EBAY Cub Prices

[John(videodoc)]

Is it just me, or are Ebay prices for cub lately been extremely inflated. Seems like they are going 1000 or more than what i would consider paying for them?

Course it is coming up to the mowing and field work season, and i wasnt paying as close attention last yr at this time.

[gitractorman]

Something that you have to keep in mind about e-bay and prices, is the whole reason that makes e-bay work.

The only person looking at that auction is someone who is looking for that exact (or similar) item. Unlike a site auction or garage sale, where people are looking through the junk just to see what might be a good deal. On e-bay, the only way you find something is to do a search for it, which means that you must have been looking for that particular item.

Now, another thing to keep in mind about Farmall Cubs and other older tractors/collectables... An increasingly growing portion of the "buyers" of these items are wealthy, professionals, who have never owned something like this in the past, and know almost nothing about it. Similar to the Harley Davidson riders of late. They are not the low-life, poor, drug addicts, etc. that were often depicted in movies. Look closely the next time you see a group of new Harleys going down the road, they are your local doctors, lawyers, VPs, CEOs, etc. These people have lots of money, and when they decide that they want something, they buy it with relatively little shopping around for prices.

Yes, e-bay prices are elevated, but this is why. Yes, you can still hunt around and find great deals on equipment, even on e-bay, but you have to keep in mind how things work, and most of all you have to keep in mind what it is worth to you. Would I sell my cub right now for $1500, NO WAY. If someone comes up to my tractor at a show or auction and offers me $4500, it is gone!

[Merlin]

Is it just me, or are Ebay prices for cub lately been extremely inflated. Seems like they are going 1000 or more than what i would consider paying for them?

Course it is coming up to the mowing and field work season, and i wasnt paying as close attention last yr at this time.

How about this gas tank on e-bay? 7584656192 I've bought and sold whole running Cubs for less than that. I've also given away tanks in better shape, and the most I ever got for a perfect tank when I had them was fifty dollars.

[400lbsonacubseatspring]

Now, another thing to keep in mind about Farmall Cubs and other older tractors/collectables... An increasingly growing portion of the "buyers" of these items are wealthy, professionals, who have never owned something like this in the past, and know almost nothing about it. . They are not the low-life, poor, drug addicts, etc. that were often depicted in movies. Look closely the next time you see a group of new Harleys going down the road, they are your local doctors, lawyers, VPs, CEOs, etc. These people have lots of money, and when they decide that they want something, they buy it with relatively little shopping around for prices.

Well, I'm glad all those professionals are getting those cubs out of the hands of low-life, poor, drug addicts....

[Bill B]

Ebay has leveled the playing field. The folks in the parts of the country where an item is cheap are surprised by a higher price, and folks in the parts where an item is expensive are also surprised. Cubs are expensive in the northeast, where they are still used by small farms, hobby farms, nursery farms, and folks with a few acres. In other parts of the country, where farming is large scale, and land is open, and it is common to own hundreds of acres, a cub may bring less.
Shipping is always an issue with large items, so that factors into the deal.

[Don McCombs]

IMHO, eBay hasn't really leveled the playing field, it's raised the price of used Cub parts to the highest common demoninator. Now I have to compete with that wealthy professional, to whom money is no object.

[gitractorman]

I disagree. Yes, e-bay has leveled the playing field, but now the playing field is worldwide rather than your back yard. Again, you have to keep in mind the e-bay philosophy. You are only dealing with (buying, selling, bidding against) people who are looking for that particular item.

If that is your only resource for buying items, then the playing field is completely level, and you are limited to dealing with the market price that that specific market segment will pay.

