Should I try to sell project mowers whole, part them out, or just scrap them?

[cmw]

I have several project mowers I have accumulated over the years and never gotten to. At this point I have been busy with work and would rather not spend my free time working on these.

The first three are all definitely parts or repair units. I looked up what the used parts were going for on eBay but didn't want to go to all that trouble and tried selling them on a few local Facebook Marketplace sites as well as Craigslist. I tried selling them for $100 and had no luck on them. Most are missing one key part or another (transmission, engine, and deck) so wouldn't be workable without some parts. They would also make great parts donors since most have good tires that hold air, hoods on all, parts and pieces such as brackets and small hardware. The hoods and decks appear to be quite costly. All have hoods and all but one has a deck. The one without the deck is complete otherwise and I don't think the work on the engine would be all that difficult. I might fix that one and keep it around as little utility tractor.

I don't have a ton of time but these are just eyesores at this point. My main complaint about using Facebook Marketplace was that the people seemed to not know how to contact me. That ad said "calls only" like 3x times but they tried messaging and then wanted to waste a bunch of my time, tell sob stories, etc. It was like these people couldn't function in society and are just sitting at home with nothing better to do than cause drama but not face to face of course since they are anti-social. It has gotten to the point where I don't want to even deal with these people anymore and would rather send them down the road as scrap if it comes to that.

Has anyone had luck selling parts on eBay from units like this? Is it worth it? I would probably keep the tires and wheels as they fit others I own and are good. The hoods are worthless to me but looks like used ones always bring $100 or more in the condition mine are in. I figured the transmissions might be worth keeping and selling as well if I scrap them. I really don't want to make a career out of getting rid of these so wanted to see what was best. Charities don't want them unless they are able to start and run. I actually pulled the engine off the STX30 for use in another one once I realized that they were going to sell for anything locally.

The models are described below in case this makes a difference.

Cub Cadet 1330 (needs engine, some wiring work, and a lever).
John Deere STX30 (worst of them all. Has deck and hood but missing engine, wheels, and transmission but has many other small parts)
John Deere Model 111 (This is probably the best. It appears complete except for the deck is missing. The engine turns over and has compression but I haven't even tried starting it)

I am interested in eBaying if it isn't going to be a headache and I can make some money. Otherwise I just want them gone as scrap.

Conor

 

[BlazNT]

Last year I thinned my herd by 5 mowers. Found someone on Craig's list to come pick them up. Doubled my money and did nothing to them.

 

[cmw]

Last year I thinned my herd by 5 mowers. Found someone on Craig's list to come pick them up. Doubled my money and did nothing to them.

I see you are also in Missouri. Which part? I am in a rural area near Rolla, about 100 miles SW of St. Louis. NO ONE wants to pay for anything here unless it is perfect. I tried Criagslist but didn't get any replies. I may try once more before giving up. The no replies from Craiglist was better than the replies from people on FB who couldn't read or write, felt entitled to everything, or just like to waste my time and their time for sport.

I am going to keep trying until I have more free time to get them broken down and hauled in for scrap. As I said I plan to keep the hoods and a few other high value parts.

I did sell one on the first day. It looked the best but wasn't really the best unit of them all. One thing I have found when dealing with lower-end customers is that they care more about the looks than if it actually works well. I guess that is where they are in life.

Conor

 

[BlazNT]

I am in Springfield Mo. I called one of the "I will buy broken mowers" guys. I knew it would be a hard sale so I way over priced them and he got me down to a price I let them go for. I was only trying to get back what I paid for them but I got lucky. He sold the old Murray Gt for more than he paid me for all by just painting it. It has to look good.

 

[cmw]

That might be part of my problem. I am asking WAY low if you ask me since the sum of the parts is worth a lot more, perhaps 5-8x, what I am asking. I just wanted to get what I ask. I have never been much of a haggler so if I see something listed for sale that looks overpriced, I just move on to the next listing.

Both my GF and I bought kayaks over the past month. I got mine first. It was suggested that I look on Craigslist and FB Marketplace before buying new as someone who never got into it might be selling barely used ones for cheap. I found cheaper grade used ones that looked like they had been beat up, left outside in the sun, filled with dirt and leaves, etc. for more than I could go out and get a much better mid-grade for brand new. That was the extreme example but stuff like this was pretty much the norm. I repeated the search when my GF decided she also wanted one and found much the same. In both cases we got NEW kayaks for a lot less money than any of the used ones were listed for.

I own my own business, a service business, so view it as an insult when people want you to do a job for less money than the quoted price. I don't ask for a lower price on anything for sale either. Exceptions might be the next time I go buy a new car. I just priced the mowers at when I thought was a fair price and no more, then people come back offering less than scrap value. NO THANKS!

There is also the whole thing where people won't talk to a person on the phone or face to face anymore. These have traditionally been the customers I have had big blow ups with and all. I will no longer try to contact anyone selling anything if they do not list a phone number. I also only accept phone calls now for my business as well as for sale items like mowers, boats, etc. This practice has probably weeded out a few good customers but has overall weeded out like 95% of the problem ones as well so is well worth it. I had lots of people on FB that couldn't figure out how to contact me even though the ad said I only accepted phone calls and included my number in three separate places.

Conor

 

[BlazNT]

I've had so many people ask me to lower my price on mowing then I have a canned response. I told them I can mow it for any price you want to pay as long as you want the quality to match the price. I don't haggle either. I said a price that I know I can get money out of it x 2. When someone ask for me to come down off my price I take 25% off the first time. Then 25% more the second time then tell them I don't want to do the deal anymore. You don't have to fight with somebody or are you with them I just set it where I want and go from there and if they don't want to pay that price and I'll go scrap it.

 

[cmw]

I see Maybe I should set the price a tad higher than I have been. The problem is when you see used running ones for $350-400 that are nothing special but will mow if you don't mind to jump start them each time, etc., I don't see asking $200 or more for parts or repair units. I can make more money off just one part through eBay than selling locally but just want them gone at this time.

I guess I have lost all tolerance for dealing with entitled people these days. Avoiding them has made my life so much easier and reduced stress, plus frees up time to deal with actual decent customers. Again, they are now weeding themselves out because they cannot figure out how to dial a phone and call.

Conor