Thoughts on a 955? Considering one this week

[3pedal]

I'm looking for a decent general puropose tractor for my new place. I have never bought a tractor before. I have 10 acres with a 1/4 mile long driveway. Need to mow the fields as I won't have horses, deal with the driveway, handle snow removal and lots of landscaping.

Found a 955 for $10,000 on Craigslit and went to look at it last night. It has 720 hours.

The good:
FEL
5' JD Brush Hog
6' Rear blade
Rear wheel weights

The not so good:
one turf, one R4 front tire. So, ait needs new fronts soon, and will need new rears at some point
Paint is faded - a good cleaning and polish could fix that
Ripped seat
Instrument diplay is cracked cover

So, I am intersted in opinions from everyone on both this tractor specifically and the 955 in general. On paper, it sounds about right for what I need. From the looking I have done, this sounds like a reasonable price.

 

[deezler]

The 955 is a pretty good tractor. 4wd, right? What year is it?

What are the rear tires? Condition?

Faded paint and ripped seats are just something to accept when buying a well used tractor. Personally, I'd like to pay a little less than $10k, but if you can't find much else in your area, that's not terrible. Plus the brush hog, rear blade and weights are thrown in.

Did you drive the tractor? everything seem normal? (eager to start right up., runs smoothly, all hydraulics and functions working fine) ??

 

[3pedal]

Fired up fine. Hydraulics seemed to work. It is 4wd. The rear tires are industrials. I expect there are a couple years in them still.

Guessing it is a 95. He has no idea what year it is, but looking at the serial number that seemed right.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

I have an 855 with 641 hours and it's 21 years old ! Has plenty of power and surprised me by how flat out tough these tractors are and the 955 has a few more hp , Mine has R1 ag tires and the fronts are foam filled which I like ,The seat ( I recovered mine ) and gauge panel are easy fixes thru e-bay don't buy a seat to wide ! it will hit loader controls and John Deere paint cleans up easy even if it's seriously faded use 3m super duty machine compound and wax , I added rv anti freeze to the rear tires and it worked fine for me also check the battery box it tends to accumulate dirt and debris , The man I got the 855 from wanted $9,000.00 without attachments but I traded my corvette convertible even up ! ( I bought it on e-bay for $3,900.00 ) so I was real happy with the deal ! Got any pictures ? How many of the new tractors will hold that much value after 20 years ?

 

[Rockthread]

We had a small dariy farm 100 acres in Ireland as a kid where an outside contractor would do our heavy work like sillage harvesting and slurry. In his fleet if IH tractors was a 955. It was a great running tractor, he had it for years and his crew would run it around the clock in the busy season. He still had it when I left the area 15 years later. Hope this helps.

 

[kevin37b]

Shame on you GOM .

 

[Ed L]

Had my 955 since 96, excellent machine, just over 1300hrs on it. Mechanical repair work has been non-existant on mine, the battery tray (had a stainless one made), one hydraulic coupler and the tach/hourmeter.

If I ever find a mint condition used one, I'll buy it!

Ed

 

[DieselnHooters]

I have no experience with them but those 755-855-955 hold their value real well...must be something to it. 10 grand still sound steep to me though

 

[3pedal]

Images from Craigslist





2SALE JOHN DEERE TRACTOR - YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yco4dDZZ92Q

He seems pretty firm on the price at this point, but he just listed it.

 

[3pedal]

The man I got the 855 from wanted $9,000.00 without attachments but I traded my corvette convertible even up ! ( I bought it on e-bay for $3,900.00 ) so I was real happy with the deal ! Got any pictures ?View attachment 300592View attachment 300593View attachment 300594View attachment 300596 How many of the new tractors will hold that much value after 20 years ?

Not sure I could trade a Vette for a tractor. I need a tractor for the new place, but I moved here so I would have room to work on an play with some cars.

Are those Kettle Balls hanging from the front of your tractor?

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

Not sure I could trade a Vette for a tractor. I need a tractor for the new place, but I moved here so I would have room to work on an play with some cars.

Are those Kettle Balls hanging from the front of your tractor?

