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Message Thread:

Financing Machinery

10/12/15       
Drew

Website: http://www.brucecampbelldesigns.com

I am looking at purchasing a new sliding table saw from Wurth Baer and one of the options that has come up is what they call a "Finance Lease" As I understand it, I put down a down payment, I disclaim ownership of the saw to the lender, I pay lease payments to the lender for the term of the lease, plus interest, I can purchase the saw at the end of the lease term for $1.

The interest rate they are giving me is 10.9% and I am putting down 50% toward the purchase of the saw. By the end of the lease term I will have purchased the saw for about $2,000 more than the actual price after calculating all the interest.

I am uncomfortable with a situation where I pay for 50% of this saw, yet I have no ownership interest in it until the end of a 36 month lease.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of deal? Do the terms I am being offered sound reasonable? Is it worth paying this interest over time to free up operating capital? I am not savvy when it comes to finance and would really appreciate some guidance.

10/12/15       #2: Financing Machinery ...
Max Neu

I would talk to some banks in your area and see if they offer some equipment loans, you will probably get a better interest rate that way,especially with a 50% deposit.

10/12/15       #3: Financing Machinery ...
Mark Elliott Member

Drew,

10.9% is way to high unless you have no credit history.

You should be at 1/2 of that.

Give Stiles a call and see what they'll lease you on an A-Dorf.

Mark

10/12/15       #4: Financing Machinery ...
jim

Drew,

I agree with Max. If you have half down try your local banks or maybe a used machine to start since you half the money already.

10/12/15       #5: Financing Machinery ...
Larry

I wouldn't go for that deal. Like others have said, you can most likely get a better deal locally. Do you have a line of credit @ your bank? It might be worth establishing one. That way there is no penalty for early payoff. With a line of credit you can borrow and payback as needed and just pay interest on what you have currently borrowed. Works for equipment, or operating capital. You will need a good history.

10/12/15       #6: Financing Machinery ...
Alan F.

I doubt you are really paying 10.9%. Lease amounts vary based on the amount borrowed and credit history.

You want to use a bank or another lease company. Unless you have horrible credit history or are not paying your bills the 50% seems over the top.

If you have credit issues you may want to look at a lower cost used machine that costs the 50% down or less.

In the link below enter the total cost with delivery and sales tax and filing fees as the lease amount enter 10.9 and the rate enter 1 as the residual enter 3 years as the term at number of advanced payments enter 18, 19 or 20 (if they want 50% down plus first and last ) click show payment schedule and then compute. The payment amount will be within a few dollars of what they are quoting you

A-

Lease calculator

10/12/15       #7: Financing Machinery ...
Jim Herron

I lease purchased a new edgebander several years ago.
One of the worst ways to purchase ever conceived. If you have 50% I'd go to a local bank, or join a credit union.
Rates are low, used or near new equipment is plentiful.
I could have purchased twice the bander I bought in the used market for half what I paid.

10/13/15       #8: Financing Machinery ...
Derrek

Lease's also don't allow any savings for prepayment of the loan. They total the interest for the the period add it to the balance and divide by the number of months. Want to pay off early just total your payments but you get no credit on the interest.
Some credit cards offer better rates.

10/13/15       #9: Financing Machinery ...
Jerry Cunningham

I lease financed a CNC PTP earlier this year at 4.9% with no down payment required. 10.9% is rather high unless you don't have the greatest credit history or score.

Talk to these people:

http://firstleaseonline.com

10/13/15       #10: Financing Machinery ...
BigTup

What I have done in the past, especially if you have a large down payment, is to ask the seller to finance the balance personally with you, and do a short term payoff like 6 months. I was looking a $85k machine, offered $50k cash, and the dealer offered to 0% financing for 6 months on the balance. Look at the dealers standpoint, if you default he gets his machine back, you lose, and he can resell a slightly used machine and still make out. It's a good risk for him. Another opinion I have is that I like to own it outright. Any benefit, extra income, etc. from the machine goes to the bottom line, and not to a lease payment. And, yes, 10.9% is a rip.

10/13/15       #11: Financing Machinery ...
David R Sochar Member

For the last 20 years, I operated with a line of credit with my bank. I could bridge shortfalls for payroll or taxes and then pay it back. I could also buy equipment - within reason - with it and pay a reasonable amount back on the low APR loan. Even a minimal interest only payment in a short month.

It required discipline, for sure, but was handy for all sorts of things. Also made it easy to go to auctions and have a note from the bank that you were good for xxx amount of dollars.

I never leased anything. My CPA had a calculator that would tell you whether it was better to lease or borrow. It always came up borrow (if I didn't use the LOC).

The one advantage of a lease is that it does not count against your total indebtedness if you plan to borrow more money down the road.

10/13/15       #12: Financing Machinery ...
Alan F.

David,
A Lease with a $1 buyout is basically a loan and does count towards long term debt. Its a "Capital Lease". Operating leases (vehicles, copy machines) are pure expense.

All.
In my message I said I doubted they he was paying 10.9, what I meant is I think the rate is much higher unless the value of that saw is in the 50-60k range
A-

10/13/15       #13: Financing Machinery ...
Drew Member

Thanks for the input, all.

The business is relatively new and we don't have much of a credit history. That may be why the rate is so bad.

