Tractor hours - why so low?

newbury · Mar 27, 2009

I've been looking at a LOT of used tractors. When I finally plunk down my sweat rewards I'll probably be putting in the equivalent of a quarter years of work value to get that tractor.

I see all these tractors with less than 100 hours of use a year. That's only about 1 day a month

Example "purchased new in Feb, 2004. It has been garage kept and in excellent condition w/ less than 80 hours."
example 2 "I have a 4wd L3400HST, FEL, loaded r4's and Woods 60" rotary. I've had it a little less than 2 yrs (about 75 hrs on her), and have recently"

Is it that easy to turn back an hour meter? Do a lot of people buy new hour meters? Or are there that many guys that need the power but don't use it?

I'll probably put that many hours on in the first 6 months just digging holes and filling them back up.

zzvyb6 · Mar 27, 2009

My 1997 F935 now has 100 hours on it. When the hourmeter quit, I bought a new one from Graingers and now she's as good as new!

Look for new screws holding it in instead of pop rivets....

JJZ 109 · Mar 27, 2009

Some people have small acreage and simply don't rack up the hours. I just traded in a JD 790 that I bought new in June 2004. It was always stored inside and only had 168 hours without a dent or scratch on it.
For example, I mow a one acre lawn and only occasionally brush hog the other acre I own. I also use it to keep the driveway cleaned out in winter and for a little FEL work now and then.

BigD23 · Mar 27, 2009

Of course there is no "rule of thumb" when it comes to useage/hours...I'm sure you'll know the right one when it comes along...Personally, I average maybe 50+ hours a year on one...But then again, mine's not used for work to make a living.

Don

newbury · Mar 27, 2009

I can understand equipment expenses for standby requirements. A LOT of people should plunk down a grand or five for a generator that hopefully they will only use to make sure it runs.

But to drop $10K to $20K on a tractor and let it go unused seems a shame.

chh · Mar 27, 2009

It is not really unusual to see them with hours like that if they have been a homeowner/small acreage tractor. I had a MF 1433v for 5 years. I traded it in last year with about 250 hrs on it. I had bigger tractors for the ranch work and this tractor just ran a post hole digger and mowed the yards. I traded it in for a 70 hp Montana that I could use to expand my haying operation. It is over 150 hrs now and I didn't get it until August last year. It should pick up a lot more hours next summer.

VABlue · Mar 27, 2009

I tend to agree with you, Newbury- letting them go unused would be a shame. But a low number of hours doesn't necessarily mean they go unused. I bought my 2305 in 2007 and only have 43 hours on it. I have ~1.5 acres to mow each week through summer and the occasional snowfall to push out in winter. Sometimes I drag the bushhog around so I don't have to tramp through chest high weeds to get my dogs into a pond. Every once in a while I'll cut down a tree, or move some stone or mulch. In short, I get plenty of use out my machine without running up a lot of hours. Most of the work, other than mowing, I do at slower RPMs (so the meter doesn't run up so quickly), and it rarely takes very long. I've only got a few acres to play on and don't need the machine every day. But I get plenty of use out of it and I wouldn't trade it in on a cheaper model.

Most of the low hour ads you see are probably from people just like me. We want something big enough to do anything we can imagine, but don't need it every day. Unfortunately, that costs $10-20K... If I had something cheaper my back would be hurting a lot more!

JJZ 109 · Mar 27, 2009

VABlue said:
Most of the low hour ads you see are probably from people just like me. We want something big enough to do anything we can imagine, but don't need it every day. Unfortunately, that costs $10-20K... If I had something cheaper my back would be hurting a lot more!

I second that. Having a FEL eliminated a lot of work previously done by wheelbarrow. Even used the Payne's forks when building a 12'x16' deck by myself. Lifted and held a 16' pressure treated 2x10 in place so that I could level and screw it to the house.
I also used it to lift a 10'x12' loft into place until I could get some legs bolted to it in my steel building.
If you have the machine, you'll find ways to use it that you would never have thought of before.

RJG · Mar 27, 2009

I feel like I sometimes live on my 45hp Branson - from bush hogging parts of my 200 ac lot to moving dirt around to blowing snow up here in the Canadian winters. Still, I have only managed to rack up 190 hours in over 4 years. Must be the -20 deg snow blowing without a cab that makes those hours tick by oh so slowly!