Tractor Suggestion

My new neighbor is looking for a tractor. He is decently mechanical and has a good attitude about things. He does not want to be saddled with payments. So he is going to be attending a nearby auction to look for a tractor. His price range is going to be $4-8/9K.
He is looking for 50-75hp. He has 140 +/- acres. Wants the tractor for some mowing, dragging some logs, light grading, general property maintenance.

We are in the capital area of NY for pricing purposes?

He would like to get one with a loader or add a loader. Which I understand, many recommending 4WD with a loader but it will be more for snow removal and carrying things around the property. He is not going to excavate his yard with it.

Ideally, he wants to, eventually, get into making some hay and running a few beef cows, but that is in the future and he would add equiptment for this. Right now, he is just looking for a good tractor to use around the house.

Here are his options -

Ford 4000 - appears to be a 73-74 and a gas. 8 speed. No loader. Looked clean. Tires looked good, a little worn but not rotted out or even checked. I figure, given the number of these around, a loader shouldn't be too hard to find. Any ideas some models that would fit?

IH 574 gas with loader. Looks to be in good shape, rear tires are worn and checked, bucket is used but not abused. Did not appear to have TA. I do not know a lot about these tractors, another neighbor has one and that thing has seen some serious use and it still seems to keep kicking.

IH 656 diesel, loader.

JD 2520 - looks real nice, high hours but well kept.

New Holland 3010 - 2wd, very clean looking. Appears to be extremely well taken care of.

Oliver 1465 - overall fairly clean looking.

There are many other tractors to choose from there but these seemed, to me, to be the best of what he would be looking at.

I am a MF person, myself, so my experiences with other brands are limited, so I told him I would ask around here.

It seems to me that the NH 3010 would be the best purchase but may not end up in his budget.
Ford 4000 might be his best bang for buck - wide availability of part, clean looking.
However, IH 574 has the loader already so that would eliminate the hassle...

Thoughts or prices from anyone?

Thanks!

My experiences with auctions is all the tractor jockeys are going to get anything that's a good deal and everything else will go really high. Also many auctions are a dumping ground for problem childs.
I'd much rather buy from an individual.

IMHO, a quick attach/quick removal loader doubles the usefulness of a loader tractor. It's usually less expensive to buy a tractor with a loader than to buy the loader separately and then find/modify the correct mounting brackets.

Don't overpay at the auction is my first thought. Figure out a price and stick to it.

I never see deals at auctions, lots of guys overpaying for junk or tractors that don't sell because the owner's brother in law told them it was worth WAY more than it actually is so they put a reserve on it.

Personally, unless your buddy has a lot of experience working on equipment, I would find a tractor with a loader on it already. Putting loaders on is rarely plug and play

Grouse

Look for an IHC 686

The 656 and 2520 most likely are row crop configured which some people do not prefer. The 656 should easily fall into his budget but the 2520 if is as described could price out above his budget. Ford 4000 is an excellent tractor but I am not keen on the newer (post 1965) gas tractors only because diesel power had been greatly improved in terms of reliability and efficiency. Based on budget and likely criteria the Ford 4000 would be the way to go. Down the road or maybe just wait a few months a Ford 5000 diesel would be even be better. If he is open to a row crop the 656 would be a decent choice. There was a power house Ford and later New Holland dealer down that way was there not?

I'd look at a 15 or 16 series olivers and even a case 630 or 730 we have a 530 with a loader and it has been a great tractor

Is this a private auction, e.g. estate or retirement, or is this a consignment auction?

If private, maybe you can learn something about how the owner took care of these tractors.

If consignment, I would be highly suspect of all of them unless you can find history of them.

I keep thinking if you could find someone who has a good nose for taking in good used tractors, maybe doing a little TLC on them, and reselling them for a reasonable price. Larry Anderson comes to mind.

Just my thoughts. You got some advice below.

Paul

Bingo.

Dean

The Ford is the only one I would consider And being gas is a plus. I have had 2 4000 tractors, both of mine had the 38" rear wheels, they were not the low model. Mine were a bit older being a 65 and 68 model. But that is the only one on that list I would even consider. Never a diesel for me ever.

145 acres is some serious land. I think I would get a bigger tractor that you can get something done with. IH 826/856, 966/1066. Case 1070/1270. White 85/105. Allis 190/7000. JD 3020/4020.

For property maintenance the 4000 would be a good choice right now. Only downfall is no loader on it. Good dependable tractor, but then the hunt will be on for a loader. Then to make it fit if not exactly for that model. Could still be used later on for hay and such.

The 574 could be used for either property maintenance or haying and other farm chores later on down the road. Not an easy job to fix brakes on those.Just make sure to check the brakes on it. A lot of those got run with the parking brake on. Still a good dependable tractor as well.

If truly thinking ahead, out of those choices, the 656 would be the one I would pick. Already has a loader, and is a true row crop tractor. The only thing on the loader is it has a very slow reverse.( I have 2 of them, one is a hydro though and a 666. Pretty much the same tractor.) If using on a snowblower, it would work well. Only thing is with the TA pulled back it will free wheel. Something to think about. For field work it has good visability and is pretty good on horsepower.

There are a lot of tractors out there. Find the one in the best shape and the best price. I know easier said than done though

Since the 656 is as new or newer than a 706 I think the ta would not freewheel. Older ih did though.

Must be MacFaddens?

That was kind of my thought.

I know some about fords but very little about IH other than what I read on here...so this was good info to get.

Thanks.

Yep.

Call me a sucker but I have only ever bought one
disappointment at an auction...and it was a set of
plows I didn't give a good look to before
bidding...still made money re-selling them.

"Wants the tractor for some mowing, dragging some logs, light grading, general property maintenance."

I'm guessing your neighbor either: has other tractors to do tillage and row crop work; or the 140 acres is mostly hay, pasture and woods?

Small frame like the 656, 544 or the like are mechanical TA and freewheel with the TA pulled back. 706 and larger are the large frame and have a hydraulic TA which if in good working order, should not freewheel when pulled back.

Neighbor had a 574 gas utility and said it would dig like a badger. Not familiar directly with it but that would be my vote.

Only thing I would say is run don't walk away from the Oliver. Hopefully someone else will confirm or deny me but I think those were a Fiat import and parts are difficult at best. it is a collector tractor not one to depend on getting parts quick for.

JM2CW

jt

Good info. Thanks.

Wasn't too sure if the lateness of the Oliver would be good or bad...I know it is similar to one of the Whores because it was near merger time but being a Fiat would present a challenge.

We have a neighbor with a pair of 574's, I encouraged my neighbor/friend to talk to him about his.
Those things look like they have been at the front lines of a middle eastern civil war but they keep on ticking.