Snog, Marry, Avoid ....

[Bald Rick]

Need to replace our big tractor (require 200hp+ boosting up) but am not sure of best way forward.

Buy new - expensive but warranted
Buy used - cheaper but could be a bag of spanners
Long term hire - not overly cheap but no hidden costs unless over hours. No equity either

Tractor likely to clock 1000+ hrs on triple mowers, 6m power Harrow or strip tiller, large silage trailer, large slurry tanker and fert spreading
Front links/PTO and guidance a must

Thoughts?

 

[mf7480]

I’ve never understood the ‘fixed cost at any cost’ argument

 

[robs1]

If yours is worth a decent amount then buying new or maybe exhire has to be the way to go,

 

[Bald Rick]

I’ve never understood the ‘fixed cost at any cost’ argument

Works for us as a dairy farm as can match against monthly milk cheque

 

[startinghandle]

I am out of my depth here but I will still give my opinion as I know @Bald Rick won't be happy until I do and I may well ask his advice before the end of the year on a subject he's an expert on..
Avoid s/h , new is ok other than paying for it , I know someone who says he is better off hiring a telehandler than buying one
Whatever you do keep it secure as there's an article in this week's farmers guardian saying gps are been targeted by thieves

 

[icanshootwell]

Buy, Buy, Buy as said the big fat milk cheque helps, (what else do you spend it on) preferably a self cleaning tractor as we all know what these dairy farmers are like. Also plenty of air fresheners to keep her smelling sweet.

 

[Daniel]

My preference is new or ex-demo but keep to 5-6000hrs, more ideally, rather than chop in as soon as the finance is up.

For some reason if you’ve had something since it was new you don’t mind the repair bills as much when it gets older?!

We don’t clock as many hours as you but we do have a weekly egg cheque coming in which helps confuse the bank as to what you’re up to…

 

[B R C]

I think if you’re doing 1000hrs year you should be able to justify new and keep long enough to have sensible hourly running costs with warranty and the benefit of nice new machine and without the risk attached to second hand purchase.

 

[michael N123]

New with warranty until it’s paid for nothing worse than paying to fix something while your still paying for it

 

[2wheels]

old fashioned h.p. that way you pay as you go(like rental) and it is yours at the end. bound to be some good finance deals with low or nil? interest rates.

 

[dave mountain]

2nd hand if you can find one you know the history of with low hours, otherwise new is probably best bet, as long as you dont mind waiting for it

 

[Bald Rick]

No one in favour of hire?

Son seems keen to go that way but I’m not so sure

 

[Frodo]

If you think inflation is going to to kick off,, buy has to be the correct option.

 

[benny6910]

No one in favour of hire?

Son seems keen to go that way but I’m not so sure

If you want a quick hire cost ring frank rowland. I inquired about hire in 2018 but the hire cost was going to be more than what it worked out to swap for a new one with 0%.

 

[dave mountain]

No one in favour of hire?

Son seems keen to go that way but I’m not so sure

hiring only makes sense if you only have it less than half the year but need to have a nearly new machine for whatever reason. other wise you are better of with old iron. imo old iron is always the default best bet unless your work means there are serious productivity advantages from the features a newer machine, or if reliability is crucial. currently i am running an extra older tractor for a back up rather than changing for new as it made more financial sense.

 

[startinghandle]

If you want a quick hire cost ring frank rowland. I inquired about hire in 2018 but the hire cost was going to be more than what it worked out to swap for a new one with 0%.

Is there such a thing as 0%?

 

[ollie989898]

How much is a tractor of the required size and power per week? Fork out all that cash, even in winter when it can't turn a wheel, and end up owning nothing at the end of it?

Also, if it is a dairy farm and with staff that are perhaps hard on kit then a hire company will want it back in grade A condition, won't it?

Can you source a new machine that will go back at X hours with a near guaranteed buy back price? Didn't Clive do this with his Fendt?

 

[dave mountain]

How much is a tractor of the required size and power per week? Fork out all that cash, even in winter when it can't turn a wheel, and end up owning nothing at the end of it?

Also, if it is a dairy farm and with staff that are perhaps hard on kit then a hire company will want it back in grade A condition, won't it?

Can you source a new machine that will go back at X hours with a near guaranteed buy back price? Didn't Clive do this with his Fendt?

no place for staff that are hard on kit anywhere any more, even on dairy and livestock farms. a 100k tractor is a 100k tractor, no matter what kind of farm/contractor owns it, and it needs to be looked after. rather pay an extra couple £ per hour for a decent operator than have endless repair bills and downtime.

 

[manhill]

Buy 2 cheap identical old ones. One on standby, both going up in value.

 

[Ali_Maxxum]

Honestly, even knowing full well how absurd new prices are, I would go new (we have this year). Didn't think we would have another new tractor after the last one but trying to find low hour/ex demo at the spec we want with any sort of decent finance was just impossible so it made more sense to go new again. Looked very closely at hire and talked myself out of it, just didn't stack up against HP.