Private sale vs trade-in of used tractor

[PA452]

Been looking at upgrading from my BX23 to a B-series for a while now. I bought my BX23 used on Craigslist and always figured I'd sell it the same way. Trading it in is certainly easier though, so I asked the dealer I was primarily speaking to about it.

The salesman said he could give me a price, but told me up front I'm much better off just selling myself. So he looked into the price, and it was significantly lower than I even would have guessed. That cemented the idea that I'd have to sell it myself.

Then I spoke with another dealer to compare the price on the new tractor. For kicks I asked about the trade-in value of my used BX23, and it was $3k higher than the first dealer, pretty significant in my book. It brought it up into the range where I might actually consider a trade. When I factor in the sales tax saved, that's another $500+.

Still, it's about $2k less than I was hoping to sell it for privately. Perks of going with the trade though are I don't have to deal with tire kickers, don't have to deal with people stopping by to check it out, and if by some chance something goes wrong with the tractor as soon as it's out of my hands, a dealer isn't going to come back to me about it. I also figure it's tough to find someone serious about the purchase who has the cash available to plunk down for it.

I know it only takes one right buyer, could be the first person who checks it out. But what do you guys think? At what point do you think it's worth trading rather than selling?

Thanks

 

[heinsite]

I never want to leave money on the table so I would sell it myself. Maybe try for a few weeks at $500 less than value. Economy is good now and a lot of people are buying stuff. Just make sure your ad says price firm. I guess other factors are your location, condition, and availability of similar tractors around you.

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[GreensvilleJay]

If trying to sell privately, look NOW at ads in CL for similar units. If there's a LOT of them, I'd just trade it in. 'similar' doesn't mean just BX23 unist, but all colours.
The problem you have now, is both dealers KNOW you have a 'tradein' and already have fudged the numbers in their favour. You should have gotten a 'best price' ,in writing, THEN said, OK.. now take xx $ off for my BX23 tradein.
Same holds true about how you're going to pay,especially if they have 0% finance.
Other factors are time and weather. If you can wait to sell yours later when demand is high, you MIGHT get a better cash deal, maybe.... I wouldn't think late summer is a good time,most everyone has what they need and are busy ?
Do you need to sell to pay for the new one? That's a big issue.
could be the 'rock and a hard place' dilemma.....

Jay

 

[PaulL]

All comes down to money, time and inconvenience. Different people place different values on those things. When I sold my last car, I just wanted it gone, and I was happy for it to go to someone who felt like they'd got a great deal - everyone was happy. Holding out for the last $500 would have made me sad.

Car before that we sold to a young girl - her first car. Her Dad came, but made her do the negotiation. We gave her a good price (but made her work for it), and she was ecstatic. Hard to put a value on things like that.

Anyway, if you're the kind of person who doesn't like feeling you left money on the table, then list and sell it yourself. If you're the kind of person who wants it gone with no regrets, and no worries that the nice guy who came to look at it might not notice the dodgy 3ph valve or whatever, then better to trade it and never think about it again. If it's a good machine, and you want to see it go to a good home, then sell it privately but at a good price to the guy you feel like deserves a break.

 

[skeets]

My dealer told me the same thing, sell it out right you will get more for it.
Now unless the dealer has a ready buyer for the kind of unit you want to trade then it might be different. Yeah a real PIA to sell it yourself and you will NEVER get out of it what you put in to it to start with. Remember it is used,you used it the guy before you used it, so it aint cherry no more! Check the going prices around you like Jay said, and the local papers.
Different areas will sell for different prices, like in a largely urban area the BX would go for more and show more interest than in say a largely farming area. Just remember it aint always worth what you think its worth

 

[conropl]

My dealer also said I would be better off selling my tractor myself rather than trading it in. He offered $12,500 as traded in, but I sold it myself for $16,000. Was only posted for sale for a few days.

I do not like haggling with people, but it was worth it to get an extra $3500 out of it.

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[Newlyme]

Another option may be Consignment.

My local dealer has that option available. That's how I bought my M4900 and 15' Batwing finish mower. No haggling. The price was what it was. If I remember correctly dealer made 10%. The dealer has the incentive to sell it for a higher price. All you have to do is drop it off and pick up your check when sold.

 

[SidecarFlip]

My dealer also does consignment. In fact I have a rotary rake in his lot right now. he takes 5% and I don't have to deal with tire kickers.

 

[dirtydeed]

Well, I jest went thru this not long ago. I had a BX23 TLBM (2006 model) with MANY hours on it. I was going to sell it myself but 2 dealers offered me 10K for it on trade! So, that was easy peasy.

The 10K in trade also counted towards down payment on the new machine and reduced the sales tax number as well.

Quite honestly, I did not want to deal with tire kickers for something in that price range and didn't want them stopping at my place to see it.

One other suggestion...forget craigslist. Get yourself a facebook account (I know, can't stand anything about facebook) and sell it on facebook marketplace.

