Another rant about buying used

[FriendwithTractor]

"10000 dollars I know what I got."
You got dementia and a rustbucket you old coot.

I see this happening much more often with firearms. They buy something direct from the factory, put their own "special" gunsmif spin on it and try to sell for a 120% markup. Then they whine that no young people like firearms anymore.

To be fair, for every crooked old coot, there's an honest retired farmer who took exceptional care of his machines with a few little things missing because he just couldn't reach them anymore.

 

[ms1954]

In my limited experience buying used tractors, there seems to be even more misrepresentation by sellers than when buying cars or trucks. Plus, they are perfectly composed when telling the biggest whoppers, when their stories are so obviously false. Fully restored TO 35 in the ad, and when you go look at the tractor, it turns out that some degree of work was done 10 years ago, but now it misses and the head gasket leak or cracked block is pressurizing the cooling system. The new paint, done with a roller, now a decade old from sitting outside is faded and rust is starting to show. The only thing holding back some of the corrosion is the oil leaks. Rear tire rims rotten with rust. I had one instance on a different tractor where the sellers wife was so embarrassed by the lies that she couldn't abide it anymore and left with a frustrated comment.

My latest adventure was with a very nice looking TO 30 that was being sold by a well off, 73 year old pipeline welder with a healthy collection of various equipment. On the surface, a nice guy, seemingly straight forward and outwardly trustworthy, that had restored the tractor, and had the engine rebuilt at a reputable local machine shop. The starter was broken and wasn't able to be started. He assured me that it had only about 5 hours running since overhaul, took it to a couple of tractor shows and when the starter broke, parked it in the shed and left it since it wasn't needed.

My fault, I should have known. Once I started digging into it, with a new 6 volt starter installed, it turned over very slowly even though it was converted to 12V. The engine was very tight and heated up the starter quickly. I did a compression check which was good, and just to see, removed the rad cap. Pressurized. Took an oil sample, anti freeze present. Because it had sat long enough for the oil and anti freeze to separate, it didn't show on the dipstick. Questioning the seller further, turns out the the machine shop only did the cylinder head, and the pistons and sleeves were installed by a "retired mechanic". When torn down the webs between sleeves were cracked and welded in place, warping the block in that area causing the coolant leak as well as distorting the sleeves. The crank had too much axial movement from improper end play and had chewed up the rear main bearing cap. I suspect the "retired mechanic" responsible for welding the bottom end was the seller himself. Short block looks like scrap.

Do old tractors seem to bring out that aspect of human nature? It's not like they are high value items.

 

[Missouri Pioneer]

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.

"As soon as I got there and saw it, I knew I was getting fleeced. But stupid me..."

That's right. Trust your first instinct, you should have walked away. If you had, you wouldn't have had to make this post.

 

[CliffordK]

How about adding some photos of the tractor.

Does it look pristine on the outside?

House Paint smeared over bent sheet metal and bad welds?

I just picked up an old Deere. The goal is to get it serviceable for some hard use. Then, perhaps open it up later to replace clutches, bushings, etc.

My Deere is supposed to have about 1000 hours, I think, but the hour meter came disconnected, and many bushings are very much hogged out...

 

[DaBear3428]

Ya, like I said, I wanted it anyway so I didn't bother checking too much. After driving nine hours I wasn't coming home empty. He seemed trustable and he owns a diesel repair shop so I thought I could take his word for it all being serviced.

I had another tractor lined up from another tractor restoration shop in the area. But that guy ended up being an even bigger crook.
So I didn't bother trying to bargain the price and drive away since I had no other options where I was.

But she's all good now. Feels good to finally start getting some of my tractor projects going.

Now I'm going to need a bigger trailer to haul multiple tractors to the shows, LOL

reminds me of buying a boat from an individual, he had a stack of receipts from a local marina that among other things indicated that the trailer brakes had ben reworked in the last 6 months, the boat was in a stall so we could look at the trailer really close we found that the brake lines were rusted thru at the axels and the lines were blocked off at an inconspicuous location under the trailer, the brakes where surge type so the blocked off lines gave the impression of them working except there was not even brake pads, or cylinders in the drums.

 

[alpacalips]

I borrowed a trailer and went to look at an old Yanmar YM195 on Craigslist, 3 hours away from home. I talked to the owner on the phone and he assured me "everything works."

The engine was smoking and surging, the 3 point hitch didn't lift, and one of the forward gears had turned into an extra neutral. Needless to say I passed on that deal.

 

[ms1954]

It looked good...

But obviously I shouldn't have taken him at his word.

 

[Bentrim]

Reminds me of a farm auction a few years ago. The old farmer was retiring and offered his equipment at a public auction.
As the auctioneer went down the row of equipment he got to the tractor, an older but nice looking unit.
The auctioneer started off and was getting bids but felt it was still under priced, He kept beating his stick on the tractor and finally said to the owner, "Fred, you just had this overhauled, right? did you put sleeves and pistons or just rings in it?" The old farmer spit on the ground and slowly replied, Points, plugs, and the rotor, yes sir fresh overhaul".
With that the auctioneer grabbed his gavel ponded the block and yelled "sold".

 

[HayFarmer]

I especially like the "motor was gone through". Means as little as dealers saying "went through the shop".

 

[Lastkidpicked]

"It ran when I parked it."