Contents

Financing alternatives

Non-purchase alternatives

Alternative equipment 

"What are some alternatives to buying a tractor?"

Not everyone wants or needs a tractor. Also, a tractor is not the ideal tool for every job. Finally, purchasing a piece of equipment can be a big expense and may not be necessary. Here are some alternatives to the "new-car" model of tractor purchasing. 

Financing Alternatives

While you can take out a traditional loan at a dealer for a new or used tractor, not everyone is in a position to take on this kind of debt. If you are in the process of buying a new home or refinancing your existing one, you can add the tractor to your mortgage. This often makes sense for larger, heavy duty equipment and adds very little to monthly payments. Not all mortgage companies may be willing to do this, but if this strategy appeals to you, shop around for one that is.

If you have a short- or medium-term need for a dedicated tractor, you may want buy and then resell a used machine when you're finished with it. After several years, heavy duty tractors in good condition do not depreciate much in value. In fact, some "classic" 40-50 year old tractors, like the Ford "N" series, now sell for more than they cost when they were new! As with any used machine, make very sure it is in good condition when you buy it, take care of it while you own it (be prepared to make some repairs) and how much you can resell it for depends on finding a buyer who appreciates its value. Before purchasing a used machine, you should read the sidebar on used tractors in the Big Wheels  article, included in this collection.

Non-purchase Alternatives

Instead of buying, consider renting machinery or implements you need only occasionally. Most equipment dealers rent anything from single bottom plows to tractor/loader/backhoes. Rental fees are usually reasonable -- especially compared to the purchase price -- most places offer delivery and pickup of large equipment and, except for very large equipment, do not require an operator's license.

If you are uncomfortable operating a piece of heavy equipment yourself, consider hiring a commercial jobber. No matter what the task, there are probably dozens of independent contractors with the right equipment within a few miles of you. Check references, as usual, and insurance coverage (yours and his), depending on the work being done. These people get paid by the hour, so whatever site preparation or other preliminary work you can do to minimize their time will be to your finacial benefit. On the other hand, these contractors often won't accept small jobs that will take them less than half a day. In this case, see if you can share the cost with one or more of your neighbors who have small jobs that, combined with yours, will keep the contractor busy in the same area for his minimum time period.

Borrowing tools or equipment from friends, relatives or neighbors is still acceptable behavior in some parts of the coutry. You should, of course, be willing to reciprocate, should the need for one of your tools ever arise. Also, you should try to return the item in better condition than when you borrowed it, have it repaired or replace it if it breaks while you have it (even if it wasn't your fault that it broke), return it shortly after you borrowed it and remember to say, "thank you."

Try bartering a service you can perform in exchange for someone else's service to you. Find someone with the equipment you need who is able to do the job for you and see if you can perform an equal-value service of some kind for him or her.

Alternative Equipment

The skid loader, or skid steer vehicle, has replaced the tractor for many commercial, agricultural and landscaping applications. An excellent machine for everything from cleaning out barns to excavating, the skid loader can be equipped with a variety of implements, including backhoe, brush cutter, post hole digger, manure forks, tiller, trencher, hay spear and even tank-like tracks. Because of its narrow width, tight turning radius and quick agility, a skid loader is ideal for working in tight areas. But for lawn mowing and general field work (plowing, baling, raking, planting), a tractor is more useful. Case, Gehl, John Deere, New Holland, JCB, Thomas and Bobcat are popular brands.

A fairly new machine, which is gaining popularity among small landscaping contractors, is the mini-loader.  This 4-wheel tractor has on-board hydraulics and is driven from a stand-up operator's compartment at the rear.  It offers a growing variety of front-mounted implements for light digging, trenching and material handling (but not excavating).  The Toro Dingo, Kanga Loader, Gehl Advantage and Ramrod Taskmaster are a few current products, but watch for other manufacturers to release products in this category soon.

An alternative for those with a lot of grass to cut and not much else, a commercial mower may be an option. The variety of dedicated mowing vehicles seems to have exploded during the past decade. Available with huge mowing decks, commercial mowers can turn on a dime and many can be equipped with enclosed cabs and snow plows or blowers for winter use. These machines are not very flexible in the variety of attachments they support, but they are really, really good at mowing grass quickly. Toro, Grasshopper, Dixon and Yazoo are popular brands. And, in the most unusual mower category, the DewEze ATM 72 All Terrain Mower may be the closest thing to a mowing motorcycle you've ever seen.

For those who primarily need to till soil for gardens, a two-wheel tractor may be an option. These self-propelled, walk-behind machines are usually equipped with a rear-tine rotary tiller, but can alternatively be fitted with a front rotary broom, mowing deck, light duty chipper/shredder, pressure washer, or snow plow or blower. BCS, Gravely and Troy-Bilt are popular brands.

If you already own or are thinking of purchasing an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) you may be surprised to learn how many attachments are available for it. Snow plows and self-powered mowers, brush cutters, seeders, plows and tillers are all available for pushing or towing with an ATV. Check with an ATV dealer for available implements. Polaris, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Arctic Cat are popular brands.

See the following websites for some examples and ideas on how to get your ATV to do some real work for you.

• ATV Technologies 
• Befco
• Bush Hog
• Cycle Coutry 
• Fuerst Brothers
• Herd Seeder
• Kunz Engineering
• Swisher
• Weekend Warrior
• Wikco
• Weems