Another rant about buying used

[olenjohn]

For the record, I only buy new stuff when it comes to vehicles and new tractors, etc. Because I don't trust people.

But unfortunately when you like 40 plus year old tractor collecting, you have no choice but to buy used.

I bought a tractor off a facebook antique tractor site. Talked to the seller many times. Seemed like a nice guy. Again, drove many hours to go get tractor, pics looked beautiful.
As soon as I got there and saw it, I knew I was getting fleeced. But stupid me, I paid the price because I wanted it.
Then came home and had another box of parts shipped from Steiners to start all the repairs. So ya, paid way too much, but am going to end up with another nice tractor when I'm done.

But anyway, here's another @*$% that says "It's all serviced. I just replaced ALL fluids and filters. Ready to go"

Needless to say, the engine oil was black, transmission and hydraulics were all low, and I highly doubt he changed those filters. And now I just checked the engine coolant and it's nothing but p!$$ water. Don't even register in my hydrometer.

Luckily I'm not that dumb to trust people, or I would have had a frozen and cracked engine block this summer.

Oh well, I lose money but at least I save old tractors from the hands of worthless trash people.

So what’s the issue? I was told this Deere was pristine. Serviced religiously and always stored in a heated building. So I bought it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Perhaps I'm just lucky here. I've never ( 40 years looking ) found anything used that was sized for my tractors. Around here the world is full of used equipment - if you have a 350+ hp tractor and the need.

Sooo...... I save up and buy new. I could buy used equipment - east of the Mississippi - but the cost of shipment - might just as well buy new here.

In 2021, I was able to get a 38,000lb large square baler, both overwidth and over height, shipped 2,000+ miles for about 4 grand.
If someone has exactly what you want and the price is right, I say go for it.

 

[Paystar]

So what’s the issue? I was told this Deere was pristine. Serviced religiously and always stored in a heated building. So I bought it.

Hahahaha

 

[sd455dan]

I have a friend looking for a GM/Chev 2500. One was on my road for sale. So he asked me to go look. Here where I am, you cannot get a safety if the rocked panels are rotten.
Well the whole bottom of this thing was rotten, the frame was rotten and it said "certified" so obviously he has a mechanic friend that's not too worried about his license.

I was asked to help looking for a decent used Wrangler for my grand daughter, and she must have had me look at 20 Face book and Craigslist ads. After about 5 found one I thought was OK, fairly priced and it had just posted . Told her to call and that we would come look as soon as "he" could schedule it and as long as it was as advertised we had a cash deal. So she calls and he said I will call back in an hour to set up a time . She gets a call back at one hour and the guy hems and haws then tells her I got a bunch of calls and and now not sure I want to sell and if I do I need a few grand more....

About 8 more ads and I rejected them all for things like salvage title, some rust, money owed, dealer I don't trust, big lift, yada yada. Finally after a couple weeks of this, in the first 20 minutes the ad was up a good candidate shows up.
Set the appointment and drove a couple hundred miles round trip but no rust, damage, or major mods. Guy was a police officer, Yep it needs an oil change , windshield cracked, due for axle oil change.
Brought along a big piece of card board and crawled around checking things underneath then Test drove it and turned it off hot. Restarting I thought it cranked a bit slow asked him if the starting system had had any problems, No but it is the original... and last winter I did put a new battery in because it cranked slow but that seemed to take care of it.
Made the deal drove home ran and drove great. Next day get a call from grand daughter all upset, broke down in town- Jeep won't restart.
Get in town and check starter not spinning- plenty of battery, an hour later I have new starter installed and spins over fast- was again amazed looking at the under carriage Just how clean and rust free it is, putting a smile on my face.. A remanned starter (2 bolts and two wires) on a 4.0 straight six- no big deal.

Explained to her that a starter is small potatoes. No need to get upset over a small mechanical issue. Hope she learned something.
In the past have wasted entire trips because they were asked questions about major issues and they just chose to Flat out lie, which wasted both our time.

It is refreshing when ( this Jeep) things are as posted and a fair deal can be made.

It is Nice to deal with honest people.

 

[Paystar]

Glad it worked out sd455dan.

Here's a story from the other side.....selling.

I once put a 1984 Ford F150 for sale at the end of my driveway. Only about 300 feet from the house, but in plain view. We were all home. I saw a guy stop to look at it and he was spending a strange amount of time moving around the front of the truck. So I go to walk down and he takes off. I get down there to discover he just about had the whole grill removed except for a screw that was seized and he couldn't get out.

Anyway, that same truck, it had a lot of miles but the wheel wells were starting to rot and the gas tanks were starting to leak (but they were both replaced and still had warranty)

I put a sign on it listing EVERYTHING that was wrong with it, and all the new parts I just put in it. Then for price I put "any offer, just take away."

So a guy comes to look at it and starts aggressively ARGUING with me because it has a lot of miles!! So I said to him "listen here you brain dead, there is no price on it. It says any offer. You could have offered me 50 bucks to at least apy for the new batteries and I would have gave you the keys and ownership." Then I kicked him out of my yard.

What is wrong with some people???? LOL

 

[tacticalturnip]

I'm trying to help my in-laws sell a Subaru Baja for parts at the moment; I wish I wasn't.

 

[dodge man]

One thing I don’t understand is why people that place ads on Facebook don’t clean things up or drag them out of tge weeds. Tractor implements with weeds growing up around them, cars and trucks that haven’t been vacuumed out for years.

 

[Gator6x4]

Would like to know the process of getting machinery shipped from across the pond. They have substantially lower prices on well equipped farm tractors.

Be careful on buying motorized equipment from across the pond. You may not be able to get it away from the Port of Entry because the engine does not meet or comply with US emission standards.

Learn About Importing Vehicles and Engines | US EPA

This page provides the general information on importing vehicles and engines into the United States.

www.epa.gov

 

[Paystar]

One thing I don’t understand is why people that place ads on Facebook don’t clean things up or drag them out of tge weeds. Tractor implements with weeds growing up around them, cars and trucks that haven’t been vacuumed out for years.

You know, I see the same thing with dealers even on Marketbook/Tractorhouse, etc.

I've been looking at Ford cab tractors and the older Boomer 3045/3050 tractors on there. You find ones that are all painted up and look brand new on the outside, then you get to the interior pics and they are completely TRASHED inside.
And never mind the stained/ripped seats......but can people that want to sell at least wipe some of the mud out before they take pics or put on the lot? Cabs full of tree branches, mud and grease even on the headliner.
Ya, that shows me you care. LOL

 

[2manyrocks]

One seller I saw recently posted a photo of a goat and said the seller intended to post an actual picture of the machine later. Why even bother? Why not post a picture of the machine and be done with it?