How to convince parents that a subcompact is a good idea

[wotandbuy]

Hi all, second post here, so please let me know if this is the wrong place.

With my parents aging rapidly (both entering their 60s) and my father working a hard labor job all his life, I've been warming up to the idea of a subcompact for general houswork.

My concerns are

My father's age and career causing issues with pains ect. This is further pushed along by his "can do" attitude, it deeply worries me that oneday he'll overstress himself and 000 will ring to say he's in hospital. And sadly it's becoming more of a plausible thought

The others are,
My mother deeply loves gardening, but due to our soil type being clay it's borderline impossible to work in. And the planter boxes are a PITA (ground shifts therefore they just break, unless built out of tungsten). Therefore I need a way to ensure that she can atleast continue gardening without risking more injuries.

The need of heavy lifting, this one rings moreso for my father. However he routinely pushes himself, and I believe a FEL will atleast avoid that and keep it to a bare minimum.

The power steering would help, as our ground has many ruts and divets, and I can personally attest to nearly having my wrist broken driving into one on our lawnmower

The necessity to hold value somewhat, as they will be able to sell it to retire with some extra money (re I buy it off them and sneak in a few 1'000$ extra).

The sheer cost of contractors (yes a tractor is 35000$) but atleast it's not a sudden payment, whereas multiple times we have needed contractors that cost far too much

Whislt I understand this is a unusual request, as a 17yo I reasonably should be finding out how to turbo my mother's car, however I'd rather find a way to atleast improve their QOL,then turbo later. I guess what I really want to ask is, as people who most likely have children yourselves, aswell as having experience buying and owning these machines, what would be some good selling points?


I've already agreed to pay 50/50 deposit on the machine at 30%, aswell as paying any Christmas and birthday money (or more realistically job income, as they somehow find the best darn T-shirts) towards it until the machine is paid off, however I need a further way to sweeten the deal as they say. Since understandably asking for a tractor and an Xbox are two very different things.

The brands I've considered are

Massey gc1725M
Kioti cs2610 (not the20 series, not available in aus)
[AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] BX23s (least preferred)
And any other brands around that price point

 

[fidowanttobe]

I admire your attitude young man , your parents should be very proud.
Perhaps a week rental straightening out as much as possible the spring ruts and washouts and garden prepping would be the best advertisement for them to see how much more can be done in less time with minimal effort. After it is returned, subtle reminders during manual labor might help also that "this would be sooo much easier with a tractor, wouldn't it Dad?"

 

[bearthebruce]

I second @fidowanttobe post. I admire your desire to improve the QOL of your parents as they are aging.

I am 67 and I like to work smarter and not harder. Using a tractor to do the work rather than beating my body up, is a good thing.

Sensitivity to your dad's "Can Do" attitude has to factor in here. I too am a "Can do" guy. There is nothing I will not try. Taking that away from your dad might be worse than letting him strain some muscles. He may want to feel that pain to know that he is still alive and still can do. He will come to a point where he knows his strength is waning and he needs help. Maybe he is not there yet.

I like @fidowanttobe idea. Rent a tractor. Show how it can do more work, with less effort, in a shorter time. There is real value to that. Show how it can lift the loads that cause hard grunts. Show the power that can be delivered into a task.

I don't have experience with the sub-compact tractors to which you have referred. I know they can do a lot of work. I won't make a recommendation.

I wish you the best as you work to help your parents. It is an awesome task you have endeavored to take.

 

[Avenger]

You're definitely a good child thinking of your parents and their potential needs before your own. Many children seem to put themselves first. Good on ya!

No one likes to be told they are getting old and shouldn't preform certain tasks, especially by their friends or family. A daily reminder we already have is our creaking bones and aching muscles. The last thing we need is others telling us that we look/act old!

That said, your definitely on the correct path. Helping them financially to help themselves. Tractors are not cheap, but can be life changers. However, some like doing hard work. Your dad seems to be this type of person. He enjoys the satisfaction of doing something the 'hard way.' Using a tractor, on the surface, might seem like an advantage, but might also be seen as the ability to do more work. Here is what I mean: Your dad might have a project that he knows he will get to one of these days, but since its a ton of manual labor, the project might get pushed back until next year, then the next, and the year after that. He knows he may never get to the project. Then comes along a tractor that will do 75% of the hard work! No excuses anymore!! But that left over 25% might really suck!

But ok, lets assume your parents are willing and able to help you buy them a tractor. Some good selling points to get them there:

• Tractors help in getting things done in a timely fashion with less wear and tear on the body.
• You can use the tractor to help others, neighbors and friends. Maybe even make some side money!
• Maintenance on some models is easy to do, and if using the dealer, not horribly expensive.
• Emergency transport. This one is a stretch, but in a jamb it can get you where you need to be over rough terrain.
• Backup power! You can get a PTO driven generator, or simply an inverter hooked to the battery. Diesel engines can run a long time at low RPM.
• Land clearing. You didnt mention how much land your parents are on. But if they wanted to build anything, having a tractor makes prepping the area essential.
• They're simply FUN! I love tractors, they are fun to drive and work with.

