Just An Observation
 

I've noticed in the last several months the prices on used parts are going for a premium. Even though parts are still available today I've noticed they are not as plentiful as they were 1 1/2 years ago and what is available is not of the high quality like they were.

I'm wondering if the 'pullers' are finally taking their toll? Or are guys holding onto what they have? Or have the parts strippers ravaged the market?

At anyrate I'm glad I got what I got when I got it.

I might do one more tractor, patience on this one though, really wait for the right deal.

Scott

Bill is right. People see what some of the stuff on ebay is pulling and they figure that theirs is worth more. its the old your stuff is trash while mine is gold syndrome.
i hate what the butchers are doing also. I can see parting out a tractor if its too expensive to repair or to just sell the roller as is. Some of the junk yards are ok to deal with but the prices are definitely going up.

Someone win the lottery and buy up the rights for the cub parts and put out some affordable parts and tractors.

It is a fine line on parting out these tractors. On one hand I am glad they are doing it because I need the parts and CC aren't plentiful around here. On the other hand it is a shame so many machines are being destroyed and put out of service. But when I weigh it, I come out on the part out side just for the cheaper parts than buying new. However, one thing that really gets me is when I see someone parting one out on ebay and they say " this came off a great running tractor". I'm thinking why in the heck did you tear it apart, and I don't doubt it a second that it was a great running tractor.
As far as prices go, you are dead on. I was looking at the 82 series side panels a couple of months ago and they where going cheap and now that I am ready to buy a set they are bringing $60-75 for a set. Also, the CC on CL and ebay are high, I mean way high. I see them asking $1200 for a rusted up barely running Cub "all it needs is an engine and you will have a great tractor". I want to email them and tell them they are out of their minds but I don't. Oh well, it looks like CC are heading down the same road as JD, high high high!!!

You guys need to move to northern Illinois. There's a lot of $2-300 running tractors (and a few overpriced ones) on craiglist that I pass up all the time...

I think part of the problem is that the parts stippers demand too-high prices for parts to begin with, and that inflates the prices for everybody else's stuff too because they think that if someone else can get that much, so can they. If everyone could be patient and wait for a decent deal, the parts strippers would move less stuff and the prices should come back down again.

Or maybe I should just shut up and let prices be high, as I have a LOT of NF stuff to sell one of these days...

If you guys in the East and Mid-West think you got it tough, try finding any vintage Cubbies.....or parts.......out here in California. :bigeyes:

ABSOLUTLY
midyearguru, well said, all my parts come from back east :)

Don't forget me up in Canada Jason! You got a real deal up here!

Very true Tyler,
Thank you very much Sir :)

Well I can see why some people do this I bought a 149 for $40, I can piece it out and make 10 times that amount of money.

I have noticed the same situation as Scott originally posted.

As another reason, we here at OCC (as well as the other Cub Cadet Forums) contribute to the problem in a small way also. We bring awareness and enthusiasm to Cub Cadets. It makes them a popular tractor to buy, restore, and use. This fans the desire to buy parts. IIRC correctly from my high school economics class, the law of "supply and demand" takes place. With MTD making the older Cub Cadets parts NLA, drives the prices further.

So, there are a lot of reasons driving the parts prices.

BUT...on a bright note, there are few exceptions that we can't get any part we want, to keep the popular 45+ yr old tractors up and running.