What do you guys think????

[topglock45]

I wrote a week ago about my problem and need some more advice-
I own a 1966 Case 580CK Diesel 188 which I paid $4,800 for. I have now found a deal which will cost me $2,800 to rebuild it. My question to everyone: Is it worth the price to fix??? Will I ever recoup my money in the future if I ever want to sell it???? MY WIFE WANTS TO KILL ME !!!
What should I do ?????? Divorce the tractor or my wife ?????

 

[Allan in NE]

Fixin' old iron never, ever pays. It just doesn't.

Look at it in that light and decide what you'll do.

Allan

 

[old art]

well the tractor won't keep your bed warm or cooka meal or keep you company. but it won't talk back or tell you what to do..i don't like a cold bed. make her happy some how and live in peace.i got my same cook now 60 years we both give in once in a while. LOL old art

 

[Anonymous-0]

"MY WIFE WANTS TO KILL ME !!!"

Big deal. My wife wants to kill me and I don't even have a tractor. You can always get a different wife but a 66 Case is harder to find.

 

[IaGary]

If you paid 4800 and it needs 2800 to fix it, so it's worth 2000 the way it sets.

So sell it for 2000.

Or fix it and run it awhile and hope you can get 4800 for it when you sell it. So it cost you 2800 to run it the years you had it.

Tractors that old don't go down much in price, they remain fairly stable.


Gary

 

[37 chief]

What actually is wrong with your tractor? Maybe you can get by with maybe rings, and bearings, and a valve job. If you have the time and place you might try the rebuild yourself. Stan

 

[Spook]

Should not confuse "tools" with "toys"?

 

[Tradititonal Farmer]

Thats the very least you are going to spend,never had a rebuild that didn't cost more than original estimate.You're going to loose $$$
just have to figure out which way you loose the least.

 

[Walt Davies]

I don't know but the older you get the more free women there are out there. Some are pretty good looking and can cook.
Walt

 

[Anonymous-0]

why not rebuild it yourself and do it for 1200.00 and learn something in the process ?

 

[steveormary]

Dont know what to say. Some years back I had 2 tractors to be repaired. Well, thought I could do it for X$. What it ended up costing me was twice what I had estimated. Then I had one that I sold for about half what I paid for it and that was the one I should have fixed up.
Oh well.

steveormary

 

[Anonymous-0]

The following is my opinion only:

You're not the first guy who's bought a big construction loader/backhoe to use around the farm, only to find out that the thing was broke/worn out/etc. I've seen it happen to a couple other folks.

Ask yourself this: What do I really need this pience of equipment for? Can I hire a backhoe/loader to come in and do it for me, or can I rent a piece of equipment?

Basically, is rebuilding that machine going to be worth it to you? Or can you get by without it? Not to mention, once you get the engine rebuilt, what else is about to go wrong with it?

 

[rgvtx]

If repaired you have 7600 bucks in it. So what was your intentions when you purchased it in the first place? Do you have a need for it, or had you planned to fix it up and resell it?
I buy stuff and fix it up and use it. After a few years.........or longer I might resell it for a loss, but is it really a loss? After all, I got my use out of it.
I say get it running and rent it out with the operator (you)and make some or all of your money back. After about a year or so, smile at the wife that wants to kill you and say "I told you it was a good deal!"

 

[Texas Sand]

Another way to look at it is ask yourself what the tractor will be used for. If you really want to fix it and will be using it for a job that must be done and/or you can use it for something to make a little money you might can justify spending more on it than it's worth. If you could use the tractor to create an income your wife might change her mind if you'll share the $$$$$ you make! I bought an old Case and fixed it up and the fist thing I did with it was smooth up the drive way in front of the house, made the wife very happy.

 

[kyhayman]

If you end up with een 8K in a decent 580CK, you've still got a decent machine worth the money. Its not the steal it was but few things are. Personally, if I needed it at 4800, I still need it at 7600, just takes more hours to break even.

