Paint before sale?

[Torino 14]

I need to thin out the herd a little.  I have a couple that look average.  Not rusty but not real shinny.  Do you think it is worth the time and money to paint them before selling? 

[brybrychrismer 17]

i wouldn't based that people like the vintage or patina look of the tractors. i know that i prefer them as original as possible.but that's just my opinion  

[Martin 2,131]

i wouldnt paint them either. your money would be better spent on fixing anything that isnt quite right. i would rather buy something that is a bit low on the paint end but has better mechanicals or doesnt look like half of the parts are falling off the tractor. do they start and run good? any oil leaks that are easy to fix? steering tight? belts good? oils good, tune up etc etc........

[AMC RULES 37,127]

...or a working battery that can stay with the tractor. 

[Trouty56 565]

I would rather buy a clean tractor than a painted up one because for some reason I think I am paying for a paint job.  If you start taking the thing apart to paint you may find this to fix and that to fix because you are an honest sort and before you know it........I'm rambling again.....

[546cowboy 301]

It pretty much depends on who you are trying to sell to doesn't it? By painting and adding new decals you increase your buyer base. You include the people who would like to have a classic GT but don't have the time or skill to DIY one. They are tired of buying these new tractors at the big box stores only to find out after three years they start falling apart. Then there are the ones with the "mine has to look better than my neighbors" people. A lot of that is caused by ego and the spouse I suppose but the fact remains, they feel better if their tractor looks good.

 

I can't really see the point in eliminating those who haven't been doing the stuff we do for these tractors. Look I don't completely disassemble a tractor and rebuild everything and I don't claim to. I fix these tractors to be used and look good too. I have sold a few that haven't be refurbished mostly because I haven't had time to get to them before someone wanted them.

 

I have a friend who has been buying and selling farm tractors for years. About 6 or 7 years ago after he saw a tractor I had painted and started thinking about it. Now he doesn't paint every tractor he gets but maybe one or two a year and it makes a difference when it comes time to sell those tractors.

 

If you were not as deeply into this, would you buy the first tractor or the second one that is the same tractor?

Edited March 29, 2013 by 546cowboy

[Wheelhorse84 87]

Second one please

[Tankman 3,518]

Cleaned up but, I wouldn't paint.

List items a new owner should know; i.e.: oil change, air cleaner, mechanical "pointers" for maintenance.

I would run a background check on the potential new owner.

•Does the new owner have a comfortable clean stall for the Stallion?

•Uncluttered shop space for Red's maintenance?

•Attendee? Farm shows with Sons? Grandsons?

•Enough lawn so everyone can "exercise" the parade Horse?

•Cleanliness? Is a potential new owners tool box clean and up to date?

•Might the new owner pass the Red Square muster?

There must be more but, the above is only my top five items to verify when selling a Great Stallion! Perhaps a potential new parent might be wearing a USMC T-shirt? :smile:

[octfst 378]

I  would pefer the patina & once its paint its gone. also I dont think you can recoop the cost of the paint when you sell it. As far as the market a user would pefer paint. that would depend on the model but still dont think you can add enough value to recoop your paint.

[fisherman 39]

I agree i also wouldnt like to sell to some one who is gonna part em out! just my 2 cents

[racin_ny 25]

A lot of people complain about parting out tractors. Yet when a complete tractor is offered for $125.00 there are no takers. So what are you supposed to do with it?

[Fun Engineer 859]

i wouldnt paint them either. your money would be better spent on fixing anything that isnt quite right. i would rather buy something that is a bit low on the paint end but has better mechanicals or doesnt look like half of the parts are falling off the tractor. do they start and run good? any oil leaks that are easy to fix? steering tight? belts good? oils good, tune up etc etc........

[546cowboy 301]

Well the way I look at it, it's a matter of pride in your work. Come on guys, you will spend the time to repair every thing but you won't spend the time to prep it for paint and spend $25 for a gallon of paint $20 for hardener and another $20 for thinner?

I don't sell them to make money, I sell them to buy and save more. Also the chances are that if a buyer wants a clean, repainted tractor he will take care of it. Most people take pride in their possessions and as far as selling to someone who will strip it and sell parts, it won't happen to one of mine. You can tell a lot when a buyer shows up to pick up his purchase. The people I have sold to always want to see everything I have and want to talk about these tractors. Maybe I'm just lucky that way or maybe they see that I take pride in my refurbished tractors and I expect them to do so.

 

As much as I would like to keep them, I haven't won the lottery and you can't keep 20+ tractors running perfect while trying to save more. I am retired but there just isn't that much time and have a life other than Wheel Horses.

[kaiser 100]

as a recent buyer of my first horse i must say that i passed up some nice tractors and drove farther for a painted tractor.

it's not the nicest paint job but it looks good and makes me feel like i got more for my $$.

the other thing that seals the deal for me is the time a seller takes to show you things, help you feel comfortable with whatever item they may be selling.

but looks go a long way, and i'm adept enough to know if something is not what it seems, like a nice paint job and a smoking motor is not a good deal.

