Grain Carts Hold Their Value

If you pay any attention to social media, you’ve likely seen some memes poking good-natured fun at grain cart drivers. Despite the teasing, the auger wagon is an invaluable piece of equipment, moving grain and keeping combines running. Used units are available but not in huge quantities, and pricing remains stable. 

“Supply of auger wagons is a little tighter because it’s hard to find a good wagon,” says Mark Stock, co-founder and CEO of BigIron Auctions. “Grain carts have held their value, especially ones with a scale or with a tarp.”

Recent Sale Prices

A recent search of tractorhouse.com for 2020 model year and newer grain carts returned 76 listings: 31 Brent models, 13 J&M models, and 10 Kinze models, with the balance being from other manufacturers. Hammer prices ranged from the high of $191,259 for a 2022 Brandt 1120XT in Illinois, listed as unused with factory warranty, to the low of $15,347, for a 2021 J&M 875 in Iowa that had been in a field fire but repainted and fitted with a new electrical harness and hydraulic hoses. 

The average price was just over $67,000.

Features to Consider

New features increase efficiency and effectiveness, and make it easier than ever for nearly anyone to learn how to operate a grain cart. For example, integrated scale systems help operators keep tabs on harvest progress and bushels leaving the field. 

Unverferth offers several scale systems, with UHarvest Pro being the premium offering, says Eli Sents, the company’s product support and development manager. He adds that UHarvest Pro uses ISOBUS technology to connect to the tractor’s installed monitor and feeds directly into the data system being used. “It allows you to sort loads by grower, farm, or field, and keeps track of the destination or crop type,” he says.

UHarvest Pro also can record moisture readings. By adding AccuLoad, the operator can program a desired weight for the cart to unload each time. 

Grain carts can be equipped with tires or tracks; both have pros and cons. 

“We see a lot of tracks in the ‘I’ states [Illinois, Iowa, Indiana], but when we get into Nebraska and the Dakotas, we see more tires,” Stock says. “People seem to like the tracks more where it’s wetter.”

Sents says tracks create a larger footprint and, as equipment grows in size, they can help prevent some compaction.

“Tracks not only keep weight distributed more evenly, they also allow farmers to be in the field sooner and stay in the field later during a wet year,” he says. Unverferth has offered tracks since 1998 and offers different length and width configurations to fit various scenarios. 

Tracks are more costly up-front and typically require more maintenance than tires. But Sents says many farmers are seeing the value in the investment, especially as harvest windows are shrinking. 

Other features that can affect value include automatic tarp systems, a joystick controller, rearview cameras, and a right-hand auger configuration. 

“If you’re driving on the road and want to make a left-hand turn, it’s nice to have the camera to see if somebody’s behind you,” Stock says. “Little things like an automatic tarp — so you don’t have to get in and out all the time — people notice, and you get rewarded for having those on your machine.”

Dual-auger carts also tend to increase in value because they unload faster, have lower profiles and lower centers of gravity, and tend to handle higher-moisture corn better, Sents says.

Things to Watch For

“Flighting is everything,” Stock says. “If the flighting is sharp, someone’s going to have to pay some money to fix it.”

As grain moves through an auger wagon, the flighting can become worn, and it’s expensive to replace, Sents says. 

“You need that flighting in good condition to carry the grain,” he notes, adding Unverferth has started adding wear strips to the flighting in many of its new grain carts. 

He also suggests tending to the undercarriage, as well as the tires or tracks of any used machine you consider. Look at the lugs or cleats and the condition of the belts. Sents says if a grain cart is equipped with scales, checking those is important due diligence. 

“Scales can be costly to repair,” he points out. “Most carts have load cells that can go bad over time, so make sure those work as they should.”

Stock also recommends a general inspection to see if there is any rust or corrosion from being stored outside, and if the tarp is in good shape. Tarps subjected to heavy snows can become stretched, he says. “Moisture can also get caught in the bottoms when snow melts if the bottom traps aren’t opened up.”