Background Technique
These 7 tractors are a great investment
The price of second-hand tractors has risen sharply in recent years. Not only because collectors – also in times of corona – put their savings in coveted rare models, but also because users more often opt for a youngtimer. Which models are ideal as an investment? We list seven of them.
There is not one single factor that drives older tractors to increase in value. The fact is that this has been happening steadily over the last fifteen to twenty years. Even for a wreck on wheels, amounts above €4000 are being asked these days. Whether the buyer gets it is another matter. It is also a fact that the corona crisis has certainly not caused a decrease in value. The opposite is true. Because money is saved on other fronts and people are at home more, investments are made in fun things such as a tractor.
Savings in tractors
This brings us to a third important reason: the savings are no longer worth anything. Saving even costs money and, as the ECB likes to see it, is therefore spent earlier. Preferably something valuable like a collectable, which with a bit of luck will be worth more. And why not? If you choose a popular model, you are relatively safe, you have a lot of fun and it can also be useful.
Then number four drove. Perhaps the most important. Youngtimer tractors are increasingly being bought by professional or semi-professional users. A category of farmers, contractors, earth movers and the like is increasingly tired of buying new equipment. To start with, the screechingly high prices for a tractor. Annually 5% will be added and this year easily 10% to 15%. In addition, the technology does not become more reliable. Emission requirements have resulted in a load of sensors and interference-sensitive technology. The depreciation of such a new John Deere, Fendt or New Holland is shocking in the first few years. Why not choose a slightly older model? The head is off, the technology is (more) reliable and the comfort is not bad. In the last fifteen years tractors have become more complex and not necessarily better. If you are not on it for 2000 hours a year and you are an enthusiast, you will be much happier on a 7810 than on a 7R310.
Record amounts for classics
The situation in the Netherlands is not entirely comparable to that abroad. This is partly due to the fact that a tractor that is built in our own country is usually more popular. Germans spend a fortune on Schlüter, the English pay record amounts for County and Americans do the same with John Deere. A 7810 was delivered in the US last fall sold for $170.000 (with 914 hours). Converted €150.240. In England a collector bought a counties 1474 for €248.847. Very high amounts are paid, especially at auctions.
A coveted classic retains its value, but also requires a substantial investment. How much does a $7810K 150 or a nearly a quarter million county rise? The price may well double in the next 25 years, who knows. They remain exceptions that are reserved for a very select group of people. It is better to buy a tractor that does not yet have real classic status, but will in 25 years' time. How do you spot such a classic to-be. We list seven of them.
John Deere 7530 - $30.000 to $60.000
Abroad, the 7530 sometimes has a dubious reputation. The model was not without problems. In our country, the type - and to a lesser extent its little brother the 7430 - was quite a popular tractor among contractors and large arable farmers. They filled in the gap left by the 7810 and are similar in many ways, but more comfortable and modern. We think that the 7530 could become a real classic. Prices on the second-hand market vary widely. There is exactly one for sale in the Netherlands, which shows that they are in high demand. Abroad, you usually don't come across them with the stepless Autopower gearbox that was very popular here. Is a 7530 too big for your business? Then look at the 6430 or 6420. They are also very stable in value. If you prefer a Deere with American genes (like the 7810 had), make the switch to the 7020 series. Those are in terms of reputation better than the later 30 series.
New Holland T7070 - €35.000 - €60.000
With the modern tractors (say from 2005) the beautiful engine sound disappeared. Not with the New Holland T7000. The flute and the raw roar from the thick pipe is unmistakable for this series. The series was launched in 2007 and two years later the new top model T7070 followed, together with the super reliable Auto Command cvt transmission. It was also the tractor that was available in the Blue Power version for the first time. A Dutch invention by the way! I think this type will have a real cult following in the future. Especially models that have relatively few hours and are well maintained. Also a real contractor and counterpart of the 7530. If you can find a good one, be careful with it!
