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The Dukester
01-19-2002 17:57:32
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Re: value of tractors in future in reply to terry, 01-19-2002 07:59:35
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Some Question!! Seems to me that a lot of the answer will have to do with the economic health of our country and the world in general. We have had pretty good times in the last three-four decades and a lot of people had money to spend on things they didn't really need but felt they should be able to have to enjoy life more. They moved to the country in search of a better life and they became country oriented even though a lot of them still worked in some job in the city or town. They built homes on acreages, not lots, and they mowed fields of grass. It's been a mixed blessing for the rural areas because it brought wealth to the rural areas that farming and farming related enterprises could no longer generate. (No matter how you cut it, a few big and realitively well-off farmers don't support the rural economy like the multitude of farmers the rural areas used to have, did). Yet, the poliferation of people of urban background to the country has changed and complicated the traditional country life, to the chagrin of "traditional country people". If the economy stays good, I think this pattern of life will continue and most any thing related to country life will retain it's popularity, antique tractor interest included. But, if for some reason, the economy should take a real nasty downturn, the antique tractor demand will wan and the multitude of people will have to spend their money on necessities of life. The monies spent on likewise recreational goods will suffer too, and a lot of industries will have to return to making the basic needs of civilization. A lot of other things could happen too, such as, we seem to be in the process of overpopulating this earth, which if, and it might, become a problem which could really change the economic conditions, and the values of many things would change drastically. The country way of life now is quite luxurious really, if you compare it to how most people lived 50 years ago, especially when compared to those people living in the country at that time. Having a tractor, or many tractors, is a symbol of that luxury. Sometimes it just an expensive, contemporary, lawn and garden tractor used in the upkeep of the spacious grounds, Sometimes it's an antique, rigged with a mower to keep the yard clipped, sometimes it's a rare, restored farm tractor of generations ago, sometimes it's a regular stable of tractors, some restored and precious, some unrestored and precious, and some run-of-the-mill types that are just fun to have around. And in some cases, the tractor or tractors are old family heirlooms of sentimental value, it could be just, "a tractor like Dad had". In essence, tractors are fun and satisfying--but not essential to life, except for farmers. It's quite likely the value of tractors will change some according to their vintage or era of practical use, and this change will be caused by the changing desires and personal wants of the buying public. But, like cars, there will be the perennial classics that do nothing but appreciate and there will be "character favorites" that will probably appreciate as they become older,i.e."Johnny Poppers", "Cute Little Cubs",etc.
And, if it isn't outlawed by clean air edicts, or EPA fanatics or some other "do-good group", tractor pulling will demand all the tractors of those types that have respectable reputations generated by their competitive records. So that will create a demand for the "bluebloods" of the powerfamous tractors,i.e.Ollie 88's, Farmall M's, JD G's,etc. In plain talk-if the world don't end, tractors that are worth a d---, will just cost more, it can't be any other way.
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