There are many reasons to for tractor ownership. I couldn't imagine what life would be like without my tractor, and I've only owned my tractor for 5 years! I use my tractor for several different tasks: moving things around the place like trailers, fence posts, bricks, etc. Mowing. Snow removal, building projects, visiting my neighbors, making money, grading the driveway, tilling the garden, feeding livestock, moving boxes, pulling people out of the ditch, spreading gravel, burning slash piles, land clearing... the list goes on and on!

But I honestly wouldn't push too hard. Pushing too hard might push them away. Maybe rent a tractor for a big project, see if it fits them. If not, drop the idea. I wish you luck on this endeavor. Welcome to the forum, and please keep us updated on what you and your parents decide.

 

[alexpops]

Not sure what the lending laws are where you are (in Australia?) but if it was me, I'd get a job & start saving then buy it for them as a gift. (look used rather than new if you can't get a loan) Did that for my dad with a boat (after arranging for dock space) since he loves to fish, but would never spend the money on himself (or pay for charter trips on any regular basis). Your dad "can do" more once he has it, & if anything like my dad (94 yo) he won't believe that until he experiences it.

 

[Eagle1]

All I can say I got more stuff done in my yard in the first 6 months after buying a BX2200 than I did the previous 8 years with a garden tractor. Just having a FEL to move dirt and "stuff" became a epiphany as to what was possible.
Last my son bought "us" a bigger tractor now that the BX has 4500 hour and we needed a backhoe.

 

[2manyrocks]

My advice to you is to first prepare yourself for the best earnings potential career you can attain. A tractor will be much more affordable without straining yourself after you have the opportunity to have a good earnings stream. It will also expand your ability to care for your parents as they age.

I am 100% serious about this.

 

[2manyrocks]

And .... your parents may be self sufficient as they go into their 60s. As they head into their 80s, their needs may change in unexpected ways. Today, it may seem like age 37 is far off for you, but it will come faster than you think. You may have family responsibilities of your own. It isn't uncommon to face family responsibilities and the needs of aging parents at the same time.

You are about to enter a transitional phase of your own life. Prepare yourself as well as you can for what the future may hold. Whatever your interests, abilities, and options are available to you, give it your best effort. Work towards preparing yourself to having the ability to care for your parents when they need you the most.

 

[hornett22]

Hi all, second post here, so please let me know if this is the wrong place.

With my parents aging rapidly (both entering their 60s) and my father working a hard labor job all his life, I've been warming up to the idea of a subcompact for general houswork.

My concerns are

My father's age and career causing issues with pains ect. This is further pushed along by his "can do" attitude, it deeply worries me that oneday he'll overstress himself and 000 will ring to say he's in hospital. And sadly it's becoming more of a plausible thought

The others are,
My mother deeply loves gardening, but due to our soil type being clay it's borderline impossible to work in. And the planter boxes are a PITA (ground shifts therefore they just break, unless built out of tungsten). Therefore I need a way to ensure that she can atleast continue gardening without risking more injuries.

The need of heavy lifting, this one rings moreso for my father. However he routinely pushes himself, and I believe a FEL will atleast avoid that and keep it to a bare minimum.

The power steering would help, as our ground has many ruts and divets, and I can personally attest to nearly having my wrist broken driving into one on our lawnmower

The necessity to hold value somewhat, as they will be able to sell it to retire with some extra money (re I buy it off them and sneak in a few 1'000$ extra).

The sheer cost of contractors (yes a tractor is 35000$) but atleast it's not a sudden payment, whereas multiple times we have needed contractors that cost far too much

Whislt I understand this is a unusual request, as a 17yo I reasonably should be finding out how to turbo my mother's car, however I'd rather find a way to atleast improve their QOL,then turbo later. I guess what I really want to ask is, as people who most likely have children yourselves, aswell as having experience buying and owning these machines, what would be some good selling points?


I've already agreed to pay 50/50 deposit on the machine at 30%, aswell as paying any Christmas and birthday money (or more realistically job income, as they somehow find the best darn T-shirts) towards it until the machine is paid off, however I need a further way to sweeten the deal as they say. Since understandably asking for a tractor and an Xbox are two very different things.

The brands I've considered are

Massey gc1725M
Kioti cs2610 (not the20 series, not available in aus)
[AFFILIATE='1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"']Kubota[/AFFILIATE] BX23s (least preferred)
And any other brands around that price point

You mean 30% interest?

 

[mikester]

I'd be willing to adopt a kid who helps around the place without being asked 13 times, buys me new tools, and pays rent, and doesn't hog the internet connection at night when we try to watch netflix.