Yuppie toys?

[davesisk]

Folks often refer to compact tractors (which in general I think would include PT's) as "yuppie toys". I'm just curious how many folks use their PT's for business purposes only, how many use it for personal homeowner use only, and how many maybe use it for homeowner use, plus do maybe a few odds jobs with it to help it pay for itself. Just curious...

Dave

 

[MossRoad]

I use it for my yard(1.1 acres) and some property that we own outside of town(20 acres). But I also do volunteer work for the little league for no charge. I don't want to do work for hire, as I'd have to start a business, worry about insurance, etc..., although I am considering getting more insurance even for my volunteer work, and so that I can help family members on their properties.

As far as "toys" go, you betcha! It is the nicest toy that I own. Sure, I could get the work done without it. But then I wouldn't have time to spend with my family. I was using a small Simplicity lawn tractor. The PT425 has cut my mowing time by 2/3rds. I have done a lot of landscaping and such that would have taken me days by hand. It took hours with the PT. Our home looks nicer, I am now more likely to do a project that improves it, I am happy, my wife is happy with our yard, the neighbors bennefit by me increasing the value and curb appeal of our house, etc...

Did I mention that I really like this machine? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

As I recall, "yuppie" is variously an acronym for "young urban professional." or "young upwardly mobile professional". I am not young, not urban except at my office, and clearly not upwardly mobile - everything is certainly downhill from here. So, the PT is a toy, but not a Yuppie toy. It and a couple of generations worth of other accumulated farm machinery are not in commercial service.

 

[davesisk]

Well, ya know, I've never been quite sure either what constitutes "young" or "upwardly mobile", and I don't have any idea whether I'm either.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

I have only a 1/4 acre yard, but about 75% of it needs some serious landscaping (with dogs and serious trees, grass will only grow on about the 25-33% of the lot which is the front yard). Building this 400 square foot patio and retaining wall was the start. Since my yard is so small, there are folks who've said (while rolling their eyes) "What could you possibly need a tractor for?" However, I've done a pretty agressive project involving digging out about 5-10 tons of dirt, rock, and roots, hauling in 10 tons of crush-n-run, 14 tons of screening, 6 tons of retaining wall blocks, and 1900 brick pavers. I've done this over 6 weekends and maybe 2 weeknights/week, with about 4-5 afternoons worth of additional help. I couldn't possibly have finished (well, almost finished) this project in this amount of time mostly working by myself if I hadn't bought this tractor. Compared to renting, say, a Toro Dingo each time I needed it (plus the loss in time of picking it up and returning it), I'm convinced the old PT1418 has paid for itself already.

Future plans include building some paved walkways and another paved area, then bringing in some topsoil and a huge load of mulch. And that's just to get it where the backyard is "useable". I'm sure they're be other projects after that.

I'm thinking the folks who roll their eyes at me buying the old tractor are just jealous.../w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

Dave

 

[bubenberg]

well i ain't no yuppie and i just sent my bill out for the last three month where we used the pt for other than mowing or mulching ..... that is for stump grinding, grappler bucket work (trash debris, old leave removal) aeration and seeding for about 2100 us dollars in a little less then fifty hours. I have not totaled the fert bill yet.
i want that 1845 now ..... watch out you hills here comes that mountain goat... this is my next goal ..... but i admit it is my toy.

 

[Carpenter]

I use my 425 for commercial and home use. It sees commercial use at our store and tree farm (snow plowing, fence building, slash piling, mowing, construction, etc.), and plenty of use around home. I also do work for a local landscaper and the occassional job for a homeowner. I guess you could call it a toy, but I view it as a TOOL, that just happens to be fun to operate. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[PTRich]

I love serious tools, they make very serious toys!

 

[wasabi]

I no longer qualify as a yuppie and don't drink koolaid, but I'll answer the question.

Our machine was bought to work, but chosen for a host of factors, including the widely reported fun of operating /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif. Intend to eventually make income from the work achieved with it, so I guess we belong in commercial (farm) category, but to date, more ownership hours have been spent getting acquainted more intimately with her than riding. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif (anyone spent time up to their shoulders in a greasy snake's nest of hydrolic hoses looking for a small leak lately?)

 

[davesisk]

<font color=red>anyone spent time up to their shoulders in a greasy snake's nest of hydrolic hoses looking for a small leak lately?</font color=red>

Actually, after having my old 1418 for 3 days, I spent two days up to my shoulders finding and replacing a busted hydraulic hose. I know your pain! That engine bay looks large and roomy until you try to get a wrench in there!

Dave

 

[wasabi]

<font color=blue>That engine bay looks large and roomy until you try to get a wrench in there!</font color=blue>

Isn't that the truth!. After four days and as many hoses, I came out on top, but with more bruises and soreness that I would likely have suffered in a martial arts tournament! I sure could have used a few ratcheting open end wrenches!