why do you own a tractor? how does it save you $$

diesel lover · Jan 16, 2014

Daver1963 said:
When we had decided on our new home with four acres I debated over lawn/garden tractor and compact tractor. I looked at all the things I would want to do and started searching the internet and comparing prices. When it came down to it a lawn/garden tractor and all the attachments came in at about 2/3 the cost of a tractor with attachments. That didn't count all the things I could do with a tractor that I couldn't do with a lawn/garden tractor.
Plus the fact that a well maintained tractor would probably last much longer than a lawn/garden tractor that I'd have to replace every few years and hope that my attachments would still work with the new one.
And like many others here I know it has saved me a trip to the ER and probably the psycho ward. Riding that tractor is good therapy.

Perfectly agree,!! And yes. I love my 9n sized diesel with a finishing mower on the 3pt hitch. I would not buy a riding mower from a store and expect it to last. Not worth ge money!! I can pull out stuck vehicles, plow snow and pull fence post... all 3 pt cat. One implements will fit and work on it. How's that for being wise with money??

Keep them coming guys I feel sane again. I think people have the wrong idea when it comes to owning one. The guys at work that are against it also don't own their own house or take care of their own yard. Others take care of them. But they use Toyota forklifts for EVERYTHING at work!!! Same as using a tractor? I think they didn't think that through. I wouldn't buy a 1800$ snow plow for a truck on my tight budget when my tractor is here to help anytime.

/pine · Jan 16, 2014

Just an example...before I got the tractor/loader I used a pick, shovel and a wheelbarrow almost on a daily basis...the wheelbarrow was definitely my number one tool...and around here everything is either an uphill or downhill grade...neither one easy to move a loaded wheelbarrow on...although they present different effects...
...At any rate in the 5 plus years since buying a tractor I have maybe used the wheelbarrow a couple of times (to pour concrete)...
there is no avoiding some hand tool work but a tractor sure cuts way down on the amount of work and makes using them a lot easier...

diesel lover · Jan 16, 2014

I perfectly agree with you guys and what I believe is time is money. I work full time at a truck shop and do things on the side. I don't have time to do something by hand. If I can save time doing task than yes it did in a round about way save me money because I am a busy man. This is why I own air tools, an air impact, angle grinder, and of course I have a 4 ton bottle jack and a 2.25 floor jack in my truck when it comes to flat tires etc.

Saving time = saving money !

300UGUY · Jan 16, 2014

I haven't gone to a shrink yet, so it must be keeping me sane. I' ll just keep telling myself that.......!

IXLR8 · Jan 16, 2014

I have my tractor/backhoe for convenience, ability to get things done and a back saver. In addition to most of the other items mentioned in this thread already. Two winters ago I had water bubbling up from the ground near my well head. The well head is 75ft from my house, the pipe is 5 ft below grade. I don't want to think of what it would have cost, and how soon anybody would have been able to come out to fix it. I fired up my tractor and used the backhoe to start digging at the well head. Discovered that the well pipe was run inside another pipe so the leak could have been anywhere between the house and the well head. Several hours later I found that a) the pipe is not a straight run from well head to house and b) leak was 4 ft from the house. From start to finish it took me 7 hrs to fix, including going to pick up some plumbing parts. There is no way I would have been able to get it done with a pick and shovel. I am not sure if it is a good thing or not... but tractor also gives my wife the ability to do things around our property when I am out of town.

cartod · Jan 16, 2014

Mine has allowed me to be my own landscaper/ tree company/ road repair crew/ firewood source , etc...It paid for itself in 6 months!

Looking4new · Jan 16, 2014

That deer looks like rigor-mortise had set in a long time ago.

RalphVa · Jan 16, 2014

My tractor doesn't save me money. It reduces effort. I use it as a diesel wheelbarrow a lot and also to shred/chip mulch material in my garden work. I also use it to maintain about 3 miles' worth of trails down along the creek. Occasionally use it to maintain non forested areas just for access via bush hogging those areas.

Ralph

aginn · Jan 16, 2014

Firewood.
10 acres to mow and keep from going BACK to the brush it was when we got the property.
Cleanup of limbs and down trees on that same 10 acres.
250 foot buffer that I brush hog to keep the neighbors blackberries from taking over along the fence that separates us.
Dirt digging also never ends.
And it saves my 60 year old body for doing other things.
Most important of all is, I enjoy it. No quads or dirt bikes would ever give me the same pleasure or sense of accomplishment that tractor does.