Still retired still bored

DMiller · May 10, 2019

So I scan CL and FB Marketplace as well odd ads as I find them on trucks. WTH is up with the low life's? Late 90's piecemeal body shop rejects come up A LOT, not much paint NO matching paint most times, quotes as "engine was making noise we don't want to fool with" or "Just needs a little TLC while Road Ready" but notes needs a starter or batteries are missing. These wonky weirdos ask what would be Market Price for model year of a running top shape machine, just ignorantly stupid.

My favorite of recent note, a 2000 379 Pete, 3406E, "Needs a Engine EVE, will not accelerate with throttle" odometer showing 900,000+ and asking $26500.00, not a unwrinkled section of metal on the cab.

Birken Vogt · May 10, 2019

It is like that here and on ebay too. The nice thing about ebay is you can sort things so the reasonable items come up first.

I saw something I wanted built in the 1940s. Seller asking 2/3 of the price of a brand new one. I asked if he had any way to move it onto a trailer. He said no you have to drag it out. Several counties over and would have to rent a fork lift to drag it out of his weeds onto my trailer. Whereas I could just drive to the wholesaler and get a new one stuck on my trailer. I offered him what I thought was a fair price minus all my expenses. Didn't come out to much. He never responded after that. He has been dropping the price slowly but nowhere near what it needs.

But the kicker is, the ad says he needs it removed ASAP.

DMiller · May 10, 2019

Seen those as well Birken, "Need Gone Today" three weeks later, "Asking price reduction" where they drop $100 and STILL no sale. Called a guy on a pretty well derelict 977K, machine not been moved in fifteen years per ad, "Uncertain of issues but was stopped by a failure of some kind". Asking price $22,000, justification was weighed ~44,000 lbs and scrap would net that much. Called him on that as to scrap at $100-110/ton that being ~22 tons only worth $2100-2500 Scrap thought he added one too many zeros, He hung up. Ad disappeared but know where the machine is and still untouched.

Blstr88 · May 10, 2019

Its not just trucks/heavy equipment - everyone wants top dollar for their junk on CL in particular.

Something thats $2000 brand new, its 5 years old and they're asking $1900 firm. Who would buy something used to save such a small amount?

My general rule of thumb is 40%. If Im not saving at least 40% then I'll spend the extra $ to go new.

Good deals pop up every now and then but you have to be ready to pounce. Trailer and cash ready to go, make the call and go get it ASAP. A lot of people must keep a close eye on these listings and when a good deal pops up it does not last.

Old Doug · May 10, 2019

I like to look at CL but i have had a 98% failure rate with it.

colson04 · May 10, 2019

Like @Blstr88 said, the beat deals move quick and you had better be ready to go pick it up when it pops up.

All of my best finds on Craigslist have been pure luck at being the first to see an ad and being available to chase it down right then.

Truck Shop · May 10, 2019

{Well maintained with only 145,000 miles and only 4 F@RTs in the driver seat} If it was so well maintained why is it for sale?

Birken Vogt · May 10, 2019

I did get an OK deal on one piece of machinery. But it took 4-6 months IIRC. The guy was asking about twice what I thought it was worth. I told him cash in hand at my price whenever he wanted. He declined the first time. I reminded him every couple months I was still there. Eventually he decided nobody else was going to buy it and saw it my way.

Ct Farmer · May 10, 2019

I've seen those crazy ads wanting huge bucks for large piles of rust with "just needs an engine and undercarriage to be perfect" .

Having said that I've scored some amazing deals on CL and ebay. Got a hyraulic hose crimper with several hundred fittings at roughly 5% of new cost. Just ebayed a new gear reduction unit for $150 shipped. New is over 3k. Found plenty of genuine Cat parts for way under dealer cost.

Deals are there but you better be ready to buy quickly.

funwithfuel · May 11, 2019

Often times I see, for example. Mint 72 Plymouth duster. All original, numbers matching survivor. 10,000. In reality it's a beat up rust bucket with flintstone floors and a slant six. Puke yellow or babysh!t green with a purple door on one side and blue on the other. Actual value, whatever the junkyard will give you.

Spud_Monkey · May 12, 2019

Guess I scored on my '86 S1900 International beverage truck for only $750. Minus needed new transmission, brake rotors were gone, rear axle wasn't splitting and GVW is 28k needing a CDL to drive.
Tossed the 5 speed Spicer for Eaton 6 speed $250
Slapped new clutch on $300
Replaced both front rotors, pads, brake lines, and calipers $1500
Tossed the bench seat for air seats $400
Replaced gear splitter motor $125
New hub seals and oil seals $Unknown
Added bumper pull hitch system $450
New LED tail lights $20
Rewired from cab back for trailer and brake lights $100
Last but not least cut half the beverage truck body part off made about $500 in aluminum.

Still more to do though one paycheck at a time and have gotten my use out of it using as hauler for my camper on the back past 1200 miles.

DMiller · May 13, 2019

We both more or less scored on the old junk
Have $6900 total in mine now with steel, brakes, lumber, bed, brake tubing, also configured bumper hitch added electric brake control rewired from cab wall to back of truck, paint supplies, and replaced all the external lamps but the front t/s assemblies, with a small carload of small crap along the way.

Money pits, got to have projects.

Spud_Monkey · May 13, 2019

DMiller said:
We both more or less scored on the old junk
Have $6900 total in mine now with steel, brakes, lumber, bed, brake tubing, also configured bumper hitch added electric brake control rewired from cab wall to back of truck, paint supplies, and replaced all the external lamps but the front t/s assemblies, with a small carload of small crap along the way.

