Looking for sIt ome expert advise

[GpasGirl]

Hello all!

I am looking for a little help. My grandpa has a JD350 Crawler and I've been poking him to buy it. This is his most prized piece of farm equipment he's ever owned (and that's been a lot) It has always been stored inside but is looking a bit rough. I want to buy it from him so that it stays in the family. He is reluctant to sell it to me and my grandma thinks I'm crazy for even wanting it in the first place.

So getting pass the emotional aspects, I am really curious as to what would be a reasonable offer (knowing there are many exceptions to this number) I know that it is a 1 owner machine and I know that he's taken good mechanical care of it. Here is a link to some photos as well as the serial number. http://flickr.com/gp/capturedbydani/8F03R5/

Thanks in advance for any information you can offer.
Dani

[LeonardL]

Hey Dani,
The first thing it needs is a good bath! Besides that, before I could make any kind of judgment, I need a couple of pictures of the under carriage or the tracks. Your pictures are great but there wasn't any that showed the track system.
Given that it is a family machine and your Grandpas no less makes the worth probably more than any of us could put a price on! Do you know how many hours are on the machine?
I did a quick search for machines roughly the same age as your Grandpas here in MO and found them to be from 5K to 9K depending on whether they had a backhoe with them or not. A couple of the 5K machines were really rough! From what I can see of your Grandpas it just has some cosmetic issues. First glance to me, for the age it looks pretty good.
If you can, give us a few pictures of the tracks and that will help us a bunch.

[LeonardL]

And Welcome to the forum by the way!!

[Frankdozer]

Before you make an offer, have you driven it? Take it for a long ride around the farm if it's capable of the test. Use the bucket and dig and back drag. Raise it all the way up and listen to the pump. Open and close the bucket. Make a lot of left and right turns. Drive it in all the gears. Does it stop OK............Are there any sounds that don,t seem correct. Keep in mind a good price doesn't equal good deal. Even tho it's been in the family, keep in mind that you will bare the costs of operation and repair. And can you continue to store it inside..............................

[Frankdozer]

Also, when were " ALL " the fluids and filters, $500 or so, last changed, John Deere fluids are very expensive. Are there any leaks......... Looks like the seat needs replacement....$250 to $300...........Hoses cost a lot........3 hoses $300.........But the fun is priceless.............And a family heirloom to boot..............