Fendt 930 Vario - from €50.000
In 2002, the immensely popular 900 series from Fendt was already due for its third update. The men from Marktoberdorf immediately added a new top model: the 930. With 300 horses under the hood, which is pumped out by a thick MAN 6,87 liters. 'Who needs such a heavy tractor now?' was a frequently heard argument at the time. It ended up being a sales stunner for Fendt. There are areas in the Netherlands and Belgium where you as a contractor would not be taken seriously at all without 930. All-rounder, king of comfort and cult icon. You can still taste the original Favorit 900 in its fibers, but with a little more comfort from the cramped but usable cabin. On the internet you have to search 930's with a magnifying glass. Copies with less than 10.000 hours are hard to find. On the 930, 20.000 is the new 10.000. And you pay a little over €50K for that. But, it's worth it.
Valtra 8950 - €25.000 - €50.000
Might be the wildcard in this list, but don't rule out Valtra's 8950. The last of the long square-nosed series and built between 1998 and 2002 as a successor to the equally popular 8750. The 7,36 Sigma engine was the first to have a power boost. Not a CVT model but a powershift. That takes some getting used to, but for a Valtra rider it's a piece of cake. The cabin is not the most luxurious or spacious, but everything functions as it should. Used 8950's, 8550's or 8750's are rare. Also tractors that have usually run many hours. We think they could become very collectible with the die-hard fans.
Case IH Maxxum 135 - €25.000 - €35.000
We could also have opted for the showpiece MX 170, but not a top model for a change. The series builds on the good reputation that Case IH established with the original Maxxums. Everything is there that should be on it and no more than that. Front axle suspension was optionally available. The gearbox with powershift is easy to switch and in the cabin it is still fine. The most recently built models are slightly more luxurious. They were even built by McCormick after the factory in Doncaster had already been sold.
Massey Ferguson 6499 - €27.500 - €40.000
Perhaps a somewhat strange choice, but for a change opted for a model that you don't come across very often. The 6499, especially the first model built between 2003 and 2006 as a successor to the 8200 series. In the Netherlands, the stepless variant (7400) was more popular than the 6400 with its 32x32 Dynashift. There is little wrong with the engine – a 7,4 liter Sisu block. The cabin is good. It can be found on all models, including the popular 6480. Due to its rarity and striking appearance, the 6499 may well be a classic in the making.
Claas Atles 936 - €28.000 - €40.000
As a wildcard in this list we have chosen the Atles series by Claas. Perhaps a somewhat strange choice, but it could easily become a classic that is still for sale for a reasonable price. If you can find one… In the Netherlands probably no more than five to ten were sold new. The Renault version – which actually developed the Atles series – is perhaps just as good an investment and slightly older. A small group of enthusiasts have something with this mastodon, the last convulsion of the illustrious French brand. It was delivered under the Claas flag until 2007/08, but mostly in Eastern Europe.
The above list is also mainly intended for fun. Please don't take it too seriously. All brands and all types have their problems. One a little more than the other. If you see more benefit in a Steyr CVT 170, Deutz-Fahr Agrotron 265 or Same Rubin, that is of course fine. In the first place, it is important to choose a tractor that you are comfortable with and that you enjoy driving. Which tractor do you think is a future classic? Let me know in the comments!
10 tips when buying a classic
- Opt for a copy with relatively low hours whenever possible. Always pays back
- A more luxurious trim level is always more in demand
- Electronics are no problem. It's a myth that only 'mechanical' tractors are classics
- Preferably choose the heaviest model from the series. Those are the most coveted
- Looking across the border can be rewarding. France is especially popular, but there are hardly any bargains
- Check in advance whether there are still enough parts available
- Tractors that are usable on a daily basis are preferred
- A brand with a strong identity such as John Deere and Fendt is (more) stable
- History pays. If you know the history of the tractor, this certainly has added value
- Unrefurbished handsome tractors are just as in demand as a fully restored one
Niels van der Boom
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