Buying Advice Purchasing a Compact Tractor

Amantux · Aug 27, 2018

Hi All!

Sorry if this is in the wrong place or if I go into too much detail!

I am looking at a John Deere 955 with a Belly Mower, Backhoe, Snow Blower, and Front Loader with around 500 hours for around 15k. I am looking to replace my Snow Blower (50 feet of 2 car wide driveway, ~55 inches of snow per year) and John Deere 180 (2 Acres of grass). The main reason I am looking is that I have around 100 feet of both water and electrical source line that I need to replace that are sunk around 4 feet deep, and I have received multiple horrifyingly high quotes so I thought I may as well do it on my own. I intend to use the tractor for mulch spreading, leveling of terrain (random parts of yard are 6-8 inchesX5ft diameter) pits, as well as to excavate 8" for a walkway and patio made of pavers. In addition, I hope to use it to cut the grass as I generally mulch my grass as well as light gardening and digging work.

So first question that comes to mind is is there anything I am overlooking/is there anything single platform better than the 955 for the tasks listed for a comparable price point? And what should I look for specifically in the 955 tractor/attachments if I do inspect it?

Thank you very much for your time!

Tractorable · Aug 27, 2018

The JD 955 is a great machine, built by Yanmar in Japan and painted green. The only thing I might suggest is to have a separate dedicated lawn mower in addition to the 955. Mowing with a FEL and backhoe is going to be a pain to maneuver around trees and other obstacles. Is the 955 4WD? I’m not sure what 955’s bring these days but $15K sounds reasonable for a FEL and backhoe tractor.

You’re getting close to new tractor prices at $15K. Have you considered putting the $15K down on a new one and have a low payment plus warranty?

Diggin It · Aug 27, 2018

That looks like close to a 20 year old machine. At 33HP, it isn't much more than the brand new SCUTs at 25 HP and at $15K not much less than brand new.

3Lfarms · Aug 29, 2018

Just for comparison:
https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/23346931/2017-ls-mt125

Amantux · Sep 9, 2018

Thank you all! I've started looking at newer tractors, and will definitely be posting more questions soon!

paulfun9 · Sep 9, 2018

Having owned a 755, 855 and a 955 keeping them all for years and still have the 755 I will attest that they were good tractors and can still get work done But the scrap yards are littered with them. So most are showing thier age and I would not consider paying that kind of cash for that old of a machine and risking the headaches that will most definitely come with it as it ages even more.

Give me the newer model at the same or just a little more money and I would be much better off in the long run. I honestly feel that you are being overcharged simply based on the name brand as the machine simply isn’t worth the asking when compared to other used machines on the market.

rScotty · Sep 9, 2018

Amantux said:
Hi All!

Sorry if this is in the wrong place or if I go into too much detail!

I am looking at a John Deere 955 with a Belly Mower, Backhoe, Snow Blower, and Front Loader with around 500 hours for around 15k. I am looking to replace my Snow Blower (50 feet of 2 car wide driveway, ~55 inches of snow per year) and John Deere 180 (2 Acres of grass). The main reason I am looking is that I have around 100 feet of both water and electrical source line that I need to replace that are sunk around 4 feet deep, and I have received multiple horrifyingly high quotes so I thought I may as well do it on my own. I intend to use the tractor for mulch spreading, leveling of terrain (random parts of yard are 6-8 inchesX5ft diameter) pits, as well as to excavate 8" for a walkway and patio made of pavers. In addition, I hope to use it to cut the grass as I generally mulch my grass as well as light gardening and digging work.

So first question that comes to mind is is there anything I am overlooking/is there anything single platform better than the 955 for the tasks listed for a comparable price point? And what should I look for specifically in the 955 tractor/attachments if I do inspect it?

Thank you very much for your time!

Those were excellent tractors in their day, and the nice thing about one with only 500 hours is that it could still be in its prime....regardless of age.
Tractor ownership has changed a lot in the last two decades. Now brand new machines are being preferred over older without consideration for the build quality. That probably says as much about the tractor owners as the tractors themselves. But such a change doesn't affect the tractors themselves as much as it affects the opinions of the newer owners.

The 955 was one of what I see as a transition model - the transition being from traditional gear drive to the new hydrostatic drive....and that was part of the transition from simpler machines that owners often repaired and maintained themselves toward a more modern tractor where those things are done at a dealership. The transition wasn't without it's problems; at first these the new hydrostatic tractors weren't as rugged as the older gear drive manual steering ones that preceeded them. So if you are looking at a JDx55 series machine it all comes down to how it was treated. For that, the overall condition is your best clue.

When I look at older tractors like this, the first thing I look at is the hours. 500 hours is hardly anything. Now we look at the 20 years. That can mean very little or a whole lot depending on how the tractor was maintained. If it sat outside in the sun and weather that may or may not hurt the tractor and implements....but it does definitely affect the price. Not so much for the weathered appearance as for what that might mean in terms of maintenance. Because in something like this, the condition of the mechanical parts is paramount. You really don't know what that condition is. It might be nearly new or it might be very old. The overall appearance is the clue.

If it is a tractor being sold by the original owner that is huge too. If it was kept in a barn, kept clean with periodic oil changes and adjustments then you may be looking at what is essentially a top quality machine that is just barely broken in for a price that would be hard to match for twice that much today. Or it could be a disaster. You won't know until you look, and then let your instinct be your guide.

This 955 you mention certainly has all the right implements. That's a big point in its favor. Are they all John Deere implements matched to the tractor? If so, it also says something positive about the owner. A matched set of mower, backhoe, blower, and loader would be a tremendous find when you combine them with that 30+ hp JD tractor. It's a larger tractor and much more capable tractor than you would find at that price on the newer market. And it deserves a look.

So to answer your question...yes, this JD955 with those attachments and those hours is fairly priced at $15K, but only as long as they are matching attachments for the JD955, and the tractor has obviously been well cared for. In such a case I would bet on the old tractor versus a new one. What would make up my mind for sure would be if I was (I am) the kind of guy who enjoys reading operators manuals and doing at least the basics of lubrication and simple adjustments for myself. It should come with all the manuals and perhaps a maintenance log.

If it is simply showing it's age then I'd offer a lower price. If it looks abused or used hard then I'd walk away from it.
Good luck,
rScotty