Used Tractor?

[Whitey]

I have had good luck buying used tractors.........you just have to be careful and ask alot of questions. If the seller does not want to be honest with you then move on......usaully they are trying to hide something. I agree with Soundguy.......budget and small repairs can make for a great bargin. I have bought two used tractors over the years......done some repairs and have just resold one and I am now looking for another........used.......tractor.

 

[parallel]

I wish your father had talked to me!

Holy crap! He might well have talked with you at some point. Perhaps (more than likely) not about tractors but it is certainly possible that he has talked to you about something else. He is from Warren PA. also and, like me, has the gift of gab.

Thanks for the advise y'all.

To answer a few questions, he is looking for a compact tractor with a front loader and a backhoe that is powerful enough for the loader to lift say 1000lbs and lift high enough to dump into a pickup at the least and preferably into a dump truck. He is about to retire (Friday) and will be using the tractor around his 18 or so acres in a fairly hilly area of Warren PA. His budget I would say would be between $10,000 and $15,000. He is NOT mechanically inclined and is also debilitated by a bad back and COPD. His BIL down the road is very mechanically inclined and willing to fix things that need to be fixed, so I would imagine that assuming that the repair isn't overly technical, my uncle Jerry would handle that.

The bottom line is that he has put off buying a tractor for decades becuase he can't justify the cost in his mind when he knows that it will sit dormant MUCH more than it will be used. This is why I brought up the used option in the first place. I think that he ought to live a little and buy the tractor that he has always wanted, even if that means sending the money on a new one. However, if in order to justify to himself the money spent he would need to buy a used one I am all for that too. I just wish he would stop worrying about leaving an inheritance and start using his assets to make his retirement a good one.

 

[buck12]

Not sure how to convince your Dad. I have had good luck with used equipment. I recently bought my first tractor used and have had good luck. I took a friend who is JD mechanic to look at the tractor and it met his approval. Four years ago I bought a used JD lawnmower and it has served me well. My Dad recently bought a JD 425 AWS mower used and got a great deal. My point is that one can save money and get great equipment used if they are willing to look. Of course there is nothing wrong with buying new.

 

[Soundguy]

Getting a compact with loader to lift 1000# is doable.. just won't be the smaller compacts.

getting one to dump into a pickup truck bed will be doable with the 'regular' size compact as well.

Getting one to dump into a standard 18yd mini-wheeler.. well.. that will be a problem.. unless he builds a ramp to park the truck next to and then drives up the ramp to dump.

I'd guess you would have to get into a big utility or small ag size tractor to get the height needed to dump into a dump truck.

soundguy

 

[jwstewar]

Getting a compact with loader to lift 1000# is doable.. just won't be the smaller compacts.

getting one to dump into a pickup truck bed will be doable with the 'regular' size compact as well.

Getting one to dump into a standard 18yd mini-wheeler.. well.. that will be a problem.. unless he builds a ramp to park the truck next to and then drives up the ramp to dump.

I'd guess you would have to get into a big utility or small ag size tractor to get the height needed to dump into a dump truck.

soundguy

But to do all of this with a FEL & Backhoe new for < $15,000. Probably not doable.

 

[Soundguy]

half that for an older ford industrial TLB in the 3/4/5 series..

soundguy

 

[Iowachild]

Holy crap! He might well have talked with you at some point. Perhaps (more than likely) not about tractors but it is certainly possible that he has talked to you about something else. He is from Warren PA. also and, like me, has the gift of gab.

Well I didn't see that one coming. Tell him congrats on his retirement and to enjoy it!!

The problem I have with used compact tractors is finding one worth buying at a decent price. I bought one at what would have been a decent price, but it turned out to have intentionally hidden damage.

The low hour well maintained machines seemed to be priced high enough it makes one wonder if it isn't really better to spend a few thousand more for a new machine with a warranty.

 

[TUG HILL ADDICT]

I agree with your Dad....my first tractor was used and a nightmare. More time was spent fixing it than using it. I've had no issues with my new tractors outside of wear and tear replacements

 

[stevem5215]

Here in Pa where the poster is talking about I've found few loader tractors used that are in a decent price range. It seems that they sell very well around here and when looking for one you either pay more for a used one that isn't far off from a new priced one or you just buy a new one. Just the way it is here. Even just over the line in Ohio has a tendency to be less expensive and more choices available. Take a look at Pittsburgh's listings on Craigslist. You'll see what i mean.

Steve

 

[Iowachild]

Here in Pa where the poster is talking about I've found few loader tractors used that are in a decent price range. It seems that they sell very well around here and when looking for one you either pay more for a used one that isn't far off from a new priced one or you just buy a new one. Just the way it is here. Even just over the line in Ohio has a tendency to be less expensive and more choices available. Take a look at Pittsburgh's listings on Craigslist. You'll see what i mean.

Steve

I know exactly what you mean Steve!!