How on earth do I find a good deal?
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Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=138306
Printed Date: 27 Dec 2025 at 10:19am
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Topic: How on earth do I find a good deal?
Posted By: Tractorbeam
Subject: How on earth do I find a good deal?
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 4:17pm
| Been looking for a while now and its proving harder than I thought finding a B,C or CA. Anyways between people not returning emails or phone calls, misrepresented machines and missing what appear to be good deals because I can't get there in the first 2 minutes I'm becoming a little discouraged. Seem to be a lot that sell for what seems like a fair price but then magically reappear at a higher price from a new owner. Heck, sometimes they just use the same photos a previous owner used. Its hard for me to point out problems to people for fear of hurting their feelings but when they get mad at me for being realistic or accuse me of trying to steal it from them I take it to heart, and to be honest it bothers me. I read low to fair prices that people claim they pay, but I have no idea how to find a good deal. I try to monitor the local kiji thing. All my friends and family have orders to report any orange tractor sightings to me immediately. haha Heck I even ask strangers who look like they might be farmers if they know of any. I can't afford to be upside down price wise on a tractor. The ones I see usually are really expensive and look beautiful (not affordable for me), won't start so they are a huge gamble I couldn't risk paying much for, or they need so much work that even if someone gave it to you I'm not sure I could justify fixing it. I really didn't want a major project at this point in my life, but I'm starting to think the only way I'll get a good machine that will be reliable for years to come, is to rebuild a rough one. Problem is that old tractor parts in Canada or even just a new set of tires here have gotten silly expensive mainly due to our dollar value. Add in some expensive shipping and taxes brokerage fees etc. we sometimes pay double for parts, and a lot of us older guys make a fraction of what we made 30 years ago due to the economy. God I hate that economy excuse. Looks like I'm complaining again. LOL How did you guys find your deals? Is there a secret magical chant or something I need to learn ? Just getting anxious to get something. Didn't think it would take so long. Thanks |
Replies:
Posted By: steve(ill)
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 4:49pm
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Allis-Chalmers-B-tractor-has-foot-brakes-runs-great-/311855116044?hash=item489c036f0c:g:a20AAOSwNSxU7eMM" rel="nofollow - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Allis-Chalmers-B-tractor-has-foot-brakes-runs-great-/311855116044?hash=item489c036f0c:g:a20AAOSwNSxU7eMM
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10 years ago a $500-600 tractor could be found... Don't see too many like that today. ------------- Like them all, but love the "B"s. |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 5:19pm
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Come down south! Our old tractors don't rust up, and usually you can pick 'em up stright outta the barn or pasture for cheap. Heck, a buddy of mine has a mix of 5 B's and C's. He said he'd sell me however many I wanted for $100 each. They run and have good tires. If you were interested, I could see how much he'd want to sell one to a stranger for. You probably wouldn't want to come clear to central Oklahoma, though. Another buddy of mine has a great running earlier B with a Woods L59 mower. It's a sweet running little thing for $1,600 I believe was what he was asking. Wasn't the prettiest, but there are definitely worse out there. It's an older repaint.
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Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 5:28pm
As far as the secret, I've found "It's not what you know, it's who you know!" Friends I've made over the years have been a Godsend in helping me find what I'm after. Also, I've learned one important thing....don't rush finding one. It took me over 8 years to get a All-Crop Super 100. I've found probably a dozen or so over the years, and I wanted each one dearly, but nothing ever worked out. (Here comes the "it's about who you know" part) A buddy of mine (JimIA) sent me a link to a Super 100 that was going to sell. End of story, we ended up buying it, and boy am I glad I waited and didn't buy the others. This one is all original and almost looks like it's straight out of La Porte! So...to sum that up, don't rush it. Even if it seems like it's taking forever, you'll eventually get what you're looking for- or better!
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Tractorbeam wrote:Posted By: Tractorbeam
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 5:52pm
I must be a real Allis lover. I actually googled directions to the middle? Oklahoma city Oklahoma. About 18 hours each way. Costs me about 20 bucks an hour for fuel (unbelievable) pulling a heavy tandem trailer behind my gasoline pickup. $20 x 36 =$720 in fuel. Add in accomodations because I cant drive more than a few hours in a row now and.............. nope. OH WELL. I appreciate it VERY much anyways. You are a nice person.
