dodge man
Super Star Member
I'd also be looking for a used CUT. In Kubota, that would be a B series tractor, which are fairly common used.
Buying Advice Which one to buy? How much is my used one worth?
- Thread starter Stever996
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Soundguy
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- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
ran when parked.. if it don't run now.. it's a 500$ gamble tractor among old iron collectors.. 
it amazes me the people that will sell a tractor non running for half it's possible value.. or less.. because they won't buy a 10$ set of points.. or do simple wrench-turning style maintenance. I see it all the time. These old machines are real ez to maintain..
soundguy
it amazes me the people that will sell a tractor non running for half it's possible value.. or less.. because they won't buy a 10$ set of points.. or do simple wrench-turning style maintenance. I see it all the time. These old machines are real ez to maintain..
soundguy
stevem5215
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I have a Chinese FarmPro 2420 that I use on our Family Farm. It's hilly and steep and at times a challenge to fix. But I gotta say that for intermittent use of less than 100hrs a year you should consider one of those new. You will need to be handy to fix it but your budget would allow that price range.
Otherwise consider just what everyone else on here has said about used machines. That's about what you are looking at.
The Farmpro in 2003 was $3995 brand new. lol It was junk then and is junky still. But it does cut the grass with a 60" finish deck on it. And does a pretty dang good job at it. It's only 20hp so it won't do much more than that but i use it to cut our trails in the woods and other fields with no issue. The brakes on the steep hills are touchy and there's been once that I remember heading down the hill and hit the brakes and it went into runaway mode. If you've never had that happen it's a little like going down a ice covered road and not being able to stop at all sliding down the whole way and running into a tree or something bad.
Steve
Otherwise consider just what everyone else on here has said about used machines. That's about what you are looking at.
The Farmpro in 2003 was $3995 brand new. lol It was junk then and is junky still. But it does cut the grass with a 60" finish deck on it. And does a pretty dang good job at it. It's only 20hp so it won't do much more than that but i use it to cut our trails in the woods and other fields with no issue. The brakes on the steep hills are touchy and there's been once that I remember heading down the hill and hit the brakes and it went into runaway mode. If you've never had that happen it's a little like going down a ice covered road and not being able to stop at all sliding down the whole way and running into a tree or something bad.
Steve
Hey Soundguy,
You are the one who asked for the postings of 8N's for $950. I give you one and you find fault with it. Agreed it may be only worth scrap, but anyone would be a fool to buy it without having it running first.
I realize I'll never be "Member of the month" but hey, there is more to life than averaging 60 posts per week over 8 years. Have a great day, I'll spend mine digging post holes for my new pole barn. :laughing:
You are the one who asked for the postings of 8N's for $950. I give you one and you find fault with it. Agreed it may be only worth scrap, but anyone would be a fool to buy it without having it running first.
I realize I'll never be "Member of the month" but hey, there is more to life than averaging 60 posts per week over 8 years. Have a great day, I'll spend mine digging post holes for my new pole barn. :laughing:
Soundguy
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- RK 55HC,ym1700, NH7610S, Ford 8N, 2N, NAA, 660, 850 x2, 541, 950, 941D, 951, 2000, 3000, 4000, 4600, 5000, 740, IH 'C' 'H', CUB, John Deere 'B', allis 'G', case VAC
I think you have misinterpreted my post.
My original comment was in reference to a post by someone else who said that a rops would cost half again to the tractor in question.. presumably a running tractor.. ( why else put a rops on it.. non runner don't need one ). I pointed out that unless the tractor was a cheap 900$ or so tractor, that those numbers were a tad incorrect.
Your post mentioned the non running 9xx$ N. thats not really an apples to apples comparison. IE.. you can't compair a running and non running tractor... one has significantly more value.
In the N worls.. 500$ is about the going price for a 'complete' 'loose' non runner. if it is locked up.. burned, or not complete, then less $$. Move that tractor to a poor condition 'runner', and the money pretty much doubles immediatly.. ie.. 1000$ for a beater condition but running N is pretty common.
I can grade a drive with a beater running N.. I can't with a non runner.. thus the value difference.
