Do you loan your tractor

Uncle Doug · Mar 10, 2009

I have always tried to be a good neighbor or friend. I have loaned my tractor out to neighbors, Son in law, sons and a few other friends. It seems that almost every time I have it comes back with another dent, some thing broken or missing. While I am not a very picky owner I do try and keep my equipment in good running shape. Over the past 5 years I have had this tractor (since new) it has returned with broken head lights, broken tail light, broken trailer lights, missing turn buckle, covered in mud and a few more dents.

I loaned it out yesterday with the PTO tiller and it returned with wire and other garbage wound up in the tiller tines. This friend always fills the tractor back up with fuel so I guess he did not notice the tiller.

While I still want to be the good neighbor it seems that when it comes to my tractor I will need to offer to do the work for them other than loan the tractor out.

3RRL · Mar 10, 2009

That's what I do, do the tractor work myself as a favor to good neighbors.
For some reason it's OK for me to screw it up instead of them. Like it's my right and not theirs or something

...

kthompson · Mar 10, 2009

If you want a polite way to say no, you may find your insurance company will not cover it to be rented or loaned. So you will be glad to do it for them.

George2615 · Mar 10, 2009

I used to but I no longer loan out my tractor, truck, trailer, attachments, or any other equipment. I have done so in the past and like Uncle Doug said, it always came back with some kind of damage.
I stopped loaning because whoever I loaned things to was not familiar with what was loaned to them. In previous cases of loaning out things such as a trailer, the person using it had never backed up a trailer as long as mine and caused damage. Same goes for the tractor, they had never operated one like mine. Anytime you buy something yourself there is always a learning period to get used to it. If you are not familiar with how something operates that's when damage occurs.
If someone asks to use something I will usually schedule a time with them and go do the job myself as a favor. I would rather have someone owe me than to owe them and I have plenty owed to me.
I try not to, but I have borrowed equipment / attachments that I don't own and only needed for a one time use. When I'm done it always goes back cleaner, greased, and usually in better shape than it was when I got it.

RollingsFarms · Mar 10, 2009

i only loan mine out to a farmer friend of mine to run a hay rake. his only tractors are a 4440, 6410, and a NH T115, so he doesnt have a smaller tractor to use. he's debating on buying one just like mine in the future though. i know how he treats his equipment and in return for letting him borrow my 5203, he gives me the use of his tractors if i have some loader work to do or whatever. i've never had a problem with this arrangement and we both make sure each others tractors are filled up, greased and serviced(if need be) prior to returning them to each other. other then that, i don't lend out my equipment to other people.

Nissan197 · Mar 10, 2009

I have never loaned my tractor out. I loaned my trailer out once and it came back with the fenders all scratched up. Probably would only loan stuff to my brother and that is it.

mbohuntr · Mar 10, 2009

The last thing I loaned out got 6' of scratches and divots down the side... absolutely not.... I will operate myself for free though (to friends)

tomd999 · Mar 10, 2009

Hiya,

I loan the small Deere out all the time, to my wife.

It comes back dirty, scratched and with an extra dent or 2 depending what she drives into, over, through or drops out of the bucket onto the hood.

What can I say, she's a recovering city girl....

Tom

Thomas · Mar 10, 2009

Has to be darn good friend etc. before I loan out tractor.

Good friend etc. would make the breakage...cleaning etc. right before returning tractor.

Maybe it's time for some tough love.

Usta · Mar 10, 2009

I am very careful who borrows/uses my stuff.
Loaned my fiberglass handle splitting maul and got back ONLY a sorry, the handle broke. There are exceptions though. I loaned out my 27 ton wood splitter to a guy for about a week and it came back full of fuel, washed and WAXED (who waxes wood splitters) and with a $50 resturant gift card. Of course this guy probably carries enough cash on him to buy 3 wood splitters.
The tractor will never see an operator other than the wife and I.