What's 700 hours worth?

[Henro]

“I thought you were nuts spending so much money for that tractor! But now that I see what you have accomplished I bet it paid for itself already!”

Which got me thinking...

My B2910 Kubota just turned four years old. I have just under 700 hours on it. Very few of these hours are mowing (maybe 20). Most of the hours have been loader/backhoe/box blade/dirt type work. Some have involved clearing a couple acres of brush from under trees, and clearing some of the smaller trees, and so on.

Since this tractor counts tachometer hours, I have over 1,000 hours of seat time on it.

Did it really pay for itself already?

How much is an hour of tractor use worth? I think around here a similar sized tractor would rent for about $25 per hour (plus 7% sales tax on top of that).

700 x $25 = $17,500.

Not sure if this is realistic or not, but it sure FEELS like I may be well on the way to breaking even, at least on the tractor part. Guess I'll need some more hours to take care of the cost of the backhoe.

Whatdayathink?

 

[ovrszd]

The wife just bought me a 2001 B2910 w/MMM with 320 hours on it for $9900.

I figure this tractor would cost me $15,500 new, so I saved $5600 off new price!!! I felt pretty good about that!!!

But the part that shocked me was when I figured what it cost the original owner to mow his lawn, that's all this tractor has ever done. It cost him $5600 for 320 hours, that's $17.50 per hour.

I think that's pretty expensive for a lawn mower. But if I look at it the way you have, I guess he did okay!!! But then,,,,, I wouldn't pay $25 per hour to rent a lawn mower either.

I don't think it will cost me nearly that much per hour for the next 320 hours. Actually I think I could put an additional 320 hours on this machine and sell it for $9000. That would be $900 for 320 hours. That comes out to $2.81 per hour!!! Now we are talking!!!!

 

[neverenough]

I've been shaking my head at a lot of the pricing and "you get a lot of tractor for the $$$" in these threads. Then you here about all these "smokin' deals" people get on used tractors. So what do you really gain by buying an off brand trator, and taking it in the shorts a few years later at trading or sale time??? Yeah, the Deere's and NH's cost more up front sometimes, but how much does it cost after 5 years of use and you go to sell it?? This, IMO, is a very good thread, and I can't wait to see more numbers. Especially the ones who traded in their off brand tractor looking to get something newer or bigger, or smaller.

I'll give my garden tractor example becouse I traded up within the last 2 years so it is current numbers. I traded in my garden tractor, I bought used, after putting on 128 hours in 1 1/2 years. The loss at trade in was $550. $550/128hrs=$4.30 per hour. Not too bad for a mowing, snowblowing, garden tilling tractor.

 

[ovrszd]

I've been shaking my head at a lot of the pricing and "you get a lot of tractor for the $$$" in these threads. Then you here about all these "smokin' deals" people get on used tractors. So what do you really gain by buying an off brand trator, and taking it in the shorts a few years later at trading or sale time??? Yeah, the Deere's and NH's cost more up front sometimes, but how much does it cost after 5 years of use and you go to sell it?? This, IMO, is a very good thread, and I can't wait to see more numbers. Especially the ones who traded in their off brand tractor looking to get something newer or bigger, or smaller.

I'll give my garden tractor example becouse I traded up within the last 2 years so it is current numbers. I traded in my garden tractor, I bought used, after putting on 180 hours in 1 1/2 years. The loss at trade in was $550. $550/128hrs=$4.30 per hour. Not too bad for a mowing, snowblowing, garden tilling tractor.

Good example!!! In the garden tractor mode, I'm a JD guy. I've used three over the past 25 years and they have been extremely cheap.

My attached picture is of the Kubota at $9900 and the JD we purchased last summer for $4750 with 400 hours. There is a total of $14,650 for both. Less than the cost of the Kubota by itself new.

I too am anxious to hear others talk about buying new, putting on several hours, then trading or selling. I think tractors are just like cars. The first owner pays a lot more per hour/mile than the second owner, who pays a lot more per hour/mile than the third owner, etc., etc.

I'm very satisfied with the money my wife saved us by buying a quality brand, used tractor!!! It's new to me!!!

 

[neverenough]

Good example!!! In the garden tractor mode, I'm a JD guy. I've used three over the past 25 years and they have been extremely cheap.

My attached picture is of the Kubota at $9900 and the JD we purchased last summer for $4750 with 400 hours. There is a total of $14,650 for both. Less than the cost of the Kubota by itself new.

I too am anxious to hear others talk about buying new, putting on several hours, then trading or selling. I think tractors are just like cars. The first owner pays a lot more per hour/mile than the second owner, who pays a lot more per hour/mile than the third owner, etc., etc.

I'm very satisfied with the money my wife saved us by buying a quality brand, used tractor!!! It's new to me!!!

Lucky you to have a diesel with 3pt. When I bought my second to last tractor, I looked all over for a 455 with 3pt and couldn't find one.

 

[PineRidge]

Here's my take on this subject:


Don't think the majority of the folks here at TBN buy stripped down Ford Focus's as their only family vehicle for family transportation. They could if they wanted to save $$$$$


Nor do I believe that the majority of folks here at TBN live in homes that compare to an efficiency apartment. They could if they wanted to save $$$$$


Guess what I'm trying to say here is that I've never felt the need to justify in my own mind purchases that I've made. After all, we're only here for so long, should we all have to live like missionaries?

 

[biker128pedal]

Time. JD 155, 8-1/2 hours cutting time. K B7610 w/5' RFM and JD 155, 2-1/2 cutting time. As far as new and used. In our area a used CUT if it goes up for sale will last less than 3 days if it is any good.

 

[Turbys_1700]

In 1992 I purchased a Yanmar YM 1700 for $4200. New paint job with 667 hours. I just traded it in on a 2000 NH 1720 with 245 hours. I was allowed $2000 on the Yanmar. That's $2200 depreciation for 583 hours usage and 14 years. Comes out to $3.77 per hour. That's mowing 5 acres of rough ground. Garden tractor would not have been heavy enough. Biggest thing not mentioned is that the cost of money in more now. You could buy a lot more in 1992 for $4200 than you can now.

 

[ovrszd]

Lucky you to have a diesel with 3pt. When I bought my second to last tractor, I looked all over for a 455 with 3pt and couldn't find one.

That's what I thought!!! I bought this one from a dealer, he had two 455s, one with 3pt, one without, close to the same hours, same price. He said which one do you want?? I looked at him like he was stupid, then said I think I'll take the 3pt model. He acted like it didn't make a difference. Lucky for me he didn't know what the 3pt was worth!!!

 

[ovrszd]

Here's my take on this subject:


Don't think the majority of the folks here at TBN buy stripped down Ford Focus's as their only family vehicle for family transportation. They could if they wanted to save $$$$$


Nor do I believe that the majority of folks here at TBN live in homes that compare to an efficiency apartment. They could if they wanted to save $$$$$


Guess what I'm trying to say here is that I've never felt the need to justify in my own mind purchases that I've made. After all, we're only here for so long, should we all have to live like missionaries?

Yeah, how many of us can TRULY justify the tractors we own???