Is it worth it???

IS IT WORTH IT? or Go find something else?

We bought it on a limb after our 1755 blew up in the feild. Some are just better than others. I've had to do more repairs on it thatn I really wanted to, but parts are easy to find and we still don't have near $9,000 invested in it, like you would easily have in a tractor that's a couple years older, and shows obvious problems on the engine.

There's one 1855 on ebay right now from ohio, starting at $5500. It also has fuel tank fenders, which if you want you could remove them and re-sell them on ebay. I've seen them go for $500 or more.

Long story short, unless it was a REALLY nice tractor, it just isn't worth buying. Just because it's got green & yellow on it doesn't mean it won't have problems or that it's worth it's weight in gold. That's the number one reason I don't really pay much attention to Deere's. They cost WAY TOO MUCH.

I would seriously look at Massey, White, and Oliver again. We've got a Massey 285 and 165, as well as my grandpa's Oliver 1600 and the 1855. We've still got the 1755 sitting behind the barn as well, someday I hope to tear it down and work on it.

Perkins are good engines, but don't count out the waukesha 310 that's in some Ollies. Chances are if they made it this long, they're a good engine and won't blow anytime soon.

I don't think you ever really stated this anyway, what do you plan to do with your tractor that you need 100 horse?

Here's a picture of ours..

Donovan from Wisconsin

• ebay 1855

Oh By the way I never told anyone this but for a period of 6 months I had a JD 5020 that I loved, until I sold it and got into hot-rod's BIG MISTAKE to sale that machine

What kind of warranty (?) will he offer.

I would be inclined to walk on this deal(?).

I may have missed it, but why so hung up on a long hours machine?

This means that when I was told it might need a new injector and a seal in the power steering I am now up to a rebuilt injection pump, rebuilt injectors, one broke push rod, no telling what else as there was fuel in the oil. It is probably going to get a in frame rebuild and had I figured that into my price I wouldn't have paid as much.

That leak could be something as simple as retorquing the head bolts or be something major likke a rebuild. If the dealer wants to sell it he will have his mechanic check it and at least give you an estimate on fixing it.

As for the 4020 gas, we have one, if your gonna use ot alot the suck fuel. Something to think about

For the rest of the post he was not budging from 8500.00 We have been talking weekly, him sending me photos and all. But he would not budge from 8500.00 then this past thrusday I offerd 7500 Cash, He thought about it and said well I will split the differance at 8000.00. I positive there is no more wiggel room on this deal!!

AS for the ones who are loosing patceints, I have learned a TON form this web sight and forum! It has been my number one source for information on these things. All the intelegent moves I have made in looking at these machines has been through information on this forum. So this is why I ask, because about %50 of the post on here have helped tremendously!!!

Anyhow I'd tell him to stuff it because they upped the price !

Got to be alot of 4020's around for sale that are good. time will tell are you open to a newer model like a 4030 or 4230 ? might be worth a look.

That model tractor in excellent condition would easily bring $12,000-$15,000 here.

If it is any condition at all, $8,000 is not out of line in my nopinion.

I have been following your posts the last few days, and this forum is full of great people always willing to help answer questions.

But I dont think that anyone here is going to be able to remove these concerns that you keep having regarding this tractor or that tractor. You know there are risks, there are gambles, and there will probably be some heartache, but thats the deal with old iron.

The most important part of this entire transaction is that YOU are the one who has to shell out the money, and then has to deal with the fixing/maintaining/enjoyhing your machine. If you want to pay 7000 instead of 9000 or whatever your price ends up being, then go for it. We certainly dont need to validate your tractor purchase :) Someone will say you overpaid, and someone else will say that you got a great deal. Thats just the nature of the beast.

So dont settle on a tractor, just find one that you think is a good deal, or one that you are willing to work with. There is always going to be a better deal somewhere else, and there is always going to be a junk heap with new paint on it too.

Everyone here will do their best to help you solve any problems you come up with once you get your "new" iron, but I dont think anyone is going to be able to make anything you look at "worth it". You are the only one who can do that. Go decide what you want/need in a machine, and then just scour for it. If you need it right away, you know where there is one. If you can look, then you can keep looking. (Here is a good place to start. >Link

But please dont ask anyone else to make up your mind for you. Usually a man's decision is made by his wife anyway, so its not our business :)

Good luck in your tractor search, just dont get hung up on "what might have been", but instead enjoy what you do have in front of you.

~Bug

If you really like the tractor w the leaking head gasket, tell them to fix it and then you'll take it, even if you have to give them an extra $500 or so. I've got by with just a head-planing and a gasket, and I've ended up doing a major OH. It all depends on if any antifreeze has got on top of the back piston or not.
You are obsessing too much. Used is always somewhat of a gamble. Make an informed decision and don't look back.

So execpet for what seemed like a head gasket leak everything seemed OK.

I wouldn't put too much stock in the dyno either. If there's something wrong with the engine, it's going to push a lot of smoke when it's lugging, unless somebody's actually gone to the trouble of turning the pump down to keep it from smoking. Dyno's are nice things to look at, and if they're accurate, it's nice to know what an engine makes, but you can evaluate an engine just as well without the dyno....
Why not see if the dealer will fix these things that are wrong, and then put a price on it. If you don't like, walk. I'd bet that at 9000 hours, you could open that engine up for a head gasket, and find that the valves are not so good, there's a ridge on the sleeve, the pistons are getting loose, the rings are worn, and if you checked the oil pressure it wouldn't be so hot either. In other words, you'd be butting a thousand buck head gasket on a worn out engine. I still think that 9 grand is too much money for a 30+ year old tractor, but you're in a different area than me, so I dunno. HTH.

Rod

The part that seems to scare me the most is the stuff behind the fly wheel!! having to split the tractor seems to be a ton of work!!!
So buying a wore out tractor you have to be carefull as well. But it seems that the tranny and reare ends seem to be the more stronger parts of this tractor.

But it seems even the machines that are "Wore Out" and Cheap are not so cheap! people want an arm and leg for them as well!

You know these things are ALWAYS a gamble!! you just never ever know. Thats why I ask all the questions I can before I make a move on someting like this. But you can never be to sure. That is why the dyno is important.

I remember a guy telling me to NEVER buy a used tractor unless you can do a dyno test on it!!! I did not think anything of it until what I saw yesterday.

I was excited about the machine yesterday. I had cash in head ready to go until I saw the small dribble of antifreeze...

You know I never gave it any thought that it could be a crakc instead of a gasket! WOW! THAT IS A SCARY THOUGHT!!!!
I would be in trouble then!!!!
Yes I basicly would have their shop do all this work! If they did pull the head I would want them to inspect everything, valvs, guides, seats, injectors, the whole 9 yrads.
The only way I would do this is if they ate some of the cost as well. It would not be fair if I had to pay all of this cost burden. So they would need to deal as well.....
I don't know..

Pay three times what the tractor is worth and then spend the next 2 years pouring repairs in it. Yep, that's what I do too.

Old tractors are really fun, aren't they?! :>)

Allan

If 9000.00 is not too much for a decent late model 4020 then I might see if I can't bargin with them on these repairs.