Money pits, got to have projects.

Money pits yet have paid the fraction of the price for one new. I just ran 7 wire cord for my trailer brakes and rear brake lights on truck and trailer to junction box and splits from there. Now just need to find time to actually wire brake controller up hehe.
Moved from Washington state to Montana and glad I bought my tractor in Washington state. Tractors are ridiculous on price here as I seen from doing same thing as the OP does, surfing CL for old equipment.
Bought a Zetor 9545 with broken frame for $3500 comes with front end loader, gannon, and post hole digger. Not a small toy to play with http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/001/7/1/1717-zetor-9540.html yet found one smaller on CL out here for $14,000 https://billings.craigslist.org/grd/d/shepherd-zetor-5245/6865124125.html Broken frame can be replaced easily with couple flat stock pieces, drill few holes and weld the mounts for the front end loader. Found diesel work trucks are cheaper in Texas too.

colson04 · May 13, 2019

Spud_Monkey said:
Found diesel work trucks are cheaper in Texas too.

Because Texas is flooded with Diesel and Trucks.

That said, be damned careful buying a used diesel pickup from Texas. A lot of them on Craigslist are oilfield company trucks and those trucks are religiously used and abused. I've worked with guys that never changed air filters, never checked coolant, oil changes intervals got strung out 10,000+ miles, etc. I looked at buying a couple down here because I thought the price was a deal on an 8 year old truck, and then I saw the carnage under the hood and walked away. There are some good deals, but it takes due diligence to inspect a truck properly to vet it out.

Spud_Monkey · May 13, 2019

colson04 said:
Because Texas is flooded with Diesel and Trucks.

That said, be damned careful buying a used diesel pickup from Texas. A lot of them on Craigslist are oilfield company trucks and those trucks are religiously used and abused. I've worked with guys that never changed air filters, never checked coolant, oil changes intervals got strung out 10,000+ miles, etc. I looked at buying a couple down here because I thought the price was a deal on an 8 year old truck, and then I saw the carnage under the hood and walked away. There are some good deals, but it takes due diligence to inspect a truck properly to vet it out.

Born and raised in Texas and I can attest to that! Best to stick with medium to small towns if buying trucks from there. Another outlining problem is the dry rot from down there and all else in the south, just as the rust from the rust belt states and the problems with most windshield wiper systems in some form in Pacific Northwest states.

old-iron-habit · May 13, 2019

I need to let this one go. Not trying to make anything off of it, just need to lighten the load around here and make room in the machine shed for other toys. It currently has collector plates and insurance on it so it could be driven a reasonable distance to it's new home although I probably would not aim for every scale on the way. Looking for $2,800.00 for it. Mainly want to get it to someone who wants to spend some hours on it and restore it. There was not a lot of these Titans built in 79. I was going to use it for a toy hauler to go to shows but then my KW came into view and I switched directions. Here's a few pictures. It has a Cummins 335(?) with a 13 speed. 10 ft deck with a 18-1/2 ft dump behind that. It hauled trusses in ND for its 180,000 mile working life is what I was told. Then sat on a potato farm for many years waiting for a potato bed that never happened until it ended up on auction.

Spud_Monkey · May 14, 2019

old-iron-habit said:
I need to let this one go. Not trying to make anything off of it, just need to lighten the load around here and make room in the machine shed for other toys. It currently has collector plates and insurance on it so it could be driven a reasonable distance to it's new home although I probably would not aim for every scale on the way. Looking for $2,800.00 for it. Mainly want to get it to someone who wants to spend some hours on it and restore it. There was not a lot of these Titans built in 79. I was going to use it for a toy hauler to go to shows but then my KW came into view and I switched directions. Here's a few pictures. It has a Cummins 335(?) with a 13 speed. 10 ft deck with a 18-1/2 ft dump behind that. It hauled trusses in ND for its 180,000 mile working life is what I was told. Then sat on a potato farm for many years waiting for a potato bed that never happened until it ended up on auction. View attachment 196582 View attachment 196583

Six hundred and eighty miles from me, what a tease. Problem is I would want to strip one the rear axles off...

old-iron-habit · May 16, 2019

Spud_Monkey said:
Six hundred and eighty miles from me, what a tease. Problem is I would want to strip one the rear axles off...

Come on over. I have the tools.

Spud_Monkey · May 16, 2019

old-iron-habit said:
Come on over. I have the tools.

In that scenario I will leave mine behind and bring the beer and liquor in its place.

I'm in the middle of acquiring a CDL and need to put an emergency brake on my International that will pass as actual emergency brake when I take the road test. Don't know which way to turn though I solved the speedometer problem, just buy one from Autometer with GPS antennae. When I replaced the transmission in my rig the other one I put in came without a transmission brake and digital not analog speedometer. Passed written part of the test Class A combination after 2 weeks of studying, and people go to school to get one of these why?

DMiller · May 17, 2019

I still have my Hazmat on the Class A, going to let that drop this next go round. Took less than 15 minutes the last time to take the renewal test, three MSHP guys were watching it happen as I took it on Computer, one was watching me to see how I was cheating!! When done the guy at the counter asked how I did that to which I asked did what, he stated the three of them had taken the test, none took less than 25 minutes and none got as many correct as I did. Told him been taking that test for over 30 years, study up for updates and changes but pretty well know the rules by heart. Just shook his head and handed me my license.

Still retired still bored

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