"Can borrow your tractor?"

[joefromga]

I never loan tools to anyone who can't afford to replace them. I had a guy ask about using the tractor for some digging tonight. I sort of shifted the discussion to rentals but didn't want to just say no even though that's always what I tell them.

How do you guys deal with these types of questions?

I paid way too much to loan out my pride and joy.

 

[Rock knocker]

Is his wife hot?

 

[joefromga]

Maybe 40 years ago.

 

[Bull Of The Woods]

Reminds me of a song...."older women make beautiful lovers" lol

 

[CurlyDave]

If it is a good friend, a neighbor, or someone who is otherwise a good guy, I will bring my tractor over and do the work while he watches and directs. I will bring my tractor to the church and work there. When our house in CA burned down a few years back, a member of our church, who is a retired electrician, drove 500 miles to help us with the electrical part of the rebuild. On his own dime. I did some work at his house a few weeks ago.

Otherwise, it is just not going to happen.

There is one person I will let take my tractor -- he is a very close friend, closer than a brother. Ex-marine, hunting companion, 25+ years clean and sober, honest, and very careful. No one with lesser qualifications should even ask.

 

[oosik]

I've never had anybody ask. I would just say "NO". I had a person ask to take a "joy ride" - his words - on my ATV. I graciously declined his request. My neighbor to the south is a BIG cattle rancher. I help him each summer by cleaning out his calving pens - his tractors, big 500+ hp Versatiles - are too big and not set up to do that kind of job nor even get in the pens. I've asked him a couple time to come over with his big tractors and help - and he gladly does that.

Speaking of women and wives - IMHO, asking to borrow a persons tractor is very much like asking to borrow his wife. Its just not done and isn't even polite.

But, then again, maybe I'm just old fashion in my way of thinking.

 

[kenord]

I own a backhoe when I first got it a lot of my friends wanted to borrow it. the easy answer was I don't have a trailer to haul it. Then I would tell them it only cost me $400 to have it hauled home . they should ck what it would cost what it cost to haul to here house , one guy wanted to haul it on his little car trailer when I told him it weighed about 13,000 he didn't need it then.
Other than that if my neighbors need anything I just go do it for them , Its usually just dig a hole to bury a goat, they ask what I owe you I just tell them I don't charge for funerals .
but I just don't loan my equipment it costs too much to fix it ,
Rich

 

[TomSeller]

I'd dig the hole for them and have a couple of beers together afterwards. Neighbor building.

 

[Wagtail]

It's never happened to me, it's always been me and my tractor. I've yet to say no and put the work down to 'tractor fun'. It's the same when I've offered my tractor and myself for a job = 'tractor fun'.

There is one exception (isn't there always ) and that's my neighbour, to the back of me. She has horses and was very helpful to me when I moved in with my two... long.story.short, I checked her out on my rig so that she could shift her round bales into her paddock as she'd been doing on her own (pushing & shifting!). She's always asked before using it, even after I told her to grab the keys whenever she needed to.

 

[motownbrowne]

No way is anyone borrowing my tractor for "digging"!

If a close friend needed to use the bush hog for a couple hours in a field that had been mowed at some point in the last couple years (to ensure there weren't any major obstacles) I'd consider it. Just about anything else, though, I would have to go with on the job.