Justification for your purchase / A BX in my case...

[Musclford]

I just re-read my original message...

It sure sounds like I'm a 10 year old.... The grammer is horrible..

Grammer was never one of my strong subjects, but it appears I better start writing my threads and saving them as draft before I post in the future..

It seems as though the board doesn't allow edits after a certain time frame, or maybe it's locked after the first reply..

Nonetheless, I think the general idea is conveyed.... But I'm just sitting here laughing at myself as I'm trying to re-read it..

Oh welll,,, I still Love my Bota...

 

[Singlecoil]

I don't think many of us on this site get out our red pens and shake our heads at grammar and spelling errors, so no worries.

I bought a BX-24 to finish and unfinished backyard at a new house in a new subdivision and then to tackle a 20 acre lot with various projects. I justified buying a post-hole-digger for my fence, rather than trying to rent one, under the notion that my neighbors would be stepping over themselves to give me $150 each to dig holes for their fences. I thought is would be a good deal for everybody, and I could come close to having the digger paid for in the process.
In reality, just about everybody seems to think that since you own a tractor, you should be a good neighbor and help them out. Admittedly, I was also weighing the long-term relationship with the folks and wanting to stay on good terms as well. One neighbor helped me tremendously on my fence, so I had no problem helping him dig all of his holes. Another neighbor loaned me his pickup to pick up drain rock; I wanted to dig his holes in return but he never got around to getting the concrete and posts, or had the spare time. He did contribute for his share of the fence and helped to build it, though. After my yard project was completely done, one neighbor came over and said I could borrow any of his tools if I would dig the 30 holes he needed for his fence. I declined. I also spread about 10 yards of topsoil for a different neighbor, under the agreement that I would be paid $25 and about a yard of gravel. I never did get the cash and I'm not the kind of person who is going to ask for 25 bucks. A next-door neighbor agreed to pay for her portion of the fence materials, didn't do any labor, had me dig the rest of her holes, then never paid me anything. That one sticks in my craw a little as it is about $325.
Later someone else asked if I hired out when he saw the post hole digger, but I declined. I should have taken him up on that one as I'm sure he would have paid, and the fence he built is already falling down.

 

[Musclford]

I don't think many of us on this site get out our red pens and shake our heads at grammar and spelling errors, so no worries.

I bought a BX-24 to finish and unfinished backyard at a new house in a new subdivision and then to tackle a 20 acre lot with various projects. I justified buying a post-hole-digger for my fence, rather than trying to rent one, under the notion that my neighbors would be stepping over themselves to give me $150 each to dig holes for their fences. I thought is would be a good deal for everybody, and I could come close to having the digger paid for in the process.
In reality, just about everybody seems to think that since you own a tractor, you should be a good neighbor and help them out. Admittedly, I was also weighing the long-term relationship with the folks and wanting to stay on good terms as well. One neighbor helped me tremendously on my fence, so I had no problem helping him dig all of his holes. Another neighbor loaned me his pickup to pick up drain rock; I wanted to dig his holes in return but he never got around to getting the concrete and posts, or had the spare time. He did contribute for his share of the fence and helped to build it, though. After my yard project was completely done, one neighbor came over and said I could borrow any of his tools if I would dig the 30 holes he needed for his fence. I declined. I also spread about 10 yards of topsoil for a different neighbor, under the agreement that I would be paid $25 and about a yard of gravel. I never did get the cash and I'm not the kind of person who is going to ask for 25 bucks. A next-door neighbor agreed to pay for her portion of the fence materials, didn't do any labor, had me dig the rest of her holes, then never paid me anything. That one sticks in my craw a little as it is about $325.
Later someone else asked if I hired out when he saw the post hole digger, but I declined. I should have taken him up on that one as I'm sure he would have paid, and the fence he built is already falling down.

You sound a lot like what I do... It erks me that they don't follow through, because I keep my word.. But it doesn't seem to bother others... or they just plain forget... how, I don't know, but some do..

The other cautious part of me is reluctant to do work on others property since I only have insurance coverage for my unit while it's on my property.. not others. Not to mention, if I screw up and drive through their house, or for some reason the Tractor were to have a problem and lunge forward / reverse into a car, kid etc... Who's liable?

I'm on their property so do they pay or do I?

Do they end up owning my house through a law suit??

I know these sound very very rare, but that's why those type of things make headlines and we all know about some idiot that gets awarded millions for spiling hot coffee on themselves...

 

[KeithInSpace]

On Singlecoil's vein, I have a neighbor that I'm not on particularly good relations with make gestures at me making me feel like they EXPECTED me to help them haul some mulch since I had this nifty orange toy.

Story: We both happened to have big piles of mulch delivered at the same time...they're busting their butts with a trailer on a Craftsman and a couple pitchforks and I'm zipping around in my dress pants spreading 18 yards in 2 hours.

Two things I learned that day:
1) "Tractor Envy" can be a bad thing at the hands of the wrong neighbor.
2) Make the payments, dude. Make the payments.

This type of machine is easy to justify if you have anything over 1.5 acres and you don't mind saying "...and it's really cool" to your wife. It doesn't hurt that the value of the home projects I do myself (rather than contract it out) (not just tractor related, but all my random projects) on an annual basis far exceeds what I paid for the tractor in the first place. Bought A LOT of tools using that rationale.

 

[Musclford]

That's right baby,,

Every home project is separate here.. I get a new power tool with every project...

That way moma's happy, and ultimately me too..

Isn't interesting though how in the big picture, something that doesn't cost very much, can cost quite a bit overall if done every day..

Now I see why gumball machines exist.. Quite a lucrative business if done properly...

 

[escavader]

The justification comes after you have used your tractor;for example in two years ,350 hours times 40 dollars per hour[if i hired a tractor]=$14160.00 You see mine has almost paid for itself.
ALAN