Used tractor price negotiation

[JCinOhio]

Hi all,

I got some great feedback on choosing my first tractor and I'm ready to start going to dealers to do more looking in person. This may be a dumb question but... I will be buying a used L or B-series, so when it comes to negotiating price, is it the same basic process for tractors as it is for cars, i.e. don't pay the marked price, if they don't want to come down as much as I want, see if they will throw in some accessories like pallet forks or a box scraper, etc? I've looked on tractorhouse, machinerypete, equipmenttrader, and a few others to compare prices and one of the things I learned is it's almost impossible to find two tractors of the same model with similar options, let alone number of hours. I'm hoping to find a couple that are comparable to what I decide on so that will at least get me in the ballpark of whether the asking price is reasonable.

Thanks.

 

[hodge]

Negotiation would be dealer-specific, and not a rule of thumb thing. Do your homework so that when you hone in on a tractor/tractors, you already know what they are typically selling for. Study Tractorhouse, both selling and sold/auction prices, along with Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.
Getting the price that you want will depend on region- some areas have better deals than others, and some regions have models that others don't, for instance; your patience; and the personality of dealers in your area. You may find that private sellers are more willing than dealers to negotiate.
Patience will be the key, and the only thing in your control.

 

[JimmyJazz]

Don't be afraid to offer an insultingly low price. In my field there is an old saying "Dress British and think Yiddish". Lots of sellers are happy to entertain any offer. Approach it with humor and a friendly demeanor. If they reject your offer(s) tell them you understand and leave. You can always call them later. Try and determine a fair price and offer at least 20% less. Thus employing the circumcision paradigm which simply states that you can take 20% off of the top of anything without it making any difference. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Hkb82]

I agree that different regions and areas are going to have different pricing and availability. Around me dealers don’t move very much from asking price. I would think if you’re looking to really negotiate then private sellers would be more likely to wheel and deal. Nice used equipment doesn’t last long near me either. Getting them to throw in a used set of forks or bush hog, stone bucket etc is more likely then getting any real dollar amount off. Again I can only really speak to the dealers around me and my experiences. The used market is still pretty strong around me.
I'm kinda like If I find what I NEED and it checks all the box’s then I’d buy it. However if I see something I’d LIKE more then need and am just shopping around I’d be more likely to try and negotiate and walk if I wasn’t feeling it.
I like my local Kubota dealer. Next closest for me is 1.5hrs one way. Then 2.5hrs one way. Obviously just talking orange but I like building a positive relationship with who I'm gonna be buying my parts from and having service work done. If they have what I need and it’s priced fair I’ll just buy it.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

I can't belive this post exists... Anyway, Shalom.

Find what you want and need. Pay asking price for it, if its a fair price.

Dickering around is 3rd world. It embarrasses anyone who has ethics.

 

[BAP]

I can't belive this post exists... Anyway, Shalom.

Find what you want and need. Pay asking price for it, if its a fair price.

Dickering around is 3rd world. It embarrasses anyone who has ethics.

What kind of rock did you crawl out from under today? Dickering is not 3rd world at all and certainly is not embarrassing to anyone who has ethics. In fact, when buying bigger stuff, not dickering makes you look more like a sucker to the seller. Most people selling bigger ticket items expect the buyer to make a counter offer to their price. The biggest thing is to make an offer that is realistic and not insulting.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

but... both Canada and the USA have become '3rd world'.
BTW does anyone know someone that paid the MSRP on a vehicle ? Anyone pay FULL retail even though 'item on sale' ?

 

[fried1765]

I can't belive this post exists... Anyway, Shalom.

Find what you want and need. Pay asking price for it, if its a fair price.

Dickering around is 3rd world. It embarrasses anyone who has ethics.

"dickering" is actually the way the entire world works!

 

[skeets]

JC, I dont know how your money is, I would however say that in my area "IF" you can find what you are looking for, and it is low hours and in good shape, you will be paying close to dealer prices and folks are paying that! Now it might be better to say bite the bullet and get what you need and want ,new. Like I said money is a factor, but new you get a warranty, K ins, and most likely dealer help if you need it. There are a lot of good used tractors out there, and one might fall in to your lap, it does happen, not to me but others. I do wish you well in your adventure, please keep us informed what you find.

 

[Hkb82]

Dickering around is 3rd world. It embarrasses anyone who has ethics.

Probably the dumbest thing you’ve said to date. You were doing so good since your I’m quitting ott posts.
Funny how ya couldn’t believe the post existed then ya comment on it with what you did shows something about your ethics.

 

[fried1765]

Probably the dumbest thing you’ve said to date. You were doing so good since your I’m quitting ott posts.
Funny how ya couldn’t believe the post existed then ya comment on it with what you did shows something about your ethics.

AGREED!!

 

[DustyRusty]

Probably the dumbest thing you’ve said to date. You were doing so good since your I’m quitting ott posts.
Funny how ya couldn’t believe the post existed then ya comment on it with what you did shows something about your ethics.

Difficult to say that it is the dumbest thing that has been posted to date because he makes so many dumb posts. When he announced that he was leaving OTT I know that more than a few were happy. Unfortunately, he isn't a man of his word, and he was back in less than 10 days, but for those few days, we did have peace.
I believe that I know the reason that NorthwoodsLife is the way he is. He told us all in a post that he made back in February 2024. I read it then and it stuck with me along with some of his other monumental gaps in reality.

In my case.. It's too many ex-wives. Too much alimony. Too much beer or whiskey.

Or, Actually... Too many excuses....

Need a Boost in the Wallet?