I think I will try to establish a line of credit with a local bank, as some have suggested, rather than pursue this lease deal.

10/13/15       #14: Financing Machinery ...
Jerry Cunningham

Banks are a major P.I.A to deal with. If you're business is new they are not going to give you a line of credit. Nor will it be a fast or easy process.

Leases are popular and great because it's basically name, ss#, and sign here to apply and get approved. Under $50k usually doesn't require any documentation either.

10/13/15       #15: Financing Machinery ...
Max Neu

I would try to get a loan first, rather than deplete your line of credit. It's always good to have a line of credit available for things that come up unexpectedly,or you just need it for cash flow to get through bigger jobs.

10/13/15       #16: Financing Machinery ...
Alan F.

Drew,
Unless you are an ex-con with convictions for fraud and/or theft 50% down is a no risk loan for the lender.

A good used saw should get you by for a few years while you build your business and then you don't have to worry about the debt until you have steady sales.

I would guess you are being put with a leasing company you may not want to do business with.

If you own your home most banks and leasing companies will ask you to sign a personal guarantee that gives them the right to come after everything you own if you don't pay.

Do you have decent personal credit outside of the business?

A-

10/13/15       #17: Financing Machinery ...
MarkB Member

I generally always defer to all of the old souls in this group with regards to these major business decisions. But I have to say that in my world at least, things may have changed.

I have always run a cash business. Never had a major loan with a local institution or any other with regards to my business. I own everything. Land, buildings, tools and tooling, vehicles. I have periodically flirted with the idea of borrowing money, either for some new machinery, improvements or repairs to the building, a vehicle, etc.. These flirtations have primarily been post financial meltdown.

I can honestly say that 10% in todays world, for a business making its first foray into borrowing and perhaps not putting up the entire operation as collateral, doesnt seem unrealistic. Would I take the offer? No, and I havent for that very reason.

I have contacted my local bank (the bank I use regularly, small local bank, 2 locations) and they are up front with the fact that the lending world has changed drastically. Even if I were to put up my entire operation, I may not get a stellar rate.

I can only guess Im wrong, or I "need to find another bank", but I have to wonder if the relationships many shops built during the free'r times are paying dividends in these less than free times. Those of us trying to build relationships now are having to do so on a far different footing.

I remember the days when I could put my hands on 50k in a flash. Not anymore. And if I can, I am going to pay dearly.

10/13/15       #18: Financing Machinery ...
Larry

Mark, You are right about times have changed for small business and banks. 15 years ago I went to my bank and said I needed $100K line of credit. I got one w/o so much as a tax statement. When the economy took a dump, I burned through all my available cash keeping my employees. I showed losses for 3 years. Then business turned and I had the opportunity to take several larger contracts. Needed operating $. Hadn't used my line of credit but they canceled it. Wouldn't give me a nickel in spite the fact I could show them a quarter of a million $ in contracts. Haven't tried getting any $ since. Don't need them now. Part of the problem was they could get almost free $ from the Feds and get absolutely safe interest income from it. No reason for them to take any risks with small business. The politicians claimed to be stimulating the economy.

10/14/15       #19: Financing Machinery ...
Jerry Cunningham

If you do lease, stay FAR FAR AWAY from Balboa Capital. SCM tried to place my lease with them, and when I read the documents they were the most ridiculously predatory terms and language I've ever seen in any contract ever! They had a clause in the personal guarantee that they could change any term and condition at any time without notice and you're bound to it.

10/14/15       #20: Financing Machinery ...
Drew Member

Jerry,

They had the same term in my personal guarantee for this deal. The lender is US Financial Services, LLC out of Southfield, MI. Same predatory language throughout the lease. In fact, they were trying to get me to sign a blank amendment form so that they could later fill in any language they wanted and have my original signature on it.

Needless to say, whether I go with a lease or a loan, it won't be with US Financial Services.

10/14/15       #21: Financing Machinery ...
Mark Elliott Member

Drew,

Hang in there. When you get a chance, come over and lets have a talk.

(Drew's shop is 300yds from mine.)

Mark

10/25/15       #22: Financing Machinery ...
Karl E Brogger

Last year was the first time I ever borrowed money for the business, other than a line of credit that I rarely use. I agree with Max's comment about not using your line of credit, that's there to fill the gaps when money is coming in, it's just not there yet.

I ordered a new widebelt, some work fell through, and I had to borrow. Which I had talked to my bank before I ordered the sander just in case what happened, happened. I borrowed I think $20k, amortized it out over four years, and I think there is just over $4k in principle left. The couple of months when cash was tight, I made the normal payment, most of the time I've been dropping $1k a month into it, a few months I dropped a couple thousand into it. I think the note was at 5.5%. I put the note out for four years to keep the payment manageable when things were tight, and nothing is stopping me from paying it off early. Which I will do by the end of the year unless something horrible happens. I think I paid about $600 in interest last year, and about $1k this year, (I'm not certain though).

Borrow only if the payments are absolutely not a problem! Debt is still there even though the work isn't. Eventually your operating capital runs out, and you're dick'd. I have a severe aversion to debt, but I needed to upgrade sanders in a major way. I also hate paying interest, to me it's a waste unless the uptick in productivity offsets the money spent on interest.

 

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