Good advice and I would add that it’s not all about money, and the best things in life are free.
I am 57 years old and have been operating tractors, on our family farms, since about the time that I could walk. The first tractor I operated was the 1950 John Deere model M, which was the first tractor on my grandpa’s farm. That farm has been owned by our family since before the Civil War.
My dad still has that tractor, over at my other grandpa’s farm (on my mom’s side). That farm is about 18 miles from our place, which I purchased from grandma (on dad’s side) 22 years ago. That old M is parked in their barn and has not run in about 5 years. Dad is retired now but he used it over there, mostly in his big garden, up till then. It would probably start, if I poured some gas in it, and took over a 6 volt battery.
I would guess that grandpa paid about $ 900 for that tractor new in 1950. That is based on dad telling me that he had also looked at Fords, but they were way too expensive. Our well-to-do neighbor bought a new, 1951 Ford from the dealer in town and I have the bill of sale for that ($ 1,100 for the tractor alone). Grandpa bought his Deere from a dealer (2) towns away.
My own first tractor purchase was that Ford, which I bought from the widow of the original owner, along with all the other equipment it came with, in 1989, for $ 1200. It had 1100 hours on it then an now it has 2200. That neighbor had a big job at a factory in town and only used that tractor on his 1/2 acre garden.
I had to replace one of the back rims a year ago, which I paid $80 for, but it still has all the original, 1951 tires on it, and the original paint. I also replaced the distributor last year, and gave it a valve job a year after I bought it. Total parts expenses, over (30) years have been under $ 1000. It has always been stored inside, which keeps the rubber and paint in decent shape. I put a $27 seat cover in on this year.
It is one of (2) tractors that I still have (never sell your first if you don’t have to). I have had as many as (4) at a time on our 34 acre farm (my aunt next door owns the other (6) acres of the original 40). I paid cash for all of them, including the other one that I still have. That is a 2005, John Deere 4120, which I paid $ 17,000, new from a dealer about (10) towns away, on the far side of our county.
That was a special price, offered at the county fair that year. The tractor has never needed dealer service, but a Deere dealer is closest to my place and that is where I picked up all the filters over the years. It also needed a new starter in 2010. I bought an aftermarket one on-line for about $250 because the dealer wanted $400 for a Bosch oem replacement. I also replaced the battery twice (the last one cost me $ 140) and the front R1 tires (I think they were about $120 ea). That’s it for parts expenses.
I like having a gas and a diesel tractor, because there is often times, like right now, when gas is significantly cheaper than diesel. Diesel is usually significantly more efficient though.
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Penny pinching for sport is fun in this world, but my real treasure will be in the next, with my Savior JC.
