tractor buying scams?

[xreliable]

I'm shopping for my first tractor. I have a limited budget so I'm looking for a used one. I've been looking everywhere including local dealers within about a 200 mile radius and online. Several times now I've contacted classified ads and in response I get a message saying that they have the tractor already with a shipping company and they want me to pay a down payment. The weird thing is that when I've asked about using an escrow company they have agreed. I'm pretty convinced it is a scam. Anyone else come across this?

 

[Taiser]

Safety rule. If you don't see it, don't buy it. Some of these guys might be on the up and up but it's not worth the nightmare if they are not. If you want to "test" the waters tell them you will be attending with a trailer to pick up BEFORE you make payment. See how they react.

 

[elad]

Taiser is offering GOOD advice. You would be wise to follow it.

 

[Lynkage]

Yes this is good advise.

I myself like to f%$# with these guys because I know it is a scam. I have said things like I am in your part of the city and would like to swing by and take a look and I have cash. They will reply with things like "oh the tractor has moved to the other coast" then I like to reply to them with things like I am now going to report you to the police for fraud. they of course never reply to that one!!

 

[yomax4]

I recently tried to buy a JD compact on e-bay and the tractor was in Hungary so they said. They were going to ship no charge. I told the guy I had an importer who would pick the tractor up in Hungary.( messing with him) I said how about I pay you $8000 cash up front, He said " You good guy, pay money I get tractor ready to you" He then sent me 20 e-mails asking for the cash.. I strung him along until e-bay got him. So much fun.

 

[EddieWalker]

Not just the scammers, but every day hard use on a tractor is good reason to check it out in person. Some tractors live nice quite lives mowing grass and spending the night in a barn, but allot of them work real hard for years and years. You never know how much preventive maintanence was put into it, nor if everything on it is even working. Some parts are very, very expensive to repair. Hydraulic pumps go out from time to time, and just driving it around a parking lot isn't enough to know this. Never trust the seller, he may be honest, but he also might not consider changing the oil as something important.

I've come across some great deals online, missed out on a few that might have been great deals and walked away from too many that I wasn't comfortable with. Some were obviosly legit, but others were probably fake.

Having a tractor sitting at the freight company and waiting for a buyer sounds like BS. What shipping, or freight company is gonna hold onto something as big as a tractor without being paid to do so? Who would keep there tractor there and not expect it to sell locally?

It's funny that he said he'll accept the money being held in escrow, but I think that if you pursued that route, he'll find some excuse for you to send him some small amount to help cover some bill or expense. Even if he got $100 from you, it wouldn't matter, because he'll disapear and your out anything you sent him.

Don't do it.

Eddie

 

[TimS]

Tip: what you'll find is that the "escrow" will go to a fake escrow company, or an account that the seller has control of somehow. Run away!!!

Tim

 

[gilbertmsg]

I looked for a very long time for my first tractor, and made the mistake of buying online (ebay). Picked up, (small Iseki TU 1700) cranked and worked fine for about 2 hrs then overheated. I now have tractor in pieces waiting for head to be repaired, if possible. Have found reman head for the tune of $950.00 and new head gasket 159.00, and a few other things on a $2500.00 tractor. If you're buying used as I had to, don't buy site unseen. Test it and test it hard. You work hard for your play/work monies.

 

[Seon]

Lots of compact tractors being advertised on CraigsList. Most usually sells for $14-$18K but the ad list their price at $5K-$7K. It's like the other ads, "send me money and I'll ship it at no charge".

Yeah, right...the check is in the mail...NOT!

 

[PMRT]

I am only two years into tractors. My first was a 1980 Case 580 Super E. I cut my teeth on this monster and had fun doing it. Of course I knew what I was getting into....sorta. I figure I worked one hour on it for every hour I used it but I enjoyed learning. Then I decided: Enough down time. More up time. My next one was brand new and I went with one of the most reliable makes: Kubota. I don't regret one, single, solitary dime and love the machine so much I get withdrawal symptoms if I'm not using it.