help me justify a tractor

[frank_f15]

forgot to mention. <font color="red">I LOVE TRACTORS ALSO </font>

 

[Will_C]

Paul; One thing any of the tractors you mentioned will do better than a garden tractor is plow snow. I don't know where exactly in N.Y. you are, but if it is like the Southern Tier, the snow plowing alone could justify a tractor /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Will

 

[jinman]

Paul, I'd echo Soundguy's suggestion about a slight upgrade to the NAA or later Ford like the 600 or 800 series. However, you can be sure that the Ferguson or 8N will handle the dirt scoop and posthole digger just fine. You can also use implements like a row cultivator and one-way disk to till up your garden like you will never do with a smaller garden tractor. Another use is the boom pole for lifting up to 700 lb and rear forks for moving pallets or large objects like barrels with ease. Put a box blade on the back of the tractor and you can move dirt or snow. I personally like the Fords because there are so many folks making aftermarket parts for them and your NH dealer will carry loads of parts for them too. If all you can afford is the 8N or Fergie, by all means buy one of them, but if you can afford $500 to $1000 more and move into the range of $3,500, you can find a lot more tractor. Everytime you add $1,000 to your buying price, you will probably be able to step up a notch in features and functionality or maybe get a more recent overhaul. Try to get a tractor that you can use without always having to "tinker" with it. Project tractors are no fun when you need them to be working for you on other projects. Good luck! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Trev]

It's easy to justify.. just till your wife's garden, mow the lawn, move some big rocks, power your house during an extended power outage, pull your wife's car out of the mud when she gets stuck.. soon she will be in love with the thing! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RichZ]

Howdy, Paul!!

Yes an "N" or a Fergie will run a post hole digger.

I use my Fregie for the following: brush hoging, finish mowing, plowing snow with a backblade, maintaining my driveways with a landscape rake, spreading manure with a manure spreader (spent most of the weekend doing that!), pulling hay wagons (real big ones), cutting hay with a sicklebar mower, and probably more stuff I can't think of.

Go for it, Paul!!! You won't be sorry!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> make sure u don't go and get a 200hp monster. that u would need to justify! </font>

Frank,

A friend of mine just bought a 150 HP International tractor with very good rubber and fresh paint for $5,000! I think you could "justify" something like that based on price alone. Kind of makes one wonder about the relative values, doesn't it? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I've seen and heard this machine running and it's definitely a good one. I'm not saying I'd trade mine (Deere 4200) for his or anything, but it sure doesn't look like mine would be worth 2-3 times the money when they're parked side by side. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif On the other hand, I have to admit the idea of mowing with a 15'-18' batwing mower does have some appeal. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'm not at all sure that the bigger ones aren't a heck of a lot better buy than the compacts are in this market. From what I understand, used implements for these monsters aren't much if any more money than used implements for compacts, either. It's a classic example from Econ 101, the supply and demand curve. There are one heck of a lot more buyers/potential buyers for a used 30-35 HP machine than there are for a used 150-200 HP machine effectively bidding the prices up on the smaller machines.

 

[s1120]

Well Rich, You know my story. But the post hole thing, is the biggy. A plow I don't need, becouse I have the big old Dodge power wagon, And I have all the mowers, and tillers I would ever want. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif A box blade would realy come in handy, so that would roule out the early N's becouse of no position control. Do the Ferggie to20, or 30 have position control?

 

[RichZ]

No, the Fergies don't have position control, but that can be added with something called the Zang Thang, which sells for about $75. I can get you the details on that if you want. It's supposed to be easy to install, so it would be a snap for you!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

But, though, I never have used a box blade, I use a back blade and landscape rake all the time, and I've never needed position control.