Why people don't keep older equipment running

[rScotty]

Agree. In my youth, Id have no problem mowing 30 acres with an 8 foot MX-8. Now I have kids that have sports and I want to coach them or watch them. The 15’ CX15 cuts the 30 acres in 1/2 the time. That saves me the precious hours I have left with my family before my kids grow up and are gone.
Even a 1/2 hour saved is a big deal to me. I love my jobs, but value my freedom of time more. It gives me more freedom and choices.
Today, I would rather have a lightly used larger piece of equipment than a smaller new piece of equipment because it gives me more freedom

And there's another advantage to the larger tools that I just thought of. The larger ones just tend to last a whole lot longer.
They tend to last for decades instead of years. Lasting longer means larger equipment has the luxury of time. As they get used and passed from owner to owner, the bigger stuff has the time to get down to an affordable price and still be in shape to do good work.
It's just becomes a question of maintenance.
rScotty

 

[fried1765]

Agree. In my youth, Id have no problem mowing 30 acres with an 8 foot MX-8. Now I have kids that have sports and I want to coach them or watch them. The 15 CX15 cuts the 30 acres in 1/2 the time. That saves me the precious hours I have left with my family before my kids grow up and are gone.
Even a 1/2 hour saved is a big deal to me. I love my jobs, but value my freedom of time more. It gives me more freedom and choices.
Today, I would rather have a lightly used larger piece of equipment than a smaller new piece of equipment because it gives me more freedom

I totally agree!
For most of my working life, I worked an average of 3 days per week.
I was usually away for those three days, which was not great, but it gave me four days each week to be with my family, and play with my "stuff".
I did not always have weekends off.
3 days each week though, was good for me!

 

[Gary Fowler]

Recently I needed to replace the starter on my RTV due to it taking a dunking in my pond. I called my local Kubota dealer for price and availability. Would have to order it and take about 4 days to get it and it would be $300. I looked it up online and got if for less than $100 from another dealer (not Kubota) and it came in about 4 days.
If I had taken it to the dealer to fix, $300 part and likely at least 1 hour labor @$120 per hour but it only took me 30 minutes to change it out. My time may be valuable (I am retired) but it surely isnt worth $300 per hour which is about how much I saved by doing it myself. That doesn't include the several hours it would have taken me to winch it up on a trailer and haul it to the dealer nor the wait time for the dealer to get around to fixing it.

By the way, I was able to take the old starter apart and clean it up and make it work for another month before it crapped out again.

 

[Industrial Toys]

AND, there is a good chance the dealer would have screwed something up.

 

[fried1765]

Recently I needed to replace the starter on my RTV due to it taking a dunking in my pond. I called my local Kubota dealer for price and availability. Would have to order it and take about 4 days to get it and it would be $300. I looked it up online and got if for less than $100 from another dealer (not Kubota) and it came in about 4 days.
If I had taken it to the dealer to fix, $300 part and likely at least 1 hour labor @$120 per hour but it only took me 30 minutes to change it out. My time may be valuable (I am retired) but it surely isnt worth $300 per hour which is about how much I saved by doing it myself. That doesn't include the several hours it would have taken me to winch it up on a trailer and haul it to the dealer nor the wait time for the dealer to get around to fixing it.

By the way, I was able to take the old starter apart and clean it up and make it work for another month before it crapped out again.

How about the $1034.89 I was quoted by a Mercedes dealer back in January, to change 6 spark plugs in my 2014 E-350?
OEM (Bosch double platinum) plugs cost $64.00 delivered to my door.
I am OLD! Had to get neighbor kid to pull plug boots off......too difficult for old guy poor hand strength.
I changed plugs in 2.8 hours (an overly intricate German puzzle on the E-350).

My total cost...$64.00 v/s dealer $1034.89.
MB dealer labor quoted was 3.8 hours at $192 per hr.
Absolutely INSANE!

 

[3Ts]

How about the $1034.89 I was quoted by a Mercedes dealer back in January, to change 6 spark plugs in my 2014 E-350?
OEM (Bosch double platinum) plugs cost $64.00 delivered to my door.
I am OLD! Had to get neighbor kid to pull plug boots off......too difficult for old guy poor hand strength.
I changed plugs in 2.8 hours (an overly intricate German puzzle on the E-350).

My total cost...$64.00 v/s dealer $1034.89.
MB dealer labor quoted was 3.8 hours at $192 per hr.
Absolutely INSANE!

I had a neighbor with a Mercedes, took it in to have what seemed to be some simple work done. When he found out what it would cost, he asked why so much. The answer was "Because it's a Mercedes".

 

[Hay Dude]

I had a neighbor with a Mercedes, took it in to have what seemed to be some simple work done. When he found out what it would cost, he asked why so much. The answer was "Because it's a Mercedes".

My wife wants one. They do get fantastic reviews. And they are made in Alabama!
We agreed that we should purchase an extended service plan. I did the same for my 2020 RAM.
I repaired my 2008 Superduty diesel way past what an extended warranty would have cost, so for this old redneck, it makes fiscal sense to ME.
YRMV.

 

[fried1765]

My wife wants one. They do get fantastic reviews. And they are made in Alabama!
We agreed that we should purchase an extended service plan. I did the same for my 2020 RAM.
I repaired my 2008 Superduty diesel way past what an extended warranty would have cost, so for this old redneck, it makes fiscal sense to ME.
YRMV.

Mine was built in Germany!

The E-350 being a 6-1/2 year old car, when I bought it in December, I knew to expect simple issues needing fixing.
Both batteries were 6-1/2 years old.
Small Aux battery (in trunk) $300 + tax at dealer, but.... $131 delivered from FCP Euro in CT.
Engine start battery $450 + tax from dealer, but $185 incl.tax from Advance Auto parts.
Neither battery had failed, but I am closing in on 80 years old. Why not replace them both now, rather than waiting for them to fail, at the most inopportune time/place?
I could have a personal (death) failure, before needing to replace those batteries again (the FCP Euro aux. battery actually has a free lifetime guarantee)

New leather seat bottom cover drivers side.
Just over $1,000 installed, from dealer.
E-Bay (from another MB dealer) $270.
I installed myself..... PITA!

My E-350 has 62,000 miles, and transmission fluid/filter change is suggested at 70,000 miles.
I no longer have a two poster garage lift, so, when the time comes, I will take it to my very competent independent import shop.
Probably 1/2 half or less, than the $572 quoted by MB.

It is a wonderful car, but if you go to a MB dealer for repairs, you should understand that you.... WILL BE RAPED!
This car is consuming far less gasoline than any car I have ever owned though!
Since late February...Incredible gas economy!... I am only using about 2 gallons per month, and the E-350 is the ONLY vehicle I have here in Florida!
Covid-19 is saving me gas $$$!
The Publix supermarket is 500 yards away, plus a few other close by places.
Only starts and stops. I do use a battery trickle charger.

Factoids:
I have NEVER worked as a mechanic!
This is NOT my 1st MB!
U-Tube is a wonderful thing!

 

[dnw64]

And now I can see that same advantage was always there; an advantage that applies equally to both young and old....and that it was just my youthful pride that kept me from using the larger tool to get more work done faster, easier, and better in the first place. Much of the time, the larger tools are the proper tools to make the best use of everyone's time.

As the old adage goes (and it's one of the few, pretty universally accepted truths) "Time is the only thing they're not making any more of".

 

[k0ua]

As the old adage goes (and it's one of the few, pretty universally accepted truths) "Time is the only thing they're not making any more of".

Well, the is that "land" thing too.. No making much more land either... maybe a few volcanic eruptions to make an island once in a while.