What would you do...

[mikeyd]

I do think it is important to pave the driveway not so much because of the "redneck" factor but because with a stone driveway you and the dogs tend to drag little stones, chips and dirt into the house. These will cause damage to your expensive hardwood floors. Believe me I know the pain of paving a driveway...mine is 1000 foot, but it was worth it. You have a beautiful brand new home, you don't want to ruin it.

I understand your desire to have a tractor. To me it doesn't matter if you "need" it. I mean do you "need" such a beautiful house...do you "need" a jacuzzi? You get the point. So, get a tractor, besides you will put it to good use;plowing the driveway, mowing, carrying mulch, dirt etc. I don't know much about JD's but your dad's tractor would be overkill for your property. There are a ton of small compact tractors like a kubota bx2300 that would suit your needs and, especially used, can be had for much less than 17k. My neighbor has a BX2300 with a mmm, FEL and BH and, for the most part, there is nothing I can do with my much larger 5030 that he can't do with his machine, it just takes longer.

The nice thing about a tractor like a bx2300 is that you could buy it with just a MMM and then later pickup a FEL, BH etc. as money permits. Plus they hold thier value so you can always trade up.

I do agree with all the others....above all, keep momma happy.

 

[McDenny's]

Okay, heres one for ya, My driveway is about 1000' long and its gravel. I once mentioned to my wife about paving the driveway and her comment was "But thats why you bought your tractor honey, to keep our gravel driveway nice and smooth" How can you argue with that ???? So having a "redneck" driveway isn't always a bad thing.



Dennis

 

[RoyJackson]

"I don't know much about JD's but your dad's tractor would be overkill for your property."

The 790 might be overkill for the finished lawn but would be great for the field mowing (which, per Brian's pictures, is what it is used for now). It's also a good fit for other tasks on a 7 acre property.

I use my 790 to mow an acre of finished lawn...and it is overkill for that particular task (still fun though!). However, for my other work it's a pretty decent fit (especially if I can ever talk my wife into letting me get the chipper!).

Anyway...keep reading posts on TBN...overkill is the name of the game here.

So Brian...what do you use the 33' x 39' Game room for? You didn't have any pictures of it in your photo album.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

No offense meant... My wife is a very intelligent and smart women.. BUT her statement of the 'redneck driveway' has to be the stupidest thing she has ever said..

ill keep you informed of what the final decision is.. Once she makes it.. LOL

thanks

Brian

STUPIDEST? Maybe, maybe not. She's got you right where she wants you on the issue. Sounds "smartest" to me. I had a discussion with my wife a few weeks ago about another topic. Television commercials. She was commenting on "how stupid" some of them were. My reply? That "stupid commercial" has you talking about it 2 hours after it aired. They got more than their monies worth out of that 30 seconds. It was easier to write a commercial with little inteligent thought, a low budget, and very little direct information about the product they were selling than it would have been to write a genious, classic marketing ploy. In other words, they took the easy way out and it worked like a charm. They got what they wanted.

Your wife (and mine too) know all about the power of women to manipulate us males. She didn't have to spend a lot of effort reasoning with you, laying out hard facts, or even offering a better alternative. She's got YOU to do the dirty work for her now. And if your decision turns out to be a BAD ONE, you're all alone in the blame. A GOOD desicion, and she LET you do it. They're tricky creatures, those females, and they do it so effortlessly. In the end, she either gets her way OR she sends you out to find a tractor feeling a little bit guilty about buying something that's "all for you". That gets stored away until the NEXT TIME she needs bargaining leverage.

OR....she may just be right.....which is it?

38 years of being married have taught me a few things. One is we don't stand a chance of being right.

Oh, the power of women, God love 'em........

 

[Renob]

I always go by the rule that "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission".

 

[hudlow]

No offense meant... My wife is a very intelligent and smart women.. BUT her statement of the 'redneck driveway' has to be the stupidest thing she has ever said..

She just doesnt understand why everyone doesnt have a paved driveway - We make good money, so we can afford 'extras' like a paved driveway, but she doesnt understand for some its not high on the priorities list..

BUT - I called her this afternoon and she was like "i just dont understand why i was so mean to you last night and why i got so upset over the driveway" I do think she (and a lot of you) have a valid point about looking for a alternative to the new tractor, but what is killing me is one day is "buy what you want" the next is "you dont love me because you think we need a tractor over paving the driveway" (joking - but it was probably close to being that ridiculous.. LOL)

ill keep you informed of what the final decision is.. Once she makes it.. LOL

thanks

Brian

No offense taken. I consider myself a redneck and tell most of my freinds they are also.

Sooner or later you'll get that tractor and the paved driveway.

My wife is also a very smart woman - but I know where you're coming from.

It's just not meant to be figured out.

Be patient.

(but I do often go by Renob's advice...."It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission". )

hud

 

[dtd24]

If it were me I would go with paving the driveway, and look for a used safe trailer. It's nice to have a good trailer around. I have a gravel drive I am in the process of re-working, it's alot of work

 

[thatguy]

thatguy:

<deleted text> I do have a question about your "redneck" driveway- what do your neighbors have? <deleted text> Jay

We are in a just developing subdivision, with some established homes in the surrounding areas.. Most of the older homes have gravel... There are only 2 completed houses immediately around us and they both have paved drives (sorta setting the standard), and 3 more under construction (two are spec homes). Most of the lots are smaller 2 acre lots, and the driveways wont be excessively long, so they can be paved for under a fortune..

Answering some of the other questions..

IF i was to get the tractor I want, beside bush hogging and mowing the yard, I do have plenty of project that I can use the tractor for.. I have plenty of areas to be 'cleaned up' - which done by hand would have me at the drs for hernia surgery or at the chiropractor for adjustments.. LOL

AND as it was mentioned, I can always find some use for it, although im sure the wife would laugh at me for my imaginative uses.. I had a lot of projects i wanted to do this winter while it was cooler and the snakes were away, but every time I tried to get dads tractor it just didnt work out for some reason.

I am quietly going to get one more quote for comparisions and as JBrumberg mentioned.. If i get the OK again.. it will be too late to turn back.. LOL

thanks for all the help..

Brian

 

[tydp]

Do what you both originally agreed on. If she gets mad, she'll get over it. I know marriage is a 50/50 proposition or should be. All the time spent currently mowing is taking away form things you could be doing yourself or together. It is my pet peeve (and am certainly not saying you are in this boat) to hear men constantly asking their wife's permission to do everything. Lots of men need to grow a pair......Rant off.

 

[the_sandman_454]

Here's what you do... Get a pair of bib overalls of the denim jean material variety, a "redneck" looking shirt, a straw hat, and a piece of straw to chew on. Tell your wife you're tryin' to look the part of being a redneck... Then buy the tractor, since prior to her mood swings you had permission, so that makes it valid enough. Then just go ahead and prep for the driveway. Sell other peoples' kidneys on the black market to finance it. That's my strategy.