Buying Used for Beginners...

[MoKelly]

I’m not good enough to know a good v not so good used tractor from an unknown 3rd party.

But - I have a neighbor who is very good. Fortunately he is willing to help. Also, he trades tractors frequently. So, when he wants to trade I can have first crack at his used machine. Knowing how he treats his machines, it’s a very low risk purchase.

MoKelly

 

[Big Barn]

I painted my rebuilt '51 8N about 35 years ago, but it is not so shiny now.
It sits lonely looking in my barn, as I have two much newer tractors.
70 years old this year, and I will give it to one son, who will hopefully keep it until 100.
It has a Sherman transmission too.

Here is a restored 8N for sale near me…

 

[Torvy]

I’m not good enough to know a good v not so good used tractor from an unknown 3rd party.

But - I have a neighbor who is very good. Fortunately he is willing to help. Also, he trades tractors frequently. So, when he wants to trade I can have first crack at his used machine. Knowing how he treats his machines, it’s a very low risk purchase.

MoKelly

That's a good thing. I think given the current market that may be the only way I end up buying used. I'm like you, I know enough to know I don't know enough yet.

Just met my nearest neighbor yesterday. Of the handful of us that bought acreage in that area, he is the only local. Seems like a good guy.

 

[fried1765]

Here is a restored 8N for sale near me…

View attachment 708883

I would call that a bastardized Ford 8N near you.

 

[espacef1fan]

Here is a restored 8N for sale near me…

View attachment 708883

Is it bad that I want it?

 

[Big Barn]

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[Williy]

I like the restored 1969's & 1970"s Dodge Chargers & Challengers and Plymouths with the 426 HEMI! I still remember in Northern Illinois the drag strip where a flat nose Dodge pick;up with the 426 setting in the bed and nothing could beat it in a drag! Now its hard to find a car that will get over 30 mpg. Also why do we need so much hp most of us don't want to race to town. Back in the mid 70's 3 farmer in Near Red Granite, WI they all purchased big 4 door Buicks and they were getting in the 40's for mileage, I took his car in for a tune up and was he pissed! He could only get 16 to 18 mpg, went back to the dealer and was told he had an experimental carburetor and they removed it. The other 2 guys said forget the tuneup, but here comes the sheriff with a paper banging on their doors and 2 guys in white coveralls and removed their carburetors. So you can see that the cars
back then were very heavy and the light weight cars now should be getting over 60 pg???????????? One guy on youtube
tried out the HOH systems he said it didn't improve his mileage at all but then his vehicle didn't have all the censers either. Young kid from El Paso Tx modified a carb and was getting over 75 mpg
and the word got out and they found him dead out in the desert! Another guy in AU downunder ran his car on water for years a group of guys came over to his place and he told his neighbor that he can still run his car on water but can't tell anyone. He
never drank in his life but a couple of months later newspaper said he was drunk and fell off the train and broke his neck. Well my tractor is still dirty no rain yet!

willy

 

[DieselBound]

I like the restored 1969's & 1970"s Dodge Chargers & Challengers

and Plymouths with the 426 HEMI! I still remember in Northern
Illinois the drag strip where a flat nose Dodge pick;up with the
426 setting in the bed and nothing could beat it in a drag!
Now its hard to find a car that will get over 30 mpg. Also why
do we need so much hp most of us don't want to race to town.
Back in the mid 70's 3 farmer in Near Red Granite, WI they all purchased big 4 door Buicks and they were getting in the 40's for mileage, I took his car in for a tune up and was he pissed! He could only get 16 to 18 mpg, went back to the dealer and was told he had
an experimental carburetor and they removed it. The other 2
guys said forget the tuneup, but here comes the sheriff with a
paper banging on their doors and 2 guys in white coveralls
and removed their carburetors. So you can see that the cars
back then were very heavy and the light weight cars now should
be getting over 60 mpg???????????? One guy on youtube
tried out the HOH systems he said it didn't improve his mileage
at all but then his vehicle didn't have all the censers either. Young
kid from El Paso Tx modified a carb and was getting over 75 mpg
and the word got out and they found him dead out in the desert!
Another guy in AU downunder ran his car on water for years a
group of guys came over to his place and he told his neighbor
that he can still run his car on water but can't tell anyone. He
never drank in his life but a couple of months later newspaper
said he was drunk and fell off the train and broke his neck.
Well my tractor is still dirty no rain yet!

willy

Don't have tall enough boots for all that!

My 2000 car (just under 220k miles- engine just broken in) is averaging over 55mpg (last 4k miles; 51.5 mpg over the course of 101k+ miles): 800+ miles on a tank of fuel. Receipts available on request: unless one has receipts it's only a STORY. My car is just under 3k lbs. Oh, and it has ZERO spark plugs!

 

[IndyJay]

Don't have tall enough boots for all that!

My 2000 car (just under 220k miles- engine just broken in) is averaging over 55mpg (last 4k miles; 51.5 mpg over the course of 101k+ miles): 800+ miles on a tank of fuel. Receipts available on request: unless one has receipts it's only a STORY. My car is just under 3k lbs. Oh, and it has ZERO spark plugs!

You're only getting 55mpg? You aren't adding enough water to your fuel tank. I'm getting closer to 90 and I can show you all of my gas receipts where I only bought a total of 32 gallons of gas over the past 5 years.

 

[shooterdon]

OP,

My first tractor was a used JD855 I bought from the widow of a friend. The guy did not take care of his stuff and I put $2500 into it in a few months (at the dealer). If you buy used, plan on spending some money to fix up what needs fixing.

I traded the JD on a new machine. Like you, I found "good" used tractors at close to the price of new ones, and this was pre pandemic. The new machine come with a warranty plus financing if you do not have the cash.

BTW, I got burned by the JD dealer and the local Kubota dealer was not much better. A good dealer matters when you need him. Do not discount the dealer relationship.

One last thought, the "off brand" tractors like TYM, Kioti, LS, etc offer a lot of bang for the buck. I saved $8-10k buying an LS. With the 6 year warranty I felt pretty well covered and knowing LS was making the same machine for New Holland added another level of confidence.

If I was planning on putting 300-400 hours a year on a machine, and could get a tax write off, I may have got a Kubota. I have 180 hours on mine in just over two years. No regrets and my dealer has been exemplary.

Good luck!!