Hello, I just joined the forums and I hope it's ok to ask for help. I've got a 1979 (I think it's a 79 or an 80) Cat D4E with a 4 way blade. Not sure on the hours as the hour meter stopped working. My dad bought it brand new and it would have low hours for the year but I have no way of proving that except it looks pretty good for the year. It has limb risers and it runs well. It could use a new idler wheel on each side. I'm thinking about selling it and just trying to get a real world idea on what I should ask or expect it to maybe bring.
The best bet is to go somewhere like Machinery Trader and see what comparable machines in a similar condition are selling for. http://www.machinerytrader.com
Here is a picture. I guess that would help.
Thank you. I'm actually doing that as we speak.
I searched for a size smaller than that. I was in the market for D3, JD 450, Dresser TD7, Case 450, and similar sized tractors. In smaller tractors, a six way blade has more potential buyers. Good undercarriage adds value. After searching at length, I bought a Dresser TD7G with 3400 hours, and recent undercarriage. I paid $11,000. Most buyers of old crawlers are landowners wanting to do their own. Typically they know little about them. Therefore, a clunker at low price will sell better than perfect at fair value. Local buyers are your market. Shipping is an unknown expense, with considerable risk.
It sure looks real clean for its age. It's hard to say without looking at it but if it were mine I would sure have a hard time taking less than $20,000 for it. Just my $.02
Understood. Thank you. I'm researching on MachineryTrader and a couple others right now.
As a buyer I would sure have a hard time giving much over $15,000 for it
Sounds like you two are close enough to negotiate. $17,500 sounds about right if seller pays for repairs needed to function.
I'm thinking from my limited research 15k may be a reasonable price. Of course I haven't even decided for sure to sell it. It doesn't actually need anything to function. It runs fine now. The idler wheels are just getting worn.
Sorry if I caused any confusion, I didn't mean that as I was interested in your machine, I was saying to bam1968 that $20k for that machine seems high to me. Guess I should have worded that differently
No confusion, I was making a feeble attempt at humor.
Ohhh no we had a verbal deal! Come and get it lol. No, I never took it that way. I knew exactly what you meant. I appreciate your input.
There is a Komatsu D-31 for sale in New Hamshire in my local Craigslist for 20 grand.It looks real nice but has just been painted.I will link you to it if you like.Ron G
From the looks of that machine (clean!) and knowing the history of it, I would have a hard time selling it. Ed
Ya, Movindirt, 20K might be on the high side. But, as i'm sure you know, the seller can always come down. I just thought that it might be worth a little extra being a low houred one owner machine.
I'm thinking about selling it and buying a skid steer. I think I'd get more use out of it.
It may pay to have the undercarriage life measured by a competent person. As a buyer I would be concerned about remaining undercarrige life if the idlers are worn that much. Under carriage can easily equal half or more of the machine cost. On a side note Machinery Trader asking prices are not selling prices. Many machines are over priced there. A good place to find the real value is go to the bigger Auction outfits and see what they actually sold for.
True. Anyone can ask whatever they want for something. Being able to sell it for that is a different story. I may just trade it in if I decide to get a skid steer. Cat has a promotion going right now where you get up to 9500 over whatever they value it at. I may look into that.
I think I would have your D4E assessed by the Cat dealer as to it's overall condition. It could help you get a premium price for it. Going by the picture, I'd say it has to be one of the cleanest D4E's out there. I don't think $20K would be out of line if it runs as good as it looks. It's also a one owner machine so you know the history of it.
That is a great looking machine! If it were mine I would have a hard time parting with it, especially with its history. If that is the original paint, then you have something very special there.
It's not the original paint. It sat in the barn for years and we decided just to pull it out and clean it up good and kind of work it over. It wasn't all rusted out or anything. This was done probably 10-15 years ago.