Looking to buy new and trade old

[Kickstart59]

Hey guys, I recently acquired my 90 year old father's Kabota L235 tractor.
It's pretty simple and has been well taken care of. I has a bucket and a box blade. I'll be looking for a similar size tractor but with a cab for snow blowing as well as bucket and box blade.
My dad told me at last service they told him, they would give him what he paid for it towards a new one.

So my question is this, what's it worth?
Also should I sell out right, (someone would be getting a sweet tractor), or trade it?

 

[fried1765]

Hey guys, I recently acquired my 90 year old father's Kabota L235 tractor.
It's pretty simple and has been well taken care of. I has a bucket and a box blade. I'll be looking for a similar size tractor but with a cab for snow blowing as well as bucket and box blade.
My dad told me at last service they told him, they would give him what he paid for it towards a new one.

So my question is this, what's it worth?
Also should I sell out right, (someone would be getting a sweet tractor), or trade it?

Sell it outright!
The dealer will not give you squat for it.

 

[JasonW]

I wouldn’t trade it. I’m my experience they are not going to offer you what’s it’s worth as they have to resell it anyway. 4wd with a loader is a huge plus for resale value though.

Would the dealer give you what it cost new adjusted for inflation? The L235 was made from 1981-1985. Say it was $8k new(just a guess) today with inflation that’s now $23,900.

Value all depends on your local market. Would you be able to keep it as a second/backup tractor? Knowing the service history etc.

 

[Kickstart59]

The need isn't there. My main reason for wanting a tractor is 700 foot driveway (gravel road) maintenance in Maine, especially snow removal

 

[Kickstart59]

Sell it outright!
The dealer will not give you squat for it.

Thank you

 

[GreensvilleJay]

KEEP IT !
1st, it's your father's tractor part of YOUR family
2nd, dealer won't be fair( no profit for him )
3rd, a SPARE tractor is worth a LOT, heck priceless !!

How else could you drag your new machine back 655' to garage when it breaks down ? What do you use when dealer says 'parts in 3 weeks, 2 week backup in service' ?

 

[Kickstart59]

KEEP IT !
1st, it's your father's tractor part of YOUR family
2nd, dealer won't be fair( no profit for him )
3rd, a SPARE tractor is worth a LOT, heck priceless !!

How else could you drag your new machine back 655' to garage when it breaks down ? What do you use when dealer says 'parts in 3 weeks, 2 week backup in service' ?

Lol, sounds like my Chevy friends and me with a ford

 

[Hkb82]

Around me I don’t think the dealers are gonna give very much if anything. If yours offed the original msrp tractor price with the loader off a new Kubota tractor I’d say that’s a pretty strong offer. Every area is a little different with the used market on stuff that age. Check what they are asking price wise around your area for older used tractors. Even if you don’t find your exact tractor. It should give you some kind of idea on pricing.
Personally I’d be keeping it like mentioned above. Pops ol tractor with service records and in what looks like pretty darn good shape. I definitely would keep the box blade and just reuse on new tractor since your not looking to go bigger. If space to store 2 tractors is an issue I can store that l235 for ya up here in

 

[Kickstart59]

Around me I don’t think the dealers are gonna give very much if anything. If yours offed the original msrp tractor price with the loader off a new Kubota tractor I’d say that’s a pretty strong offer. Every area is a little different with the used market on stuff that age. Check what they are asking price wise around your area for older used tractors. Even if you don’t find your exact tractor. It should give you some kind of idea on pricing.
Personally I’d be keeping it like mentioned above. Pops ol tractor with service records and in what looks like pretty darn good shape. I definitely would keep the box blade and just reuse on new tractor since your not looking to go bigger. If space to store 2 tractors is an issue I can store that l235 for ya up here in

I appreciate your offer, that's so.....kind of you. Lol

 

[woodman55]

I have to agree with the other guys, unless you are pressed for space or money, I would keep the old one. The blade for sure as it will fit the new one.

 

[hedgerow]

If it were me I would fab up a cab on that tractor and use it. What have you been using for your snow removal? You know the tractor and it looks to be taken care of. I don't know your area for price but I never trade to dealers. Always can do better selling private. I could probably make a couple calls this Am and sell that tractor if it was setting in my shed. Older nice FWA with loader perfect acreage tractor. I

 

[GeoHorn]

Keep and buy a good snowsuit and goggles.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

To the price a dealer pays you for a tractor they have to add: specific overhead (like paperwork and filing costs), transportation costs (from your location to the dealer, and to the buyer), employee wages and taxes on that employee (in buying, selling, and talking with prospective buyers), prep. costs (fluids, tires, wash & wax, air freshener , seat repair, ...), costs associated with being a dealer (dealership fees, State fees, property taxes, inspection & compliance overhead), etc., plus make some sort of small profit.

I have 12-Volt heated gear (plugs in), but my tractor is so small a cab doesn't make sense--i could put an egg carton on it and call it good.

 

[Orange man]

I would get a price on what you want first, then you know what they are really giving you for your trade. Also some states only charge sales tax on the difference between trade and price on new tractor, so if you sell outright, you need to factor that in also.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Get the dealers trade in price then come back and I'll give you a better answer.

Location has a lot to do with sellability, a tractor like that would sell for 10K here.

That's a nice tractor and well equipped.
But it's an Orphan tractor, The parts on it are rarer than any other models of the same vintage so selling it while good running would be a smart choice.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

more food for thought...

if YOU have kids, keep the tractor for them . After all is is GRANDADS tractor...HAS to be a few million memories there.... once the tractor's gone, then grandad, those memories WILL fade away......and that's sad.

tractor has 'roof' so adding a windshield is fairly easy. I did that for my BX23S, some angle iron and Polycarb. Won't win a beauty show BUT it sure STOPS the wind and drizzle and yucky 'white' from ruining my day. No doors or back wall needed....maybe next year, maybe...

 

[jyoutz]

Get the dealers trade in price then come back and I'll give you a better answer.

Location has a lot to do with sellability, a tractor like that would sell for 10K here.

That's a nice tractor and well equipped.
But it's an Orphan tractor, The parts on it are rarer than any other models of the same vintage so selling it while good running would be a smart choice.

This makes a lot of sense. I would not want to own a machine that needs repairs with no parts availability.

 

[Bearcatrp]

Keep it.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

I looked at the pictures,zoomed up..... 40 year old tractor with only 800+ hrs on it, in really,really nice shape. It's 8x older than mine ,has 1/2 the hours...as for 'parts'...historically what breaks on them and any in 'yards' ?

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Good day.

To me there are two answers to the OP:

1. What someone will pay.

2. Replacement value of a well maintained running machine.

IMO number 1 will be way less than number 2.

I understand you want a newer machine with a cab…I also would be concerned about service parts with the machine you have, but that’s a what if and when topic that there is non way of knowing.

However it’s still a solid running machine. If not really need the cash (and have space to store/park) I would save it for summer use and puttering around…if it ever craps out and can’t find the part then it’s time for yard / shop art and decorate with Christmas lights IMO.

It’s a nice machine that your dad took care…I am not sure you have any attachment to it or your dad, but I’d think long and hard is the couple buck someone might give worth the memory.

That’s a tough call…I am also a a bit of a hoarder and lost my dad a few years ago. I’d have a hard time with the decision to sell…but that would be emotional for me and not rational. Be sure of the difference before you decide.

Good luck.