Am I mad wanting this tractor??

[MetalChicken]

Hi.
I'm in the UK and have a little 5 acre plot that is split into 3 padocks and is treated as lawn. At the moment I using a combination of my IH484 and an 8' finshing mower to keep it tidy by cutting every week during the spring/summer.
It's a combination that works well, but I'm getting the bug to buy a tractor with more toys/features.
Right now I've got a hankering to buy a MF 3060/3065/3070 which are late 80's/early 90's models with roughly 80hp and have 4wd and a load of other modern stuff.
Realistically I 'should' only afford one of the earlier tractors which if I was unlucky could potentially could lead to reliability problems - or I could spend more (say 8000GBP) which should be better. I have the money to buy either - it's a question of whether I should!!

My question is, considering my current setup is OK for what I do now should I just keep my hand in my pocket, or should I spend about 3000GBP (taking into account what I could sell my 484 for) and get something that's going to do everything I envisage needing a tractor for in the future (hedge cutting, maybe a bit of contract topping/bush hogging for fun)??
/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[MetalChicken]

This is my IH484 which I rebuilt the engine on last January. As you can see it's now got turf tyres and has been painted up a bit. The roof has since gone back on since this picture was taken.

 

[sneaky_pete]

80 horsepower is a lot of tractor for 5 acres!

 

[JerryG]

<font color="blue"> 80 horsepower is a lot of tractor for 5 acres!
</font>
That was my thoughts. Since you have it broken up in to three sections, do you have room to easily turn it around with a mower on? You know the old saying, "It takes forty acres to turn this rig around."

 

[ThistleKop]

<font color="blue">This is my IH484 </font>

Great looking combo you have. We all go a bit "mad" occasionally about tractors. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I would say if you can control the fever for a while, you will realize that you have the more practical tractor for your application. 80 hp is too much tractor IMO unless your plan to do much more and heavier work.

TK

 

[voodoo]

I have to agree with the other posters. It seems too much for the area you have and the current use. Of course, we all know what its like to crave after something for no good reason. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If you want something else to "whet your appetite" I saw this one on e-bay. Seems like a very neat machine, although I know nothing about the size or specs. Massey on E-bay UK /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Hope this keeps options open

 

[Egon]

Metalchicken you are Mad.

You must remember you may wish to turn the machine around.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[rockinmywaypa]

Metalchicken Do not, I repeat do not listen to the above advice, by all means buy the bigger tractor, It will look so big and awesome sitting in your driveway six and a half days a week. You will have the warm and fuzzies knowing you have helped keep your local economy rolling by moving your otherwise stagnating money around the circuit and last but not least you'll love the deeper tracks that will likely be left by the bigger and heavier machine because if you drive properly and in the right direction they'll help to run water off your lawn quicker. Go out and buy it ASAP.

 

[Soundguy]

Yes and no. I've got 13 ac right now ( hope for 20 later on ).. and have about 6 tractors right now.. all of them antiques except a 2002 NH 7610s. It is about 90 hp.. and is right at the edge of being to big for my property. If I had less than 10 ac.. it would be just too big. 8' mower is great for 5 ac.. if you move up to 80 hp you could pull 10' maybee 12' though.. I don't think you could turn it around!

Soundguy

 

[Birdhunter1]

Depends on what your definition of mad consists of!