Price Check Pricing help on my first tractor

[frdjohns]

Getting ready to buy my first Tractor and strongly considering buying a 98 Kioti LK3054 with 685 hours on it. It includes a Woods Dual 155 FEL, a Woods Groundbreaker 7500 BH and a post hole digger with two different sized drills. Also includes three buckets for the BH, a 8", a 16" and a 24".

The tractor does not look brand new, but neither does it look beat. It does have new tires on it, and new synthetic fluid in the tranny and hydrolics.

The owner is asking $12,000 for it and is firm on his price. I've talked to two different dealers; the first one said it was worth between $10,000 - $12,000 and the second dealer told me it's worth $13,500.

I just want to make sure that I'd be getting my money's worth if I buy this tractor. Does the owner's price seem reasonable?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[IslandTractor]

Assuming the current owner has taken good care of it and not just buffed up the fluids/tires etc for sale purposes, it does sound like a fair price, especially because of the extras (post hole digger, 2 drills and 3 buckets). 685hrs is not much so long as the tractor has been well maintained and the rest of the equipment is very good quality too. I've seen used Woods BHs go for $4000+. The PHD must be worth a few hundred anyway and each of the extra buckets would fetch a couple hundred if in good shape.

I haven't priced a new one but I would guess it would be about $23-25000 for all that stuff. Half price is a pretty good deal.

 

[kentrodngun]

Sounds like a fair price and it's a great little machine BUT . . if this is you first tractor, I strongly suggest reviewing the buying guide info on this web-site. Follow it to the letter, bring a knowledgeable person along (even if you have to pay) and throughly check it out. Believe me, you don't want to buy any surprises. Keep us posted on your progress & decision. Good luck.

 

[Oleozz]

I guess my one big question would be why new tires with only 685 hours on the machine? I sold a tractor last fall with almost the same hours and the tires were still in very good shape and I did lots of loader work with it. Maybe the old tires weren't that bad and the owner thought it would help sell the tractor by putting on new tires? Was the tractor used commercially?
Overall, it doesn't sound like a bad deal if it's in real good shape, especially with the Woods BH.

 

[ToddW]

I guess my one big question would be why new tires with only 685 hours on the machine? I sold a tractor last fall with almost the same hours and the tires were still in very good shape and I did lots of loader work with it. Maybe the old tires weren't that bad and the owner thought it would help sell the tractor by putting on new tires? Was the tractor used commercially?
Overall, it doesn't sound like a bad deal if it's in real good shape, especially with the Woods BH.

I was wondering about the tires too with such low hours. Possibly it was stored outside and got dry rot?

/Todd

 

[coasterez]

Maybe it was used a lot on hard pavement???

 

[frdjohns]

Thanks to all who have replied, I appreciate you help. I guess I should have provided a bit more info, and apologize for being remiss.

The owner is an aquaintance of mine, so I'm not buying from a total stranger. He is a professional electrician and used the tracktor primarily for digging ditches for electric lines and moving gravel/dirt to refill the holes, setting telephone poles, etc. He also used it to help out at our local little league fields each spring.

One of his employees (since fired) used the tractor without supervision at a job site. He drove it around on pavement in 4-wheel drive, tearing up the tires some. He also burned out the clutch. The owner replaced the Ag tires with turf tires and replaced the clutch, which is when he decided to replace the tranny and hydrolic fluid with synthetic.

The owner pointed out several other small things he repaired (lights, etc.) when I was looking at it. I know that he is meticulous about his tools and assume that he was the same with his tractor. He didn't have to tell me any of this, and I'd have never known the difference.

I'm not really concerned about the tractor's condition/functioning as much as I wanted to make sure it was worth what he is asking for.

Again, thanks to all you guys for your help.

 

[IslandTractor]

What that extra information I'd call it a certified good deal.

 

[gordon21]

You are getting about $23,000 worth of 2007 tractor and items for half price with it being only 685 ours old. That is a good deal. The model year age is less important than the hours. The overall deal sounds good except for the turf tires. If they will not fit your needs, then they are useless and you can expect to spend $500 on new tires as your first expenditure. If you are going off from parking lots, lawns or landscaped areas, you will probably need R-4's. If you are headed into farm fields or soft areas, then plan on buying a set of R-1's

Be advised that R-4's will clog up with mud fairly quickly. If the ground is dry, they will handle going straight up 20-30 degree hills with no problem.

 

[frdjohns]

Thanks to all who replied here, I appreciate the advice. I went ahead and made the leap - I am now the proud owner of a new (to me) used LK3054, with fel, bh, and phd. Of course, now that it is snowing again, I'll need to wait a few days before I start playing with it...

Next purchase will be a rotary cutter, and then I think I'll be all set (for now).

Thanks again.