Why some people sell tractors as non running is beyond me. If the tractor 'will' run.. it will usually double it sale value..
when a collector goes and buys a non runner.. he gives bottom dolalr based on what he sees. for instance. price paid usually reflects what can be seen as useable parts, and the collector goes into the deal knowing the engine may be trashed and he will have to part it out to recoup his investment.. thus you mentally figure up what things like wheel centers, tires, rims, bolt on parts are worth.. plus castings and forgings that can be salvaged. a non running engine may very well bee a couple hundred pounds of scrap metal value at a salvage yard.. maybee not.. it's a gamble. trans may have chipped gears. pto pump may not work.. generator and starter may be bad.. steering gear may be bad..e tc.. etc. it's a gamble on a non runner.. that's why 50-500$ is the price.. IE.. what can I aprt it for for SURE to get my $$ back. bump that to a runner. and you at least have an idea of what systems work. thus more value.
In many cases, a 3' piece of 14awg wire and a fingernail file can turn a ?500$? non runner into a 950$ runner. that or 10$ of points.. and a jump from a hot battery.
I've gotten plenty of good deals on non running tractors that I had to have jumped, dink with, or winch up onto my trailer because the owner didn't feel like investing 10$ to get her running so he could ask 2-3X more money. it blows my mind. I remember recently looking at a tractor... after poking around a few minutes I knew I could make it run.. it had a bad ignition switch and a dead battery ( no spark, wouldn't crank, and bad wireing all over, charge system not even hooked up ). I usually don't buy 'junk' tractors.. I like to start with a better piece before I refurbish it. I told the owner exactly what he needed to go buy, where to buy it and how to install it. we are talking like 15$ of parts and 10 minutes of work to install to make the tractor start and run ( assuming the batttery would charge up ).. I told him what he could reasonable expect to get for the tractor once he had it running.. it blew my mind when he asked me to just buy it like it was and pay the lowball price... which i did.. and 4 hours later, fixed it while still on my trailer when i pulle dinto my place, then drove it off my trailer valued at at least 2-3x what I paid for it with -minimal- work.. ie.. the 15$ of parts and 10 minutes of work. still can't figure that one out. not sure if it is apathy.. or they just get tired of waving a screwdriver over the tractor every few hundred hours of use... ??
That was my point.. if a rops is half the value of your tractor... it's a non runner that don't need rops anyway.
lots of vintage tractors are sporting rops retrofits....
soundguy
My original comment was in reference to a post by someone else who said that a rops would cost half again to the tractor in question.. presumably a running tractor.. ( why else put a rops on it.. non runner don't need one ). I pointed out that unless the tractor was a cheap 900$ or so tractor, that those numbers were a tad incorrect.
Your post mentioned the non running 9xx$ N. thats not really an apples to apples comparison. IE.. you can't compair a running and non running tractor... one has significantly more value.
In the N worls.. 500$ is about the going price for a 'complete' 'loose' non runner. if it is locked up.. burned, or not complete, then less $$. Move that tractor to a poor condition 'runner', and the money pretty much doubles immediatly.. ie.. 1000$ for a beater condition but running N is pretty common.
I can grade a drive with a beater running N.. I can't with a non runner.. thus the value difference.
Why some people sell tractors as non running is beyond me. If the tractor 'will' run.. it will usually double it sale value..
when a collector goes and buys a non runner.. he gives bottom dolalr based on what he sees. for instance. price paid usually reflects what can be seen as useable parts, and the collector goes into the deal knowing the engine may be trashed and he will have to part it out to recoup his investment.. thus you mentally figure up what things like wheel centers, tires, rims, bolt on parts are worth.. plus castings and forgings that can be salvaged. a non running engine may very well bee a couple hundred pounds of scrap metal value at a salvage yard.. maybee not.. it's a gamble. trans may have chipped gears. pto pump may not work.. generator and starter may be bad.. steering gear may be bad..e tc.. etc. it's a gamble on a non runner.. that's why 50-500$ is the price.. IE.. what can I aprt it for for SURE to get my $$ back. bump that to a runner. and you at least have an idea of what systems work. thus more value.
In many cases, a 3' piece of 14awg wire and a fingernail file can turn a ?500$? non runner into a 950$ runner. that or 10$ of points.. and a jump from a hot battery.
