Price Check Cheap 4100 with High Hours

[pilot172]

I've been casually looking for a good deal on 4100 over the past few years. Currently have a X595 with 3PT and PTO, but looking for a 4100 to keep up at my cabin 2 hours away. I found a 1998 4100 within 10 miles of my home for $3500/offer. This is the lowest cost 4100 I have ever seen anywhere in the US and it's 15min away! Never seen one under $5000 with HST and they usually are around $6000. Reason for the low cost is it has 3400 hours on it and is rather rusty (been sitting outside). It was used commercially but they claim they just pulled a sprayer with it, so the hours are easy hours. No FEL or MMM with it. It runs fine, no smoke or leaks. Everything works. I need it for tilling work and will probably only run it 25 hours per year. Is this a great deal or not? Not sure about the hours, needs a new seat, tires are worn but good for a while yet, and it's pretty rusted (surface rust) and faded, but would be easy to restore. A 4100 with lower hours and better shape would be $2500 more.

 

[Deere Dude]

I would spring for it because some rust reformer and JD green paint is pretty cheap for a smallish tractor. As long as you can run it a bit and check the oil, operation of transmission, whining noises, clunking etc, I don't believe you will regret

 

[Zebrafive]

Hours would not deter me. It should be good for 5000 to 10000 hours easy.

 

[bspeedy]

I guess I'm in the minority. 3400 hours, commercial usage, poor cosmetics... That's three strikes and you haven't even started it yet. The only way I would want to own a 3400 hour tractor is if I put the last 2000 hours on it myself. Just too many things to go wrong in those hours. Yes - that tractor SHOULD go 5000 hours or more. You just don't see them very often.

All the issues you mention describe a machine that has not been cared for. I would not take that machine for $1k.

 

[Quebecguy]

It was used commercially but they claim they just pulled a sprayer with it, so the hours are easy hours.

Why do they want to sell it?

 

[pilot172]

I guess I'm in the minority. 3400 hours, commercial usage, poor cosmetics... That's three strikes and you haven't even started it yet. The only way I would want to own a 3400 hour tractor is if I put the last 2000 hours on it myself. Just too many things to go wrong in those hours. Yes - that tractor SHOULD go 5000 hours or more. You just don't see them very often.

All the issues you mention describe a machine that has not been cared for. I would not take that machine for $1k.

Good points. I was afraid that being a commercial use and in rough shape, maybe the oil and hydro fluid hasn't been changed as often as it should.

 

[pilot172]

Why do they want to sell it?

I don't know. The commercial user is not the guy selling it. A middle man bought it from them cheap a few weeks ago and is trying to make a few bucks on it.

 

[Sportsman762]

I would say it depends on the type of use the the machine saw. Given the condition and the hours I am assuming that it was a sidewalk snowplow. The hydro has seen a good work out given pushing snow in WI is not a easy task. I would check the machine over to make sure everything works. Does it have blow by, is the front end tight, does 4wd function. How are the tires, do all gauges work, are the pedals linkages tight. Remember that due to the age of the unit the only option for parts are OEM. This means that the cost of parts is going to be expensive. If the engine has blow by, I would walk away. The engine is a parent block engine so it does not use sleeves, making a rebuild expensive.

 

[TimberHole]

I bought a JD 950 in similar condition to what you describe. I did buy it knowing it needed engine work. Best case scenario at this point is a parts and machining bill of $2,500.00. Might be more and I'm doing all the work myself. I think many of the problems on my tractor is from a lack of general care. Buyer beware as parts are expensive. The reason I bought mine is that it had a good front end loader.

 

[RalphVa]

I'd replace the Ujoints between the engine and the hydraulics. The front one (without a zerk) on our 4010 blew apart at 660 hours.

If one of them go, you're dead in the water.

Ralph