Cost of a tractor

[Ingo]

Been trying in my mind to justify buying a tractor and thought I'd share my cost/benefit analysis with y'all...
$17,000 for a B2910 w/ loader, ballast, tooth blade, etc.; rotary cutter $600; offset tilting blade $750; road boss grader $1800; trailer $3000 (what good's a tractor if I can't help my friends?); larger truck to pull it $10,000 (trading in my 4 cyl. Toyota); build a barn to store it in $5000; now I need a post-hole digger to set the posts $1000 (I'll try to do it w/o a backhoe); tools to maintain it $1500 (compressor, impact wrench - don't want those wheels or blades to fall off, larger sockets, wrenches, grease guns, etc.).
1st yr cost $40,650 + 6% tax = $43,089.

Some rough guesses on what the costs over 20 yrs might be....
Tractor maintenance $200/yr = $4000; lost retirement investment $172,356(assuming 7% interest); a couple of replacement windshields as my neighbors go whizzing by while kicking up gravel $1000; increased property tax, on the barn AND the tractor AND the trailor AND the truck in NC $250/yr = $5000.
20 yr. cost = $182,356 (w/o assuming inflation).

And then the savings/benefits....
$100/yr = $2000 on road maintenance (which I share with neighbors anyway - not that we've done anything in 3 yrs); $200/yr = $4000 on tires and alignments (fewer potholes and washboards); $100/yr = $2000 in 'gratuities' for helping friends; $2500 savings not replacing my 9hp Honda (though it's 15yrs old and going strong); $8,592.80/yr for the satisfaction of owning a tractor /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.
20 yr. savings/benefits = $182,356. Plus I'll something to do in retirement. Works for me (so long as my wife never sees this post).

 

[Thomas]

Ingo.
Well it seem you done your home work,but reading between the lines in which you have written when does your new Kubota arrive with the attachments.

I believe most of us tractor owners didn't buy all the attachments at once,nor built barns or trade for a larger pick up,
kinda took it one step at a time.

Hows that old saying goes, "you can't take it with you" or another old saying, " measure twice cut once"

Relax and be good to yourself....take care.

 

[Ingo]

Thomas, Hey I know I oversimplified and I know it all ain't going to happen at once! Just having some fun. But I have learned in 19 yrs of marriage that it often is easier to take the hit once than to keep coming back for more. In a year or 2 I say "Honey, I need to spend $xxxx for such and such for the tractor." and have to answer to "But what do you need that for? You already spent $20,000!!!" (and the next year, and the next, etc.) So I'll do as much as I can up front.

By the way, when I said to my wife a few weeks ago that I was thinking about buying a tractor her only response was "OK". Those 19 yrs of marriage tell me not to take that one on face value.!!! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif I just figure it was better than the "Not before the divorce" response I was expecting. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Before I dig myself in too deep of a hole, I gotta say my wife is great. She bought me that little pickup for my birthday, just when I had given up on that idea!

Thanks for the thoughts.... Ingo.

 

[W5FL]

Rent a tractor for $200/day plus $100/day for the implement of the day for 2 days a week for 20 years. $600,000
Make 2000 trips to the rental store over 20 years. $20,000
Lost wages taking the rental back each Monday for 20 years. $25,000
Working in the rain because the tractor was rented on the day you wanted to use it. $0.00
Flu caught at night having to mow with the lights on and the sleet falling because you could only get it at night. $500.00 (Doctor & Medicine)
Cost of damage to tractor and Implements charged by rental place since you didn't have time to read the instructions. $9000

Cost to buy biggest nicest M6800SD 4WD Kubota with 12,000 GVW trailer, shed and reasonable starter implements. $33,000

Total Savings: $629,500

No wonder all those farmers own their own tractors!!!!! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Ingo]

Now that is what I'm looking for!!!! I will give YOUR post to my wife. (though I still need the bigger truck!)
Thanks WEN.

 

[W5FL]

You would need the bigger truck to pull the rental anyway, so it doesn't count. They don't sell those small trucks in Texas, so that has never been a problem. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

p.s. Bought the 12,000# GVW trailer, with breakaway sw & battery, 2 5/16 ball, 7.50-16 tandum tires, 8 ft 6 in width, 18 ft long with heavy pipe on perimeter and diamond plate fenders for $1800. Built 13x32 shed for less than $1000 with painted metal and pole construction. Save all that money and spend it on a really nice tractor with 4WD and Loader.

 

[Billc]

Thomas, you said "you can't take it with you."

A question: I heard Mark was having the bucket cylinders and a majority of the hydrolics mounted on his casket lid. Does this count as "taking it with you"?

 

[_RaT_]

Of course Thomas, theres another saying by Steve Martin. He once said, "You know they say you can't take it with you, but me, I'm taking it with me". Rat...

 

[Thomas]

Re: Cost of a tractor..Ingo

I felt you were just having fun,but I must say you done your homework!!

By the sounds you have a great marriage, and I wish you and your wife many more happy years to come!!!!

So when does your new Kubota arrive? )

Take care and have some fun.