Tractor & Implement Budget

[foggy1111]

I set out to buy a tractor and needed implements to take care of my hunting / rec land "up north". I figured if I shopped wisely (frugal is my middle name) I could outfit myself for about $15,000. and that was my goal. But I didn't know I was going to buy a tiller at the time I made my original "budget"....so, I busted that plan. I shopped the prices some and was able to find most of the implements "on sale" or make a package deal. I thought some other "food plotters" may have an interest in the cost of getting started with this size equipment.

Anyway.....I added up the numbers....Here's what $16,000 will buy:

JD790 Tractor w/ 70 loader (2001 w/ 300 hours)

5 New King Kutter Implements: 60"' Rotary Cutter, 60" Tiller, 60" BB, Ripper, 5.5' Box Frame Disc, 3Pt Fert Spreader,

Markham Tooth Bar, Paynes Forks, Pat's EZ Change, 8' Dunham Cultipacker

PJ 7000# trailer w/ electric brakes (1 year old)

In some cases I would have liked heavier-duty implements (like the RC) but I "settled" on what I have. Hopefully, I am pretty well equipped for most of this years projects .....now if the frost will only go out. I'd sure like to have a grapple, a herd seeder (I"m using an over the shoulder) and, and, and....but I plan to see how this equipment list works out....there's always next year....maybe my wife will be talking to me by then....lol (just kidding)

Oh....and I bought a 25 gal fimco sprayer for the ATV in that total.

 

[AndyMA]

Looks like you did good.

Andy

 

[foggy1111]

Thanks Andy. Being mostly retired....I spent ALLOT of time shopping for the right deals in the area and found a few Craigs List gems too (maybe more time than practical for most people)....but I was on a "mission". Buying at last fall's prices (on some items) and finding a carry over or two helped too. I wouldn't be opposed to good used stuff either...but these smaller 5' implements are hard to find in good condition. It's been feeling "like Christmas" for about 90 days now...lol.

 

[spruce Deere]

Nice foggy! I am still on the prowl for a 5' foot box blade, and and and Deal huntn is half the fun, and often leads to... hey, I could use that to! Long live the hunt!!!

 

[kebo]

Thanks Andy. Being mostly retired....I spent ALLOT of time shopping for the right deals in the area and found a few Craigs List gems too (maybe more time than practical for most people)....but I was on a "mission". Buying at last fall's prices (on some items) and finding a carry over or two helped too. I wouldn't be opposed to good used stuff either...but these smaller 5' implements are hard to find in good condition. It's been feeling "like Christmas" for about 90 days now...lol.

Good deals there foggy. I too found a lot "gems" off of Craigslist. In fact, I got my 2001 790 from a fellow who advertised it on CL. Like yourself, I'm "cheap" and I look hard for the best deals out there. Just for comparison (and since I have a 790 like you), I'll lay out how much I have tied up in my tractor and the equipment to go with it.

1) 2001 JD 790 4x4 with model 70 FEL, 388 hrs, bar tires, VERY nice condition overall, found it on craigslist last October & paid $9700 cash on the spot. Would have dickered him down some but he had too many other people calling & and emailing him about it!! Plus, I already knew it was a great deal for $9700!!

2) International 5ft bush hog model IM502 with slipclutch, better than average condition, not beat up & no dents or bents! I started looking for this right after I bought the 790 but was patient and found it about 7 weeks ago. It was also on craigslist a few miles from home. This was bought from a dealer out in the country who's trying to get a tractor business going by selling the chinese made Farm Pro tractors and he wouldn't negotiate the price any!! So, I had to give him $500 for it.

3) Leinbach post hole digger, standard size model, with 12" auger, paid $365 plus tax bought new from a nearby New Holland dealer maybe about 8 years ago when I had my first JD 750. We'll say $375 total for that one.

4) Boom pole, standard size, bought new from a local old tractor repair shop/dealer going out of business several years ago for the paltry sum of $35!!

5) Generic brand 5 ft box blade with 4 rippers, probably a medium duty at best, bought new from a used tractor/implement dealer about 70 miles from home about 7 years ago for $325.

6) Rusty, old heavy duty A&B Eagleline 30" pond scoop, have since sanded and repainted to look almost new. A&B says new it retails over $500, I paid $90 bucks for mine! Found it in a local agri bulletin trader paper published by our state agri dept. Add $35 for materials to sand and paint and we'll say $125 total for that one.

7) Howse 4ft ATV landscape rake, this is actually CAT 0 implement, but I paid a guy $50 to fabricate brackets to adapt it to CAT 1. The seller got it in a deal with a bigger Kubota and didn't want it. It was also found on Craigslist and I paid $100 cash for it so I have $150 total in this attachment but it was in brand new unused condition.

8) Lowery 4ft disc harrow, this one was included with the first JD 750 I bought 10 years ago so hard to assign a value to it. Being rusty and old I would not have paid more than $200 for it outright so I'll give it a value of $200.

9) $189 for the Pat's Easy Change which I just installed 2 weeks ago and haven't really had enough time to use to see how well it works. I do know that my generic BB is going to need to some mod's done to it to work with the Pats EC system.

I'm not going to include the 9x7 John Deere Van Brunt grain drill in my list here since it was given to me and I have nothing tied up in it (yet)!! It really needs a complete overhaul/renovation before it's used again.

Also, I have a 9" auger for my PHD that was payment for digging fence postholes for a guy that I used to work with so, I won't include that one either.

If I did my math right, that all comes to right at $11,599 Oh yeah, paid about $12 for the official John Deere spinner knob, and about $45 more for the stuff to jack up the hydraulic pressure on the tractor.

I'm happy with it!! The deals are out there, especially with the economy in a downturn. Well, maybe the deals are slightly better here in SC because our unemployment rate is now over 10% due to the economy. If you can be patient and look hard, and have the cash on hand, you can almost name your price on tractors and implements now.

 

[foggy1111]

Hey!!! I never said I was "Cheap"....frugal maybe...but not cheap. (grin)

Nice work Kebo. There is allot of fun in a good 'chinery find! I think most of us are bargain hunters at heart. I am keeping an eye out for a landscape rake too.....I just dont see how I can live without one of those for long......of coarse there's always holes to be augured too....and a bargain in that area would be hard to pass on. These implements are more addicting than fishing lures...and probably catch bigger "fish".

The ag economy here in MN has been pretty strong....at least for most...through last year. Seems like a different ballgame this year. Let's all hope we see some improvements in the months to come.