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Posted By: Tractorbeam
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 5:59pm
I think I need to buy a time machine. Any idea where I could find one in good working condition?
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Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 6:01pm
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Wife says you can have one or more of my D-14s......yeah, over my dead...oops, don't wanna give her ideas..... You're right about prices though, a $1000 US$ B WILL be $2000 Canucks, it's why I haven't bought anything from south of the 49th ,even though I've got a Michgan 'dropoff' address and free shipping from there. I use Kijiji all the time, have an 'Allis-Chalmers' search for all of Ontario and I look 6-10 times a day,as you say some are 'misrepresented'....others just plain silly. Gicen the choice, I'd by another CA...4 speed...just where to hide it though.... Jay ------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor) Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water |
Posted By: dt1050
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 6:29pm
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mainly just have to know what your looking at and notice the good deals early!! I don't know How many times I'd see a good deal and it would be gone quick!!
------------- Just cause it's orange don't make it a tractor, there's only one..Allis Chalmers |
Posted By: Tractorbeam
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 6:42pm
| I just found out you can get email notifications if your looking for something on kijii. I don't have data on my phone (I may be the last one who doesn't lol) but that may be helpful to anyone that didn't know and has a proper cellular plan. |
Posted By: Tractorbeam
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 6:55pm
You can hide it here. lol Isn't it sad to see reasonable prices on parts in the US and know we need to almost double it. I know I don't have twice the money the average American has. Wonder where all those overpriced tractors in this area end up? I nicely asked one fella if he was firm on his price and he actually told me he'd burn it before he came down one dollar. He also said I was the only reply he had. I don't get it.
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Posted By: Stan R
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 6:56pm
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A good deal is something you buy and are happy with what you bought, even if you think you paid more than you should have at time of purchase. PS: hardest part is writing the check, afterwards, you forget the amount as you now are using what you bought and happy with it!! |
Posted By: Calvin Schmidt
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 8:18pm
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Deals are out there. Good contacts are key. Just had a big payoff today! More on that later. Are you looking for a tractor to restore ? Non runner, runner etc?? Have a B that I will sell. Western Ontario ------------- Nothing is impossible if it is properly financed |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 11:28pm
| "don't want to be upside down on a tractor"???? whether anyone buys a new or a used machine...they/we are usually always gonna be upside down on it if we plan to keep it! I believe that the older tractors will out live the newer ones by 2X's or better. but not without upkeep and repairs. there are deals out there, I can't speak for Canada, but like Creston and others say....keep a watchful eye out locally and regionally, good ones do come up cheap sometimes. |
Posted By: shameless dude
Date Posted: 11 May 2017 at 11:28pm
| Creston....maybe i'll buy all them $100. tractors |
Posted By: Gary Burnett
Date Posted: 12 May 2017 at 1:36am
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Makes a big difference in the area and how many of the models you want are in the area you're looking in.Mostly I'm just looking for good deals no special model or brand.Guess that's why I have several different brands here.When you want cheap you can't get picky |
Posted By: dt1050
Date Posted: 12 May 2017 at 3:31am
Ya know how hard it is to explain that to a teenage boy when he's looking for a truck!!!lol But that's right on the money (so to speak). better chance of getting a good deal if your not looking for anything specific. when I was looking for another tractor I was looking for a Allis Chalmers D series, didn't care witch one. found a d14 powersteering and loader $1000. keep your options open. ------------- Just cause it's orange don't make it a tractor, there's only one..Allis Chalmers |
Posted By: Tractorbeam
Date Posted: 12 May 2017 at 8:23am
I hopefully sucessfully sent you a private email about the B. Thanks
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Posted By: allisrutledge
Date Posted: 12 May 2017 at 11:16am
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Congratulations Calvin! Need someone to drive it home? By the way ,you might hook the guy up there with Clinton W as he seems to find bargains up your way. ------------- Allis Chalmers still exist in my mind and barns |
Posted By: JohnCO
Date Posted: 12 May 2017 at 10:52pm
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For me it seems like the bargains show up when, 1. I don't have the money to buy it or 2. I just paid twice as much for one in not as good condition!