I've gotten plenty of good deals on non running tractors that I had to have jumped, dink with, or winch up onto my trailer because the owner didn't feel like investing 10$ to get her running so he could ask 2-3X more money. it blows my mind. I remember recently looking at a tractor... after poking around a few minutes I knew I could make it run.. it had a bad ignition switch and a dead battery ( no spark, wouldn't crank, and bad wireing all over, charge system not even hooked up ). I usually don't buy 'junk' tractors.. I like to start with a better piece before I refurbish it. I told the owner exactly what he needed to go buy, where to buy it and how to install it. we are talking like 15$ of parts and 10 minutes of work to install to make the tractor start and run ( assuming the batttery would charge up ).. I told him what he could reasonable expect to get for the tractor once he had it running.. it blew my mind when he asked me to just buy it like it was and pay the lowball price... which i did.. and 4 hours later, fixed it while still on my trailer when i pulle dinto my place, then drove it off my trailer valued at at least 2-3x what I paid for it with -minimal- work.. ie.. the 15$ of parts and 10 minutes of work. still can't figure that one out. not sure if it is apathy.. or they just get tired of waving a screwdriver over the tractor every few hundred hours of use... ??
That was my point.. if a rops is half the value of your tractor... it's a non runner that don't need rops anyway.
lots of vintage tractors are sporting rops retrofits....
soundguy
So, what does a novice need to look for on a 8N that runs, to make sure he doesn't buy a new hobby?
A friend fwd'ed an article about logging with a tractor, and it seems to be a whole 'nother ballgame, especially since most of the woods I want to harvest means I'll be pulling logs uphill, which is totally contrary to the idea that tractors are designed to pull below their center of gravity. It seems to be foolish without some significant mods...belly pan, spark arrestor, tire air valve protection, etc.
I'd keep the JD445 for it's current tasks of mowing and blowing.
An old 8N, and a neighbor who is a logger who I'd be happy to pay to make 8-20 foot sticks seems like a decent compromise......your thoughts?
A friend fwd'ed an article about logging with a tractor, and it seems to be a whole 'nother ballgame, especially since most of the woods I want to harvest means I'll be pulling logs uphill, which is totally contrary to the idea that tractors are designed to pull below their center of gravity. It seems to be foolish without some significant mods...belly pan, spark arrestor, tire air valve protection, etc.
I'd keep the JD445 for it's current tasks of mowing and blowing.
An old 8N, and a neighbor who is a logger who I'd be happy to pay to make 8-20 foot sticks seems like a decent compromise......your thoughts?
Gale Hawkins
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Stever based on Ford 8N Tractor - Attachments - Specs how can you call an 8N anything but a hobby today? The lift system, PTO and the fact they just kind of jump up and down if you ask them to pull a load. They were designed as a DIRECT replacement for the mule and they were a major advance over a pair of mules. Yes they are cool but as others have stated they are not a part of our past we want to have to use to get serious work done.
mjncad
Super Member
Stever996:
If I'm reading your post correctly, it sounds like you have lots of acres. If that is the case, I'd keep the 445 for its mowing capabilities, and find something bigger within your budget to deal with the rest.
However, if you are set on getting rid of your 445, and if it has AWS, is in good condition, and you are near Colorado...I might be interested in relieving you of the burden of ownership. :laughing:
If I'm reading your post correctly, it sounds like you have lots of acres. If that is the case, I'd keep the 445 for its mowing capabilities, and find something bigger within your budget to deal with the rest.
However, if you are set on getting rid of your 445, and if it has AWS, is in good condition, and you are near Colorado...I might be interested in relieving you of the burden of ownership. :laughing:
Turbys_1700
Elite Member
In 2006 I purchased a cherry 1720 NH with 245 one owner hours on it. Traded in a 1700 Yamnar and gave 7K to boot. The Yanmar was worth 2K so I've got 9K in the tractor. I was really lucky in that these type of tractors don't come along real often in my area. I've now got 450 trouble free hours on my unit. I can mow my property fairly quickly with my 6' RFM.
The 8N would be the cheaper route. Personally, I would go for a Jubilee over the 8N but that's just personal preference. Cost would be more but you get more tractor.
The 8N would be the cheaper route. Personally, I would go for a Jubilee over the 8N but that's just personal preference. Cost would be more but you get more tractor.