Selling vintage farm equipment such as tractors and used tractor parts can be a lucrative endeavor. There are many people who wish to own farm machinery once mass produced by such prestigious names as John Deere and Farmall, and will pay a hefty sum for a vintage tractor that is in good to excellent condition. Fortunately, there are several effective ways for buyers and sellers to connect and make a mutually beneficial transaction.
Before actually offering your vintage tractor for sale, it is important to engage in a little preparation. First, the tractor should be cleaned thoroughly. This means not only washing dirt and grime off the frame and wheels, but also cleaning the engine components as well. While many collectors expect a truly vintage unit to show some wear and tear, you want to make sure it is easy to assess the overall condition of the tractor and arrive at an equitable sale price based on the general condition.
Taking photographs of the tractor from various angles is also very important. Make sure to use a digital camera so you can produce hard copies as well as forward electronic versions of the photos. In addition to full body views of the vintage tractor, take close up shots that highlight the condition of the controls, seats, fenders and engine. The detailed visual images will make it easier to pique the interest of buyers who are looking for truly vintage tractor models.
With the tractor clean and photographs taken, look into your options for reaching the right buyer. You can choose to go with a direct sale approach by placing ads in local newspapers and magazines. There are also national and international publications that provide classified space for the sale of vintage items, including tractors and farm equipment. Just about all of these will allow you to use some of your photographs as part of the advertising.
There is also the option of selling your vintage tractor by utilizing the services of a third party. With this approach, you turn over copies of the photographs and supporting documents related to the pedigree of the tractor to an agent who accepts the task on a consignment basis. Together, you determine the lowest purchase price you will accept and what type of percentage commission the agent will make from the sale. One advantage to this approach is you do not have to spend time attempting to sell the tractor yourself.
You may find that working with an auctioneer would be an excellent way to sell your vintage tractor. The auctioneer advertises the item, advising the general public of the date and time for the auction. Interested parties attend the auction and bid on the tractor. With a little luck, two or more parties will get into a bidding war and you will realize a higher return on the sale than you anticipated. In any event, the starting bid is determined before the auction takes place, so there is no danger of selling the used tractor for any less than that figure.
Selling a vintage tractor rarely happens overnight. Generally, it takes some time to reach the right buyers and agree on the terms of the purchase. When executed properly, it is possible to earn a great deal of money from the sale, making the effort well worth the time and labor involved.
