4450 JD salvage tractor ?

I have a guy that wants to sell me a 1983 4450 John Deere tractor for salvage. What is a fair price? It's two wheel drive . I know there is a lot of unknowns here because I don't know either. Like tires , cab kit , hours, or even what transmission it has. What is a ball park figure. He wants me to make a offer. He said it has not been ran in at least 15 years and they can't remember why his Dad quit running it and since the Dad has past away. I know there isn't much to go on here but I know 4450 JD hold there value. It's in West Texas if that matters. I can get pictures but it will be next week before I can go look at it. As of right now it's only offered to me.

Without any more details you or anyone else should offer scrap price by weight.

I'd not even mention a price that low though as it would likely insult them. I'd go and look at it and see if you can get it running.
Best thing is to MAKE them put a price on it ! They may be thinking it's worth what a fine running one is ?

I think the guy is just wanting to get rid of it at a fair price. I need to buy it thinking it's salvage .

That is a good unit and worth fixing if you can buy it right, My Uncle use to say you make your money when you buy something...meaning if you buy it right there will be profit,some pictures would help appraise it...

Phone a tractor salvage yard and see what they are willing to offer.
Chances are they tell you they'll take it of your hands if you bring it to their yard.
Old non running tractors are basically worth nothing more than scrap price

It's hard to bet a JD 40-55 series rowcrop tractor. If it has good appearance and 50% or better tires I'll guess around $7K-$8K maybe more if I saw some photos of it.

First Rule of buying a cheap salvage tractor- DON'T get it running. It will no longer be cheap.

Almost any tractor at an auction will bring over scrap price unless its totally burnt up.
That 4450 has to have some good salable parts on it.

4450 is a desirable tractor, buy it for scrap if you can and look into it.

Do not part it out yourself. A salvage yard will sell a lot more of the parts. I always sold the good stuff too cheap and left with the junk.

Hi
I would think if it was a cheap fix when they last used it, it would off been fixed then. Unless the guy passed away a short while after it quit.
Some 15 year tractors start right up after standing some 2 year ones don't. you never can tell until you try if the motors stuck and all that good stuff. JD as with any make are charging an arm and leg for some parts. You have got to be real careful with it, as you don't know or nor do they. seals and o rings could be bad due to standing and start leaking later, plus there could be fuel pump and electrical issues like starter and stuff if its sat and got damp or wet in any rain.

I would personally ask for a starting point, I have looked at more than one beat up non running tractor. Had a price of say $800 in my mind for an offer and suggested that. The guy then says he wants $2800 before calling the cops , getting the gun out , or setting the dog on you. After a couple times like this I always ask for a start point now. If I think 800 and he says 2800 for a pile of junk. I just say we are to far apart and i don't want to offend you with my offer, and leave on good terms, most guys respect that and understand why you want a start point, from their mind.
sometimes if you think there offer is to low it doesn't hurt to be honest and say it's actually worth a bit more to you. the guy knows from that your being honest and not trying to steel it either.
Regards Robert

If I had to guess salvage would be close to 6,000 dollars and possibly more. 4450's are good tractors but can take many thousands of dollars to square up whatever is wrong inside. JD Seller has had quite a bit of experience on these matters so it will be interesting to see what his opinion is.

Find out what the local salvage yard will pay you for it. Then deduct what you figure it will cost you to haul it to the scrap yard and then deduct another 5%-10% just to be on the safe side, so you don't lose money on it.

Pop didn't fix it 'cause Pop didn't want to spend that much money on it, and now you have another 15 years of weathering and such to contend with. BTDT with one of my tractors years ago. About everything that wasn't shot at the time I fixed the motor, rusted through, broke, or fell apart over the next couple of years.

If you fix it for yourself, you might as well strip it to the bare frame and FIX it, and be prepared to spend whatever it takes, resale value be hanged.

If you intend to fix it and sell it, or part it out, I would be pretty cautious and look that thing over with a fine tooth comb.

Some times a good response to "Make me an offer" is to look things over, set a price in your mind and then ask "What's the least you will sell it for"?

The obvious answer is to find out what the parts are worth before you try to sell them.

Without some idea of what is wrong with it your shooting in the sky. The engine alone is worth $2500-4500 depending on hours and condition. Unless it is burnt I have rarely seen a JD 4450 go for much under $10K, even for salvage. When good running 2wd ones are in the mid twenties that makes even a salvage tractor valuable.

Hi
just wondering from my experience, do you ever get wreckers to pay $10.000 for tractors like this in your area. every time my customers phone to sell a tractor with green or any color paint up here in Canada, with issues or not running. the guys come back and say if it's not perfect running driving order they don't want it or say $2-5000 depending how new it is or if a good loaders fitted.
one customers just got bid $2500 for an 8440 JD with the lower 4wd drive shaft messed up parts are 3000 plus labor, he doesn't need the tractor anymore .

The guy with the blown motor 8430 they didn't want even if he delivered it, and several more guys got no or low bids.
JD dealers actually sold the mostly worn out 1830 with 17000 hrs on for that customer, to a guy who recons them for more than the wreckers would give, it needed big money spent and they all knew that to, when bidding, the low hour crate motor and a few other nice parts was the catch in that deal, I think.

most yards round here seem to work on scrap plus a bit, then try getting all the money back on the first big part and a profit to. the one i worked in was like that. A few more are to when I wanted parts from a tractor I new sold in auction when they got it. I certainly don't see 10 from that tractor here and them selling the motor for 2500- 4500. That would be $6000 plus if it was any good round here, I guess maybe we are just getting robbed at both ends .
Regards Robert

Yards are going to get them as cheap as they can,seems like your problem is the yards are few and far between.At auctions in my area where buyers are there from several yards plus individuals that do some parting and repair work non running/parts tractors bring good money.Several individuals on ebay now doing real well buying running tractors and tearing them apart.Several tractors I have now if I sold them would bring more in pieces than as a whole.

I like Mike (wa)'s answer that is so true!

We got a few yards round here or just on or over the border in SK, just seems they all went to cheap in and expensive out classes. Or as they say welcome to Canada and smile eh !!!!!. The real local big combine and tractor wreckers heading way past 50% of new. The last yard that tried that was Worthingtons. They bought out a very successful long running family yard. it was gone in a couple years. I bet these guys will be gone in a few years to with the prices and attitude towards customers now.
Regards Robert

(quoted from post at 11:44:21 04/03/15) We got a few yards round here or just on or over the border in SK, just seems they all went to cheap in and expensive out classes. Or as they say welcome to Canada and smile eh !!!!!. The real local big combine and tractor wreckers heading way past 50% of new. The last yard that tried that was Worthingtons. They bought out a very successful long running family yard. it was gone in a couple years. I bet these guys will be gone in a few years to with the prices and attitude towards customers now.
Regards Robert

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y closest yard is Sexsmith tractor salvage.
On some parts they want better than new price.
They don't pay nothing for older tractors and you'll have to deliver them free of charge to get rid of them.