What would you do...

[RedRocker]

My wife and I were just tickled to death to finally get gravel for our drive and we could only afford to do half of it so far.
I was bound and determined to have a "big 3" tractor in the beginning. A friend on here suggested some other brands to look at and I couldn't be any happier with my choice. It was the difference for me between having a tractor or not.

 

[rayh76]

Hello TBN! This is my first post! I have been reading here for some time and have recently bought a Case DX40.

Ok, for my first post as a newbie...BUY THE TRACTOR! This topic has forced me to finally register and give my opinion.

First, you live on a gravel road it looks like according to your pictures. Gravel drives are fine! They just need maintenance. Promise your wife that you will get the roundup out and keep the weeds/grass killed that come up. Use your new tractor to grade the rocks and keep them looking alive and fresh! I thought your driveway looked good from what I could see. THEN promise the wife that you will put a border up along the driveway. This will keep the gravel and grass separate. You could put a 4"x4"x12" or so stone border that will look awesome. I think this would be a good compromise.

I have an asphalt driveway. It needs maintenance. Grass and weeds do grow between the cracks and looks bad....I use roundup so I don't have a redneck asphalt driveway.

Ray

 

[rebuilder]

You could pave the whole 7 acres, paint it green and be done with it. No need for a tractor and no grass to cut.

 

[VA_Joe]

This whole thing sounds like a lose-lose situation. You either keep the wife happy (and lose the tractor) or you get the tractor and lose domestic tranquility. I'm glad to not be in your shoes. Good luck with the decision.

Joe

 

[rebuilder]

I think YOU need to buy a tractor and SHE needs to pave the driveway. There's nothing wrong with you each having your own ambitions and working toward building your lives the way you'd each like them. Being married means you do a lot together, but it doesn't mean you cease to exist as individuals. So long as neither of you have any major objections to what the other is doing, and that appears to be the case, you each have the opportunity to accomplish your goals. Money, no matter how much there is, is the number one cause of divorce. So the answer is simple, you do with your money as you'd "like" and she does with hers as she'd "like". It may take a little longer to get the tractor or the paved driveway, but you'll both be happier in the end because you achieved a goal. Buy the groceries out of the common fund, but buy the "extras" separately if you need to. It'll take a little working out, but it's worth it.

Besides, I see you get some snow and you'll need that tractor to keep the paved driveway plowed.

 

[Coyote]

Buy used, you can save big bucks. Tractors are built to last many years/hours!

 

[jbrumberg]

We are in a just developing subdivision, with some established homes in the surrounding areas.. Most of the older homes have gravel... There are only 2 completed houses immediately around us and they both have paved drives (sorta setting the standard)....the snakes were away... Brian

Brian:

I hate it when "uppity" neighbors set standards for the rest of us . I guess I became the uppity neighbor when I gravelled my driveway . If I was you I would "work" the snake factor . Work the Snakes!! Work the Snakes!! One reason why we were able to buy our house and property so cheaply was because of all the snakes. I still have the original For Sale sign somewhere that was dropped by the first real estate agent (before multi-listed) due those "awful" snakes . You cannot kill your "leverage". I go real slow to allow them to get out of the way when mowing, hogging, and string trimming. Unfortunately every now and then I do create snake tartare . Jay

 

[Lucky1]

Have wife get a part time job to pay for the new driveway,tell her to hurry,tell her driving on the gravel drive is hard on your new tractor tires.

 

[irwin]

I always go by the rule that "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission".

This is very close to my thinking on many, important to me, issues. However I usually have an idea of what direction the wind is blowing.. although I do get it wrong sometimes

 

[jbrumberg]

This is very close to my thinking on many, important to me, issues. However I usually have an idea of what direction the wind is blowing.. although I do get it wrong sometimes

irwin:

If I am not distracting myself with tractor stuff I distract myself with sailing. A quote comes to mind -"You can't change the wind, but you can adjust your sails".
You really have to expand the repertoire of coping mechanisms when it comes to tractor and/or attachment acquisition. Every "She Who Must Be Obeyed/Comptroller" needs to be "finessed" and they are all unique individuals. What works for one will not work for another. With my wife whining, pouting, or superficial "data" does not work. She likes grovelling and kowtowing as well as dinner out over time better. Jay

 

[Champy]

Why not compromise a little bit on each end of the argument?

> Pave halfway down the driveway (from the house) and buy a used tractor..........

The key here is that you both realize that you cannot have it all (at the same time) and that eventually the whole drive will get paved and you will get a NEW tractor - just not right now.

OR...........
> Consider buying out your Father's half of the 790 by convincing him HE needs a new tractor (with HST).
> Do a better job of keeping the gravel looking good and add fresh loads each Spring

 

[Harvster]

Pave the driveway....Pave the driveway.....Pave the driveway. You keep the wife happy, have a nice driveway to go with the shiny new house, and never have to hear about not doing what the Mrs. wants because you'll always have the paved driveway ace up your sleeve. If you have the money, the driveway would be a lump sum sort of expense. Then in a year or two you can get the tractor and finance it. You can often get 0% financing or at least a very low rate so money down is not really that important.

 

[WayneB]

Brian,

Took a quick look at your home pictures, wow wonderful place!

Everyone seems to feel you should finish the driveway and be done with it, I agree.

I am sure it is not easy to put off buying a tractor, but lets face it you will be happy having the driveway finished each and every time you pull in.

I believe you will need a riding lawnmower to do the yard, mainly to cut the work hours. I would suggest finding a good JD riding mower and buying it.

Wayne

 

[Renob]

OK.........Now don't get me wrong I know who wears the pants around my house, if you know what I mean. But looking at the pictures of the beautiful new home I see lots of hardwood floors, fancy countertops and such. Who picked that stuff out?

