Farmwithjunk
Super Member
Chris, obviously "someone" thinks his immediate area is the gold standard for farming. What works in that corner of the world is the absolute finite answer to all the worlds questions, wants, and needs.
Fortunately, so many of us know otherwise.
The biggest changes in tractors DOES NOT deal with engines, transmissions, ect. The modern tractors are more popular to those who log hundreds of hours per year because of features like QUIET cabs, COMFORTABLE air conditioning, Plush seats, stereo sound systems, ect.....CREATURE COMFORTS that you just didn't see but for extremely rare instances 40 years ago. Some of the modern implements require more hydraulic input than the old ones were built to handle, yes. But nowhere near ALL.....
Now.....Look at the lions share of farmers. Not the 5% that comprise the "BIG TIME OPERATORS", but the remaining 95% of the group. No, they don't do MOST of their field work with 1950's tractors, (although more than you might realize still DO) but models from the '60's and 70's still roam the fields of the corn belt. "66 series" IH, 30 and 40 series Deere's ect, still sell well, and still pull many a corn planter. I have a neighbor who farms over 2500 acres. His NEWEST tractor is a 1978 Deere 4840. He also still uses a '74 Deere 4430 and a 1966 Deere 4020. 180 HP in 1978 numbers is still the same as 180 HP in 2009 numbers. That 30 year old Deere will pull a 16-row no till planter or a 20' no till bean drill just as fast as the latest techno-wonder tractors. And it'll do so with MUCH MUCH less overhead.
About those "BTO"'s........ Most of 'em buy the latest, greatest, biggest, baddest tractors on the market for a number of reasons. Not least of which is bragging rights, tax breaks, and for those creature comforts. Only in a VERY few instances is the technology and available options the deciding factor (as opposed to a rationalization). Equipment such as GPS, auto-steer, ect, are available as retrofits to the old tractors, making them every bit as capable as tractors costing 10 or 20 times as much.
I own new AND old tractors. Enough of each to make what I consider as a QUALIFIED statement. The OLD guys will log far more hours before being deadlined. That has to do with simplicity and ease of maintaining them once they're old enough to be financially impractical to repair and/or continue using, based on the MUCH higher cost of keeping that "modern technology" in functional condition.
And finally, there is hard FACTS to back up my opinion. All you need do is look at re-sale values of "modern" tractors built and sold 10 to 15 years ago. The techno-wonders fall off in value once they've logged a fair number of hours. Cost to rebuild/repair make it prohibitive to continue using them. Many of them drop to $.20 or $.30 on the dollar from original purchase price, most fall to $.50 to $.75 on that original dollar. Tractors of the '70's and back traditionally hold their value, even in MANY cases being worth MORE than original purchase price. And we are NOT talking about collectables here. I'm talking about "daily drivers" like those 4000 series Deere, ect. Look at smaller tractors. '80's and 90's utilities and early generation "compacts" drop off in value after a while, where older models still sell at prices ABOVE original. (ie, my 38 year old '71 MF150.... I paid $4000 and change in 1971. In average to rough condition, they sell for $4500 to $5000 now, and I've recently passed on two offers in excess of $6500.)
Fortunately, so many of us know otherwise.
The biggest changes in tractors DOES NOT deal with engines, transmissions, ect. The modern tractors are more popular to those who log hundreds of hours per year because of features like QUIET cabs, COMFORTABLE air conditioning, Plush seats, stereo sound systems, ect.....CREATURE COMFORTS that you just didn't see but for extremely rare instances 40 years ago. Some of the modern implements require more hydraulic input than the old ones were built to handle, yes. But nowhere near ALL.....
Now.....Look at the lions share of farmers. Not the 5% that comprise the "BIG TIME OPERATORS", but the remaining 95% of the group. No, they don't do MOST of their field work with 1950's tractors, (although more than you might realize still DO) but models from the '60's and 70's still roam the fields of the corn belt. "66 series" IH, 30 and 40 series Deere's ect, still sell well, and still pull many a corn planter. I have a neighbor who farms over 2500 acres. His NEWEST tractor is a 1978 Deere 4840. He also still uses a '74 Deere 4430 and a 1966 Deere 4020. 180 HP in 1978 numbers is still the same as 180 HP in 2009 numbers. That 30 year old Deere will pull a 16-row no till planter or a 20' no till bean drill just as fast as the latest techno-wonder tractors. And it'll do so with MUCH MUCH less overhead.
About those "BTO"'s........ Most of 'em buy the latest, greatest, biggest, baddest tractors on the market for a number of reasons. Not least of which is bragging rights, tax breaks, and for those creature comforts. Only in a VERY few instances is the technology and available options the deciding factor (as opposed to a rationalization). Equipment such as GPS, auto-steer, ect, are available as retrofits to the old tractors, making them every bit as capable as tractors costing 10 or 20 times as much.
I own new AND old tractors. Enough of each to make what I consider as a QUALIFIED statement. The OLD guys will log far more hours before being deadlined. That has to do with simplicity and ease of maintaining them once they're old enough to be financially impractical to repair and/or continue using, based on the MUCH higher cost of keeping that "modern technology" in functional condition.
And finally, there is hard FACTS to back up my opinion. All you need do is look at re-sale values of "modern" tractors built and sold 10 to 15 years ago. The techno-wonders fall off in value once they've logged a fair number of hours. Cost to rebuild/repair make it prohibitive to continue using them. Many of them drop to $.20 or $.30 on the dollar from original purchase price, most fall to $.50 to $.75 on that original dollar. Tractors of the '70's and back traditionally hold their value, even in MANY cases being worth MORE than original purchase price. And we are NOT talking about collectables here. I'm talking about "daily drivers" like those 4000 series Deere, ect. Look at smaller tractors. '80's and 90's utilities and early generation "compacts" drop off in value after a while, where older models still sell at prices ABOVE original. (ie, my 38 year old '71 MF150.... I paid $4000 and change in 1971. In average to rough condition, they sell for $4500 to $5000 now, and I've recently passed on two offers in excess of $6500.)
Last edited:
