are prices cyclic?

[posifour11 723]

I haven't been a collector for long, not even a year. But, I'm seeing sky high prices recently. Mostly in the past couple months. Is this due to the mowing season? Increased demand? EBay syndrome?

I used to see at least one runner weekly for $200 or less. I'm seeing non running basket cases for $400.

Anyway, what are the theories?

[BPjunk 184]

Holy smokes ..... I could write for a half day and not covers all the reasons for the pricing of a Wheel Horse!  Some people will bake you a cake if you take the old Wheel Horse out of their back yard and put into yours and some will tell you it is a collectors item and want a pot of gold for it. Yes a newer model .... lets say a 1985 and up with a mower deck will bring a bit more come spring time then trying to sell the same tractor in January but the price is always set between the buyer and seller.

 

Wild Bill

Richmond, VA

[Ken B 3,164]

I agree with Bill. Another tactic some people try is this: Their tractor isn't selling on the cheap side so they raise the price! Go figure. Another thing is sellers are trying to leave themselves A LOT of beat up room. If you ask 200 bucks for a decent tractor many people won't pay it even if its totally worth it. They offer 100.00 (or less!). I've listed things on C/L at very reasonable, blow it out the door just tryin to make room prices. All I get are a bunch of low baller's that don't appreciate a good deal when they see it or guys that just wanna flip it for profit. There is an art to negotiating, many people are disrespectful IMHO because they are sitting behind a keyboard while making their offers. If you don't email the seller in a respectful way and try to find out what the bottom line truly is, you'll never know then.

Many people do a little research on their product before they sell it. When they find out that Wheel Horse's are popular and collectable they figure theirs must be as well. Well, them are my theories and I'm stickin to em!

[bean 85]

attachments are even more up and down. tillers and decks are at their peak right now. snow blowers and blades/chains are at their low. October, it will reverse.

tractors are all over the road, where I am. there are a few 70s models on cl for $2000-3000, after a rattle can paint job. then there are some decent buys for $200-300. but you have very fast. many have sold within 10-15mins after being posted.

[papaglide 542]

favoritemodel:

elle macpherson

 

Just noticed this! Nice!!

[bean 85]

favoritemodel:

elle macpherson

 

Just noticed this! Nice!!

       

[SousaKerry 501]

I blame American Pickers and the other "What's my junk worth" shows....   People think they can make millions cleaning out that rusty junk out back of grandad's old place they see one tractor on EPay in great condition fetch a great price and say mine has the same name on the side and think wow I've got a gold mine.

 

How many time have you asked a prospect what model tractor it is and they say I don't know when the numbers are on the side in bold print.  So you ask them what shape the hood is and they have less of a clue.  But they know the thing is worth $1000 cause it' old.

[posifour11 723]

All good reasons. It sure get frustrating, but I guess I'm in no hurry to get another. I'll bide my time.

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

Some of the prices I have been seeing lately makes me thing that some folks are crazy not cyclic!   But a lot of people are getting into buying now and a lot of older folks that have had these tractors and babied them are getting out!

 

Some of the higher priced items may actually be worth it but a lot are way overpriced by any measure!

[546cowboy 301]

I think the biggest differences is in what location you are. On the east coast the supply is very large compared other parts of the country. There seem to be more people getting into Wheel Horse and other vintage tractors lately. Here in NW Indiana it seems they are priced higher and you have to go farther every week to find them. I use Search Tempest to search CL's within 150 miles of my house and many have not had a W/H listed since May. 150 miles for me means 30 gal. of gas to go get one, so there is another $120 to add to the price. I recently paid $250 for a rusted 653 parts tractor that you couldn't push either one of the pedals down on.

 

I recently saw a restored??????????? C-120 on CL that was priced at $2795. Looked nice in the picture but for that money it would have to be perfect with everything new.

Edited June 28, 2013 by 546cowboy

[bean 85]

also,

if there are people in your area buying up tractors and parting them, the supply is getting smaller every month.  there are fewer tractors listed this year, than last year in my area.   I see a lot of cl ads posted "wanting to buy wh" with a phone number, so a lot of the sweetheart deals never see the light of day.