I say its tractor time!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That driveway can always get paved. 3 hours to push mow the lawn. I say crazy. Come on who's with me? Trac-tor...Trac-tor...Trac-tor....

Everyone chant.............Come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[shvl73]

Having had a paved driveway at my last house in the city and now a dirt drive at the current house, I prefer a dirt drive. To me, a paved driveway says "urban" where a dirt driveway is more "rural". Paved driveways cost some real money and maintenance isn't fun. I've spread sealer, I don't want to again. I've seen oil spots stain the driveway and believe me, you'll get oil stains. Spilled gas will harm the pavement and eventually it will happen. I see you get snow, frost will cause it to crack, which will need filler and then more sealer. I can grade my drive with my boxblade and enjoy myself while doing it. Someday I may build a rear grader, more fun! More tractor time!
The downside to the current driveway, no more smoking the rear tire on the old oil dripping Harley.
All of this just my opinion, of course.
Good luck, after all, it's your house.

 

[jshbryan]

That is a redneck driveway? Hmmmmmm...... I have one of those, only six tenths of a mile long .

I am new at owning a tractor, however, I am not new to marriage. Could your wife have cut back $6k on the house to pay for the drive ?

All that aside, other than grading your "redneck" driveway, are you just looking at mowing that requires a tractor?

I'm with some of the others, I would be sleeping on the couch. Or better yet... the tractor .

 

[irwin]

Time for honest appraisal.. 3 hour trip to borrow a tractor doesn't cut it. besides Dad may need it when you want it.. doesn't wash.. I had to make an adjustment when I was looking for a tractor.. I bought used.. looked for 3 months before I found something that worked for me , no worrying about dings or scratches..It had 420 hours on it, everything works, and It didn't kill the finances.. we gotta do what we gotta do (right Jay?) Compromises are part of life.
Theres no way she could get what she wants, without us going into debt if I bought a new tractor.. so not new, but used if your paying cash. If your financing it, well then whats the problem?
For me, no bills, no payments, its mine .. then can save for attachments which will be mine For some time now but it took a long time, I am now out of extra debt..still have the mortgage.. I have a backhoe and next a box blade .. and thatguy the tractor is a deere 770 the 790's older brother.. keep your eyes open try not to get too deep into debt. most importantly keep her happy..

 

[hazmat]

I got my tractor before I paved my driveway, what do I win?

I went thru the same "approval process" 5 years ago is it extravagant? when tractor shopping, I was going to get a deere, but ended up with a New Holland as it was $2K less.

All told I must have north of $20K "invested" (spent?) in the machine and attachments. I've got a $4K chipper on order right now . In 5 years I've put 680 hours on my TC18. I figure the lawn cutting alone would have cost me near $10K based on prevailing rates ($75 for 1 acre of actual lawn). add in snow removal ~$3K over the same time period. This doesn't include special projects and incidentals, fertilizing lawn, grading lawn after pool removal, grading & seeding after driveway install, leaf cleanup, landscaping mulch, tree service etc. etc. etc. If someone stole the unit tomorrow, I've already gotten my $20K worth of work out of it and 670 hours of enjoyment (I subtracted 10 for those plow jobs that really stank - high winds, freezing rain etc, they were not fun).

I'm trying to convince her that it's time to step up to 25-30HP 2,000lb or less machine for our 4 acres. Just trying to speed up the chores - I now have a daugter (20 months), my time is no longer "free". She of course points out that we take on many projects that we wouldn't dream of if we didn't have the tractor. Claims that If I spent less time mowing & plowing that I'd spend more time on special projects - don't get much past the ladies do we?

I tell my wife that since we own this large(r) property, we have a responsibility to maintain it. She'd rather I just piled branches in the woods than buy a new chipper. I told her that when we go to sell the place someday, that we need to be mindfull of it's "curb appeal" - ie the woods should be a nice shady retreat, not a yard waste landfill...

Good luck and for 7 acres, I think you should be looking at bigger machines - Kubota B3030 or 3000 series Deere. Also as others have stated, buy used. Since you have acess to Dad's machine, you can take your time to find the right deal. On a late model "big three" - Deere, Kubota, NH you should be able to save ~$4-5K on a 3 year old machine.

 

[638]

Pave the driveway, then after you have pushed the lawn mower for about 1/2 hour ask her to finish up because your just to bushed to finish mowing. You'll get the tractor, and she'll have her paved driveway.

ron

 

[rayh76]

OK.........Now don't get me wrong I know who wears the pants around my house, if you know what I mean. But looking at the pictures of the beautiful new home I see lots of hardwood floors, fancy countertops and such. Who picked that stuff out?

I say its tractor time!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That driveway can always get paved. 3 hours to push mow the lawn. I say crazy. Come on who's with me? Trac-tor...Trac-tor...Trac-tor....

Everyone chant.............Come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TRACTOR TRACTOR TRACTOR! I am with you Renob. I can't believe everyone on this tractor forum is telling this guy to pave his drive rather than buy a tractor! What is wrong with a gravel drive? He lives on a gravel road! THe dirt and dust is going to come right on up the new paved drive. That would be irritating. I was watching a movie this weekend, a horse movie with a little girl that owns her horse and they raced it. THe Prince had to give them money to enter the horse in the race. The Prince had a multimillion dollar home obviously, and you know what I noticed...a HUGE GATE at the front of his house, with...you guessed it, a gravel drive. The only reason I noticed it was because of this thread! Get the tractor and as I said before, get the roundup out and spray for weeds/grass that grows through the gravel. TRACTOR TRACTOR TRACTOR!