market share with the Jaguar 800-series after contractors and dealers persuaded the company to make it available there. It is also the most popular machine in the UK and across the rest of Europe.
Re-sale values of UK 800-series Jaguars, however, have been hit by exchange rate movements which effectively cut the price of new machines by as much as 20% in Britain.
"Lower new machine prices and trade-in values mean the deal is still about the same, although a bit cheaper in the long-run, taking finance charges into account," Mr Pullen points out. "But it is awkward for contractors who end up with a book-value higher than the true worth of the machine."
So, what do contractors with a silage-making workload that does not justify a brand-new forager – or big grass farmers who want to go independent – get for their money when buying a used machine from a Forager World dealer?
A machine that has been prepared to as a high standard as the customer wants, is the short answer.
"With foragers that will retail quickly, we simply get on with servicing and any prep work when they come in," notes Mr Pullen. "With others, well hang on for a customer so that he can decide how much to spend on putting things right; they can often do at least some of the work themselves."
As a rule, the standard package involves replacing chopper blades and other wearing parts, ensuring that the metal detection system functions as it should, checking gearboxes and other driveline components, cleaning the cab and tidying paint-work – which can run to a full respray if necessary.
Fully serviced
The machine will also be fully serviced and goes out of the yard with one-year £1500 maximum claim warranty cover, or an optional 100hr warranty which is available only on 800-series foragers.
Not that sales are confined to Claas harvesters; competitor machines are often taken in against new sales.
John Deere and New Holland are the most common; some aspects of blade maintenance and corn cracker installation are not up with the Jaguar and gear and shaft drivelines are a concern for some. But operators like the cab and control layout of these machines.
Different colours
Few Case harvesters have put in an appearance on Forager World second-hand lists. The Mammut still has to establish a positive reputation given recent history which has seen it in both Mengele and (briefly) Massey Ferguson colours.
Howard Pullen believes the simplicity of belt drive to the chopping cylinder, good engine cooling performance and easy step-in access to move the corn cracker in and out of work are among the main characteristics of the Jaguar that sustain its popularity.
And features which also make it a sensible buy from the Forager World used equipment lot. *
Used forage harvesters await new owners at Sussex Harvest Centre, one of several UK dealers the effectively pool their stock through the Forager World scheme. Harvesters are thoroughly checked and have a choice of warranty options.