------------- "If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer" Allis Express participant |
Posted By: dt1050
Date Posted: 13 May 2017 at 4:10am
x2 ------------- Just cause it's orange don't make it a tractor, there's only one..Allis Chalmers |
Posted By: DennisA (IL)
Date Posted: 13 May 2017 at 8:06am
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Good deals are hard to fine. The internet makes it easier to fine items but it also drives up the prices as well. When I started using the net back in the early 90's I could fine deals all day long. Now with everybody on the net the demand is up as well as the prices. Same with auctions. When an Allis item is on an auction it gets posted on this site and so the number of buyers at the auction goes up as well. We now live in the smallest world ever and everyone is a potential buyer. You need to find someone that has what you want, but are not on the net. This means that you must have a network of people helping you. Like was said earlier, it's who you know.
------------- Thanks & God Bless Dennis |
Posted By: Ted J
Date Posted: 14 May 2017 at 10:38am
------------- "Allis-Express" 19?? WC / 1941 C / 1952 CA / 1956 WD45 / 1957 WD45 / 1958 D-17 |
Posted By: TimNearFortWorth
Date Posted: 14 May 2017 at 12:49pm
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I have met many folks that ask about buying a tractor; what do you want do with it is the first question I have. If you find something that seems to fit the bill for your needs, and you are sure it will suffice on power, weight to do what you want, available attachments (or ability to easily convert), trailering ability, etc., then you can really start the research to make sure the model you are considering will be practical, safe, have parts available down the road and most importantly, what you need to look for when viewing a unit for sale. Many use TractorHouse for "comparable prices" but I find most units are listed a tad higher (sometimes far higher) than I can find from a private seller as dealers usually leave some "dicker room", plus they can leave inventory sit on the lot where a private seller may just be more motivated. Freshly painted usually gives me pause as we have all seen a "krylon rebuild" and I prefer something in it's work clothes. Some folks are willing to talk history of the unit and you quickly find out if they are "flipping" it or actually know the history because they had it for some time. If driving by a unit I see for sale, lucky me as I usually get to see a cold start. If I let someone know I want to come by, I actually ask them to NOT start the unit until I arrive and a simple touch of the hand tells you if they did. The best deals I have picked up on advertised units is to call and ask about the history, serial number, rubber, etc. as photos can lie! If an hour or two away from me and I have to drag my gooseneck for something that has caught my eye (a model I know from experience), I simply state that I will be coming through their area on a return trip and would like to know if I could stop to check it out. This way they seem to be more flexible if the price is not firm and it usually follows me home. I have also helped folks out by advising them of a few facts that may help them sell their unit as some have listed it far too high and cannot understand why it has not sold. Good example is a SFW D15 that I test drove and the older gentleman did not like it when I advised it jumped both 2nd and 3rd gear after running it down a grade, working the throttle and the high/low. He then asked me what the handle on the right side of the tractor was that I kept working? It followed me home, for far less than advertised and I only wanted the SFW assembly any way. Once you figure out what model A-C you want, ask questions on this site as there is no better place to do so. |
Posted By: cdon_FL
Date Posted: 14 May 2017 at 8:03pm
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A "good deal" is often revealed as such only in hindsight. The best tractor I have ever had (I still have it and I work it like a borrowed mule) is a 1966 David Brown diesel 770A. A bit of an oddball here in the states, but well built and feature rich in its day. I bought it from an old farmer two counties over that I did not know before that day and one who was not really looking to sell it until I asked him if he would. I was looking for "just" a servicable tractor that day, not a David Brown 770A, and certainly not a cream puff at a bargain price. I was convinced on the way home (with that tractor behind my pickup on my trailer) that I paid too much for it. And that I should have kept looking for something better / newer / cheaper. 10+ years later.... (today) I am delighted I got it for what I did. Would have happily paid double what I did had I known how good it was going to serve me over the years. My advice....Don't be too specific / picky. Lots of good tractors out there that you might be happy to own and use. Not all of them are orange. And not all of them are in great condition and/or offered at a low price. --------------- I have two Allis CAs, by the way. They give off major good vibes, but my little leaky and weathered David Brown (and the Fordson Dexta that was my grandfathers and will be mine one day when my dad passes, Lord willing) are just as fun to own and (with diesel engines, 3 point hitches, and 2 stage clutches) will outwork the CA. ------------- Chris in NE Florida |