How important is resale value when buying for long term private use?

[sixdogs]

Seems to me that the typical tractor buyer goes through considerable research and deliberation prior to a tractor purchase since it's a major purchase plus they will have 100% skin in the game. It's not usually an impulse purchase like a tee shirt.

I would say that resale values tell almost everything one needs to know about value and that would include visual quality such as fit and finish, ergonomics, repair and warranty problems or the lack of and overall ownership experience. It's my guess but I would say tractor owners, especially the ones on this board, take into account all of these issues and those are the reasons resale or even purchase value is either there or not there. Some may get fooled, but not often.

Who of us that drives would not investigate but rather impulse purchase a Trabant car for the little woman to get around town while we're gone on a job for a month? How about a Harbor Freight flashlight to take on that once in a lifetime trip to Alaska or the caves of Kentucky? Just my two cents here.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I bought my first used Kubota in the mid 80's for $4,500.00, drove the heck out of it for 20 plus years and sold it for $7,500.00. I bought a new Kubota in 1999 paid 18K for it, drove it like I told it for 10 years and sold it for 16K. Then I bought a 2006 CAT Track loader used in 2008 for 29K, drove it for 10 years, and sold it for what I paid for it.
So my point is resale s like money in the bank. Two points, if I "rented" various tractors for the last 30 years every time I needed tractor I would have spent ten of thousands of dollars down the drain. All the work I got out of my tractors PUT ten of thousands in my pocket. One job on my property I was quoted 7K to have a crew come in and clear a strip of mesquite treed 20'ft x 600' along a fence line. I figured if they were going to change me a few thousand I'd have them do it, but at 7K I fueled up the cat, pout on some gloves and knocked it out in two days. So not only did my equipment virtually cost me nothing, by me not opening on others doing the works saved me countless dollars.

So when you say "concerned" I'm always concerned to buy the BEST as I know it will bring in high resale. I do that with everything I buy, cars, trucks, RV's etc. I bout a new RV decked out traveled the USA, drove it two years and sold it for just a few thousand less than I paid. I figured I couldn't rent an RV for a few thousand dollars for two years, so again money in my pocket.

My motto always has been, buy the best and you will never regret it.

Also I've purchased good equipment and got my money back it helps when I go purchase new equipment because I know I'm not losing money by the purchase as I think of how much I'm going to get back on the back end, so why shouldn't I enjoy the best equipment out there.

 

[3930dave]

For the most part, tractors are about utility. As long as the equipment still functions, there will be some residual value. While I too should perhaps pay a bit more attention to absolute $ value, that's about as deep as I consider the issue - like most, if I get the work I want out of a piece of equipment vs. the dollars I'm putting into it, I'm happy. For me, resale $s are icing on the cake.

Post #1 touches on the complexity of today's machines. What that adds is another reason (other than major mechanical failure) that machines can be parked for good. Down the road (or furrow, in this case) will people be willing to pay what it will take to fix Tier 4+ systems once they need major components replaced ?

With many cars, today you can buy an decent aftermarket Universal cat, weld it in, and get a gasoline vehicle back rolling down the road for a reasonable price. I'd hope to see the Tier4+ market be that affordable in the future, but at the same time I have no plans to sell my 3930....

Rgds, D.

 

[CADplans]

With many cars, today you can buy an decent aftermarket Universal cat, weld it in, and get a gasoline vehicle back rolling down the road for a reasonable price. I'd hope to see the Tier4+ market be that affordable in the future, but at the same time I have no plans to sell my 3930....

Rgds, D.

I believe the Tier4 diesel tractors will be like the 1980's cars with "smog pumps".

Who remembers smog pumps? That vintage car has now ALL gone to the crusher,,
the same,, IMHO,,, will happen to the Tier4 tractors,,, they will become unwanted orphans,,

New technology will be developed,, the future diesels will look like pre-Tier engines.

I purchased a pre-Tier tractor (2013 model year),, it will hold me until the "Post-Tier4" engine arrives!! :thumbsup:

 

[ovrszd]

I believe the Tier4 diesel tractors will be like the 1980's cars with "smog pumps".

Who remembers smog pumps? That vintage car has now ALL gone to the crusher,,
the same,, IMHO,,, will happen to the Tier4 tractors,,, they will become unwanted orphans,,

New technology will be developed,, the future diesels will look like pre-Tier engines.

I purchased a pre-Tier tractor (2013 model year),, it will hold me until the "Post-Tier4" engine arrives!! :thumbsup:

I totally agree. Friend of mine is shopping for a 60HP new or used tractor. I keep telling him to avoid DEF machines if he can for the reason you spelled out.

Sad that it's gotta be like this. I believe it's caused by hastening governmental requirements that cause manufacturers to produce a rushed product.

 

[aarolar]

I totally agree. Friend of mine is shopping for a 60HP new or used tractor. I keep telling him to avoid DEF machines if he can for the reason you spelled out.

Sad that it's gotta be like this. I believe it's caused by hastening governmental requirements that cause manufacturers to produce a rushed product.

I certainly hope this applies to vehicles as well they have completely ruined a good thing with all that crap on what was super reliable trucks.

 

[sixdogs]

I'm hoping that what we see in DC now is the tip of an iceberg and that TIER IV will go away. It's a monumental waste for the slightest of incremental gain in an attempt to have zero emissions.

 

[fried1765]

I'm hoping that what we see in DC now is the tip of an iceberg and that TIER IV will go away. It's a monumental waste for the slightest of incremental gain in an attempt to have zero emissions.

In my opinion the DEF/DPF crap is just that........CRAP!
I bought, and restored, a 28 year old diesel tractor just to avoid that CRAP!

 

[MF283]

In my opinion the DEF/DPF crap is just that........CRAP!
I bought, and restored, a 28 year old diesel tractor just to avoid that CRAP!

YEP, 5,OO0 hours before you have to spend 5-6K on it to keep it running, i'd hate to see the sale price on one then.