Need Help Explaining to Wife ....

[taxhoncho]

why I want to buy a running but slightly rusted A-C 916H over the brand new 17.5 hp plastic toy from Wal-Mart. She keeps saying "get one with a warranty". I keep saying "yes the brand new one has a warranty, it is guaranteed to break if I try to mow the shady part of the back yard where the twigs and pebbles are." She is not amused by my hilarious sense of humor. Any suggestions for what I should say to wifey when the guy drives up with the A-C on the back of his truck? Or am I better off having him deliver it while she and the kids are visiting her parents, paint it red, and hope she never realizes that it is a different machine than the old MTD 12/38 I used to have?

[wilm169]

NO wife here, NO problems

[Simpleton7016]

Here's what you do. Prepare a dinner for four four you and your wife and Elon and his wife (Melanie, right?). When the subject turns to tractors, have Elon pull out the picture of his wife on the puller and let her testify. I've only been married for 3 years, but I know that my wife will never take any advice from me or any of my friends. You've GOT to get Melanie engaged. Your wife will listen to one of her own!

[tec2484]

Offer to buy her the nice new one. But you don't, Won't and can't work on it. (you may void the warranty) There fore she must mow the lawn and transport it back and forth to get serviced as you know nothing about the new LAWN MOWER. But if we get the A C 916H I do, can and will maintain it plus mow the lawn with our GARDEN TRACTOR. Almost forgot. I can get a snowblower, Tiller, Plow blade and if she likes to have a garden a plow and culavater!:)

[D-17_Dave]

If she wants one with a warranty take her a show her t a new model Simplicity and say thanks honey for telling me we should get a new one. Then explain the diff. between what you see at a box store w/ the new ones at a dealer. Then tell her the one you were looking at is an older model of these. Bet you she'll go for the 916 but you never know, you might talk her into a new one.

[john-holcomb]

The purchaseing power of a 1980 dollar in the year 2000 was 49 cents. So if the 916 cost $2000 in 1980 it is like buying a $4000+ tractor today. Conversley a $1500 walmart rider is really a $750 cheepo in 1980. If that doesn't work also compair for her the difference in weight of the two machines, my wife will always pick the heaviest anything because she believes, more steel means its better built and will last longer, her dad taught her that. Don't forget the cursed break in time where all things new keep breaking untill the bugs are worked out while the 916 is long past that stage.

[Mike]

I dealt with that exact issue. My wife still thinks we need a green tractor, not JD specifically, just a green one. I bought a used 916H tractor, and that was before they were even being talked about here, and had it delivered while she wasn't home. She still doesn't like the color, but she likes the way the lawn looks after mowing. I can assure you that you will not be making a mistake by buying one, be forewarned though, they do require a lot of tinkering. Today I still have the 916h and a nearly complete clone. Plow blade and johnny bucket complete the package. Go for it, you will be glad you did, besides women always get over it, and it will be alot easier next time. Mike

[lndscpr]

just take the heat. But you better be getting a good mower or she will kill you........ btw,, you are asking the wrong bunch of guys. Most of us need professional help.

[HubbardRA]

Sorry, I don't have that problem. My wife has her hobbies, flower gardens, sewing, and painting. I have my tractors. I don't fuss about her purchases and she doesn't fuss about mine. Although she is starting to fuss about the amount of excess iron laying around in the back yard. Guess I need to get rid of a couple of non-running autos, so that I can pick up more tractors.

[IronPony]

Did you pick her sewing machine?

[SmilinSam]

quote:

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Originally posted by lndscpr
just take the heat. But you better be getting a good mower or she will kill you........ btw,, you are asking the wrong bunch of guys. Most of us need professional help.

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I'll second that!;) Nothing like asking a room full of addicts advice on that which they are adicted to:D If you do buy a dept store tractor with a warranty you better have two of them. I say this because if the thing does break , average wait for repairs at whatever local shop that has their service contract will likely be around 3 weeks. Its absolutely rediculous here and the stores dont tell you this when you buy their tractor. The Service shops put their stuff first and the dept store stuff second and I have had the priveldge of standing near the service counter at Lowes in Galesburg and listening to real HOT customers venting their anger at having to wait for repairs. One guy waited 4 weeks on one of their tractors to get fixed. Can you imagine how tall the grass was by then[:0] If you do get the 916, you can easily tell if the transmoission works and the engine works. You only expensive wild card should be the bevel gear box. You can check and see about input shaft play by grabbing the rear coupler and trying to move it side to side and up and down as well as backlash( turning it to see how much play before one gear engages the other) You can also look for excessive oil leakage around the seals. If a gear box goes bad shop cost to repair will likely exceed $400. Do it yourself and you can do it for 1/4 to 1/3 of that. Deck bearings are easy to install and not that costly unless the shaft splines are shot and you need a new shaft. As long as the 916 dont turn into a nickle and dimer she wont have anything to be concerned about. Repair parts are plentififul and not that costly. Main thing with a marriage and a wife, at least a good one, is to be honest and up front. Put all you cards on the table and give her a real say in the decision, and be prepared to respect it. If each has their own money thats one thing, but if the money pool is joint that needs some respect given to the " joint" part. As for me, if I were in the joint money situation, I'm pretty sure I'd be divorced by now8[:0]B), but As I have my job and it pays 95% of all the bills and she has her job, and it pays for her hobbies, her fun and the other 5% of the bills, she dont have no legs to stand on when it comes to how I operate my tractor enterprise8D

