Salvage Tractor Opinions

[PHPaul]

1995 John Deere 455. Not running. Plastic all stove to pieces. Been used and abused and sits outside with no cover.

Owner wants it fixed but I'm not getting tangled up in THAT briar patch. I know the guy, I'd never see the money for my labor and I wouldn't even consider buying the parts out of pocket. He'd want to pay me $20 a month for the rest of my life or something.

What I might do, and proposed to him, is buy it outright, fix it up over the winter and sell it back to him for what I paid for it, plus parts, plus some sort of labor. I know I'll have way more time in it than I'd ever get back even at my amateur shop rate, but it'd give me something to do over the winter.

And, if he can't/won't pay for it, I'll have a nice little tractor without the hassle of liens and getting the law involved.

Worst case, if it's broke even worse than I think it is, I may choose to part it out.

Most likely result is I wind up with a nice little tractor for parts and my time.

Unlikely but possible is I make a couple of bucks.

So, the question is, what might something like that be worth as it sits? I told him it's basically a parts tractor right now. I imagine the engine and hydro trans are either good or require minor repairs. All the electrical/electronic controls are likely junk and the plastic is for sure junk.

I know it's hard to put a number on something based on a brief description, but if a few of you could hazard a ball-park guess, it'd let me know if my thinking is somewhere near reasonable or if I'm out of my tiny little mind. :confused2:

 

[jwstewar]

Those electrical parts and plastic pieces can really add up - if you can still get them. I think I would stay as far away as possible.

 

[SATOHBULL]

I have a 455 and know first hand the parts cost! Hood, side panels and grille, figure at least 800 to replace. Instrument panel likely bad, another $150-250. Who knows what else. In top shape, it's worth 3000-3500 in my area, with a deck. Add your labor to estimated parts cost and do the math to get to an offer price.

 

[bigtiller]

1995 John Deere 455. Not running. Plastic all stove to pieces. Been used and abused and sits outside with no cover.

Owner wants it fixed but I'm not getting tangled up in THAT briar patch. I know the guy, I'd never see the money for my labor and I wouldn't even consider buying the parts out of pocket. He'd want to pay me $20 a month for the rest of my life or something.

This would be a fun project for the winter. I would do a deal like that. But I don't think i would do it with a guy like you describe.

 

[PHPaul]

This would be a fun project for the winter. I would do a deal like that. But I don't think i would do it with a guy like you describe.

Which is why I'll only do it if he sells it to me outright. Then when he can't afford to buy it back, it's mine free and clear, no liens, no legal hassles.

 

[bigtiller]

If the owner wants to sell it out-right, and you want a 455, then everything is great. But I wouldn't mention a word about selling it back to him. People like you described sometimes have a big mouth and when they think they have been slighted ....... well, i think you know what that leads to, especially if you are in a small town.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Which is why I'll only do it if he sells it to me outright. Then when he can't afford to buy it back, it's mine free and clear, no liens, no legal hassles.

Will he get pissed if he cannot afford to buy it back and not think you took advantage of him?

You want to maintain good neighbor relations.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I think at best you will end up with a "new" tractor for more than you could buy it for, at worst you will part it out and not get your money back. In other words buy very low. Very low.

 

[hunt4570]

I'm thinking unless you really want THAT tractor.... walk!

 

[Zebrafive]

I wonder how a guy like this ended up with this tractor. A 455 was not cheap when new. It sounds too far gone to restore. I'd buy as parts tractor only if I had another one to fix.

 

[dusty3030]

I'm thinking unless you really want THAT tractor.... walk!

Even if you do want it I say walk and find a better one. Money pits and poor mouths = stress.

 

[hunt4570]

Even if you do want it I say walk and find a better one. Money pits and poor mouths = stress.

HA!! Love your reply, and especially your tag line!!

 

[dusty3030]

HA!! Love your reply, and especially your tag line!!

That is a quote from Gen. James Mattis - USMC

 

[PHPaul]

I'm waiting to see what he wants for it. If I can buy it cheap I will, if not I'll pass.

I'll let ya know how it works out either way.

 

[PHPaul]

Update on this idea:

Winter is coming quick and I'm getting a tad desperate for a Winter Project, so I went ahead and offered to buy the tractor from him.

The deal was that I'd come get it, put it in my shop and do a thorough evaluation of whether or not it was even worth pursuing and then set a price accordingly.

Charged the battery, cleaned the terminals, wired around all the various control modules and interlocks, hot-wired the fuel pump and jumped the solenoid and got it to start and run. It gagged and puked a bit but cleared up after a minute and ran nice and clean.

He agreed to the price I mentioned and planned to be here Saturday to sign a Bill of Sale and a resale agreement.

Spent a couple of hours dubbing around on the Innerwebz last night and found a PDF shop manual, printed out the appropriate pages.

Started troubleshooting this morning and about half an hour into it found a bad fuse. LOOKED good, but tested high resistance and was dropping battery voltage low enough that the Power Control Module wouldn't read it.

Replaced the fuse and cleaned a few connectors and it starts and runs just as it should.

So, I'll change all the fluids and filters and for a couple of hundred dollars he's back in business.

Dang. Now I got to find another project...

 

[PHPaul]

Feller showed up today and paid the bill in cash.

Everybody's happy!