M value question

My neighbors brother recently passed away. There is going to be an auction next month and he had an M. Hasn't run for a while as the man had Alzheimer for the past few years and may have done some things he shouldn't have done to it. I don't know much about it but I do know from my neighbor it won't turn over (don't know why), rear tires are weather checked and its a narrow front end. It looks decent paint wise from the road (for what that's worth). It also has a 3 point hitch that was added. Obviously have to have a closer look at it to know more. The guy was a good mechanic, welder, fabricator. Are we looking at scrap price here or is it worth a little more because of the 3 pt hitch. I doubt I'm interested but wondering if it will bring something because of the 3pt hitch.

A 3 point would have had a lot more value 25 years ago than now for a M. Just throwing out a guess but maybe 650 dollars without knowing any details. 500 for the tractor and 150 for the 3 point hitch. Back when I worked for Central Tractor I think that the Worksaver brand 3pt's sold for 500 bucks or more new w/o cylinder. The wife is not sentimental so all the old catalogs are gone as far as trying to look it up.

People may take issue with my opinion but...... Past experience where these kinds of tractors hit a sale means often the incorrect fluid is used in the engine, transmission, and hydraulics. The fluids are run for a long time below the ad mark. Used oil meant for recycling gets used. Water gets added to the cooling system therefore raising the freezing point meaning insufficient protection. Wheels run loose on axle damaging hubs or axle. Contaminated gas. Owner can not identify damaging noises when tractor was running.

Has the tractor been stored inside? Exhaust kept covered in any case?

Inside a dry barn with the exhaust covered, it is likely only lightly stuck and some soaking with automatic transmission fluid or penetrating oil and some rocking will free the engine up. Freeing the engine will increase the value significantly.

The worst tractor I saw sold recently was a Super M. Sitting in the woods, sunk in the ground up to the rims, engine stuck, battery box under the seat completely rotted away, with a loader, and it brought $800. It was significantly more valuable as a Louisville-built Stage II Super M with the live hydraulics and battery under the seat, and it had a somewhat modern loader on it, and tire chains.

All that you said is that did the tractor have at least reasonable care? Alzheimer's is no joking matter and I have seen tractors that were pretty messed up because the owners no longer could capably care for them. If the motor will not turn there is no way that I would assume that tractor motor is only lightly stuck. Don't assume that a capable relative or neighbor was looking out for this tractor. If it were me and I were buying it to run I would buy it with the understanding that it may need substantial work on it. Dad's father before he passed on had developed a bad habit of letting his foot rest against the clutch pedal in his pickup which apparently partially engaged the clutch as he went through a few clutches the last couple of years that he lived. Dad's father did not have Alzheimer's but his ability to run equipment had pretty well left him. On a separate note I remember an auction with a similar situation with a mentally diminished owner and there was a JD 4020 that had everything but the proper spec oil in the transmission. All of the power equipment at that auction brought salvage because a bidder could not buy with confidence in terms of not being mis-operated or mis-serviced.

Running, it would be a $1000 to maybe something below $1500 tractor. If people are trying to help out the widow, it could sell for that much. Otherwise, a non-running tractor in fair to poor condition, with poor tires and with dubious care in it's later life, I would balk at anything over $500 for the tractor plus whatever the 3 point hitch is worth to you.

Unfortunately all this auction is going to do is repay Medicaid. The wife passed away earlier but I don't think it would have mattered anyway. That is why she didn't sell anything while he was still alive.