Craigslist comes through again but mixed feelings about selling a trailer and possible tractor work.

[mcmxi]

I read a lot of negatives about CraigsList but I've had such a positive experience with it over the years. I've sold cars and trucks, an MX6000, automotive parts, and now a MidSota trailer without having to pay any fees as you do with Gunbroker and similar. I've found a snow blower, 3-point receiver, disc harrow, turn over plow, steel beams, an anvil, a welding table, and all manner of steel plate, pipe, angle and tubing on Craigslist.

I bought the '21 MidSota 22ft equipment trailer on 2/20/21 for $5,600. It had been used three or four times and was in near new condition. I've put a lot of miles on that trailer with 1,200 miles on a single trip to pick up the M6060 in Sheridan, WY. I've used it many times hauling the MX6000 HST, MX6000HSTC, picking up pipe, picking up two plows, a disc harrow, EA box blade, EA land plane, EA grapple, the Land Pride snow blower, suitcase weights, and on and on. I really like that trailer and I'll miss it, but the $6,500 I sold it for can go towards something else now. Maybe I could have got more, but I'm happy with the deal, the new owner is happy, and he asked me if I'd be interested on clearing up an acre and half that's in a bit of a mess. He's decided not to buy a tractor, and when he saw my two he asked if I he could hire me to do some work for him. We'll see how that turns out.

Last year I bought a PJ 22ft hydraulic deckover trailer (T8) because the M6060 won't fit on the MidSota with the wheels on the second widest setting. The MidSota is built on 5" channel and the PJ on 8" I-beam, but the MidSota tows so well whether empty or loaded to the max. I like redundancy but it doesn't make sense to have two equipment trailers. It's with mixed feelings that I part with the MidSota Nova but no doubt the new owner will use and enjoy it as much as I have.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

That's a serious tractor(s)!!! Dwarf's your Super Duty!

I love my 26' PJ trailer with its huge frame rails and big tires.

Good luck. Looks Great!

I've bought and sold on craigslist. Lots of riffraff going on. But despite that I can usually find a solid buyer or seller.

As for tractor work. If you're licensed or not, get at least 1/2 the money before you bring the tractor to do work! And if he's even a little shady, take a HARD PASS.

If I had a dollar for every unpaid tractor work I've done.... You get the idea.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I really need to get a larger equipment trailer.
The trailers I have are all light weight.

 

[mcmxi]

I really need to get a larger equipment trailer.
The trailers I have are all light weight.

The PJ I got last year is well built with an 8" c-channel main frame. It's a nice trailer but I'm not sure if I'll ever feel that it was a great buy at $13k. I felt that the MidSota was a good buy at $5,600 at that time, particularly given the lack of availability of trailers, and I really needed one. Everything has become so expensive as we know, and the individual that bought the MidSota regrets selling a similar trailer that he bought in 2017 for $3,700. He sold it to a friend and now paid close to double that for my used trailer. Regardless, over the next few years it won't matter how much I paid once I've pulled it thousands of miles and hauled tractors, implements and materials all over Montana.

 

[GeoHorn]

PJ and Load Trail are both great trailers…virtually identical… I understand it was a family business and the two bro’s had a disagreement and split up… resulting in PJ and Load Trail trailers.

 

[GrizBota]

Sharp looking outfit there!

8” channel sure sounds robust. I didn’t realize that 5” could also be rated at 10k (I’m presuming). My 5” channel is rated at 7k, but that’s limited by the axles and tires on mine.

 

[GeoHorn]

I meant to also comment on Craig’s List….. I used it to Find my Kubota…. worked flawlessly for that.

I sold one of my boats overnight…. worked flawlessly.

I bought my compactor-roller…. worked flawlessly.

I bought two folding bicycles…from separate sellers….. worked flawlessly.

I bought a 500-gal used propane tank cheap…. worked flawlessly.

CAUTION: If something is listed on CL incredibly cheap…. if it is not available for LOCAL inspection with the seller… in DAYLIGHT at it’s ordinary place of residency or a safe location…. Or, if the seller wants to deliver it only After you’ve paid for it….or any of the other common Scams like “refunding” an over-payment, etc…….. Keep Away! Report it to CL …and it will be removed by CL.

 

[wp6529]

PJ and Load Trail are both great trailers…virtually identical… I understand it was a family business and the two bro’s had a disagreement and split up… resulting in PJ and Load Trail trailers.

They are across the street from each other not far from here on either side of FM2216 in Sumner, TX. They have other manufacturing locations as well. Quite a few trailer and related manufacturers in Sumner and nearby more or less in the middle of nowhere.

 

[mcmxi]

Sharp looking outfit there!

8” channel sure sounds robust. I didn’t realize that 5” could also be rated at 10k (I’m presuming). My 5” channel is rated at 7k, but that’s limited by the axles and tires on mine.

I might have caused some confusion. The photos above show the MidSota trailer that I sold yesterday. It has a 5" frame. The PJ deckover that I bought last year has an 8" I-beam frame which might be related to the T8 designation.

Here's the PJ. I will say though that the MidSota tows better than the PJ, which might be due to the location of the axles. The hydraulic tilt deck causes some challenges in placing the axles further back. The PJ still tows just fine empty or loaded, but not quite as nice as the MidSota. It's a feel thing isn't it?

