Buying Advice Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors

   / Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors #1  

bucktaker

Platinum Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2010
Messages
913
Location
Sw Ohio
Tractor
Kubota L5740
I just talked to a used equipment dealer about a nice used low hr machine, he couldnt tell me anything about it because he just bought it at auction told me to take the sn to a dealership for more info.

Got me to thinking maybe I could go straight to the auction myself and get the same equipment for less. After all he didnt offer any guarantees or warranty on used tractor

I know its buyer beware but what is the difference if I buy from a used equipment dealer or auction ? Are these auctions listed somewhere or do you need license to attend. I have attended Tri-Greens auction lot in London Ohio years ago but only saw junktractors.

What is typical markup for used equipment figuring, they have trucking expenses plus profit.
 
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   / Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors #2  
I just talked to a dealer about a nice used low hr machine, he couldnt tell me anything about it because he just bought it at auction told me to take the sn to a dealership for more info.

Got me to thinking maybe I could go straight to the auction myself and get the same equipment for less. After all he didnt offer any guarantees or warranty on used tractor

I know its buyer beware but what is the difference if I buy from a used equipment dealer or auction ? Are these auctions listed somewhere or do you need license to attend. I have attended Tri-Greens auction lot in London Ohio years ago but only saw junktractors.

What is typical markup for used equipment figuring, they have trucking expenses plus profit.

if buying from a dealer u have time to think about the tractor and check it over two or three times
 
   / Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors
  • Thread Starter
#3  
true but only if its a local deal....
 
   / Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors #4  
Nothing against Greens, I have bought and sold equipment there many times. But you gotta know what you're looking at, or have a friend that knows. There's a scrap line at that auction for a reason.
My advice is to start at auctionzip.com. You can put your zipcode in and look for local ag auctions. Go early and talk to the auctioneers, tell them what you are looking for. They can be your eyes and ears. If they know your serious, they can help steer you onto a good machine. Attend a few and get to know what prices these machines can bring. That way, if you see something going cheap, you can jump on it.
If I need a specific piece of equipment, that's what I do. Last year I was looking for a dirt pan. Put the word out to a couple of my favorite auctioneers and it wasn't more than a couple of weeks later one of them told me about one he saw sitting on the side of the road for sale. He didn't make a dime on it but sure helped me out.
 
   / Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors #5  
there are few successful equipment aucions besides Ritchie Bros, and McGrew come to mind. We don't take anything, the freight is too expensive. May used equipment dealers have good relationships with other dealers (like us) and pickup inventory at wholesale prices and resell it. Used inventory is a big cash flow drag, so we do anything we can to find a new home for each and every piece even if its at a minimal profit. Be very careful tough, most of the time we're looking to move things that are marginal mechanicaly and we don't want to stand behind.
 
   / Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors #6  
My screen name is a result of 40+ years of "jockeying" used equipment, keeping the best of the best to farm with, and selling the rest. I got quite a bit of my "rolling stock" from consignment sales, dealers who would "wholesale" me their used equipment when it started stacking up on their lots, answering adds in the newspaper (in years gone by), craigslist, ebay, and internet classifieds.

Speaking in regards to the dealers I'm familiar with (close to where I live) much, if not all of their used inventory is trade-ins. The dealers who buy at consignment auctions, ect, are generally used equipment dealers who may have a few implement lines (new stuff) to go along with their used products.

Some dealers only want top of the line "mint" used tractors that'll sell at a high price. Too many "bargains" on the lot can serve as direct competition against their NEW tractors. And low priced "beaters" serve as "point/counterpoint" to show just how expensive "new" equipment can be. They were more'n happy to let me have a few tractors at trade in value.
 
   / Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors #7  
there are few successful equipment aucions besides Ritchie Bros, and McGrew come to mind. We don't take anything, the freight is too expensive. May used equipment dealers have good relationships with other dealers (like us) and pickup inventory at wholesale prices and resell it. Used inventory is a big cash flow drag, so we do anything we can to find a new home for each and every piece even if its at a minimal profit. Be very careful tough, most of the time we're looking to move things that are marginal mechanicaly and we don't want to stand behind.

Looks like I was on the receiving end of a few dealers doing just what you did....

I had 2 Deere dealers, 3 IH dealers (later CaseIH), a couple Ford/New Holland, and back in the day, a really good Oliver dealer I bought from. I stayed away from real "junky" stuff. Too expensive to repair....that killed the profit potential. The 2 Deere dealers didn't want but a handful of later model tractors on their used lot. I had a steady flow of pretty good stuff from them until just a few years ago.
 
   / Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors #8  
I go to an equipment auction in my area (Noonday) that is frequented by dealers who come from all over the country. They pull up in their big rigs and flat beds and leave fully loaded. From talking to them, they know that in my area, certain brands sell for less here then they do in their areas. Kioti was one brand that I was told sells very low here, but he can take it to his yard and sell it for a nice profit. Another said the same thing about Kubota, but I didn't believe him because I've watched Kubota prices, and they seem at the top end of things here. Of course, I don't know what prices are where he was taking them, so it must be true. He bought several Kubota cab tractors, and that's why I asked him about it.

The guys who are the pro's at it all have notbooks and really seem to know what to pay for something. The also seem to know each other, and from what I overheard, go to auctions all over the place and run into each other fairly often.

I've seen some great deals, and I've seen people pay more for used then they could have paid for it brand new. What really sucks is when I see something that interests me, but forget to follow through on it, and then see it sell for a super low price. That hurts!!!

You have to get out and go to the auctions, know your numbers, know how you will get it hom, and know when to walk away.

Good luck,
Eddie
 
   / Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors #9  
It seems to me that when you look at used equipment sales and auctions, you always see a lot of units from rental fleets. Rental yards and also big construction outfits cannot afford to have equipment that breaks down all the time. Some of them keep equipment until it is depreciated fully for tax purposes and then sell it off as salvage when they buy new equipment.
 
   / Where do used equipment dealers get there tractors
  • Thread Starter
#10  
I am looking for a nice low hour modern tractor nothng more than 10 yrs old
in near new condition with a considerable price diff from new otherwise I could just buy new.

I search CL daily for good machines but have not found what I am looking for. Tractorhouse searches result in long distances such as this one I am referring too.

I do have a "friend" who peddles tractors but he buys old fixer uppers and sells then via word of mouth or local advertising .

I will research auction.zip to see what I find.
 
 
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