When I am in the market for a new used tractor, patience is key. Knowing what jobs you want to use this tractor for beforehand will help you narrow down the best tractor in the price range that you can afford. Once I have settled on what specific models are realistic for my price range I will spend up to two years waiting for a great deal within a day’s drive to wherever the tractor is being sold. Being patient also helps you know what exactly a good deal looks like and helps to establish an expected price range on that you can base your negotiations. When you find a potential winner in your search you probably have at least one exterior picture.
Wear
This is a great indication of how well the tractor has been kept. More often than not, if it’s lacking paint and rusted up chances are the engine lacked the same care as the exterior. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go for it but it definitely needs more investigation before you settle on a price.
Negotiation
Always make sure the seller is open to negotiation. A seller is never obliged to sell to you. Chances are if they didn’t care for their tractor the last thing they want is somebody offering a realistic valuation vs selling it at their asking price. Prior to spending any time traveling to the seller, go ahead and see if they will move on their price and make it clear you still need to visually asses what other issues you will need to fix following an inspection. You are always at risk of losing the sale if you wait too long after initial contact because other buyers may have their eyes on the same machine. Make sure you are kind to the seller regardless of the condition of the tractor or even their lack of kindness. They have probably been low-balled 10x over before you messaged or called them so don’t take it personally if they come off as cold at first.
Visual Inspection
On first inspection, it is important to check possible tricks the seller may try to cover up problems with.
Pre-warmed engine
Carefully check the exhaust to see if the seller already warmed up the engine to hide a poor cold start. You want to cold start the engine because that’s how you will be starting it when you get home!
Pre-Inflated Leaky Tires
Next, check your tires. Check the grip, for dry rot, and any holes, check valve stems and check for any rust or holes on the rim. Buying new tires for an old tractor can sometimes cost more than the actual cost of the tractor. I once bought a tractor that had rough dry rot on the tires only to get home and the next day the rear tire was flat.
The best thing to do is to bring a spray bottle of soapy water and spray the tires down, including the tread, sidewalls, valve stem and opening (cap removed), and along the rim of both sides of the tire (Cars, 2022). If you see bubbles forming anywhere that you sprayed then you have a leak.
Finding an air leak could be a great pivot point for the negotiation.
Fluids, Leaks, Hoses, and belts
Next, go ahead and check out the engine and transmission. What condition is everything in, does anything need replacement such as hoses or belts? Then open up your radiator cap and check on the condition of the coolant. Has it gummed up? Is it at the appropriate cold level? We want to check the transmission and oil dipsticks as well to see what condition the oil is in, does it need replacement or are there any indications of problems with unusual colors? Now is a good time to start making an estimation of how much you will need to invest on top of the cost of the tractor to have it up and running.
Radiator fins
Go ahead and look at the radiator grill, is it damaged, or covered in debris? Keep these things in mind when you go to do a performance test, as a dirty radiator grill, or a bird’s nest in the air filter may be why your engine is running hot.
Air filter
Check the air filter and see how dirty it is or if there is anything blocking air from passing through.
Visual general check
Is there anything off-color that looks replaced or any evidence of welding repairs? Take a good look and ask questions of the owner to find out if there are any hidden accidents that the tractor has been through.
Fuel tank
Take off the fuel cap and check if there is any debris floating in the gas such as rust from the tank. You can also run your finger on the tank right inside to see if there is any issue with rust. Ask when the last fuel filter change happened.
Electrical test
Having an electrical test meter handy is a great additional tool to check that we have power at all the different components of the tractor.
Performance Inspection
On a cold start, you want the engine to fire right up without any delay. You should get the engine to working temperature and make sure all your gauges are working and then take the tractor for a test drive making sure all the gears are changing smoothly. Check how well the clutch is working as well as the brakes. How tight is the steering? Are all the grease points greased?
After taking it for a spin keep it running and put a piece of cardboard under the engine to see if anything is leaking. You can also test your 3-point lift arms and go stand on them to see if they are holding weight.
Leaks
A little bit of drips on your cardboard isn’t the end of the world. Maybe you have a hose that needs more tension. You are mainly keeping an eye out for anything really running that is an immediate issue.
Common Issues
Before going to look at your tractor, doing a search online for common issues with that make or model will give you a solid base as to what to look for. Some older tractors were easier to break than others.
Another thing to consider is how hard is it to find parts. Especially if it is an older tractor, or manufactured in a foreign country, finding parts may be an issue.
Time to buy…or not
With everything we now know, it’s time to make a decision as to whether to buy or not. Consider all the time and money in parts to get the tractor to where it needs to be to operate successfully for years to come. Often times pointing out real issues to the seller will help with negotiation as long as they feel they can’t find someone less knowledgeable to sell to. Also, consider the time invested to look at the tractor. I have paid more than I wanted solely because I traveled 5 hours to look at a tractor and didn’t want to come home empty.
If you decide to buy, make sure you get a bill of sale. Especially if it’s an older tractor it probably doesn’t have a title. Having a hand-written bill of sale that states the owner sells this model to the stated buyer for x amount of money officially transfers ownership to the buyer. Often times sellers want cash to avoid reporting the sale, which is not your problem. Just make sure you get that bill of sale.
Last considerations
One more thing to consider is taking a video of the owner starting and turning off the engine. Especially if you are new to older engines, you may not remember how to properly start or stop the engine. Now you have to figure it out on a trailer no less. Also always make sure you are in neutral and seated on the tractor when starting the engine for your safety.