If I only had this energy today... In my case.. It's too many ex-wives. Too much alimony. Too much beer or whiskey. Or, Actually... Too many excuses.... There is no excuse. Go. Do it. Make it happen.

www.orangetractortalks.com

There are a few others that seem to have the same problem. It is called "logorrhea".

 

[Hkb82]

i just feel bad for new members hearing comments like his on their posts. No wonder most won’t join in on other conversations.

 

[D2Cat]

You guys are getting out of bounds. Every one says or does things that perhaps should not be made or done. You can belittle someone else for what you think is improper, and that makes you better?

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

You guys are getting out of bounds. Every one says or does things that perhaps should not be made or done. You can belittle someone else for what you think is improper, and that makes you better?

Thank you, ya'll.

I pay for something that is priced right. I do not try to get it at a lower price. Otherwise I do my best to shut up.

Getting more add ons for free is taking advantage of a seller in need. A seller in need probably needs the funds more than you do, as a buyer.

Asking for free stuff in a major purchase like a tractor, ends with me with a $20 t-shirt or hat.

Used equipment, it's a different situation when asking for freebees.

Cultural base and honesty and integrity come into play. If you don't understand, you won't. You will think me a fool. Because you don't understand paying for somethings worth. You want stuff for free and don't care about integrity.

Pay for what it's worth and have the satisfaction of a transaction well done without anyone feeling that they got ripped off. Seller, or buyer.

 

[fried1765]

Thank you, ya'll.

I pay for something that is priced right. I do not try to get it at a lower price. Otherwise I do my best to shut up.

Getting more add ons for free is taking advantage of a seller in need. A seller in need probably needs the funds more than you do, as a buyer.

Asking for free stuff in a major purchase like a tractor, ends with me with a $20 t-shirt or hat.

Used equipment, it's a different situation when asking for freebees.

Cultural base and honesty and integrity come into play. If you don't understand, you won't. You will think me a fool. Because you don't understand paying for somethings worth. You want stuff for free and don't care about integrity.

Pay for what it's worth and have the satisfaction of a transaction well done without anyone feeling that they got ripped off. Seller, or buyer.

If the buyer and the seller agree on a price for anything,......
THAT, by definition, is what the item is worth!

 

[Hkb82]

First questioning people’s ethics now integrity over a subject you couldn’t understand why it would be posted.

Getting more add ons for free is taking advantage of a seller in need. A seller in need probably needs the funds more than you do, as a buyer.

If you actually read what I was saying about having them throw in a used set of forks etc I was talking about dealers not buying private. Pretty sure all dealers have a bigger bank role then I do.

Unfortunately today isn’t what it was years ago. Way to many people out there overcharging and taking advantage of certain situations. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with trying to make a deal at a dealership even private for that matter people include OBO after their price for a reason and that reason isn’t because we live in a Third World country. Besides who doesn’t want a free Kubota hat.

 

[Toyman]

Ignoring some of the crazyness above, this is how I've approached any large purchases. Research what you think you need (tractor). Decide which model & options suit you best. Research new, used & auction prices and set your budget. If you can afford what you're looking for, start your process. Go to a few dealers and private owners, look at the tractors and if one is what you feel you're looking for, negotiate with a 'walk away' price in mind. Some will be firm on their price and others may be more negotiable. Some will be negotiable and you may be able to get some used equipment thrown in. The key is, you have to know the top end of what you're willing to spend, and that is going to be based on you. Do YOU feel comfortable paying for the tractor YOU are looking at.

Two of my personal examples. I found my B7100 at a Deere dealership listed for a good price. It came with a loader and 3 point finish mower. I took the hour ride to look at it, knowing it was within my budget. After putting it through it's paces, I sat with the salesman and we negotiated a lower price. Noone was upset and I explained to the gentleman that what I offered was all I had to spend. He accepted and then I suggested that I really needed a 4' brush hog instead of a finish mower. He happened to have a well used one in the back. I got the brush hog with finish mower and delivery for the same price. I would have been happy driving home if it was more than I was comfortable spending as I was making the deal. 5 or 6 years later and the tractor has been excellent.

A few years ago I bought a very well used (3500+ hours) M4050 I needed a bigger tractor and didn't have a lot to spend. Got it for less than the B7100, but it needed work. Long story short, I used it for 2 or 3 seasons and was ready to take it to a neighbor who has a diesel shop to potentially do some major work. In the meantime, that same neighbor acquired a Mahindra 5005 with a loader and 500 hours. I know and trust my neighbor, so I called him and we came to a deal, trading my M4050. I paid more than I would have than from someone I didn't know, but it was within my budget and a substantial upgrade to the M. Side note, I miss the independent PTO clutch on the M for sure, but getting used to 2 stage clutch on the Mahindra. Good luck!

 

[Orangeglow]

My motto, which has been forever is, NEVER TRUST A SALESMAN ! Doesn,t matter if you are buying cars, trucks, tractors, farm machinery etc. Do your homework, find comparables, and offer whatever you think the item is worth. 99.9 % of salesman would lie thru their teeth to make a sale. I would much rather deal with private individuals to purchase items from. No high pressure sales tactics.

 

[mikester]

What kind of rock did you crawl out from under today? Dickering is not 3rd world at all and certainly is not embarrassing to anyone who has ethics. In fact, when buying bigger stuff, not dickering makes you look more like a sucker to the seller. Most people selling bigger ticket items expect the buyer to make a counter offer to their price. The biggest thing is to make an offer that is realistic and not insulting.

There are a lot of tire kickers out there whose only social interaction in life is trying to see if they can get sellers to drop their pants to a guy who has no intentions on buying anything...aka Time Wasters