Your Yearly Cost of Tractor Ownership

[Green Acres Homestead]

My kubota tractor with a backhoe is life saver. From logging the putting in roads, making foundations, and farming there is no way I can do without my trusty tractor. My tractor is an L4740 and the backhoe is bh92. From logging to prepping my property so I can be self reliant my tractor is a game changer especially if things get tuff. Yes they are expensive and I am not a rich man but living a rural life would not be the same without a good tractor with some implements.

tractor and backhoe review.

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

$5000 initial purchase price
$2800 in implements.
$150 in parts

$1590 per year for 5 years so far

Maybe $100-200 in fuel per year
$100 service once a year
$100 in hydraulic fuel every 2 years

It dont cost much. I'll need battery caboes this year and probably some tires within the next 5

I average around 50 hours on the meter per year. A lot of the little jobs it barely ticks the meter since it I idle or run half throttle

 

[bdhsfz6]

It's become obvious from this thread that the cost of owning a tractor varies greatly, mostly due where you are and how you use your machine. There are other "costs" though which are difficult to nail down. Depending on where and how you live, a tractor can be a lifesaver.

My case may be quite different from the average homeowner with a tractor. I live on 25 rural acres with a mile and a half of private road & driveway to maintain. Before I retired, I was often "on call" by my company and it was essential for me to get to work. There were many times I used my tractor with plow & chains to get the 2 miles to work during severe weather events. I've used the grapple to clear limbs & trees from the road to make it passable. I use the tractor PTO & generator during the frequent power outages we have around here. I can't remember the number of times I've used the tractor to pull friends & family members vehicles out of ditches.

I couldn't begin to put a price on the peace of mind I get knowing the tractor is there when I need it. Until I'm too old to use one or they put me in a home, there is no way I will be without a tractor regardless of the cost.

As Charlton Heston once said: "From My Cold Dead Hands".

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

$5000 initial purchase price
$2800 in implements.
$150 in parts

$1590 per year for 5 years so far

Maybe $100-200 in fuel per year
$100 service once a year
$100 in hydraulic fuel every 2 years

It dont cost much. I'll need battery caboes this year and probably some tires within the next 5

I average around 50 hours on the meter per year. A lot of the little jobs it barely ticks the meter since it I idle or run half throttle

My tractor is a L4740 47 hp. With the price of oil and fuel it comes to about $25 an hour if working it hard. That is not counting repairs. As long as I can afford my tractor I will run it. I try to plan my work so I’m doing things half way efficiently.

Here is a video of some small things a person can do to save a bit.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Less than $1000 per year for me, I don't use it much, but it is a must have when I do use it. 1999 L3700 Kubota bought used in 2003 for $15000. Used less than 25 hours per year.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

Less than $1000 per year for me, I don't use it much, but it is a must have when I do use it. 1999 L3700 Kubota bought used in 2003 for $15000. Used less than 25 hours per year.

No matter how little you use it, when you need or want it, it’s there. Are you from an area that you deploy it for snow or is the 25 hours spend working around your property.

 

[WinterDeere]

Mostly curios about my fellow residential users- those of us who don't claim a tractor as a business expense. How much does a tractor cost you per year?

Since I've resold every tractor I've ever owned for approximately what I paid for it, the only expense other than fluids and filters has been inflation. Our government is doing their best to maximize that the last two years, meaning the current tractor will cost me a good bit more than the last, when I ultimately sell it for the price at which I bought it.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

but the new ones are almost unobtainable. Here in canada the m5 is over $100000

 

[NoTrespassing]

No matter how little you use it, when you need or want it, it’s there. Are you from an area that you deploy it for snow or is the 25 hours spend working around your property.

Snow and a very steep hill. Also, I plow 1/2 mile of private drive and 4 neighbors when it gets real bad and their 4 wheelers won't handle it.

 

[WinterDeere]

but the new ones are almost unobtainable. Here in canada the m5 is over $100000

$50k here, before loading it up, but that's a bigger tractor than the average CUT found on this forum.

Yes... here's where everyone with a big tractor gets to pipe up and say, "not me!" A very small fraction of total CUT sales are 100 horsepower, which is where the M5 is sitting.

 

[hornett22]

Mostly curios about my fellow residential users- those of us who don't claim a tractor as a business expense. How much does a tractor cost you per year?

I only really *need* my tractor for one thing (snowblowing). Kind of curious to run the numbers to see if a tractor is the most financially efficient way to keep my driveway clear.

I run my tractor about 50 hours a year. Assuming a lifespan of 5000 hours for the tractor- well, it should pretty much last forever.

Initial purchase: $32k (L3901 with loader and SB1064 blower, taxes, etc.) In theory, there's a cost to keeping that much money tied up in something but financed at 0% for 84 months it might actually be making me money at current inflation rates.

Insurance: Required as part of the 0% financing. I get it through a local agent for $275/year.

Fuel: Maybe 25 gallons if that? $100

Maintenance. I think I paid about $200 for all the filters and oil needed for the 50 hour service. Will need roughly that again every 400 hours. Considering that's like an 8 year service interval, maybe we'll do those things more often and call it $200/year to cover things like grease and beer to consume while greasing the tractor.

So yearly operating costs are cheap: $575/year. About $10/hour.

But how to figure the long terms costs of the tractor? Assume I run it into the ground over 20 years and there's nothing left at the end: $1600/year.

For a grand total of $2175/year or $40/hour. I don't think I'm going to hire somebody at that price.

But tractors seem to hold their value very well right now. Even at 20 years old, a garage kept tractor with <1000 hours should fetch a nice price still. Who knows what tractor prices will be like in 2040, but If I can get $10k for it then, yearly costs would be down to $1675/year.

