What To Look For In A Used Tractor

Tractors are essential to running your farm or ranch. You can use tractors to clear fields, move equipment, or to keep pens and stalls in clean, organized condition.

Tractors are heavy machinery and they don't come cheap. If your budget doesn't allow for a new tractor, you can purchase a used one instead and still get years of use out of your heavy machinery. Here are things to look for when purchasing a used tractor for sale.

Previous owner care

While tractors are durable pieces of equipment, they aren't completely able to stay damage-free without regular care. A tractor should always be housed in a covered unit, such as a silo or garage, when not in use. The way the previous owner has cared for their tractor largely determines how well the unit will operate in your ownership. Choose to buy a tractor from a responsible machinery owner so you get a quality, cared-for item.

Most recent use

A used tractor that hasn't been used for many years should raise eyebrows. It could be that the current owner didn't have use for the tractor on their property so they placed the machinery in storage. Or, the tractor may have had mechanical issues that the current owner didn't fix. Either way, you need to know how recently a tractor was last used before you buy the equipment.

Always test-drive a used tractor before buying it. You need to know how the gears work, how the machinery moves, and need to pay attention to any operational flaws that may be present in the machinery. Don't buy a used tractor if the current owner won't let you test-drive the equipment or refuses to test-drive the equipment while you are there to see how the tractor operates. This can be a sign the tractor owner is trying to hide something wrong with the equipment.

Purchasing options

You may not have the funds to buy a tractor outright. If this is the case, you want to look for a tractor seller who will let you do a payment plan. A payment plan allows you to put a down payment on a piece of machinery and pay off the equipment over time. You will work with the seller — who can be a private seller or a tractor dealer — to come up with a payment plan that works best for you. In general, the more expensive the tractor equipment, the higher your monthly payments will be, unless you choose a long-term payment plan.