cost of tractors vs cost of autos, etc

   / cost of tractors vs cost of autos, etc #1  

grsthegreat

Super Star Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
12,356
Location
north idaho
Tractor
Kioti DK45SE hst cab
I read alot of posts here about which tractors are best vs cost of tractor, etc. and it got me to thinking.

I just sold a 20 year old horse trailer for $3,000.

I bought it in 1992 for $2,000. Id say i got my use out of that money spent. Mind you its always been under cover and was in great shape.


I have a 1996 JD870 tractor and loader for sale now for $11,000. It too is in great shape, and Ive had 7 people come and look at it and have had a couple of offers in the 9500 - 10,000 range. i should probably sell it for 10k, but it has always been under cover and very well maintained. it is in perfect working order, and starts and runs great. so I'm holding firm in my price.

heck, i don't have to sell it at all, and my wife loves that tractor, so if it doesn't sell ill just keep it.

but if it does sell, i was thinking i only paid $18,000 for it in 1996 dollars (thats what, 2 million in 2011 dollars :laughing: :laughing:). so if i do sell it for 11K, then i only spent $7.000 over 14 years..thats $500/year to have a tractor and loader available. Ive logged aprox 100 hrs. per yr --- that equates to $5.00 use fee per hour of tractor time.

id say i got my use out of this tractor. Even if i didn't sell it, that equates to approx $12/hour of use. just try to rent a tractor for that.

now how much would a 14 yo truck be worth vs its original cost??
 
   / cost of tractors vs cost of autos, etc #2  
I'm just now getting serious about buying a small (compact, maybe even sub-compact) tractor that's bigger and can do more than the old Cub garden tractors I allready have - of old stuff -1250s, 105's etc. So I've been pricing new and used stuff......that makes this interesting....everything originally posted makes perfect sense and I agree with it in theory.....but, unfortunately, I'm CHEAP and I'm having a tough time stomaching the prices is see for stuff. I know it IS fair and realistic when you take all the factors like manufacturing costs into account....I see similar parts through my work go into machinery that makes sense when you add up a $5k engine with a transmissionthat must be 3 or 4k and then theres all the other perifery stuff -- whats a new tire worth??...you see where I'm going .......but that doesn't change the fact that the first thought that pops into my head when I see a 15k price on a small tractor that goes "Holy %^&*, my last brand new car barely cost that and I can drive it anywhere, and it takes me to where I make money -- I just want to plow the garden and do a little work around the property which in turn is only gonna COST money!" (cause you always need supplies for a given project)

I actually do really like the cost comparison and how it's presented as something 500 per year to have it avaialble for use 24 hrs / 365 day a year....I never thought of it that way, I think that may help me "get over it" and take the plunge on something!
 
   / cost of tractors vs cost of autos, etc
  • Thread Starter
#3  
believe me, I'm cheap too. i just bought my new cab tractor for one reason...my ice cold body and sore neck won out over my severe cheapness. it was touch and go for a while though.
 
   / cost of tractors vs cost of autos, etc #4  
Too funny.

I'm away quite a bit for my job. My dad comes over to run the dumptruck and the tractor to plow my 1/2 mile drive when I'm away. To listen to him talk.. it's always 80 and sunny when I'm home, and a blizzard when I'm gone. :)

So..

After a couple bad storms, and a pulled muscle in my back running the manual chute rotation.. ALL of the gear is on the way out the door, and a new Kubota is on the way.

Kinda the reverse story of all you guys buying tractors after your kids move out.

My dad says that once I HAD to suffer on the tractor (there have been plenty of storms before.. but this time I messed my back up good for about 3 weeks) then the checkbook flies open and I buy all this stuff.

:)

JP
 
   / cost of tractors vs cost of autos, etc
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Too funny.

I'm away quite a bit for my job. My dad comes over to run the dumptruck and the tractor to plow my 1/2 mile drive when I'm away. To listen to him talk.. it's always 80 and sunny when I'm home, and a blizzard when I'm gone. :)

So..

After a couple bad storms, and a pulled muscle in my back running the manual chute rotation.. ALL of the gear is on the way out the door, and a new Kubota is on the way.

Kinda the reverse story of all you guys buying tractors after your kids move out.

My dad says that once I HAD to suffer on the tractor (there have been plenty of storms before.. but this time I messed my back up good for about 3 weeks) then the checkbook flies open and I buy all this stuff.

:)

JP

man i HATE those manual chute rotators. i switched out mine to hydraulic after the first season of using one. worth every penny
 
   / cost of tractors vs cost of autos, etc #6  
man i HATE those manual chute rotators. i switched out mine to hydraulic after the first season of using one. worth every penny

Amen to that and same here though it took me 2 seasons and that was 2 seasons to late.
 
   / cost of tractors vs cost of autos, etc #7  
Bought a Toyota Rav4 back in 2001 for 24,000. Sold it a month ago with 160,000 miles on it for 4500.00. Any tractor with around 500 to 1000 hours or so would most likely sell for around 65 to 75% of what it cost new ten years ago and ten later from now would only drop another 10 to 20% at most long after the car body has either rusted or sent to the melter. Does not take rocket science or a degree in finance to figure out the practicality of a tractor.
 
   / cost of tractors vs cost of autos, etc #8  
the used tractor values go up an down according to economy an tractor brands.take the last 3yrs most tractor sales have prolly been used tractors insted of new unless people have the cash for the new 1.your $9500 to $10,000 offer was great for your tractor personally id sell it.we run tractors till their trade value is 0.
 
   / cost of tractors vs cost of autos, etc #9  
. Does not take rocket science or a degree in finance to figure out the practicality of a tractor.

Not sure I'd use the term "practicality" for a tractor unless you "need" it (farmer)....it does make life a lot more enjoyable and it makes the tasks that it preforms much esier to get done.:thumbsup:
 
 
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