Diesel VS Gas tractor value

[inspectorudy]

The way I look at it is I put something up for sale and you don't think it's a fair price then don't make an offer. But if another person walks up and likes it then they will pay whatever it is worth to them. I think the idiot would be the stubborn person who would sell something because it used to be that price. Every JD I re-furbish and sell is a beauty and it has been gone over carefully by me personally. I ask a very high price for them and have sold everyone to a happy customer. My caveat is if it don't run I do. I've never bought a "Project" tractor because I do not want the uncertainty of having to tear into the guts to make it sellable. I drive them and operate them and satisfy myself as to whether or not they are decent tractors. Then I bring them back to as good a level as I can without going the muscle car restoration route. I too do not believe that for just small lawns that a diesel is worth the extra cost but for economy a gas engine cannot touch a little diesel. With my 1811 I can mow my 1.4 acres with little over a half tank of gas. With my JD 332 diesel I can do it for less than a fourth of a tank. The other thing is I have a lot of steep hills and the diesel goes up them without a whimper. Not so with the K18.

[J-Mech]

Let me clarify. I seem to have upset some people.

As a seller, I want top dollar. But there is a very fine line with these particular machines between top dollar, and rip off. I believe that most sellers, are ripping off. A restored machine is just that. A repainted one, is too. I have been buying and selling lots of different types of equipment for years. It's amazing to me how if you slap paint on something, it will bring twice as much. The thing may miss and sputter, grind the gears, and just generally be a mechanical nightmare...... but it brings more than the one sitting next to it that runs like a sewing machine, but needs a paint job. That said, I am not telling anyone here they overpaid. Some of you guys post prices. I don't, usually. That is because I don't pay as much. I'm not bragging. Simple fact is this, and I've said this before.... the cost of these machines is not being set by any book, market demand, or any other factor other than "I saw someone sell one for "this" much." That really isn't the way a price should be set. Rudy, I bet you don't pay anywhere near what you sell your tractors for. Otherwise you wouldn't make any money. As a buyer, if you want a "restored" or "perfect" tractor, then I guess you will pay more for that. But the truth is, non of these machines in their original paint, original motors, and the like, should be worth what some guys are trying to get. As Mac has said, as a seller, you are never going to get out of them what you have in them. Rudy, I think it's great that you can make a profit on Deere's. But just like all other green machines, there seems to be a stigma that makes people think they are worth 2-3 times what they are just because they are green. Take a Deere 4020 and IH 856. Identical tractor in size, available options, and years made. Yet a Deere will bring half again as much at an auction. There wasn't that much price difference in them new (about $700), and they made waaaayyyy more 4020's than 856's. So it has nothing to do with them being rare. The price of cubs is going up. Nothing I can do about it. But for me, I have found too many tracors.... GOOD tractors, for prices far from $2K to ever spend that kind of money for one. Remember, you don't always get what you pay for, sometimes you just get.

[Sam Mac]

Originally Posted by TIMCRUTCHER

Sam

You are talking like a wife. The "need" word should never be said when discussing tractors.

Tim

The reason I don't "need" a 3 point on my Supers is because I have a Cat 1 on the BX. Much easier finding attachments for a Cat1.

[Sam Mac]

Here is a decent looking 1782. Early Cyclops. Guy is asking $2000.00 it has been for sale for a while. I have to wonder what's leaking, I see speedy dry under it.

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/grd/4310020747.html

[drcjv]

Again I believe the value of something is what some one is willing to pay and just because you are not willing to pay a certain price does not make your percieved price right. This is true for almost everything houses, cars, equitment whatever. I sold an 1872 last year and had three guys standing there fighting over it and guess what happened to the price. Two of the guys eventually reached what they were willing to pay but the third guy payed what he was willing to pay and it was more than the other two and he was happy. You would have been one of the guys that walked and that's ok but don't down the guy who was willing to pay more for what he thought it was worth. Your percieved value may be totally different than some one elses for the same tractor. JD bring more money because people that buy them think they are worth what they are paying. They may not be worth that to you but no one is making you buy them. I think they are over priced to but that is my opinion not a fact. There fact that people pay what the pay says they are not over priced. Actually I may not have been clear in my original post what I was trying to adress was the difference in value of gas vs diesel of the same size and condition.

[Sam Mac]

Rudy

I know your all about the JD's and I'm good with that but this is "Only Cub Cadets" if you want to talk JD's take it to Weekend Freedom Machines.

[inspectorudy]

Sam, only mentioned it because of the original issue of diesel v gas. My only experience is with JDs so that was all I could offer. I do agree that the green machines bring in more than they should based on actual tractors but that is the nature of marketing. I remember when Ford and Mazda or Nissan were both selling the exact same car with different names and Ford sold a lot more than the Japanese company. Go figure.

[OldAndInTheWay]

I love the economy of my diesel. That sells them for me. As to people who only buy "green", I have friends who will only buy if it is green, even though I got a 4wd diesel tractor with 3 point hitch for the same price as their green lawn tractor. Both were new.

I have no problem with people's pricing... I look elsewhere if it is more than I am willing to pay. I have seen restored Cadets selling what seems high to me at first until I see what I put into my restoration to get it to the same level. BUT restoring them is what I like. So buying one already done defeats the purpose for me.

[mjsoldcub]

I agree with old and in the way...i got my cub for next to nothing..i enjoy fixing her up as much as i do using it..but when i see people pay more than double for a garden tractor what my old man paid for a 1953 ford naa (jubilee) with loader, live hyd, blade, brushhog, put new tires all the way around and did a 12v conversion AND bought a spare engine for, why thats just a little bit crazy...to each his own though...i still keep wishing i could find a 2-3cyl diesel for cheap to stuff in the cub without too much headache, as im just about to rebuild the motor in it, but then i have to mess with pto, and find the space, and then ill just want to put a turbo on it anyways and there i go getting carried away again, and the old lady will be yelling as to why the grass aint getting cut!!!

[drcjv]

Although I have enjoyed reading all the responses my original question was comparing equal tractors size and condition diesel vs gas and how much more if any a diesel is worth. Example 1872 vs 1772. Not JD vs Cub or are people asking too much for their tractors.