These are working machines, late-model and mid-life, entered straight from farms, hire fleets and dealers, while vintage and classic tractors sell separately at the Cambridge Vintage Sale.
Every major working make sells here regularly, with John Deere, Massey Ferguson, Case IH and Fendt filling most catalogues and New Holland, Claas, Valtra, Kubota and JCB Fastrac close behind. Loader, compact and crawler tractors all feature, in condition from low-houred late models barely run in to older machines that have done a full working life. What ties the catalogue together is that most of it is sold directly by the people who owned and worked the machines, whether that is a farm dispersal, a dealer trade-in, or a tractor handed back at the end of a hire or finance contract.
Buying a tractor
Catalogues go online ahead of each sale with photographs and descriptions, so you can line up what you are after before the day. Registration is free, and you can bid in the room, by phone or online. It pays to view in person where you can, because the tractors are out on the 40-acre site at Sutton in the run-up to the sale, where you can check the hours, condition and service history before you bid. On sale day, they’re driven through the ring, so you see each one running. The buyer's premium is 3.5% plus VAT, with collection from Sutton to arrange once a tractor is yours.
Selling a tractor or fleet
A single tractor or a whole fleet can be entered into the monthly sale at Sutton, with live online bidding putting it in front of buyers across the UK and overseas. Around 35 to 40% of what sells here goes abroad, to established markets in Ireland, France and Germany and further into Poland, Romania and now Spain, so a well-maintained tractor can often achieve more than it would at a local sale. For a larger consignment, the machinery team can come to you, valuing and photographing the tractors on site, cataloguing them and helping to arrange haulage, so getting a fleet to sale is largely off your hands.
Pre-sale appraisals are free, with formal written valuations arranged separately. Joe Page, Oliver Godfrey, and Charles Wadsley look after tractor entries and can advise on the right route, whether it is one machine or a fleet.
Why Cheffins for tractor auctions?
Cheffins has sold machinery since 1941, and the monthly sale now draws around 30,000 registered bidders in more than 50 countries. For a working tractor that reach matters, because a strong machine pulls bidders from well beyond the local trade, including the export buyers who lift prices on the day.
Tractor auction FAQs
Where can I buy a tractor at auction in the UK?
Cheffins sells modern working tractors at the monthly Cambridge Machinery Sale in Sutton, near Ely, with 250 or more in a typical catalogue. You can bid in the room, by phone or online, and registration is free. Vintage and classic tractors sell separately at the Cambridge Vintage Sale.
How do I sell my tractor through Cheffins?
A single tractor or a small group goes into the monthly sale, while a larger fleet can be catalogued on-site by the machinery team. Pre-sale appraisals are free, and Joe Page, Oliver Godfrey, Charles Wadsley and James Beaton can advise on the right route and likely value.
What tractor brands does Cheffins sell?
Regular makes include John Deere, Massey Ferguson, Case IH, New Holland, Fendt, Claas, Valtra and Kubota, along with JCB Fastrac models, in everything from low-houred late models to mid-life machines.
How are tractor auctions priced, and what fees apply?
Registration is free, and buyers can bid online at no extra cost. At Cambridge Machinery Sales, the buyer's premium is 6% plus VAT on the first £2,500 of the hammer price, then 3.5% plus VAT above that. On-site sales can differ, and the premium is generally around 3.5% plus VAT depending on the sale. Always check the payment and collection terms for the specific sale before you bid.
Related sections
Vintage Tractors · Plant & Machinery · Telehandlers · Excavators & Diggers · Cambridge Machinery Sales · On-site Auctions · Machinery & Vintage Auctions
Ready to buy or sell a tractor?
Take a look at what's in the next sale, or call the machinery team on 01353 777767 (option 1) or email [email protected] to talk through selling a single tractor or a fleet.