 

[D2Cat]

Dirtydeed, why is FB Marketplace a better place to sell than Craig's List?

Maybe I don't know what to read, or it isn't marketplace .... but I see a lot of smart azzed remarks, asking for more pictures, price negotiable, you can buy that cheaper at ...., and all kinds of BS conversation on FB.

I've always sold things of CL with no problems.

My nephew was telling me how FB is the only way to buy/sell.... He set up an account on my computer. I have no personal information, family pictures, history...nothing, but I still get crap from them for folks I should know and want in my group. Not interested. I don't respond. I think FB is for the younger folks who consider it their go to the movie time!

To PA453, sell according to your personality. If you don't like/want to deal with folks personally you have to trade it in, or consign. If you enjoy the folks sell it on CL and get an extra amount for your trouble.

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

we never trade anything in, too easy to sell them on CL and keep the difference. Now we do have access to a major metro area so it has a lot of buyers

 

[SidecarFlip]

Never been a fan of social media, especially 'Farce Book'. My wife has an account, I don't but looking at hers, it appears that many people put stuff on there that is personal and shouldn't be on there in the first place.

never had an issue with CL, in fact, I got my start in commercial forage by selling my hay on CL. All you have to do is set your price and stick to it, make a certain time to view and stick to it and set your terms and plainly state no bartering. I did have people come, look and then try to low ball me. My reply to them was, 'we are done with this transaction, goodbye'.

Don't have to do that anymore. I have one customer who buys everything I make now and interestingly, he came from CL. How he found me 4 years ago, was looking for forage and found it. I supply everything he uses for his cattle and bucking bulls. He even picks it up in the field, all I have to do is load it on his GN's. He runs a Rodeo show so we get tickets to boot. Wife loves Rodeo. Me, not so much, I like going and leering at the scantly clad cowgirls that frequent county fairs, which reminds me, we will be at one of his Rodeo's next Wednesday and I'll be leering, as usual.....

That should be illegal (running around with so little clothes on)....

 

[jajiu]

I've gone the whole gambit, my first kubota I traded to up-grade to a larger tractor, my second one I sold on CL and that took a long tedious back and forth different people who the buyer wanted to check it out, including a guy that worked for a dealer near him, and finally my last tractor I sold at a yard sale at the end of my drive way. A guy up the street from me always saw me using the tractor and knew I kept it under cover in my barn and it was well taken care of and bought it with no haggling over the price, I just had to deliver it to his house, less than a mile down the street. There are many ways to sell it, just have to decide what's best for you.

 

[dirtydeed]

Dirtydeed, why is FB Marketplace a better place to sell than Craig's List?

I've found that many more people are using the FB marketplace, and they appear to be of, how should I say, better character (fewer scammers)???

I'm only speaking of the FB Marketplace, not FB in general. I can't stand FB and don't want anything to do with it. But, it's a much better tool for selling stuff...in my opinion anyway.

Just sold my boat on FB marketplace...took 4 days. I also ran the ad on Craigslist...and the one individual that looked at it from Craigslist was a total tire-kickin' fool that tried to low ball me before even seeing the boat. I laughed at him and showed him off my property. I sold the boat to a very nice, retired navy man the next day (from FB Marketplace). I threw in many extras because he was a kind gentleman and didn't try to nickel and dime me.

Use whatever you want. I was only offering a suggestion.

 

[PA452]

If trying to sell privately, look NOW at ads in CL for similar units. If there's a LOT of them, I'd just trade it in. 'similar' doesn't mean just BX23 unist, but all colours.
The problem you have now, is both dealers KNOW you have a 'tradein' and already have fudged the numbers in their favour. You should have gotten a 'best price' ,in writing, THEN said, OK.. now take xx $ off for my BX23 tradein.
Same holds true about how you're going to pay,especially if they have 0% finance.
Other factors are time and weather. If you can wait to sell yours later when demand is high, you MIGHT get a better cash deal, maybe.... I wouldn't think late summer is a good time,most everyone has what they need and are busy ?
Do you need to sell to pay for the new one? That's a big issue.
could be the 'rock and a hard place' dilemma.....

Jay

Actually I don't think either dealer priced the new machine figuring on the trade.

The first dealer told me I should just sell it myself, their trade offer was pathetic and he had to have known I wouldn't take it.

The second dealer worked up the price on the new machine prior to my bringing up the trade.

Interestingly the two dealers came up with nearly the same price on the new machine, but the second one smoked the first on the trade-in value.

 

[dirtydeed]

Interestingly the two dealers came up with nearly the same price on the new machine, but the second one smoked the first on the trade-in value.

Not surprised. I had a similar experience when I was getting quotes. I found a dealer that was wiling to sell me what I wanted for 1.5K less than other dealers,,,and he was willing to give me 2K more for my trade...that was a 3.5K swing in my favor. Done deal.