Buying a used tractor with no maintenance records

[TomTomTom]

Hi Everyone,
I am brand new to tractors and I would like to buy a 30hp front end loader/possibly with a backhoe. I see many used tractors on Craigslist but when I ask about maintenance records. No owners can supply them. I even stopped at a dealer that had used tractors and they didn't have maintenance records on the used tractors they were selling. Is it worth buying a used tractor with no maintenance records or should I just save up for a new tractor?

 

[Tughill Tom]

Your going need to do your own due diligence on any used equipment. Look at of all condition, is it clean and not just steam cleaned, rusting, tires worn, everything work and so on.

That being said I bought my used B3200 sight un-seen, over the phone 300 miles away. A buddy stopped in a dealer and saw it coming in on trade told me and I called the dealer and bought it, he said "I've never done a deal like this before:, I said me either". It was the BEST money I ever spent.

 

[85Hokie]

Hi Everyone,
I am brand new to tractors and I would like to buy a 30hp front end loader/possibly with a backhoe. I see many used tractors on Craigslist but when I ask about maintenance records. No owners can supply them. I even stopped at a dealer that had used tractors and they didn't have maintenance records on the used tractors they were selling. Is it worth buying a used tractor with no maintenance records or should I just save up for a new tractor?

Tomx3,

some things to look for if no maintenance records offered.

How many hours?

Look at color of filters - if same color as engine, means it has never been changed.

Look at tires close - lots of cracks???

Engine oil, hydraulic oil and any other oil......smell ok? Dont go by engine oil "color" - diesel oil will get dirty and be fine. Hydraulic oil on the other hand should be very "clear" not cloudy - if it looks ANYTHING milky......walk away.

Outside appearance says a lot too - if kept inside, means the owner "cared" for it perhaps....if left outside and all paint is faded .....well you get the picture I am painting.

YOU find a tractor online - cut and paste the link and let us have a looks see and we can tell you perhaps if it is worth the "sticker" price.

 

[RacerX]

Not like it's an airplane that would fall out of the sky. Look it over well. Check hoses, belts, grease points, leaks, overall condition.

Does it look maintained or abused?

I've bought several and check these things. Start and run it, check all gears and implements for proper operation.

Check oil color and smell. Antifreeze and hydraulic oil.

Last of all, buyer beware.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[SDT]

Hi Everyone,
I am brand new to tractors and I would like to buy a 30hp front end loader/possibly with a backhoe. I see many used tractors on Craigslist but when I ask about maintenance records. No owners can supply them. I even stopped at a dealer that had used tractors and they didn't have maintenance records on the used tractors they were selling. Is it worth buying a used tractor with no maintenance records or should I just save up for a new tractor?

Unless you well know the seller, I would not recommend buying a used HST tractor without maintenance records.

Much less risky for gear drive machines.

SDT

 

[Cathy Liebchen]

Depends on the price if I am even considering anything used. Fluid changes are the most important thing. Most private sellers wont have written records on a tractor, maybe dates written on the filters

 

[RCW]

Tom - All bring up great points.

For me, pressure washing is a no-go. Seen it with tractors, re-po cars, etc. I'm out for those, but it brings more $$ for others. Good for them.

Not to be a smart-a$$, but do you have decent car/truck knowledge? If you do, and you follow the other guys' advice, you should be fine!

However, in some markets you are in fact better off to hold out for Kubota's 0% financing, because the price-point for used vs. new dictates the smarter buy is new.

Feel free to come back for more advice...we're all really good at spending your money!

 

[shiraz627]

Here is my experience from looking at preowned machines. The first one only had 157 hours, it was living life in a swamp and it showed that. The thing had so much mud on it you really could not see much, when I opened the hood it looked like a 10 year old tractor that was sitting outside. Then they told me it was in a flood from hurricane. To many question marks and no records.

The second tractor was a former rental unit, the hour meter did not work. The seller said he thought it had about 300 hours on it. I believe the machine had well over 1000 hours on it now. No records and a broken hour meter plus it needed some maintenance. At this point I decided to pass and never went to go look at the third tractor.

Stopped at a dealer one day and ended up buying a new one. At least this way I know what I have and I laid out less cash than buying a used one one.

 

[D2Cat]

Here's an example of what NOT to buy.

Kubota B2150 Diesel 24hp small compact tractor with big ole fat turf tires (won't tear up yard) with good tread life. It has rear AND belly PTO. I upgraded machines and no longer need this. The hours will go up as I still use it occasionally. It is in fair condition. It is hard to start but I use starting fluid it fires right up and runs good. It may just need a tune up or I was told a new glow plug?? It has some other minor issues but the important things (motor, transmission, hydraulics, PTO) all work darn good.

If the owner tells you he's using starting fluid to start it, RUN AWAY. When he says it JUST needs a tune up, or new glow plugs....you know right away he's either lazy, ignorant, or a fool!

If you're not comfortable purchasing a used tractor you have to take someone with you who does, or buy new, or buy it so cheap you have room for repairs. Again, if you don't do or understand repairs better to by new.


https://seks.craigslist.org/grd/d/redfield-kubota-24hp-diesel-tractor/6778635594.html

 

[SidecarFlip]

I have to say this... Don't look at faded Kubota paint as an indicator of a flogged tractor. Both my M's live in the barn and both have faded paint. Must be something with Kubota Orange because both mine have faded to Mary Kay pink...lol

Far as maintenance goes, I keep mine on the schedule in the manual but I don't record the intervals.

