Buying Advice How long can I get by without one?

ovrszd · Mar 8, 2020

buck12 said:
Only you can answer your question. You know your relationship with your father and each of your personalities. I like having my own stuff and don’t generally like to borrow. The exception to this is my Dad. We borrow stuff on a ongoing basis. I have two trailers but used his trailer today to get lumber. Tomorrow I’m borrowing his nail gun and router. His brake pliers are currently on my work bench and I use his pole saw more than he uses it.

He currently has two of my shotguns, and uses my trailers often. It’s just how we have done things. If it’s a tool I’m going to use often I want my own stuff. If it something like a router that I will rarely use I have no problem borrowing Dads.

I spent the afternoon helping my Son fill the rear tires on his tractor. I took an arm full of tools to his shop to do the project. If I need those tools again I know where they are. Sharing tools with an appreciative Son or Father is a Blessing. The OP's Dad knows this. No worries on his part. No worries on my part about the tools I left at my Son's shop this afternoon.

jjp8182 · Mar 8, 2020

Perhaps the real question you'd need to ask yourself: is how well do you and your dad resolve disagreements?

It doesn't matter how well two people get along, eventually disagreements will arise (though degree of disagreement can vary widely) - and with something like this it could get into things like: which tasks take priority, the method of completing the task, is adding new functionality really "worth it", and even what constitutes "good enough" to consider the task complete. Hypothetical example: if a blizzard rolls through between 11pm and midnight when you you need or want your driveway cleared? and is it something you'd want to be using borrowed equipment (or operator time) to have done in that time frame?

So I'd say if it's working now keep going with it, but it's probably not a bad idea to maintain/grow the ability to buy a tractor if/when (and preferably before) disagreements start causing lasting damage to the relationship. ...and it time it may even just be worth buying one to increase productivity of your combined projects.

Just my two cents ...and just to be transparent: I tend not to borrow or loan tools/machines out -- not even to family as it's generally faster/easier (for me) to either give/sell it to them (with no expectation of ever seeing it again), or to help them buy one for themselves ....or buy/trade it from them.

ovrszd · Mar 9, 2020

I expect if I live to die of natural causes rather than tragedy at least one of my Sons will build here on the farm with us. If that day comes I would respond just like the OP's Dad is responding if they talked to me about buying a loader tractor. I would consider that a silly expenditure of money on their part since I have one sitting in the machine shed. But if they said they were considering buying a mini-ex or CTL, things I don't already have, I would think that was very logical and considerate of them.

I have a very close relationship with my Sons. Spent yesterday afternoon helping one put fluid in his rear tractor tires. I expect the OP also has a close relationship with his Dad.

MGH PA · Mar 9, 2020

Thanks, everyone. I will give it a little while and see where things go. We have a lot of expenses ahead of us for finishing the outside this summer anyways, so it's probably better to stay a little more conservative in the spending department.

shooterdon · Mar 9, 2020

ovrszd said:
I expect if I live to die of natural causes rather than tragedy at least one of my Sons will build here on the farm with us. If that day comes I would respond just like the OP's Dad is responding if they talked to me about buying a loader tractor. I would consider that a silly expenditure of money on their part since I have one sitting in the machine shed. But if they said they were considering buying a mini-ex or CTL, things I don't already have, I would think that was very logical and considerate of them.

I have a very close relationship with my Sons. Spent yesterday afternoon helping one put fluid in his rear tractor tires. I expect the OP also has a close relationship with his Dad.

Good post.

Further to that, if my son bought essentially the same tractor as "we" already have I would think he is dumb. Might even worry I had somehow pissed him off.

ovrszd · Mar 9, 2020

shooterdon said:
Good post.

Further to that, if my son bought essentially the same tractor as "we" already have I would think he is dumb. Might even worry I had somehow pissed him off.

Yep .

paulfun9 · Mar 9, 2020

ovrszd said:
Yep .

Mine would buy one and claim I was doing all the easy tractor work for him! Just as stated before, stealing all the fun tractor time.

EddieWalker · Mar 9, 2020

I wonder why I think so differently then some of you?

If my dad had a tractor, and I really liked it, I would consider buying the exact same tractor and think that I was complimenting my dad on his wisdom in buying the best tractor out there. I would also think of how much more we could get done if we where both on our own tractors, working side by side on a project.

ovrszd · Mar 9, 2020

Eddie, in your fleet of several tractors are there any duplicates?

rScotty · Mar 10, 2020

EddieWalker said:
I wonder why I think so differently then some of you?

If my dad had a tractor, and I really liked it, I would consider buying the exact same tractor and think that I was complimenting my dad on his wisdom in buying the best tractor out there. I would also think of how much more we could get done if we where both on our own tractors, working side by side on a project.

Not everyone sees this differently, Eddie. On this I think the same as you do. Two of the same tractor aren't the same machine at all. Not anymore the same than one son is just like another. Both of you have houses, don't you? Drive PUs? Besides, it doesn't have to be the same exact tractor, just the same brand and very close to the same model.

Having more than one tractor is a welcome treat. Look at anyone's signature on TBN! There are lots of jobs where changing tractors just makes more sense than changing inplements.

It's obviously going to be a used tractor, so it will also be frugal. And now that you know what you have to look for - roughly - you can look for a real nice one. And concentrate on some attachments too.

Now just take your time. You do want a nice one. I once knew a guy who bought the very same tractor with the same FEL, but the second one had a powershift transmission and power steering. Much nicer.
Enjoy,
rScotty