Can't believe the prices people are asking for used skidders

[logman81]

Just been surfing the net and I'm amazed at what people are asking for for used twenty plus year old skidders!

[sawguy21]

They can ask but that doesn't necessarily mean they will get it. Time for some serious negotiation.

[Ed_K]

 Some of those ad's are for selling other people's machines for twice the price.Saw a jd440a for $35000.  .I can't see buying a machine for more than it went for new.

[ohiowoodchuck]

Prices are high on dozers and skidders in ohio. Funny thing is you go 2hrs south into kentucky. You can buy both pieces of equipment for the asking price of one in ohio. I'm talking about 450dozer and 440 skidder.

[Woodhauler]

back in 1982 after my grandfather died the family sold off his farming equipment. Gramp always kept things top notch! He had bought a 3020 jd power shift diesal tractor in 67 i think and it sold for mor in 82 then he paid for it! Never sat a nite outside! Only milked 40 cows so that was his baby!

[ohiowoodchuck]

I've noticed that too about tractors. My buddy has a mint 2550 jd he bought new in the 80's. Now they won't more used for them than what he paid new for it. He is proud of that tractor said it's only set outside for three nights since he owned it.

[logman81]

They can ask big money for a old skidder but that doesn't mean their going to get it. Some brands seem to hold more value then others. Seems some people think there skidder is made of gold.

[barbender]

It seems regional- around here, an old cable skidder (I'm talking pre-1980's) like a Timberjack, Treefarmer, or Pettibone that runs, has tires that hold air, and the winch works, brings $5000. That's what I paid for mine, and it was ready to go to work. From the little bit I've looked at prices in the northeast, it seems the price would be double that. I think the difference is that you guys actually still use cable skidders to make a living over there, where here there are very few guys doing so. Everything has went to mechanical harvesting and grapple skidders or CTL crews. People have cable skidders for firewood or nostalgia it seems (here). We don't have much in the way of nice hardwood forests, the vast majority of our timber is managed for pulpwood. It seems wherever there is high grade hardwood to thin, the cable skidder is doing well- and the prices of the machines reflects that.

[barbender]

I'd also add that JD skidders seem to bring about 50% more than other brands.

[BargeMonkey]

 You have to look at the market when your pricing a used machine, around here clean cable skidders don't exist, and the little guys dont have a lowboy to wanna move a big skidder. My 450C has been in the paper about 2 wks and i will know tomorrow if its gone, the clean stuff doesn't sit long.

[timberlinetree]

Sometimes it seems to have to do with the market. Wood selling everyone wants one. Wood not selling they sit for awhile and go down in price.

[David-L]

I will only make one comment, that is Condition, condition, condition. Compared to a payment for a new machine alot of these used machines are priced fair IMO. You can also buy cheap and sink alot back into them quick and still have a marginal machine. I have been that route before. Its' up to the buyer to make the final decision.

                          David l

[coxy]

a few things     over 200k for a new one   15k and up for a used one   smaller plots of land  lower wood price   ill stick with used  the most my dad ever spent on a skidder was 11k back in 80-81 and  2after that 5k and 6k and still have them  3years ago I hit the jack pot and got a 81 518 cat for 5k and drove it 3miles home  so its used for me and I wont pay over 10k for one that's just me

[tantoy]

It seems regional- around here, an old cable skidder (I'm talking pre-1980's) like a Timberjack, Treefarmer, or Pettibone that runs, has tires that hold air, and the winch works, brings $5000. That's what I paid for mine, and it was ready to go to work. From the little bit I've looked at prices in the northeast, it seems the price would be double that. I think the difference is that you guys actually still use cable skidders to make a living over there, where here there are very few guys doing so. Everything has went to mechanical harvesting and grapple skidders or CTL crews. People have cable skidders for firewood or nostalgia it seems (here). We don't have much in the way of nice hardwood forests, the vast majority of our timber is managed for pulpwood. It seems wherever there is high grade hardwood to thin, the cable skidder is doing well- and the prices of the machines reflects that.

The comment about the pre 80's stuff at 5-k is exactly true around here.

[deastman]

back in 1982 after my grandfather died the family sold off his farming equipment. Gramp always kept things top notch! He had bought a 3020 jd power shift diesal tractor in 67 i think and it sold for mor in 82 then he paid for it! Never sat a nite outside! Only milked 40 cows so that was his baby!

I was at the auction of your grandfather's farm, my father bulldozed for your grandfather with his D 7 around the farm clearing land and ditching!