[ehertzfeld]

Don't go using me as an example! If you get your wife/girl friend involved, she go out to your shed/garage and start calling one hers!!!:(!:(!:(! Just explain to her that yes the new one does have a warranty, but t the price of the Allis, you could most likely get three! Tell her that these old machines are better built and will last longer than any of the new ones today. If she still doesn't under stand, then buy the cheapest one you can find, call it hers, and save up money to get the Allis anyway! [:0]:D}:) Elon

[JJ MARSHALL]

GOOD LUCK RICHARD ???????? I KNOW THAT YOU WILL DO THE RIGHT THING.

[tec2484]

This could be dangerous guys, but I'm letting Tammy get her response in. B) Tell your wife that she should let you get the older tractor because then you will be out of her hair. You will be in the back tinkering with the tractor and mowing the yard. She won't have to do it and she can spend the extra time doing what she likes to do. Mine is scrapbooking while George is in the barn or working in the yard. Besides, the Walmart tractors are rejects. They have some good products but I know people that work there and they have companies make a lesser grade product for a lower cost so that they have more sales. Sewing machines are the same way. Get a better product, it might cost more (or less depending on the freebies) but it is worth it in the long run. Thanks for letting me put my 2 cents in. Tam 8):D What a woman!!!

[HubbardRA]

No Dan, I didn't pick her sewing machine. Since I am the worker and she has always been a housewife, the money is joint. What each of us buys is always related to the excess in the bank account. Luckily, in the past few years, since the two older kids moved out, the money factor has not been a major problem.

[ramtdodge]

i went through the same thing 8 allis tractors ago , my wife fussed for months after the first 3. i went and bought her a new garden tractor, paid over 3,ooo for it and after she used my 712 one time she parked the new in the garage and thats where it has been for 2 yrs

[babablacksheep]

How long did your MTD 12/38 last? Probably three to five years if you were lucky. That AC916H probably dates to the early 1980's, maybe even older. Just tell her that it has already outlived five of those big box rolling junkheaps and it's not even broken in good yet.

[johnmonkey]

I am in the process of buying a 7112H from Ambler. I am making payments over a few months and I told my wife about it and she is very supportive. I'm getting chains, weights, heavy duty snow plow (with springs)and a moweer deck, all for $900.00 seller is happy, buyer is happy. I saw her run when I swapped a snowblower for a tiller and it looked like a good deal. I may sell or trade my simp 700, just to thin the herd (7 tractors). JH

[GregB]

The wife and I have an understanding, she has her horse I get the "horse power":D. Any large purchase that I cannot cover from my meager tractor slush fund gets discussed before I bring it home. Its been working over the twenty years we have been married. GregB

[Karl_Brandt]

I also have no wife. Just tell her the AC 917H will last longer than the brand new plastic toy from Wal-Mart.;):D Karl [url]www.simplicityva.com[/url]

[taxhoncho]

Thanks for all the great advice. I'll let you know how it turns out. Although my neighbor has threatened to come over and see if he can't get the MTD working again. Heck, it was just gas leaking out of the engine block. And anyway, we both have lots of life insurance.

[Scott Salmons]

show her this web site. How many 40 yr old MTD's are still in use!

[ambler]

I used to be able to hide them in the barn, but they have spilt over.

[TerryZ]

I got my Pow'rmax because I showed my wife the cost of some of the new import 'compact' tractors and explained the difference in quality of something still running after 30 years and still repairable vs. something the dealer indicated parts would take 4 weeks to get. Then add on attachments to those new imports ($$$$!)[:0]. Now she really likes the hydrostatic + 3 speed gearbox and the 60" deck on the 9020 now - I may have to fight her for mowing rights this summer..... but then again a hammock view of her mowing with a cold one may not be a bad trade ;) If I coul donly get her to snowblow in winter;)

[SmilinSam]

quote:

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Originally posted by TerryZ
I got my Pow'rmax because I showed my wife the cost of some of the new import 'compact' tractors and explained the difference in quality of something still running after 30 years and still repairable vs. something the dealer indicated parts would take 4 weeks to get. Then add on attachments to those new imports ($$$$!)[:0]. Now she really likes the hydrostatic + 3 speed gearbox and the 60" deck on the 9020 now - I may have to fight her for mowing rights this summer..... but then again a hammock view of her mowing with a cold one may not be a bad trade ;) If I could only get her to snowblow in winter;)

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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... thats sounds an awful lot like Roys angle:D Actually does work out .....until the conscripts figure out its work. I think my kids are starting to get wise the scheme..;)