Tractors from Auctions, what do you check before buying.

[Reddogs]

These auction results are two years old. Probably not applicable to today's market...

Well, thats around the threshold I would be looking for, and I have done it before, and not just on tractors or heavy equiptment...(as they say, aint my first rodeo....)

 

[jjeff]

I learned quite a bit from others posting on this topic my 2 or 3 cents is When I buy something at an auction I like to follow kiss with little to no creature comforts which usually =less problems, and something I might be able to fix myself or reuse or sell parts off it. Probably a good idea your looking at pretty simple machines, minus possible undercarriage problems. They both have open cabs no high flow hydros, etc etc imo your best bet might be looking for a low hr open cab skid steer with wheels and putting tracks over the tires on it, its probably the best way to save a lot of money, get the best deal and less stuff that needs fixing. I was amazed at what I was able to do with my open 75 hp 326E with tracks over tires, a tree puller, and stump bucket with grapple, it will run circles around any tractor for clearing and cleaning up land,
Good luck

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Well, thats around the threshold I would be looking for, and I have done it before, and not just on tractors or heavy equiptment...(as they say, aint my first rodeo....)

Sounds like you got it all figured out. Good luck.

 

[kluttzy]

If you get interested in the ugly tractors with original dirt you can learn a lot. A clean tractor has much of the helpful evidence removed. Don't buy a paint job.

 

[Reddogs]

If you get interested in the ugly tractors with original dirt you can learn a lot. A clean tractor has much of the helpful evidence removed. Don't buy a paint job.

Took me a while to figure out which ones were painted, as some were so well cleaned and painted, you couldn't tell unless you looked for the little telltale signs..

 

[Reddogs]

personally imho I'd never buy a used piece of equipment that was re painted reminds me of when I was a kid my grandfather said he would never buy a used pickup truck that didn't have scratches or a few little dents on it.

Well, my personal rule is never pay retail, they give me a deal or I look for a bit of 'scratch and dent', as better a one year old tractor or car, than loose the value anyway once you drive it off the lot....

 

[Reddogs]

That skid steer probably won't go for less than 50k, I went to a big auction in Georgia last week and one just like it but with about 1000 less hours went for 49.5k, but it hadn't been taken care of. I went with my mindset that I wouldn't spend anymore than 50k but after looking over all the skid steers and scrolling thru the stored engine codes I passed on everything, stopped at a small Kubota dealer on the way home and for less than 15k more than my budget was able to buy a brand new SVL-75 which to me made the best sense for me. The big thing about most of the larger auctions today is used equipment dealers onsite driving up the prices.

You are right on the money, my guys went over to the auction, and said there was someone driving up the prices, but stopping at a certain point. Hmm...