Finding a Self-Propelled Sprayer For Sale Near You

As you plan out your fertilizer and herbicide applications this spring, chemicals may not be your only input in short supply. Based on December auction results, low-hour self-propelled sprayers are going to be more difficult to find this year. Sales of these crop sprayer applicators have traditionally seen strong seasonality, with 50% featured up for auction on our website typically moving between Thanksgiving and the end of March. Yet, last month’s volume was only about half of what it was in December 2020.

Self-propelled sprayer sales started the year strong with enough volume to satisfy demand. We saw spring 2021 values 12% higher than in 2020 and while this was a bit higher, it was acceptable considering the farmer’s outlook at the time. As cracks in equipment supply chains began widening during the summer, sprayer supplies were mostly overlooked. Why? They were working just fine in the field and not traded often enough to notice any appreciable change. 

It wasn’t until December that it became apparent there were a lot of dollars seeking a scarce supply of sprayers. This sent average values surging $60,000 over the previous year. Even now it is hard to determine how much of this price increase was driven by equipment shortage or by tax reduction strategies. It’s likely a combination of both that created this drastic increase in values.

Tips for Finding a Self Propelled Sprayer (in a Haystack)

If you are looking for a self propelled sprayer for sale, don’t despair. Based on the large amount of inventory listed on Tractor Zoom, then ultimately sold at auction, we have identified a few trends to help you find that used sprayer with the hour range you are looking for:

1. Research pricing before buying. While the supply of sprayers was tight at the end of 2021, it was not as desolate as new tractors and combines (although that’s little consolation if you are also looking for one of those!). Values may be up, but cooler heads always prevail so make sure you research pricing before buying to avoid getting caught up in the “this is your last chance” hysteria. To better understand prices, view our self-propelled sprayers and compare dozens of dealer and auction listings, side-by-side, from all across the country. This will help you get a complete picture of what’s for sale, how much it’s going for, and what’s available at upcoming auctions.
2. Auctions are the place to find deals. Auction values, on average, are 40% lower than dealer listings for sprayers between 3,000 to 4,000 hours. The challenge is finding them! If you know the make and model you’re looking for, be sure to save this search on Tractor Zoom so we can let you know when new self-propelled sprayers hit the site that meet your specific criteria. 
3. Dealers still have some supply. If you are in dire need of a reliable sprayer, you should be able to find what you are looking for under our Dealership Listings. Of the available used sprayers for sale on Tractor Zoom in December, well over 90% were at dealerships including many John Deere self propelled sprayers, RoGators, and Hagie STS and DTS models. Most are in good condition with less than 2,000 hours. 

Whether you are looking for something new and shiny, or a bargain, the game has changed. Proactively searching for your operation’s future piece of equipment is now a necessity. Your window of application is so tight that operations cannot afford to be broken down in the field with no alternative. With Tractor Zoom, it takes just a minute or less to find your next piece of equipment, save a search, and ensure a better bargaining position when you find that perfect sprayer for your operation.