For many parts, if you do not have a core, we will simply charge the core deposit with a note on the sales receipt stating that you do not have a core, and we are selling you the replacement part “outright.” In that case, the core deposit is not refunded.

There are some parts that we CANNOT sell outright. These parts are either so scarce, or we use a rebuilder that does not allow it because their business depends on being able to rebuild and re-sell them.

Some rebuilders have a sliding scale depending on exactly what components are useable, meaning they will inspect a core engine or transmission, and refund you in full or partially depending on what components are not rebuildable. While it’s understandable that a company would structure its core conditions this way, we try to avoid these conditions if at all possible.

There are some cases where we will offer partial credit if a core does not meet the conditions laid out by our sales staff. For example, we may charge a $500 core deposit for an engine. If there is a hole in the block, we may offer $300 back or we may work out another deal. Not all core conditions are inflexible.

As I mentioned earlier, some parts cannot be sold unless there is a reasonable guarantee that we will get a rebuildable core back. Of course, there are situations where a customer will buy a tractor missing some parts to fix up. That’s one way to get a great deal on it, but you should do some research into just how difficult it is to locate the missing parts before you pull the trigger. Again, in some cases, it is simply not possible to sell you a replacement part without a qualifying core, given the scarcity of the part. 

I’ll give you an example, so you won’t get stuck with a great deal on a 1-ton lawn ornament. The Ford New Holland compact series, including the 2-cylinder 1500 is a powerful machine on a small frame. They will last for generations AS LONG AS you are careful not to run the engine too hot, or you will likely crack the cylinder head. If that happens, the best-case scenario is to buy a rebuilt head for $1,250 + a $750 core charge and shipping one way. If you have luck like me, that head will crack in the one place it cannot be repaired and even good used ones are either not available to buy outright, or are extremely expensive.