Thats a high priced rebuild job.... Its been a couple of years but last 188 I rebuilt cost less than 2000 and I had to buy a crank.

Anytime I buy anything needing work I figure out 1. what can I part it out for on ebay, 2. what will it take to fix it (and double that estimate), 3. how much use value I plan to get or what can I sell it for. Then I stick to the plan, when its time to chop it for parts its time, period. No messing around.

Finally with all that said I've got wet ink on divorce papers and lots of old iron. Some of its worth it, some of it aint. I've got no regrets.

 

[Anonymous-0]

If you can use it and the rest of it is decent, fix it. You don't find good backhoes cheap and new ones are over $100,000. A lot of times equipment in fairly good shape holds its value once it gets to a certain point. Once the engine is rebuilt, you'll know what you have. Dave

 

[dej(Jed)]

Sell it you haven't even scratched the surface yet with the repair costs. I gaurantee you there will be at least another $2000 that you haven't even gotten to yet.

 

[jokers]

The simple answer is to let your wife decide what to do, then if you do what she suggests you can`t be wrong. That of course is only theory, LOL!

BTW, I think that the math stating your hoe is only worth $2k if it needs $2800 in repairs is wrong. Besides, what would it hurt to ask $4800 for it and be willing to come down some if it doesn`t sell right away?

 

[topglock45]

(quoted from post at 20:08:57 12/03/07) What actually is wrong with your tractor? Maybe you can get by with maybe rings, and bearings, and a valve job. If you have the time and place you might try the rebuild yourself. Stan

A piston has a hole in it. I can buy the engine kit for $643.00 and the rest will be labor. I could go the cheap route and fix it half assed and only fix the piston but, I wouldn't be gaining anything. I need to use it on a couple of jobs around my property.

 

[lucas boy]

i dont know what to tell you. i like to ruffle these home improvement contractors when i can.. they allways want the wife to be there like if i have windows or anything done.. i tell em she cant be there,, they say she has to be before they can procede.so i tell em to go away then.... lol,,im not married. it burns my @ss when guys talk about the wife will kill me or i have to check with her first.guess its part of it. lucas

 

[topglock45]

The wife is ------ I bought it to begin with... and once it broke down all I've heard is " See I told you " and " you bought a piece of manure "....

I am fed up with both her and the tractor !!!

 

[topglock45]

I try to work with my wife but, she's a woman and most women hate tractors when they weren't raised around them.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You leave out so much detail that it is near impossible to give you decent advice. What is the condition of the machine other than the piston? Did you buy knowing about the piston? Have you had anyone else look it over? Have you pulled the head? What work do you do? What are plans for tractor use? Help us out a little. Tom

 

[flashback]

Look at it this way. A backhoe costs at least 250 a day to rent, (some even more ) and 70-80 to deliver and pickup. Now at 6800 thats about 26 days of rental. I could find at least 15 days use here right now. The next 11 or 12 days could be used doing a little work for close friends. A case 580 that runs is worth having around and after deducting the applied rental could probably be sold for a small profit.

 

[Tim B from MA]

Allan and Spook have it right.

In terms of actual dollars out (when buying and fixing) and dollar in (when selling) you will always loose with tractors.

I boils down to do you WANT to do it, and do you enjoy doing your own earthwork? If so then you have to be satisfied with the recreational value of your hobby plus knowledge gained, plus the money you save doing your own work vs. hiring it out. If you aren't going to be satisfied with that, sell the tractor and cut your losses.

 

[notadeere]

what is your location ? anywhere around north east nebr ? ill be willing to come over & help you rebuild the eng. for less than u can take it to case ih or any other shop , considering U* have a inside shop heated ? i have worked outside in 0 deg weather most of my life now that i finally got my own shop im spoiled & must be inside....

 

[JML755]

topglock45,
I'd go for the fix, even the half-a**ed one. As some have said, it will still be worth something after you've fixed it and used it for whatever your needs are.