I personally do not buy much of anything from e-bay, as I have found much better (price, quality, friendlyness, and reliability) resources such as this forum to find items that I need. When I do buy something on e-bay, I know what I am willing to pay for it, as I have established the value to me personally. Last night for example, I was bidding on a Cub Lo-boy down in Ohio, just because I wanted the 60" mower deck off of it. I was willing to drop $1000 for that tractor, because between the time for me to go pick it up, and my potential resale of the tractor without the mower, I had determined that $1000 was my personal value of the item. I was out-bid, and the tractor went for $1010. This did not upset me at all, because I had made the contious effort to establish my personal value, and somone else valued that item more than I did. Would I have paid $1010, maybe. Can I find another tractor and mower for that price.. Definitely.

On the other hand, I am quite happy with e-bay as a place for selling items. I have had people come from all over the northeast (Eastern NY, NJ, Conn, MD, PA, OH, MI, even Ontario and Nova Scotia) to pick up tractors and equipment that I have sold on e-bay. I have also shipped parts that I have sold on e-bay to all over the country, including Seattle, WA, California, Nebraska, Florida, Texas, and the list goes on. There is no other forum that opens your items up to such a wide audience, and again, the audience is only looking at your item if it is something they are actively in search of.

I don't intend to piss off anyone, but unfortunately or fortunately, this is 2006 and this is the way things are.

[Buzzard Wing]

Yep, Cubs are plentiful here... but NEVER for sale. I went 1,000 miles to fetch my eBay Cub, Rufus.

Ebay has has leveled the playing field to a certain extent, but I believe that 'collectors' of some items have been saturated with what they are looking for. In other words, most stuff does not bring the money it would have a few years ago. It is a buyers marketplace. Although it is good to clean out the garage, most items don't draw the money to make it worthwhile. Except for Cub carburetors.

As for the price of Cubs.... I don't think they are out of line with the real world. The least expensive 'garden tractor' at sears.com is $2000, with a mower deck. And a snow blade and wheel weights are readily available. But in 50 years it will be dust and my Cub will still be running. (worth more money too??) .

The other thing about Cubs is that they are more valuable than a lot of other old iron because they are small enough to be useful to a larger group of people.

It is not just eBay. At the auction where I bought my 50 Cub two cubs with 'decent' paint jobs went for $2000 each. Although one had a fast hitch and one had a 54 blade they were not exceptional. One was even blowing black smoke out the oil fill.

Sure wish I had bought more Harley stock back in 91....

[Bigdog]

The truth of the matter is that there are still cub bargains out there if you look for them. Many decent cubs can be purchased for under $1000. And if you're willing to do a little work, you can get good project tractors for $500 - $600. Remember, everyone doesn't use the internet.

[Cub-Bud]

"And if you're willing to do a little work, you can get good project tractors for $500 - $600."

[grumpy]

I agree that Ebay prices can get out of hand but it's the shoppers that put it there. The best way to find a cub at a reasonable price is contacts, contacts,and contacts,Plus doing a lot of legwork. If you see a cub or parts for sale by the owner,ask them if they have a computer and know what Ebay is... If the answer is NO you can usually deal pretty good with them.

[Don McCombs]

gitractorman,

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Don't get me wrong, I have bought and sold on eBay, but you'll have to admit that the prices are generally inflated for good Cub parts. That's great for sellers and not-so-great for buyers. As has gotten to be the case in this and every other collecting hobby, these days you have to be prepared to pay big $$$ to play. As was said above, looking and buying local is where the good deals are now.

[phantom]

look how many miles of back roads you dont have to drive up and down to find that cub on e-pay. i have near 500 miles total in locating attachments, and still, i would take less for cub and attachments than i have seen bare cubs go for. there ARE still deals out there for less money, but what will you pay to find them.

[Mike Schmudlach]

I just bought a really niceYellow 1961 Cub lowboy with brand new rear tires etc...... for $1550 on Ebay.

Awhile back I bought a 1955 Cub highcrop for $1500.

I bought them both at the "Buy It Now" price.

Mike

[allenlook]

I'd consider a LowBoy, but I don't know if my L-59, IH-1000, Cub-22 or 54 grader/leveler would work on them?