If I was buying a used tractor, I'd do an engine oil and transmission oil sample and have it checked for issues (spectroscopic analysis). That will tell you if there are any issues and if a seller isn't willing to let you do an oil analysis, walk away at that point because there is something wrong with the unit and that not only applies to an individual sale but a dealer (used) sale as well.

If I was to sell either of my tractors, I'd encourage any buyer to send in an oil sample because I have nothing to hide, in fact, I'd insist on it. Keeps everyone honest.

Too many things that can fail and cost you BIG bucks.

 

[Jchonline]

I would say stick to new. Used is for your second or third machine IMO. You will have so much more knowledge, you are much less likely to get taken advantage of.

That said, if you do your homework and learn all about what to check I am sure there are success stories.

 

[Lil Foot]

I seldom buy used, but....
When I buy used, I assume the worst. I then negotiate a price based on that: if the seller has no maintenance records, that to me means he did no maintenance, and I use that as a bludgeon to reduce the price. I find everything wrong that i can to lower the price. If the price becomes low enough for the risk, I buy. If it is a beater, well, that's what I paid for. If it is not, and in decent shape, I'm pleased & got a good deal.
Now that I think about it, that is pretty much the way I deal with strangers- I expect the worst, and when it comes, I'm not caught off guard. When it doesn't, I'm pleasantly surprised.

 

[Tchess450]

I keep zero maintenance records for anything, but service everything early. My brother on the other hand keeps track of every dollar gas, insurance, and etc but does not care for things like I do. So on paper his stuff looks better, but it is all perspective.

I not a huge fan of used, if it is used I like. I like close to new 10k miles on a car or less, and 15 hours or less on equipment. The Other time I will by used if it is so worn out, I am just trying to complete a task a hand it was cheaper to buy than rent.

 

[bgk]

I keep zero maintenance records for anything, but service everything early. My brother on the other hand keeps track of every dollar gas, insurance, and etc but does not care for things like I do. So on paper his stuff looks better, but it is all perspective.



I not a huge fan of used, if it is used I like. I like close to new 10k miles on a car or less, and 15 hours or less on equipment. The Other time I will by used if it is so worn out, I am just trying to complete a task a hand it was cheaper to buy than rent.

Agreed, I maintain my tools and toys appropriately, and treat them very well. They’re all in good shape. I don’t keep record, because well... I don’t got time for that! Generally speaking, you can to a degree tell how a machine has been treated from speaking to the owner and inspecting it. I call it the smell test, but it comes with no guarantees.

 

[edritchey]

Buying used is always a crap shoot sometimes you win sometimes you loose.

 

[fruitcakesa]

I guess I have been very lucky in my used tractor purchases.
The L4630, I bought sight unseen, and had a friend who lived near the seller inspect it for me. It had 2400 well used hours on it and no records.
I put 800 + more hours on it with no major repairs and sold it for close to what I paid.
The M also had no records and just over 1000 hrs. It was only used, according to the dealer who took it in on trade along with an old Massey tractor for a new Deere, for cutting hay and hauling maple sugar equipment around.
Judging by the amount paint still on the bucket I believe it was almost never used to dig and load. Or even used to break sod and actually do farm chores!
I did test drive around the lot, everything operated correctly, no leaks or strange noises showed up and the dealer was hot to move it.
So we agreed on a price, he said he would deliver it free and suddenly I was the owner of a used M6040.
I did a full fluid and filter service when I got it home and have put maybe 20 hrs on it so far and I love the big machine.

 

[dlundblad]

Define maintenance records. I maintain my things arguably better than most, but I don't think I could supply records of that. Would recording something on a spread sheet be good enough? I guess I could supply receipts and/ or show you by auto/ tractor fluid stash in my garage?

x2 on the #1 thing you can do is look at the color of the oil filter vs. the hours. The guy we bought our house from had a 5 year old L3301. 80 some hours with the original filter. He wanted 17500 for the tractor and the Land Pride FDR1672.

For me, it was cheaper to get a.) what I wanted, b.) something new with a warranty.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Like I posted earlier on, an oil analysis tells all. You cannot look inside the engine or transmission and ascertain the condition without an oil analysis. Simple, effective and cheap to do.

I would not hesitate to buy used if the analysis came back good to go.

I would be hesitant to buy any used tractor if the oil had just been changed prior to sale. That tells me something is fishy.

Like when I buy firearms used. I always tote along my borescope and have a 'look-see' inside. They can look pristine on the outside and inside, the barrel and receiver can be poor.

Do the same thing at hay auctions (that I like to go to whether I buy any or not is irrevelant). I take my moisture meter along. Makes a liar out of the best auctioneer.

Buying used entails doing due diligence and some common sense. Above all, never 'romance' anything used. The romance may turn into a bust.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Buying used is always a crap shoot sometimes you win sometimes you loose.

I'm into improving the odds myself.

 

[Missouribound]

Maintenance records are a tricky thing. If the owner has a manual it tells them when to do what based on hours. If you change the fluids and filters at those hours how many bother to write down the date you did it? I did my 50 hour myself by the book...I have no idea exactly when it was done but I do keep receipts so I could narrow it down a bit time wise. And is it important to know exactly when (date) the 50, 100 etc. maintenance was done?
Just asking what others do or think about it.