Advice on selling a tractor

Have an older 70 hp JD not used much so would like to sell. Solid tractor, runs well, good paint. How should I advertise it? Craigslist, farm papers or where? Or consign to an auction or dealership. Now or wait until spring? Post price or not? What to do for sure and what not to do. Don't have to sell but would be easier to store in the bank than in the barn. Thanks.

Simple question-Do you want to sell it or pay some one else to sell it? If you, then craigslist, farm paper, and facebook marketplace. If someone else, then yes, auction or dealership. If you: research what is a fair price, take good pictures, dont BS people, post price, be descriptive, then prepare self for tire-kickers. Different areas of country differ so I wont comment about now or waiting 6 months.

I've used Craigslist to sell several, BUT you will get calls from people who are just "tire kickers" not really interested in buying or some people calling asking questions about it because they don't actually read the entire listing, for instance you could put the motor is stuck and someone will ask if it runs. Overall I've had pretty good luck there and consignment auctions because you can put a reserve on it if it doesn't bring what you want and usually just have to pay a small fee for that.

You mean people sell tractors? I thought we just bought them

Where are you located and what is the model? I have had decent luck selling on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. Right now in my area (Nebraska), it seems that sales have dried up, what would have been gone in a day a couple months ago I haven't even gotten phone calls on.

You can post on this site for free.

Sell a tractor???? Yikes. Lol. Facebook market place is where I list my tractors and equipment. And hay. Fast and free. Not a lot of Craigslist type spam......

I really liked what Shaler had to say.

In WI late winter/spring seems like a better time to sell. Unless your looking for a winter project the juices are flowing then for the coming season. Why buy a tractor just to store it over winter unless you really need a winter chore tractor.

Yours does not sound like a Project Tractor. So go read what Shaler said a couple more times.

Good Luck. Paul

Put the price in the add. If there isn't a price I don't bother to call.

I hate it when the price isn't posted. I don't like to waste peoples time or mine so if I know what kind of money we're talking then I decide to spend the time trying to buy it. If someone wants 2-3 times more than something is worth I'm not bothering with them, even if it is negotiable.

If the tractor is more farm usable than collector you might consider listing now some farmers may be looking to purchase before the end of the year for a tax deduction.

(quoted from post at 19:14:43 11/05/20) Have an older 70 hp JD not used much so would like to sell. Solid tractor, runs well, good paint. How should I advertise it? Craigslist, farm papers or where? Or consign to an auction or dealership. Now or wait until spring? Post price or not? What to do for sure and what not to do. Don't have to sell but would be easier to store in the bank than in the barn. Thanks.

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Do you have a good idea on what it is worth? What is it?

If you want it sold for maximum value with minimum stress, post it on a local live consignment sale that runs online auctions at the same time. Be willing to stand up for it and represent it. You NEED to stand up and represent it at the sale and be willing to take calls to represent it before the sale as well because those type of sales are well known as dumping grounds for problem machines. If it is a good tractor with a good family history, it will sell as well as it can sell. This way, you will not have to put up with too much crap from the morons that are trying to get a steal of a deal from a private listing. Obviously, you will be paying commission to the auctioneer, but he surely should be doing his best to get you more than you could get if you did not use him.

With the way sales and the internet works, timing does not seem to be as important as it used to be. That would be less true if the farm economy was not in the crapper right now. If it was good, end of year would be best because farmers would be flush with cash and looking to spend before year end for taxes. That will not come into play this year. A good tractor will sell well just about any time of year. That said, I might be a little less enthusiastic about listing it until March. January and February might be a little slow.

The price is the #1 thing that sells about anything.Selling price vs wishing price.

I've sold several tractors listing in the Classified ads & Photo ads on Yesterday's Tractors.

Big Iron; if you want it gone for a fair price!

Keep it and let wife or kids sell at the final auction. That is my plan and I am sticking to it.

I was a used tractor dealer for years and advertised a bunch. My best advice is NOT Craiglist but Farm/Tractor and Farm/Tractor websites and classifieds and the local newspaper and INCLUDE GOOD PICTURES. To avoid all the nuisance and "how much" calls and inquiries I suggest you put as much info as possible including lots of pictures, complete description (good as well as bad) and price......... I used to enjoy the calls (before they even came to look) asking "whats the least you will take" To which I answered "Whats the most you will give" to which they replied "well I will have to come look first" WELL DUH. I didnt come down unless and until someone first made an offer, if they cant say what they will give why should I lower the price off the bat...They wanted to play the old game of NOT making an offer until I gave them a new reduced price AND ONLY THEN MAKE AN OFFER expecting to negotiate from there. NOTTTTTTTTTT

I posted this before if a guy was looking and hum hawing around if my wife came to the door and said someone called and wants to know if its still for sale THEY GUY EITHER BOUGHT IT OR LEFT....

ALWAYS have it cleaned up with a full charged battery SO IT WILL START FIRST TRY and have a good answer to "Why are you selling it" ?

I was NOT a good salesman, if they want it fine if they dont leave me alone lol In yearsssssssssss of experience and putting up with crap I became hardened that way and ended up selling more with that attitude

Just a few of the dozens I used then sold over the years

John T

Verrrrrry good advice John!

Worked for me at least.....after yearssssssssssssss of experience

John T

They still have classifieds in newspapers?

No matter where you advertise or how much info is provided your still going to get goofy questions, offers and scammers.

When someone comes to look at it, pull it out of the shed and into the yard early enough so that it is stone cold when they arrive.

You do not want buyers seeing what else you got around.
And buyers like me want to see how easy it starts when stone cold, not warmed up before I get there.

There's Photo Ads and Classified Ads on this web site.