Used TC30 - What's it worth?

[Bob_Young]

Used TC30 - What\'s it worth?

Have been looking at CUT's for the last coupla years; going back and forth between orange & blue and hydro & gear. Was planning to buy a couple of years out (2006-2007). Had come close to settling on a new Hydro TC30 with FEL as the base unit if I were to buy today. Planned to use the tractor to maintain (primarily mow) about 30 acres of heavily treed farm land and finish mow about 3 acres (again heavily treed) of residential property. Thinking of trying a sickle bar mower on the treed farm land...would help get under the trees. Snow removal at the residential locations will also be an issue in the winter months. Think I would favor a bucket or blade over a snow blower.

The other day a friend, with whom I'd discussed some of this, asked me if I'd be interested in buying his TC30. It's about a year old with a little over 50 hours on it. It's a geared FWD model and has the 7308 FEL installed. Tires are R1's. It does not have front PTO for a MM mower or a snow blower. I haven't seen it yet, but if it's anything like the other things he owns, it's been well cared for.

What should I be looking for when I see this unit? Any other options I should inquire about to determine its value? What would be a reasonable offer for it? Should I forget this one and hold out for a Hydro? What's the warranty on these things and is it transferrable?

For grunt work on the farm land I've already got a JD40, Ford 2000 and Ford 4000....at any given time two out of three will usually run. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif All are geared; all have 'issues'.

 

[Mark_in_NH]

Re: Used TC30 - What\'s it worth?

This doesn't even come close to answering your question, But.
If it were me in your shoes. I would put some serious thought into trading 2 of the other three tractors towards a replacement. I mean if all of your present tractors have issues and only 2 of the 3 will run at any given time. Then in " my opinion ' keyword beng MY, they are undependable.
Unless you have a specific interest in one of them or tere is some specific chore you need one of them for, consider trading all 3 of them. Acerage wise it sounds like you could easily put a 30 / 45 HP machine through it's paces.
Again, if it were I in your shoes, I would trade at least 2 if not all 3 in towards a new, dependable, updated, comfortable, ergonomic hydro of sufficiant size and HP that will now do ALL the jobs that the other 3 do. When they run. Let the old undependable 3, help pay for the new dependable 1.
Again. this is only my opinion !! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bob_Young]

Re: Used TC30 - What\'s it worth?

Makes sense, what you say Mark. Thanks for responding. Yeah, those old tractors are sort of a rogues' gallery. They're neither all that bad nor all that good. The JD40 is 'old reliable' and will do darn near anything, if you let it pick the pace. But it always starts; just has its own idea of what gear it wants to be in.

The 2000 is a 3 cylinder gas job. Plenty of power, but poor gearing and traction. It also needs power steering badly. Right now it doesn't run, but I think I know what it needs. My (near 90 yr old) Dad's been into it, however, so it may need a little more. Other than not running, it's not in bad shape /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif.

The 4000, on row crop tires is a gentle giant (compared to the others). Everything is easy with that thing....except starting in cold weather (3 cylinder diesel). It had a hard life before my Dad got ahold of it and patched it up. Oh yeah, it's got about 1/4" runout on the PTO shaft.

Not much money invested in this collection of clunkers. But for years, when we were doing a little hay farming, they answered the call admirably. One on the haybine, one on the baler, and one alternating between wagons and rake.

Since retiring, I've gotten the idea of getting the hay operation going again. Also thinking about restoring one or two of the tractors; maybe the 2000 and the JD40. If I get the 2000 back into shape, I'll probably trade it in for something like a NH 3010S or a TN65. But, in the meantime, I'd like something around to help with the lifting, mowing, snow removal and some of the lighter jobs...something that's compact enough to work around trees and not so ornery. That's what's behind the TC30 idea. Down the road, I think it'll make a good stand-in for the JD40. Since it'll be just me, most of the time, having more than one tractor will save a lot of hooking and unhooking.

Sorry if I've rambled.
Bob