What should I expect to pay?

[Dave H (MI)]

I'm looking at 300 utilities the last couple weeks and the price range I am seeing has me really scratching my head. One just sold on ebay in PA for just over $1300 and it had FH and a blade. Sounded like a pretty decent tractor. Pictures are meaningless but it did look nice.

Looked at one last week here locally with spaghetti wiring, two rear tires rough, one front tire terrible. 12v conversion but the alternator is too big so the hood won't go back on. One hood emblem missing. Won't start. Did have a FH, TA, live hydraulics. Wanted $1500 flat and don't even think about making an offer is what he told me.

Just came back from looking at #2 with FH and IH loader. More spaghetti. Rear tires very bad but it came with one extra...also not great. Not charging, generator off tractor but comes with. Hole cut in hood to put in makeshift iron pipe exhaust. No underslung exhaust or muffler. Started up but he knew I was coming. No lights or extras. Leaking front and rear. Did have TA, live hyd. $2800 take it or leave it.

I was thinking that those last two were a tad high looking at the cost of sheet metal, tires, wiring harness, etc. If I am wrong, please tell me...you won't hurt my feelings. I'll go back and buy one of them! Well...probably not.
 

[Janicholson]

A 300 or 350U that is usable as is with tires that will pull the plow, is worth 2500 to 3000. Those tractors you mentioned were more like 1000$ Plus loader. The loader adds value, but takes away reliability from the steering. If the steering is trashed, it will be 1500 to remanufacture the steering with Jackson Powersteering or similar. Jim
 

[Rumplestiltskin]

Hi, Dave.

I bought an IH 350 Utility in west Michigan about three years ago. It had a fast hitch, loader, working TA, live PTO, and power steering. Rear tires were about 75%, front tires maybe 50%. Good tin, a broken-off bolt here and there, but no sign of significant abuse. It did have a handful of (easily fixed) hydraulic leaks. It has always started so fast that it's running before I even realize it has fired. All in all, if I had to give the tractor a grade it would be an "A." I paid $3,000 and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Mark W. in MI
 

[WI Dave]

There's one for sale in my area now. Nice paint, runs good, evrything works, loader, FH, 3pt. adapters, blade and bush hog mower. Asking $3000.
 

[Dave H (MI)]

Well, that makes me feel better at least Jim. I was looking at those two and mentally adding up the cost to repair just what I could see, based on hard experience (this would be tractor #8 believe it or not) and I was coming up with $1-2,000 plus many hours of hard work and tires have not been factored in yet. But I guess they can ask what they want. There always seems to be that guy who "has to have it".
 

[Dave H (MI)]

Hey Mark! I hear ya! I did just about the same with my SMTA 12 years ago. Scarcer than hens teeth at the time and this one was in Peoria. Guy wouldn't budge a nickel on the price, just kept listing all he had done to it. I gave him $4K for it. I had a financial relationship with Reliable trucking back then and our guy squeezed it on the back of an enclosed car hauler and brought it here on a back haul from the Vegas car show. I have lived on that tractor half the summer ever since and have knocked down and baled a LOT of hay with it. Other than change the oil and grease it religiously I have never done a thing to it. Best tractor deal I ever made and I wouldn't sell it for twice what I paid for it.
 

[Dave H (MI)]

Well I'm just going to say that ASKING and GETTING are two different animals. With the loader, blade, and mower though I would probably drive an hour to go have a look at it and run a number by him! :)

Want to pick that up and haul it over this way for me? I'll meet you at RPRU! Lot of good tractors over your way. That big lake really gets in the way of a lot of good deals though.
 

[Spook]

I added a loader onto a 300U, it was very hard to steer. You need power steeering if you have a loader on it. Jackson has a unit for it. Something like 15 - 1800?