I made a post a couple of years ago about modifying the MidSota to work with the CURT load-leveling system. I welded on the chain hooks and moved the jack inside the A-frame. The new buyer was quite excited about my work and complemented the welding.

 

[mcmxi]

I meant to also comment on Craig’s List….. I used it to Find my Kubota…. worked flawlessly for that.

I sold one of my boats overnight…. worked flawlessly.

I bought my compactor-roller…. worked flawlessly.

I bought two folding bicycles…from separate sellers….. worked flawlessly.

I bought a 500-gal used propane tank cheap…. worked flawlessly.

CAUTION: If something is listed on CL incredibly cheap…. if it is not available for LOCAL inspection with the seller… in DAYLIGHT at it’s ordinary place of residency or a safe location…. Or, if the seller wants to deliver it only After you’ve paid for it….or any of the other common Scams like “refunding” an over-payment, etc…….. Keep Away! Report it to CL …and it will be removed by CL.

How does CraigsList make money? I don't see any advertisers on there.

 

[wp6529]

How does CraigsList make money? I don't see any advertisers on there.

I'm pretty sure the dealer ads are not free, nor are the featured ones pushed to the top.

 

[mcmxi]

I'm pretty sure the dealer ads are not free, nor are the featured ones pushed to the top.

Well, that's great for the little guy if someone else is paying. I've sold a lot of items on GunBroker but the fees and taxes are significant.

 

[GeoHorn]

According to Giggle:

“While most of Craigslist's service is free, it charges $25 to give increased visibility to your ad on the platform. Craigslist charges $25 for job-related ads and several other listing categories. Most of Craigslist's revenue comes from paid listings where the ads are optimized to appear in certain search results.”

 

[mcmxi]

I was out this morning getting the MidSota ready for the new owner. I had four chains, four binders, lots of shackles, Curt spring bars, Curt lift handle and a shackle hitch in the tool box so wanted to get them out and the box cleaned up.

While I was out there I decided to measure the location of the axles relative to the coupler on both equipment trailers. Turns out that the front axle is 16ft from the center of the coupler on both the MidSota and the PJ. I feel better about the cost of that PJ given that it uses 8"x4" I-beams all the way from the coupler to beyond the rear axle. It really is well built and is much more trailer than the MidSota although both are rated at 15k. I don't think I'll miss the MidSota as much now.

 

[mcmxi]

The check cleared today so I hooked up the trailer and met the new owner at a bank in town to get the title signed over and notarized. The new owner is thrilled with the trailer and so all is good in the world. Here he is getting ready to hook up his new trailer. Sure is easy with a back up camera ... I need one of those.

So in short, I bought the trailer on 02/20/21 and sold it on 03/04/24 for $900 more than I paid for it. That's a decent investment I'd say.

 

[GrizBota]

The check cleared today so I hooked up the trailer and met the new owner at a bank in town to get the title signed over and notarized. The new owner is thrilled with the trailer and so all is good in the world. Here he is getting ready to hook up his new trailer. Sure is easy with a back up camera ... I need one of those.

So in short, I bought the trailer on 02/20/21 and sold it on 03/04/24 for $900 more than I paid for it. That's a decent investment I'd say.

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Looks like you bought it well and sold it well. You got paid to use it too. Pretty decent deal I’d say. Keep the good work. I could stand to learn from you.

 

[mcmxi]

Looks like you bought it well and sold it well. You got paid to use it too. Pretty decent deal I’d say. Keep the good work. I could stand to learn from you.

There was no method to the madness, just lucky timing to find it when I did, but I kept it in good condition treating the boards and such. I was also lucky to find someone who wanted the trailer and was familiar with current prices. I rarely speculate about the cost of owning something and never buy with the thought to make money or break even down the road. I buy based on my needs or wants and accept that depreciation is often a part of that model. I just got lucky on this one.

 

[mcmxi]

More Craigslist goodness. Just committed to buying seven sticks of 3"x2"x3/16"x20ft for $350. They run close to $100 each up here so that's a very fair price. Going to use them to frame out roll-up doors on my steel pole barn builds.

When I sent a text to the seller, he told me that he had my number and that I'd bought a bunch of square tubing from him. I told him "nope", I would have remembered that. When he described his location I told him "it was round bar". He had me slide some money under his shop door.

 

[WFM]

I've had good luck with Craigslist but always get a email or two that says to reply to email scammerbob@something.com apparently they want your email for whatever reason. But once you weed out the scammers it works good. And generally one or two low ball offers. I usually check out the forsale one a week or so. Most of the time lots of odd junk. Chinese vase-$4.
Mens super slim fit 30x40 walmart jeans...
Someone will actually buy this stuff ?? Lol

 

[GrizBota]

More Craigslist goodness. Just committed to buying seven sticks of 3"x2"x3/16"x20ft for $350. They run close to $100 each up here so that's a very fair price. Going to use them to frame out roll-up doors on my steel pole barn builds.

When I sent a text to the seller, he told me that he had my number and that I'd bought a bunch of square tubing from him. I told him "nope", I would have remembered that. When he described his location I told him "it was round bar". He had me slide some money under his shop door.

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You sure there’s no method to your madness? Seems like you’re a good deal magnet. That’s about $0.80/lb. Can’t hardly by chicken feed for that price anymore (well maybe you can, but not hamburger, remember a buck a pound?). Keep up the good work.