To paint, or not to paint??

S

State of Jefferson

Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

I'm thinkin of thinning out the herd a little...
'44 Farmall M, pretty straight tin, 4 good tires, factory wide front. Been sitting in the same spot for 3 years, Don't think I'll need it again soon.
Thinkin I might as well send it down the road. Runs good, transmission makes some excessive gear noise...
Consignment sale in about a month, wondering if it's gonna net a worthwhile increase i price if I throw a "iron jockey" paint job on it before I consign it.

Opinions welcome. Thanks!

Ben

 

R

Rich'sToys

Well-known Member

Location

Southern MN

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

Some would rather have a decent looking original than a painted one. If it was mine, I'd probably leave it and let the next owner do it his way.
But there's really no right answer here. To each his own.

 

O

OH Boy

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

If you were selling it FSBO and would have the chance to talk to the purchaser and tell him all about the tractors history etc., then it might be worth it.

But at a consignment sale I think many buyers will be wondering what defects that fresh paint job is covering up and will not pay significantly more for it. Some will like it better in its current condition I think.

 

D

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

I prefer to buy "honest" tractors. Rust and all. Never know what is hidden under a fast paint job and I will take that into consideration when bidding. But then, maybe some of those "green bale" folds will show up and run the price to the moon?

 

R

rrlund

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

Over heard conversation between two jockeys at a consignment sale: "There's no bigger sucker for a paint job than a farmer".

I was at one of Stamm's monthly auctions where a straight looking Farmall H was selling cheap. Honest John stopped the auctioneer and said "Let it sit. It's got an appointment in the paint shop.".

 

R

redforlife

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

Leave it the way it is. Anyone buying to use, won't care much and would probly just as soon have it the way it is. Anyone buying to restore it is not going to like a low quality rushed paint job. That is just going to mean that they will have to RE-paint it to thier likeing.

 

B

BANDITFARMER

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

This H 46 or 47 sold at a farm auction a year ago February 22 brought $2500. Good strait complete and original and even had the original battery box cover and is still 6 volt. I know it brought that cause my cousin bought it. There only original once so if it looks good leave it alone. Bandit

 

OP

OP

S

State of Jefferson

Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

FWIW...

It had been repainted at some point in it's past, long before I bought it, but it's mostly faded, peeled now...

Ben

 

jon f mn

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

It's not likely you will recover you cost. If you do a job good enough to raise the price the cost will be high, anything less than that and your likely to reduce the price.

 

R

RandyB(MI)

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

Leave the paint alone but if at all possible be around the tractor at sale time to start it up for potential buyers who want to hear and see clutch work etc. I went to a huge consignment sale a couple yrs ago and they had EVERY tractor either running or starting up every 1/2 hr. They got their moneys worth for doing that.

 

D

David G

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

Do it because you want to see it painted, do not expect to ever get money back from it.

 

C

C. Amick

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

I would not paint it, but I would clean it up to get rid of dirt and grease.

 

C

caterpillar guy

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

It would bring more with the noise in the transmission fixed than with the paint. The noise will kill the sale for me. Or be really cheap.

 

showcrop

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

Go ahead and paint it, as long as you don't put too much into it. Most potential buyers would picture themselves looking a lot better on the shiney one than the original. Sure, none of us YT guys would go for the paint, but really, are we in the majority at any auction yet?

 

A

Adirondack case guy

Well-known Member

• Mar 12, 2015

• #1

Ben, I would give it a good cleaning, to remove dirt and grime. Spend a few bucks on the starting and electrical system. Make sure it starts and runs well, and details like lights work.
All relatively inexpensive details compared to paint.
Let the next owner spend the big bucks to incorperate it into his heard.
Loren

 

D

Dick2

Well-known Member

• Mar 13, 2015

• #1

I told my dealers that customers like to see equipment looking good when they buy it, in spite of what they say. The customer may never wash the equipment after he get it, but deep down he does like to see it looking good when he buys it - and he will generally pay more money for it if it looks good.

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Mar 13, 2015

• #1

Farmall M's on my craigslist list for around $1500. Some even have a good coat of lipstick. The old Farmall H's and M's don't seem to sell for much and don't seem to sell at all. I have a Farmall C. Got it for $1500 with 5 ft woods belly mower. It cost me another $500 to fix up and put a paint job on it with decals.

 

D

Dachshund

Member

• Mar 13, 2015

• #1

If I was buying it, I'd rather see it unpainted.....Fresh paint makes it look like you painted it JUST to get more money! Besides, I like to paint.....You spend time/money on paint, you might have $400-$500 in it, and get a $200 increse (maybe).

 

B

black

Member

• Mar 13, 2015

• #1

With a noisy trans, don't paint it . Looks like your trying to hide something and it may come back to bite you . My buddy sold a painted skidder and he realy didn't know the history of the 3cyl detroit . So it started to white smoke and the buyer made his life hell , so he refunded him 20 % of his money back .