I'm not knocking anyone, I've parted out 3 myself to get the parts I needed, and everyone has a right to make a living. but sooner or later, there will be a drought of restorable tractors. 5-10yrs?

[Lagersolut 648]

I was cruising the classifieds here the other day and saw a 520  fixer upper .... he/ she was asking 1000 . ( way too much IMHO )

 

Earlier this year when I was looking for one,  I'll echo what cowboy said, fully restored models people were trying to squeeze 2-4k out of .

 

My personal favorites are the people that run stuff, never fix anything or change the oil , leave it out in the weather for 10 years till it doesn't go any more then ask 7-1000+  hoping someone will buy their abused broke tractor  at  top dollar .

 

I'm in the process of restoring/fixing one now and as you all know.........it's not cheap, I'll be 1500-2k in mine till it's done...but it's not for sale...I knew going in I'll have more in it than it's worth .....

 

I bought a 310-8 this year and like the others said, when you see a deal, have the money in your wallet, tank full of gas and the trailer hooked up ready to roll or it's gone, one went up for sale ( must have been a good deal ) not far from me, friend told me about it no idea the model......gone in 1 day....went past the house today....

[Lagersolut 648]

also,

if there are people in your area buying up tractors and parting them, the supply is getting smaller every month.  there are fewer tractors listed this year, than last year in my area.   I see a lot of cl ads posted "wanting to buy wh" with a phone number, so a lot of the sweetheart deals never see the light of day.

I'm not knocking anyone, I've parted out 3 myself to get the parts I needed, and everyone has a right to make a living. but sooner or later, there will be a drought of restorable tractors. 5-10yrs?

 

 

Yep,  there was a time ( and it wasn't that long ago ) my daily routes on the road for work come April  I  would have no trouble finding a WH  tractor sitting in a yard for sale in my travels .....this year not one .

 

My biggest mistake was about 7 years ago one was sitting ( C-160 no less w/deck  ) in almost perfect shape  $425 ........I just bought my classic GT figured the wife would come unglued if I bought yet another tractor ( would have made 3 )  ,   and I walked away ......   < I'll never get over not buying that tractor and some glue for the wife

[bean 85]

 ......   < I'll never get over not buying that tractor and some glue for the wife

 

 

[ericj 1,578]

i thought that the prices at the whcc show last weekend were low. i saw a 416 i believe a hydro, with lots a patina on the paint for $ 400.00 and that was a running and driving tractor and later heard it down to $ 375.00. i know somebody that bought a rusty 312-A with a deck for $ 200.00 that did run. it was definitely a buyers market at the show this year i know of several 520's that didn't sell this year

 

eric j 

[C-101plowerpower 1,605]

you guys dont even know what high horse prises are, i would rather buy a horse in the us and an and ship it then buy one here(wil almost be cheaper too) anyways, i had the chance to buy another c-101 but it was a non runner, parts missing overall rot machine, but the seller wanted at least 1000 euro's(1.233,57 dollars)

[DoctorHfuhruhurr 137]

You'll notice that the overpriced ones stay listed month after month.  Eventually everyone dies and their spouse will sell them for next to nothing.    

[6wheeler 603]

In my situation it works like this. When I have a few bucks to play with and maybe get more shed fillers that I DO NOT need? The prices are very high. When I don't have enough money to buy a valve stem cap? Someone will inevitably call or I will see a decent deal. That's how the prices seem to be driven for me. Oh well. It is still fun to hunt.        Pat

[Killer 2000 Chevy 83]

I work with a guy who just got a Commando V8. Nice clean mower with deck. Traded a newer Poulan push mower and $40 for it. He knows that I have  :wh:'s  and asked me what I thought. I told him I personally wouldn't go over 150 for it. He is asking 350  . I believe that the name on the tractor is what a lot of people look at. So he will probably be holding on to it for a while.