Buying a Drill: New, Used - or a Pre-Owned from Weaving?

A new drill can have a lot to offer, it’s fresh from the factory, with you as its first owner, the first soil it touches will be on your farm. Opting for a new drill means you’ll have one of the very latest models and it’ll also be covered by a manufacturer warranty and you might be eligible for extra benefits to get you on your way. However, a new drill can come at a price, so a used drill may offer a better solution and get you more for your money. But with any second-hand machine purchase, there are pitfalls and risks, such as no warranty or unknown wear and tear, so Weaving has a solution. Here we go through all the pros and cons to help you make the right purchase.

Buying a New Drill: The Pros

Being the first owner: We all love shiny new equipment and whether it’s a smartphone, a car or indeed a seed drill, there is something special about being the first and only owner. The tines (or discs) still sparkle with fresh paint and the touchscreen has never been smeared by someone else’s dirty mitts. You’ll know there are no hidden signs of misuse to worry about either.

Meeting your needs: You have a vision of seamless drilling for your farm, so you want the added features of electric half shut-off and cameras in the tank. Buying a new drill enables you to configure a drill to your precise specifications -though do be mindful that this may mean you have to wait for a build slot rather than an “off-the-shelf” machine. 

Full Manufacturer Warranty: The modern drill is expensive, so if something isn’t right, a manufacturer’s warranty should give you peace of mind for at least the first year of the drill’s working life. With all the software and technology in today’s machinery, it is nice to have that security. 

Finance: manufacturers and dealers sometimes offer more attractive finance packages on new assets, such as lower interest rates and deposit contributions. 

Grant Eligibility: farm businesses may be eligible for grant funding towards their new drill purchase, but often this is restricted to new equipment only, make sure you read the full terms of your grant eligibility before choosing your purchase. 

Buying a New Drill: The Cons

Higher prices: Everything is getting more expensive; fertiliser, fuel, labour, tractors and your wife’s new horsebox. New machinery tends to cost more than comparable used alternatives. You’ll also have to take the depreciation (the value it loses over time) that comes with buying a new asset, too. With the rising costs of production and steel, new drill prices have also increased a fair bit over the past couple of years, and while this has also been true of the used market, second-hand prices can be quicker to respond to market changes than manufacturers can be to alter their list prices.

Worth the wait? The salesman has given you a demo and shown you just how perfectly suited your new drill will be to your farming ambitions, but as exciting as receiving your new drill can be, you may have to wait for it. Depending on your model and specification, this could range anywhere from a few weeks to several months, if your current drill is on its knees, the wait may not be viable. 

Buying a Used Drill: The Pros

Significant savings: The biggest draw of any used machinery is the significantly lower outright cost compared to a new one. This is particularly the case if you go for older models which may have already depreciated a significant amount.

More bang for your buck: You may find the money you’d spend on a new drill could get you a higher-spec used drill for the same amount. Often a used drill may come with a secondary applicator already fitted. 

No need to wait: The weather is wreaking havoc and the drill in your shed simply won’t go, you need an urgent solution. Unless the manufacturer has new drills in stock, you may need to wait for delivery, but you still have 200 acres to sow and the approaching storm cloud won’t wait. Used drills are often available for immediate delivery. 

Buying a Used Drill: The Cons

You may have no warranty: When buying in a farm sale or directly from another farm, you may not have a warranty as it may have expired by the time you purchase it. Any issues that arrive could be expensive. 

Issues are more likely: We all know what conditions can be like on farms, so any used drill will be subject to wear and tear. This will of course vary depending on how well (or poorly) previous owners looked after it and their soil types. 

Buying a Pre-Owned Drill from Weaving

Warranty: Weaving offers many pre-owned drills with a year’s warranty. That means extra peace of mind!

Finance: Weaving can offer finance plans on your pre-owned drills, allowing you to spread the cost and protect the cash flow. 

Like new: Prior to sale, all pre-owned drills are subject to a thorough inspection from our technicians, with new wearing parts fitted as necessary. The technicians will test the drill and identify and repair any issues that have arisen from previous use. Your pre-owned drill may have seen a few fields over the years, but will feel like a dame fresh out of the Harley Street Clinic!

Tailoring to your needs: you’ve found a pre-owned drill in stock at Weaving, it's nearly perfect, but you would really like a set of pre-emergence markers and an additional slug pellet applicator. That’s no problem! Our pre-owned drills can be easily retrofitted with additional spec, to make your drill your perfect match.  

Complimentary Set Up on Farm: buying the drill is easy, but sometimes knowing how to use it isn’t. All drills, new or used, brought from Weaving are offered with an on-farm set-up from one of our experienced technicians. They’ll show you how to fit it to the tractor, calibrate, program the controls, adjust the depth and get you drilling so you can sow with confidence.