So what is your cost to operate your tractor?

[MtnViewRanch]

From what I have seen here at TBN, a lot of people do not take into account what the costs would be if they had rented the equipment or hired the job out costs. Don't get me wrong, a lot of us do. But how often do we hear that it cost me X amount of $$$$ to buy this or that to get the job done? Yes it did cost $$$$ to be able to do the job, but the job is done and you have the equipment to do it again, or to sell. How much $$$$ would it have cost to have rented or to hire it done? Many, many times it would have been more $$$$ to hire it done and sometimes even to have rented.

Back in 2002 when the Pines fire burned our place, I checked on having the place cleaned up with a dozer. The guy came out and looked at the job, said that he would push the debris into piles, said about 14-10 hour days at 1k per day. Wrong, 14k was way out of the budget. Checked on renting a biiiiiiig dozer, wrong again, to much $$$$. Bought our old D6 and implements for $3500, spent 2k on repairs. Guess what, tractor has paid for itself about 6 times over. So how much has the D6 cost me. In my book it has made me MONEY. All of our bought used tractors have made us money vs renting. The new machines and implements are going to have to go a bit longer before I can say the same for them.

 

[Botabill]

My BX 1800 cost me about $9 an hour Canadian to operate. That takes into consideration original cost, maintenance, fuel and what I got for the tractor when I sold it with 1200 hours I had put on it since new. The minimum wage here in Ontario was about $8 per hour. Considering that a tractor can do the work of several men and it is available WHEN you need it the BX was a great investment.

 

[newbury]

What MtnView said -

I've got a number of "small" jobs here in N. Va. One was to get out a stump. It would have cost me about $500 to have someone do it or rent equipment.
Done.

Also -
I don't work steady, fast, or continuous unless I want to.

Right now I'm going on work travel for a month. All home projects on hold.
Frequently I'm deployed at short notice, for a week or two. Doesn't work well with rentals.

When/if I retire I plan on working at my leisure in good weather. Renting equipment, whether for a weekend or a month, that's going to be used outside depends a lot on weather and if the rental place has it.

It's one thing to rent a floor sander and have to bring it in thru the rain, it's entirely different renting a tractor and having the ground/weather so wet you can't use it.

Me - "oh, it's a nice day, I'll dig that ditch"
"oh it's raining I'll haul that tree tomorrow"

So renting is always an option, for a short term, focused, one time job.

/edit - so far my B7610 package has cost me about $666 an hour. (20,000/30)

 

[MossRoad]

Says who?

Says me.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Says me.

While many (most?) tractors will depreciate over the years, SOME APRECIATE in value. I've got examples of both.




There needs to be a clarification in terms before I'm willing to stick my neck out with an answer.

"What is your cost to OPERATE your tractor" vs "What is your cost to OWN your tractor"....?

Operational cost is simple....fuel, repairs, ect... Ownership would include purchase price, depreciation/apreciation (sp???)/re-sale value, taxes, ect.... The answer the OP is looking for may include bits and pieces of each. (ie, "cost to OWN and OPERATE.....)

 

[dodge man]

My BX cost me about $2.50 an hour for me last year, being about 200 hours of use. I bought it brand new and paid cash so there is no interest. I let my homeowners insurance cover it so there is not seperate cost for that. For maintance other than fluid and filters, I replaced the deck belt that broke and that is it. I know at some point you are looking at repairs, tires etc, but its hard to anticipate how much or when that will be, so for now I'm at $2.50 per hour, and unless something breaks, it think it will be more like $2.00 and hour this year because I shouldn't have to change the hydraulic fluid and filter this year that need changing.

Edit: If I estimate my deprecitation and resale value, I'm looking at about $8.50 an hour, which is pretty close to Botabill's number.

 

[sizzami]

if you have to ask you cant afford it

 

[MossRoad]

While many (most?) tractors will depreciate over the years, SOME APRECIATE in value. I've got examples of both.




There needs to be a clarification in terms before I'm willing to stick my neck out with an answer.

"What is your cost to OPERATE your tractor" vs "What is your cost to OWN your tractor"....?

Operational cost is simple....fuel, repairs, ect... Ownership would include purchase price, depreciation/apreciation (sp???)/re-sale value, taxes, ect.... The answer the OP is looking for may include bits and pieces of each. (ie, "cost to OWN and OPERATE.....)

Ah, but picking a classic tractor in advance is tough.

As for operating VS owning.... I agree that the OP has bits and pieces of each. As a homeowner, I don't make income with my tractor. It is a tool that saves me time and it keeps me from spending as much money when I can do it myself VS hiring out or renting. And really, by not spending as much by doing it myself, I am saving some of my money, but I am not making any money. There is still a net loss at the end of the day.

 

[woodchuckcanuck]

To those that offered up your per hour cost, thank you. To the rest, thanks as well but you missed the intent of my question. Your stories of cost savings are interesting and ring true. As for the accounting lessons, well, I already know that stuff but its always interesting to see how others folks perceive a topic. Thanks.

 

[Duffster]

Ah, but picking a classic tractor in advance is tough.

It doesn't necessarily have to be a classic/antique to appreciate or not depreciate