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Used 4WD tractor values rise

GREG PETERSON 02/04/2011 @ 12:39pm Greg Peterson writes "Machinery Pete" column for Successful Farming magazine and appears on the Machinery Show on RFD-TV, talking about trends in the used equipment market

One of the hottest segments currently in the used farm equipment market? Older four-wheel drive tractors in good condition.

When I say "older" I'm talking maybe 7 or 8 years old all the way out to 30+ years old.More proof rolled in to my office recently with a sale price report from my friends at Bauer Auction Service in Windsor, IL. They had a nice farm auction January 17th. On this sale was a 1995 CaseIH 9230 4WD tractor with 3,624 hours.

It sold for $59,500.

That made it the second highest auction sale price I've seen on a 9230 since April 1998. The only 9230 I've seen sell higher at auction came back on January 6, 2004 on an auction in east-central Nebraska where a 9230 with only 1,372 hours sold for $60,000.

Click here for a slideshow of other items sold on this January 17, 2011 farm auction in east-central IllinoisThis trend of increased premiums being paid for nice older four-wheel drive tractors holds across all colors of the equipment rainbow and also all regions of the country.

We've already seen red with our CaseIH 9230, how about orange? I'd point out the 1982 AC 4W305 tractor with 4,598 hours sold for $34,000 on a farm auction November 22, 2010 in west-central Illinois, a new record high price. Here's our Youtube video from that sale by Sullivan Auctioneers in Hamilton, IL:

White? Ok, how about the 1979 Case 4490 with 1,736 hours that also sold November 22, 2010, on a farm auction in north-central Ohio. It was a "2nd owner" tractor in good condition and went for $22,000. Yep, another new record high auction sale price.

Green? We're off to northeast Missouri on a December 1, 2010 farm auction where a 1976 JD 8630 4WD with 7,557 hours sold for $24,000, making it the highest selling 8630 I've seen at auction since 2001.

More green, a 1997 JD 9300 4WD with 3,467 hours sold on a west-central Minnesota farm sale November 17, 2010 for $108,000. Once again, another record high auction sale price. The old high price was $103,000.

View Pete's auction prices on JD 9300 Tractors

I'm watching for this trend to continue. Tough to find really nice low hour used four-wheel drive tractors with a bit of age on them. When they do show up for sale, folks are paying more to get them.

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