Machines... Is age just a number...

[swinny]

When it comes to running your business and your machines...

 

Do you prefer to run older machines

 

Do you prefer to run new kit as in from brand new

 

Is age just a number? When do things like chippers and grinders become redundant to you?

 

Just curious on how you all think

[Stubby]

When it comes to running your business and your machines...

 

Do you prefer to run older machines

 

Do you prefer to run new kit as in from brand new

 

Is age just a number? When do things like chippers and grinders become redundant to you?

 

Just curious on how you all think

 

Machines become uneconomical when it costs more to keep them running than they make in income . This situation can be kept at bay by proper maintenance but nothing lasts for ever .

[slack ma girdle]

If i could afford new i would, but i can't so i have to mend and make do.

[renewablejohn]

My most profitable machine is over 100 years old.

[Hodge]

New machines give more tax advantages than old ones, break down less and have a warranty.

[roseyweb]

For me it's reliability

We travel far and wide and don't want to drive 2 hours to not be able to do a job, also we do nights when the spare shop is closed.

 

Of course new machines break but less likely, in theroy

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

My 35 year old forwarder is far more reliable than my 8 year old harvester...

[THE88MAN]

My chippers 14 years old,chucked thousands at it,apart from the kubota engine its practically new from top to bottom and chips like it is,better the devil a lot of the time I reckon.i also have a David brown 990 that runs firewood machine,splitter etc,spend on it what Ya need to and it'll serve you well.i think when you know something's a "dog" you know,I've a husky 560 that's little worked and let's me down daily,I'll throw no more money at it,I've a Cabstar that's worked its guts out and got a year left in it,good thread

[Gray git]

I like older vehicles as I can mostly fix them myself being landys they do brake but easy enough to bodge again but I've kept the arb gear as new as I can for the warranty and backup.

[Matthew Storrs]

I find somewhere in the middle can be a good compromise... ie i don't like being overly stressed by large finance repayments much yet at the same time downtime due to breakdowns is more costly than the finance repayments.

I had a few old tractors when i first started, i spent way way more time effort and money keeping the ruddy things running then my current offering which has hardly been worn in and has not cost me a penny all year. Id prefer scheduled finance repayments then regular breakdowns.

But new machines lose the most value in their first year or two....