Tractor Ownership, the true cost

[Old Red]

I do think a lot on here are first time buyers/owners of tractors. I remember when I purchased my first tractor in 2009. A 40 year old international 674. I needed the cheap horsepower to plant and take care of my 110 acres farm I just bought. No way I could do that with a BX or what not. But a lot of BX buyers are who come on here (I have one myself) might not have ever been exposed to anything shop related or "fix it" related. I think it is great, but you get some seriously funny things said on here....like these things are fragile babies....I read where one guy noticed his temperature was running a bit low on his new BX and wanted to put some cardboard on the air intake to raise the temperature gauge some.....

Anyway, I love this forum and that i can go from talking about power tools to my brokerage account.

 

[k0ua]

I can fix most things myself, but my fabrication skills are not the best. Mainly because I don稚 have a welder. Most of my mechanics tools I have had for years.

May I ask why you don't have a welder? I didn't have one either until I bought one decades ago when I was young. The wife and I decided if we were going to keep our abused lawn mower working, I was going to have to save up and buy a welder and learn how to weld. We did and I did. It is as simple as that. I sold my old welder to a member on this forum a couple of years ago, but I have another!. Yeah, I have 4 or 5 hundred into a simple DC welder and its accessories and supplies, but it has saved me way more than that in the jobs I have done myself. All you have to do is just decide you want one, and then get it!:laughing:

 

[2ndhalf]

I propose this thread due to the following. A person wrote that ownership of their tractor, power equipment, and homemade solutions for tasks are practically free because everyone has this inborn ingenuity to repair, design and fabricate every tool they need, in a bubble. They buy chain saws at yard sales on the cheap, repair, restore magically to working order. They buy 40's - 50's vintage tractors, use them 40 years, no maintenance or restoration costs, workplace surplus provides Components for homemade tools and the labor is nonexistant, sprinkle in a few junkyard parts and they never need any consultation along the way. Just inherently born knowing how to do it all. And of course, all free!!

Then fast forward to this site where I'm included. First time tractor misbehaves, gravitate to this site for causal advice or a thread with problem solving advice. And more often than not the tractor is purchased new or next to new. Folks look at inventions on this site, some attempt to duplicate with some degree of success, others say, that's nice, then buy the commercially finished product. Calls to the dealer not UNCOMMON.

Some have a gift, some can design, cut, weld, shape and drill as a second nature, some don't have time, desire, tools, ability, agility or combination of these to achieve total independence and creativeity to produce and fabricate or restore from ashes, everything they need or want. If that were so, I suggest this site would not exist. THOUGHTS?

You sound confounded by the knowledge of the common man. Everyone is not gifted with mechanical aptitude and creativity nor have the desire to build things. But some do and have and they are amazingly adept at it; as you have probably already observed. I am amazed at some of the things the guys on this site accomplish. I am a DIYer but not to level of some of these guys.

Some threads I just open and read a couple posts and close them; never to open them again because they are so over my head.

Stick around they have a lot to share and you probably do also!

As far as tractor's costing nothing. A tractor is like a gun if you take care of it and don't use all of its useful life in 5 years; you can sell it in 15 years and probably get what you paid for it. That is if you buy it for a good used price and take care of it and don't put 5000 hours on it. Hard to do this when you buy it brand new.

 

[bluelou212]

To the O.P.,
There's a huge difference between the DIY crowd and the pros running equipment fleets and doing competitive bid work. For a DIY, it might be fun if his TLB goes down and he has to run for parts or do a little welding and resume work a few hours later. For the pro, that kind of down time will lead to at least 10 points less gross profit over a season.

 

[dragoneggs]

I'm a DIYer I suppose because I watched and 'helped' my dad build a cabin when I was about 8 years old. Got a mechanical engineering degree and then decided I could save money by designing and building my first house. Being my own general contractor, doing some of the work myself, and a fair amount of help from a few friends in the trades... I did it. During the house build, I started acquiring tools. At first, they were cheap tools (all I could afford)... and many of those I ended replacing with quality tools after killing them or passing them down. For Christmas and birthdays, if anyone asked, I wanted tools... that's it! :wrench:

I now have amassed a lot of tools and I most always try to do 'it' myself if possible. Even though the time and money spent maybe has not been worth it money wise if I tallied up everything, I thrive on the challenge and the learning and have no problem paying a premium for that enjoyment and knowledge. The way I look at it... I could have taken that time and money and gone to lots of shows, events, movies, gambled, or spent it on other intangible things but instead... when I get old which is nearing, I have something that will keep me busy and hopefully a bit of a legacy to pass on to my kids. Even if they sell it all when I kick the bucket, at least it's something of value. It is how I chose to invest a fair amount of my earnings and I have no regrets. I will say it would be a sad, sad day if I have to witness my life long collection of tools and my tractor be sold.

Wishing everyone the best of health so you all can enjoy your family and your life's passions! :soapbox:

 

[majorwager]

Broken Track
There is a difference between the cost a product being zero and deducting this expenditure from the net gain. Zero would apply if you installed your access road, with absolutely no investment. The "cost" was real. You calculate the labor investment, so yours and your wife's time is worth nothing. In that case I should hire you for my access road, you work for free. There was no wear and tear on the log wagon, no wear and tear on tractor to load, tractor or crawler to box out and spread and no fuel utilized. The gravel had no value, could not be used on any other project? You use the term Paid for itself, now that is accurate, the word zero, is not.

 

[majorwager]

Bluelou 212,
I am the OP. Have no clue how commercial enterprises apply to the thread. Only explanation is you read something I did not write.

 

[majorwager]

2nd half,
You quoted my post but failed to read it. For clarification everything used is not a bargin. Further, not everyone has desire or ability to create something from ashes. I offered tribute to creativity. But the real world thrives on commerace. Do you work? If we All build or provide for ourselves, that which is the result of your labor, then you will not be needed. Has nothing to do with individual wealth. If I want or need something, I buy it, if I can afford it. Or I simply go without. If it is really important, I plan and save. I do not discourage DIY projects. I just keep those endeavors in perspective. Your philosophy, buy used ,cheap, take care of it, but don't use it (5000 tractor hr reference) and it won't loose value. So why was the item available used, on the cheap? . Owner was an idiot? No idea of value? Maybe it is because used actually means used. You will find out soon enough. Few on here trout their "used prizes" when they are a bust, Seldom a peep is heard.

 

[4570Man]

I work on equipment and vehicles out of necessity. I’m not paying a lot of money for something I can do myself. I enjoy fabricating or building stuff but I don’t like working on stuff.

 

[Billy Bee]

What's the true cost of not owning a tractor? I think I am no longer making payments on my chiropractor's BMW.