Instead of having a contractor put in a LONG gravel driveway on some vacant land, I bought an old TLB, dug it myself and had the gravel hauled in. Even with a couple of grand in repairs along the way (injection pump rebuild, radiator, water pump), I'm still ahead because I've used it for other things (earth moving, stump pulling, tree transplanting, etc). My wife thought I was crazy when I bought it, but after she saw how much easier it was to get things done using it instead of our backs, she's come around, realizing that the right tools make all the difference.

Plus, 1) it's been very therapeutic and educational for me 2) It will still be worht something when I'm done with it.

Go for it.

 

[topglock45]

(quoted from post at 21:38:19 12/03/07) If repaired you have 7600 bucks in it. So what was your intentions when you purchased it in the first place? Do you have a need for it, or had you planned to fix it up and resell it?
I buy stuff and fix it up and use it. After a few years.........or longer I might resell it for a loss, but is it really a loss? After all, I got my use out of it.
I say get it running and rent it out with the operator (you)and make some or all of your money back. After about a year or so, smile at the wife that wants to kill you and say "I told you it was a good deal!"

I bought it to do a couple of jobs around my property that involves cutting, lifting,moving trees and grade work.

 

[topglock45]

I purchased it from a local farmer who owned it for over 25 yrs. It is in good condition and even has the original headlights & grill on it. It has no bent or torn up metal with original stickers on the unit. I bought it because I thought he maintained it over the years by looking at the overall condition. I still believe it can be a great unit once I get it back in running shape. I bought it to do a couple of things with but, really just wanted one because my dad used to have one and when we were kids we dug jobs for him when he was building houses. So I guess we always had one around and could use it whenever we needed to.

Having less than $8,000 in an older backhoe isn't really too bad I guess.

 

[JDknut]

I'd say its worth it, especially if the rest of the tractor is good. 8 grand for a bachoe with a known good engine (which that one will be after you fix it) is not bad. As for divorce the wife or the tractor, it would be cheaper to divorce the tractor, but at least it won't give you a tongue lashing or play mind games.

 

[jokers]

A man should not be subservient to his wife but he should be considerate of her opinions. If a man knows his wife well enough he can even make decisions and take actions in her absence that shouldn`t be patently disagreeable to her.

 

[D-C-741]

Well I would DIVORCE the WIFE !!! She will only hold you Back on EVERY thing you will EVER DO .AND BY THE WAY JUST WHO IS THE BOSS IN YOUR HOME YOU OR HER ??????????????????????? I've been down your road should have went the DIVORCE route years Early'er .Your backhoe is only the Begining of your Trubles !!!

 

[Anonymous-0]

Rotted manure is worth good money. I'll bet your wife doesn't like shovelling snow but will get on your case to do it. Once you have a backhoe, you won't believe how much you can do with it. Dave

 

[sbin]

Here is an old Case TLB backhoe for $2200 in northern Ohio.
Think the wife is angry now wait till the parts backhoe arrives ;o)
Just joking!
Look on ebay for a cheap service manual to download then spend a little time reading it.If you have some tools and can pull a wrench under cover the job shouldn"t be to bad.
Read the manual several times before staring.
Untitled URL Link

 

[sbin]

That backhoe has a rebuilt motor

 

[topglock45]

(quoted from post at 16:31:48 12/04/07) Here is an old Case TLB backhoe for $2200 in northern Ohio.
Think the wife is angry now wait till the parts backhoe arrives ;o)
Just joking!
Look on ebay for a cheap service manual to download then spend a little time reading it.If you have some tools and can pull a wrench under cover the job shouldn"t be to bad.
Read the manual several times before staring.
Untitled URL Link

hanks I appreciate your help & comments .... I getting it fixed and I don't have to sell any guns ... WOOOOW HOOOOO

 

[topglock45]

You're trying to get me in trouble aren't you ...

 

[JML755]

[/quote]

topglock45,
you won't be sorry. Just keep the guns away from the wife