What does your Tractor cost you per hour of operation.

[TheeKb]

I had never heard of Reggie Watts, so I had to resort to Google: Reggie Watts - Wikipedia. Having done so, I am confused: I don't whether to interpret your comment as a compliment or as an insult.

Steve

It was a compliment. He's a hilariously intelligent comedian.

 

[ovrszd]

I have put at least 6500 Hours on my various equipment over the last 12 years.
I do 85% of the repairs myself, otherwise I could never afford these toys.
The B7200 was the least expensive to run. Sold it for what I paid for it, and over its life a few thousand in repairs, then Oil and fuel.

The L39 has over 2000 hours and repair cost I'm guessing have be $10K. A lot of the mods were done as favors or I did them myself.

The Excavator I've put on a bit less than 1500 Hours and it has cost me a bit over $12K for repairs and add ons like new bucket, hydraulic thumb, Cylinder repairs. Valve repairs, etc.

The RTV900 has 1500 hours. I figure $3000 for repairs All and all very dependable. I'm shocked how much we use it!

The Max28 is new, sort of. (Bought just before New Years 2014) Not much for repairs and maintenance in 200 hours, but I've done Mods and attachments so figure $2500

Rough guess maybe $115,000 to buy all the toys and attachments.

Figure at least a Gallon per hour for fuel.
So anyone want to figure what all this cost. I don't have the stomach to come up up a number.

$25/hr would not surprise me.
Replacement cost would be crazy, as everything runs decent, if fact the Max28 & L39 are stronger than brand new replacements.

Mike, I think you need to finish each of your examples before they are relevant.

For example, the RTV, $2 per hour is not what it cost you to operate that machine. :confused3:

 

[mike69440]

Mike, I think you need to finish each of your examples before they are relevant.

For example, the RTV, $2 per hour is not what it cost you to operate that machine. :confused3:

$2/hr has been the Maintenance, not the Operating cost on the RTV900, I also forgot Adding stuff like a top new sear, Windshield and reinforcing the bed, Trailer setups, etc that added another $1500.
What a tough little bugger it is. Couple of U Joints, Batteries, Battery cable, Tires, a Hub bearing, Electrical switches, Light bulbs and a control cable.

New radial tires are wearing very slow. I'm impressed.

Today I spent a few hours cleaning at least 100 lbs of mud and manure caked on the underside. I am not exaggerating! The air filter and radiator were almost complexly clogged. I seldom drive it, mostly my wife, stepson and the stranglers around our place use it.
Now that it can breath, and runs cooler, it feels like it has 25% more power.
Stepson bought it with 500 Hours used for $6,500, figure $3 to $4/hr for fuel and oil, So that works out about $12/hr, not counting current sale value of the 2005 RTV 900.
What is an typical private sale 2,000 hour RTV bring?

I think the reason many heat with wood is the attitude why waste it. Most of us have trees that we need to clear or take down dying ones. You would have to dispose of it anyway. So split and burn it. also satisfies the self sufficiency urge. As a business, there are a heck of a lot more easy ways to make a living.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

From a business perspective there are at least three costs you would look at:

1. If you're using the tractor only for this purpose, average cost per hour.
2. If you would have the tractor any way, you'd look at marginal cost per hour. This is the cost of the additional usage. For example, if you would use the tractor 500 hours a year anyway, but 1000 hours a year if you did firewood, what are the costs of those additional 500 hours? Generally, the more you use equipment the less it costs per hour, so marginal costs are lower than average cost.
3. If you're making money, what is your after-tax cost? The government may allow you to deduct or depreciate the cost of your machinery. For tax purposed, the depreciation has nothing to do with how much you use the equipment or what its market value is, it's all based on formulas. Note that you can not deduct the cost of equipment bought for personal use and then converted to business use. Depending on your tax situation it may be worth buying new equipment for the tax benefits.

 

[Looking4new]

I have absolutely no clue how much my tractor costs me/hour. I do know that if I was going to do a cost analysis, I would factor in the original cost of the tractor/mth (I am making payments until August). I do know that when I am clearing snow I only fuel it up every third outing, takes one Jerry can. It takes me about 2-3 hours to clean up everybody to the same state as I want my own done.

 

[adventure bob]

Heres a very detailed explanation of how to value your tractor: Estimating Farm Machinery Costs | Ag Decision Maker

 

[ning]

I think missing from most of these analyses is the reduced cost from not needing therapy because you get happy playing on a tractor!

 

[NC419N]

Yall got to much time on your hands

 

[Industrial Toys]

I always figured that firewood was one of the worst paying jobs out there. Driving a cab or delivering Pizza would probably be more profitable, easier and maybe even safer. The tips in delivering firewood aren't good either. People complain that you cheated them or want you to stack it for free!

 

[mike69440]

I always figured that firewood was one of the worst paying jobs out there. Driving a cab or delivering Pizza would probably be more profitable, easier and maybe even safer. The tips in delivering firewood aren't good either. People complain that you cheated them or want you to stack it for free!

Would be great work for all those people causing trouble in the penitentiary's. Just be careful of the guy in the orange jumpsuit suit with the chainsaw! Suppose that what the 12 ga. is for.