I'm curious how the operating costs for others work out- especially those that have bought and sold a couple tractors. It's pretty unlikely 2040 me is still going to want to be driving around backwards with no cab, blowing snow.

If you're that worried about money, you could just move to a state with much lower taxes and no snow. The savings from your vehicles not rusting out alone would save you substantially.

Get a condo and you won't even need a lawn mower.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

Snow and a very steep hill. Also, I plow 1/2 mile of private drive and 4 neighbors when it gets real bad and their 4 wheelers won't handle it.

Steep hill….. I know about that. I have ice chains on backed tires. I bought a great set of ice chains 4 years back. Crazy hilly driveways here in Cape Breton Nova Scotia.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

$50k here, before loading it up, but that's a bigger tractor than the average CUT found on this forum.

Yes... here's where everyone with a big tractor gets to pipe up and say, "not me!" A very small fraction of total CUT sales are 100 horsepower, which is where the M5 is sitting.

That is a big price difference from here. I guess a guy has to pay to play.

 

[Williy]

I don't care about the cost I have it
when I need it and don't have to travel
and waste time renting something when
I need it.

willy

 

[RalphVa]

Costs about $10k every 6 years to replace it, including FEL and often one attachment. About 70 hours/year. A couple oil changes after the 50 hr service all done at home.

Last 2 JDs have required 2 to 3 trips to the dealer in those 6 years. Hoping this Kubota B2601 will be more like the 1st JD 2 series: no dealer trips. No hydraulic oil change on the Kubota @ 50.

Use for snow, bush hogging, wood chipping and general diesel wheel barrowing.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

I don't care about the cost I have it
when I need it and don't have to travel
and waste time renting something when
I need it.

willy

It is good you are in that boat. Most home owners are. The problem begins when you are working your tractor to make money and it is working hard for 300 to 500 hours a year. It sure does cut into profit. I try to be fair. Most of my customers are little old retired ladies with not much money. But still keeping things in perspective the increase in price of fuel cost is about $10 per visit to snow blow their big long country driveways. So 20 visits a year that is $200 a year more to get their driveway done. Doesn’t sound like much but with home heat costs and food cost and land tax increase Canadians are feeling the pinch. Man things in the world has sure changed.

 

[kaandemir_8]

Mostly curios about my fellow residential users- those of us who don't claim a tractor as a business expense. How much does a tractor cost you per year?

I only really *need* my tractor for one thing (snowblowing). Kind of curious to run the numbers to see if a tractor is the most financially efficient way to keep my driveway clear.

I run my tractor about 50 hours a year. Assuming a lifespan of 5000 hours for the tractor- well, it should pretty much last forever.

Nox Vidmate VLC​

Initial purchase: $32k (L3901 with loader and SB1064 blower, taxes, etc.) In theory, there's a cost to keeping that much money tied up in something but financed at 0% for 84 months it might actually be making me money at current inflation rates.

Insurance: Required as part of the 0% financing. I get it through a local agent for $275/year.

Fuel: Maybe 25 gallons if that? $100

Maintenance. I think I paid about $200 for all the filters and oil needed for the 50 hour service. Will need roughly that again every 400 hours. Considering that's like an 8 year service interval, maybe we'll do those things more often and call it $200/year to cover things like grease and beer to consume while greasing the tractor.

So yearly operating costs are cheap: $575/year. About $10/hour.

But how to figure the long terms costs of the tractor? Assume I run it into the ground over 20 years and there's nothing left at the end: $1600/year.

For a grand total of $2175/year or $40/hour. I don't think I'm going to hire somebody at that price.

But tractors seem to hold their value very well right now. Even at 20 years old, a garage kept tractor with <1000 hours should fetch a nice price still. Who knows what tractor prices will be like in 2040, but If I can get $10k for it then, yearly costs would be down to $1675/year.

I'm curious how the operating costs for others work out- especially those that have bought and sold a couple tractors. It's pretty unlikely 2040 me is still going to want to be driving around backwards with no cab, blowing snow.

grease every so many hours, no other costs

 

[WinterDeere]

grease every so many hours, no other costs

You don't change oil, oil filter, fuel filter, coolant, hydro fluid, or hydro filter? And what do you put in the fuel tank?

Owing to the OP who is asking about the costs of a machine dedicated to clearing snow off the driveway, I'd guess the top expense at 50 hours is the yearly oil change, with fuel being second. Hydro fluid and coolant can be done less frequently, perhaps even every 6th year at just 50 hours per year, depending on machine and fluids used.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have no idea what mine costs. I bought it so that it's there when I need it. In the first year I put about 200 hours on it, the second year about 150, the last two year have been about 100 hours per year. Right now I'm watching it snow, and it's nice to know that I will be able to clean up after the storm's over. It's paid for, I keep (2) 5 gallon containers of fuel on hand and when I use one I fill it again... which reminds me that I should have bought conditioner when I was in town yesterday. I"m sure that it isn't winter formula in the tank.

 

[GeneV]

I have no idea what mine costs. I bought it so that it's there when I need it. In the first year I put about 200 hours on it, the second year about 150, the last two year have been about 100 hours per year. Right now I'm watching it snow, and it's nice to know that I will be able to clean up after the storm's over. It's paid for, I keep (2) 5 gallon containers of fuel on hand and when I use one I fill it again... which reminds me that I should have bought conditioner when I was in town yesterday. I"m sure that it isn't winter formula in the tank.

I hear that. We're about to get hit with snow around here, and one neighbor is calling the plow guy to make sure he's on the list, while another neighbor will be spending hours walking behind his snow thrower. For me, my massey is sitting in the garage with the plow mounted, fuel tank is full, and I'm sure it will last me all winter. It's a good feeling to be prepared like that.