[HiTech]

For one thing no one in this country that I know of makes small skidders. Land owners don't want to see 748's on their 20 acre chunk. Small dozers are a thing of the past also. 350 and 450 size machines are or will be shortly out of production. Deere, Case, and others. C4, C5, 440, 540 size machines are handy and easy to move around. As are small Jacks. I guess if you cut pulp and need a 1000 loads a week to pay the help then big machines are the way to go. Like everything else it is about supply/demand. Seems in my area there is a demand for them and they keep their value. I love mine for firewood and small logging jobs. I have been offered more than twice what I paid for it. For one it is in excellent condition and there are a lot of old guys like me that want to dabble in a little wood. I may even make a grapple for it someday. lol Don't laugh it can be done...we made one for a 450 dozer, the slickest thing you ever saw. Great for bunching or short skids. 

[logman81]

I agree to a certain extent about condition but still think most of the skidders in the northeast are over priced some of them not all of them.

[redprospector]

The value of any given object is what the buyer, and the seller agree on. I think that new pickup trucks are way over priced, but that doesn't change the fact that there are buyers out there that think that $55,000.00 is a good price on a new pickup truck.
Pricing is generally a regional thing (supply and demand). I have not bought a pickup, or piece of equipment locally in years. Sometimes I have to travel well over 1000 miles to look at something, but if I have the potential to get what I need and save well above travel and transportation cost, then I figure it's a good investment.

[BargeMonkey]

 Try and find a low hour 540-g3, if you do they bring 100k plus. Landing loaders and dozers are cheap, but a good clean skidder or log truck is gone quick.

[coxy]

totally agree with you  ;D

[Woodhauler]

back in 1982 after my grandfather died the family sold off his farming equipment. Gramp always kept things top notch! He had bought a 3020 jd power shift diesal tractor in 67 i think and it sold for mor in 82 then he paid for it! Never sat a nite outside! Only milked 40 cows so that was his baby!

I was at the auction of your grandfather's farm, my father bulldozed for your grandfather with his D 7 around the farm clearing land and ditching!

Rode a time or two on that ole d7!

[celliott]

It seems regional- around here, an old cable skidder (I'm talking pre-1980's) like a Timberjack, Treefarmer, or Pettibone that runs, has tires that hold air, and the winch works, brings $5000. That's what I paid for mine, and it was ready to go to work. From the little bit I've looked at prices in the northeast, it seems the price would be double that. I think the difference is that you guys actually still use cable skidders to make a living over there, where here there are very few guys doing so. Everything has went to mechanical harvesting and grapple skidders or CTL crews. People have cable skidders for firewood or nostalgia it seems (here). We don't have much in the way of nice hardwood forests, the vast majority of our timber is managed for pulpwood. It seems wherever there is high grade hardwood to thin, the cable skidder is doing well- and the prices of the machines reflects that.

The comment about the pre 80's stuff at 5-k is exactly true around here.

Yeah, around here that's a 10-15k machine, and a 5k machine is parts\scrap.
Weird.
But I think barbender hit the nail on the head, here in VT there is still quite a few guys running small cable machines every day.

[logman81]

A lot of us around here still use cable machines and the demand for then is still strong.

[Kodiakmac]

[/quote]

Yeah, around here that's a 10-15k machine, and a 5k machine is parts\scrap.
Weird.
But I think barbender hit the nail on the head, here in VT there is still quite a few guys running small cable machines every day.
[/quote]

That's pretty much it around here too.  If you do your homework $12 grand is gong to get you a really good skidder in the 70 - 80hp range.  Any diesel skidders I've seen for 5 or 6 grand have been jury-rigged junk.  However, I have come across a few small gas-powered skidders in that price range that were in decent shape. 

[teakwood]

when i bought my 540A the seller was asking for 24k, its a 71year model! so i told him that he is way of with that price! There are maybe 15-25 deere skidders (440s and 540s) in Costa Rica, i have never seen an other brand here. As logging business has almost died in Costa Rica i am sure i was the only buyer with the money in the pocket and i am also pretty sure that this was the only skidder in decent shape for sale at this time. so long story short i offered him 12k and he tooked it! We are good friends now and i ask him if he regrat the sale and he told me that he never did. he rater have the money than a machine laying around he will never us again and also liked that his machine will be in good hands.
I put about 3k in that machine the last 2 years for new cable and chokers and some parts and oil changes. she is in pretty good shape and i eliminated all oil leaks! I park my skidder in the shop after working and there is not one oildrop on the floor the next morning! ;D