[608KEB 795]

I would rather buy a original tractor than repainted. The paint job may not be up to the standards you want. I would shop for tractors that have been kept inside and original. Chances are it has been maintained better. I have learned this lesson twice.

[ericj 1,578]

it depends on a nice paint job or a rushed half a-- job. if you are not going to do it right don't do it at all. i am not a painter i fix the mechanical's the best i can or the best that i can with friends help. the more you can detail the better off you are. i try to be as honest as i can about what i'm selling, i don't like being suckered so i won't do it to somebody else. as far as whom ever buys my stuff and parting it out, i ask a fair price don't give it away so i don't think that's happening but what they do with it is their business as long as i get my price or how bad i want to move it or need the $$$$

 

eric j

[JackC 617]

I would clean them up and bring some of the shine back with WD40.  I would rather buy original unless you can do a professional quality repaint and apply new decals better than most and that may not be worth the time and extra you would need to charge.

[SousaKerry 501]

•Does the new owner have a comfortable clean stall for the Stallion?

•Uncluttered shop space for Red's maintenance?

•Attendee? Farm shows with Sons? Grandsons?

•Enough lawn so everyone can "exercise" the parade Horse?

•Cleanliness? Is a potential new owners tool box clean and up to date?

•Might the new owner pass the Red Square muster?

Well I fail 4 out of 6 of these qualifications....  Does that mean I have to sell all my Horses or I just can't buy any more?????

[Ken B 3,164]

Do you have any pictures of the tractors in question so we can give a little more accurate advice? IMO it really depends on where you plan to advertize, what type buyer you plan to attract and of course, how much you plan to ask for the tractor. Most opinions given here are from a collectors perspective.  I agree with Ericj, if you do decide to repaint don't do a rush job as that will turn off just about any buyer. There are plenty of people out there that can't paint if their life depended on it and a nice running tractor with a nice paint job can often attract someone willing too spend more. They don't call it Resale Red for nothing.

[can whlvr 993]

another thing is do you have the spare time to tear one apart,prep it,paint and put back together,remembering that you wont make any money doing so?at least i know i cant even recoup my time on a restore ,unalone the rest of the costs

[mid60's 93]

I have never bought a repainted tractor that I didn't have to repaint but I have several in their original coats that I will leave that way. 

 

However, I never sell any so maybe this doesn't count. I buy the ones I want to keep and keep them. 

 

But, I would rather buy one that has not been painted because it is easier to paint it if I want to. That's just me though. I do not see any way to

 

recoup the cost of painting one unless your not counting time invested. Maybe that's the reason I never sell any.

 

Heck, I push mow my lawn. It is with a Toro personal pace though. Not a lot of grass.   My neighbors have reservation about my sanity although I

 

do have 1 on an 857 and another on a Commando 8 now. We have a good time here in the neighborhood and that's what counts.

[boovuc 1,090]

This is a good discussion! Great comments, pros and cons from both sides of the fence.

My 5 cents? (Inflation killed the 2 cent remarks),

 

I look at the tractor first mechanically. Next I look at the seller to try to picture if he really did maintain the tractor well. (If all his "stuff" is run down and bandaged together, his roof's shingles are falling off and his grass is 9 inches high.........this is one for Mr. Obvious).

 

Next I'll look for the bling. I would rather bring some shine to the machine myself but would certainly grab a nice paint job and decals if the price is right.

 

Oh, and next I'll look in my wallet and then think what bills are due, what set of endless taxes are up next and when is my quarterly insurance invoice due.

[kaiser 100]

Do you have any pictures of the tractors in question so we can give a little more accurate advice? IMO it really depends on where you plan to advertize, what type buyer you plan to attract and of course, how much you plan to ask for the tractor. Most opinions given here are from a collectors perspective.  I agree with Ericj, if you do decide to repaint don't do a rush job as that will turn off just about any buyer. There are plenty of people out there that can't paint if their life depended on it and a nice running tractor with a nice paint job can often attract someone willing too spend more. They don't call it Resale Red for nothing.

 

exactly, a painted tractor can attract buyers like me, looking for thier first horse/tractor in general.

when i set out on my quest for a tractor i had one motivator, i didn't want to spend 2k or more on a new p.o.s. tractor from a big box store and i didn't have enough $$ for a new high end unit like a jd300 or 500 series.

 

i looked at a bunch of stuff, allis chalmers (not a single allis looked good), a bunch of cases (i came really close to buying a couple of them) and then i stumbled across a few horses, and they really grabbed my attention.

i also need a tractor that i could put to work right away. now that i have my first horse and i found this great place i'll be more then likey to pick up a project horse in the future.

 

in the end the cleanest tractor won out. and paint helped me make the decision.

[6wheeler 603]

I don't buy fancied up tractors. No one can paint as good as me . ( I can't paint ) . I like an original piece of equipment. If they are all painted up, I ask myself. What he trying to hide? Not that all fresh painted things are bad mind you. It's just the way I look at it. If its too clean, I might be afraid to use it .

[Torino 14]

This is a good example.  Has been painted but the wrong color.  Nice and clean.