Yeah ! my son thought it was funny (The tractor had b*lls ) we used them for blade weights on a Case 446 I had

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

Images from Craigslist

View attachment 300611

View attachment 300610

2SALE JOHN DEERE TRACTOR - YouTube

4SALE 720-477-0079 - YouTube

He seems pretty firm on the price at this point, but he just listed it.

looks like a good tractor that justs needs some cleanup work . and it has attachments ,I would buy it these are great tractors and you will not find anyone who can say anything bad about them , I just bought a 413 John Deere bush hog for mine !

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

Go to tractorhouse.com
You can look up what is available for sale and where it is. And what the asking prices are.

Also find attachment info there also.

Good luck

 

[Red Horse]

My two cents. 55's were good machines- I put about 700 hrs on a 755. Bought it with 70 hrs and never had a bit of trouble. Sold it to my niece and its been in VT since 05 and still going strong. As for the one you describe, sounds like it has not had the best of care. All the signs, mismatched rubber-that says owner didn't have the money to fix it right- cracked dash- faded paint-so its been outside and if nothing else hasn't had a lot of care. Cosmetic?-yes-but I say a well cared for machine LOOKS well cared for-not hammered- keep looking:thumbdown:

 

[3pedal]

All the signs, mismatched rubber-that says owner didn't have the money to fix it right- cracked dash- faded paint-so its been outside and if nothing else hasn't had a lot of care. Cosmetic?-yes-but I say a well cared for machine LOOKS well cared for-not hammered- keep looking:thumbdown:

I came to the same conclusion. The impression I have is these are pretty good machines, and with a little work this one might serve me well. However, I foudn $600 in parts it needs in 1 15 minute walk around and didn't even drive it. The concern is what else is wrong. How bad has the care been?

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

I came to the same conclusion. The impression I have is these are pretty good machines, and with a little work this one might serve me well. However, I foudn $600 in parts it needs in 1 15 minute walk around and didn't even drive it. The concern is what else is wrong. How bad has the care been?

Well, Maybe you would be better served by a sign and drive off the lot, BUT if you could do the work yourself and not have to hire it out to a mechanic you would be way ahead (no monthly payments and no immediate depreciation of a new tractor ) look how many new tractors are for sale after the buyer gets a reality check of monthly payments and low use , I can understand why some buyers "want a brand new one " but unless your using it a lot you will see it's no fun making payments on anything that sits in the garage while your working to pay for it . Just my opinion but with the added attachments you would be better off buying an older tractor for cash ! :2cents:

 

[dixstir]

got me a 655 wensday, nice looking tractor near perfect other than a crack in the seat ,paint is good all decals are there ,front jd emblem gone ( $9.95).loader and mower all there and good cond. 4500.00. found on a add , 445 miles one way which made it a long trip dealer was good helped me load it and tie it down ,so I have a few good words for the boys from mo.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

got me a 655 wensday, nice looking tractor near perfect other than a crack in the seat ,paint is good all decals are there ,front jd emblem gone ( $9.95).loader and mower all there and good cond. 4500.00.

Anybody know what the average monthly payment is on a new < 30 hp tractor with 4x4 diesel loader ?

 

[Karl2]

We had a small dariy farm 100 acres in Ireland as a kid where an outside contractor would do our heavy work like sillage harvesting and slurry. In his fleet if IH tractors was a 955. It was a great running tractor, he had it for years and his crew would run it around the clock in the busy season. He still had it when I left the area 15 years later. Hope this helps.

The thread is about the John Deere 955 not the IH 955 which is much, much larger. Trust me you won't be the first one to be confused by the JD model numbering which makes little sense. The JD 955 is either a small CUT or a large yard tractor depending on what you use it for. The IH 955 is a full-size AG tractor.

 

[Karl2]

Anybody know what the average monthly payment is on a new < 30 hp tractor with 4x4 diesel loader ?

How far under 30 hp do you have in mind? I ask because there could be a substantial difference between a 20 hp micro-CUT and a 28 hp small CUT. Also if I read you correctly you want this tractor to be 4x4, have a diesel engine and a front-end loader?