Understanding the Life Expectancy of a Used Tractor
When shopping for a used tractor, it’s important to know what it is you can expect from the machine. The life expectancy of a used tractor isn’t forever, after all, so taking the time to fully comprehend how long you can anticipate your used tractor will last will help you to make a sounder investment. Avoid the pitfalls of purchasing a tractor that lets you down within a year or two!
Tatum Motor Company, with locations in Anderson, MO, and Tontitown, AR, is your local used tractor dealer. Below, you’ll find some enlightening information about how long you can expect a typical used tractor to last so you can decide if it’s worth your investment.
Average Lifespan
Tractors generally will last for at least 4,000 hours of operation. Some models can remain useful for up to 10,000 hours of work. However, you need to be mindful of how the tractor’s operational capacity can change as it ages.
Around the 500-hour mark, your tractor will not operate like it was new any longer. At 2,500 hours, your hydraulic pumps, injectors and clutches will all need some professional maintenance, and by 5,000 hours, a tractor’s engine probably needs tinkering to get it back up to speed.
Factors That Affect Tractor Lifespan
There are a few different factors that will impact a tractor’s overall life expectancy. It's important to be mindful of this when you shop for a model.
Brand
Some brands happen to construct their tractors from higher-quality materials to begin with, which makes them more durable overall and likely to last longer.
Hourly Usage
Tractors that have a lower number of hours put on them will obviously be in better shape than those that have higher hourly usage rates.
Maintenance
A well-maintained tractor is more likely to last longer than a tractor that’s fallen into disrepair. Check the machine’s repair and maintenance history to get an idea of how responsible the previous owner was with maintenance and general upkeep.
Workload
Tractors that have been used for lighter tasks will be in better condition than tractors that hauled a lot of heavy payloads or used laborious attachments often.
How To Determine a Used Tractor’s Life Expectancy
While you can’t just gaze at a tractor and figure out exactly how many hours it’s been used, you can get some context clues that will help you to make a guess at the tractor’s age. Asking the seller lots of questions is how you’re going to obtain the information you need. Some good questions to ask include:
- How and where was the tractor stored, especially during winter?
- What type of terrain was the tractor used on most often?
- Which tasks was the tractor used for?
- Were any parts upgraded or replaced?
- Have there been multiple owners of this machine? If so, how did previous owners use the tractor and what records did they leave behind?
Obtain the maintenance records of any used tractor that interests you so that you can determine if it’s worth your while. An average used tractor on the market only has about 1,000 hours of use put on it, which means there’s a lot of life left in that tractor that you can have at a great value if you play your cards right and do the appropriate research!
Ready to see some used tractor models? Take a look at our website to see our wide variety of used tractors for sale at our dealership locations in Tontitown, AR, and Anderson, MO. We even provide financing and credit options to help you get the used tractor you need. Tatum Motor Company proudly serves the cities of Fayetteville, AR, and Joplin, MO.