Buying Advice The money sense of tractor buying

[RTII]

The argument I used with my wife for our 1st $15,000 "wheelbarrow" was that it was cheaper than an emergency room visit. This about a year after back surgery and the deductible that went with it. Later, bought more land so needed a bigger tractor so I could spend more time with her (the wife). For every hour I use the grapple on the new tractor I point out to the wife that I just did 6 hours of work.

We tend to get along all right so there's some give and take with our arguments' validities......

 

[whirly]

We tend to get along all right so there's some give and take with our arguments' validities......

Yes it's important to have a workmate/wife that understands the difference between an embellishment of the facts or a "fish story" and an outright lie

 

[txdon]

The quote that really got my wife on board for a tractor was when I was explaining to the emergency room Dr. how I got injured and the Doctor said "Don't they make a machine that does that."

You can substitute anything that the tractor can do that will wear you out or cause you injury. (My injury was stitches from digging holes manually once and secondly neck nerve spasmed, couldn't move one side.)

The money, time, and pain saved not going to the ER is a convincing factor. Plus you will have more time for her honey-dos.

 

[arrow]

As an update. Finally went back to the Mahindra dealer. Cannot do the deal I wanted for the 4010 (12K and my JD 750 w/1400 hrs) Most tractor I can buy is the 3016 shuttle with loaded R1's for that money ($16995 cash price). Wife did not give me the grief I expected. Might have something to do with my back being out these last couple of days and having to literally dismount from my JD as if it is a set of parallel bars. That suspension seat was real nice on the 4010 so I am a bit disappointed. These things (tractors) seem to have escalated in price these days.

 

[newbury]

Just one thing -
Why do you lift wood with a pallet fork on the FEL?
Don't you have a lot more lift capacity with the 3pt?

 

[meburdick]

There is more lifting capacity on the 3PH, but you can't lift as high and you don't have anywhere near the control (placement). With my forks on the FEL, I can do all sorts of things that I could never do with forks on a 3PH.

 

[arrow]

Just one thing -
Why do you lift wood with a pallet fork on the FEL?
Don't you have a lot more lift capacity with the 3pt?

Yes you do but for my purposes it still would not be enough. A pallet of red oak (3x3.5' stacked 3') will weigh over a thousand pounds green. Even my 3 pt will not lift that.I would also need to "stack" these pallets on top of one another two high. There is another factor as well. I will not be able to dismount as if I am on parallel bars from this tractor much longer. To get off now, I swing my leg over the steering wheel, grab the wheel with one hand and the assist handle on the fender with the other and literally swing and jump off the tractor. There is no room for your feet with the shift lever right between your legs to gracefully maneuver and step off the tractor. This is getting hard on my deteriorating back.

 

[jenkinsph]

Yes you do but for my purposes it still would not be enough. A pallet of red oak (3x3.5' stacked 3') will weigh over a thousand pounds green. Even my 3 pt will not lift that.I would also need to "stack" these pallets on top of one another two high. There is another factor as well. I will not be able to dismount as if I am on parallel bars from this tractor much longer. To get off now, I swing my leg over the steering wheel, grab the wheel with one hand and the assist handle on the fender with the other and literally swing and jump off the tractor. There is no room for your feet with the shift lever right between your legs to gracefully maneuver and step off the tractor. This is getting hard on my deteriorating back.

Really sounds like you need a tractor with an open flat platform area. My older tractors always seem to be harder to mount/dismount as in your scenario above the 4520 is much easier for me on days when my back is out. I would be careful not to buy a model you won't be able to use in a couple of years.

 

[arrow]

If we are lucky enough, we will all get older and with age abilities change.

Weighed up against the act of dying, you'd be right about that. Still gets disappointing year after year to see what you've lost. Makes me want to write the book I've been thinking to write recently entitled: "Death is Good for You"

 

[arrow]

I try to stay positive about it and maintain a good sense of humor. I had to start using a cane a few years ago as my shoulders were shot from falling down over the years, then about a year ago I had to go to crutches and now more than a few hundred feet requires a wheel chair. I often use a an RV step to get in my truck/tractors and keep grab sticks all over. I still manage to do a lot and focus on and enjoy the things I can do and not the things I can't. It doesn't take much to find someone worse off than I, so I am grateful for what I have.

Someday I may feel differently, but that's where I am now and now other TBN members who are just like me but don't mention it; maybe I shouldn't either.

It probably would be surprising to knpw how many of us are "different" from how we used to be. My problem is that I have the mind of a 35 year old or I should say my mind is not coming along with my body. I look in the mirror and ask "who ate the person I used to see here" You keep stroking Triple and you do not seem to be the type of going "softly into that goodnight"