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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jun 4, 2015 23:34:48 GMT -5
I talked to the owner of the 86 Troybilt about seeing it but hub says he will not buy a 20 year old tiller for $700.  Really! It's not worth a penny over $699.99. |
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Post by steev on Jun 4, 2015 23:40:13 GMT -5
I wouldn't either: that's a 30 year-old tiller, rounding up.
I think you need to consider cost today versus length of service. Not to pimp Italian products (dirty ingrates haven't offered me any freebies), but I do think BCS has excellent products. True, they are spendy, but they last and are repairable and have many excellent implements that are made to fit (not all made by BCS; did I mention that they no longer offer their trencher? Damn! It's OK, I'll rent a Ditch-Witch, which will get my pipes deeper and BCS can go to Hell).
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Post by DarJones on Jun 6, 2015 14:07:50 GMT -5
Minnie, I keep a close watch on the market for troybilt tillers and have a good idea of the fair price they are worth. Electric start is a $150 to $200 option on the tiller. The base troybilt with Kohler engine is $500 without electric start. If you could purchase it for $600 it would be a screaming deal and if you have to pay $700, it is still a fair price for an electric start troybilt. Of course, you have to look at condition too so there are some things that could be wrong with it that would reduce the value. For example, if the battery needs to be replaced, cost is $50 so reduce price by that amount. The electric start Troybilt cost $1800 at the time it was purchased which is roughly the equivalent of $2500 today. Tell hubby you would be getting a 20 year old tiller but at 1/4 the cost of a comparable new tiller and with at least 15 years of use left in it. Please verify that it has the tine disengage lever on the side of the transmission. That is the key feature of the tillers made by Troybilt 1985 to 1998 that is a major improvement over previous tillers. Here is a comparable tiller on Ebay. Have your hubby watch this auction with you and see what it sells for. www.ebay.com/itm/121667267729 |
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Post by littleminnie on Jun 6, 2015 22:23:54 GMT -5
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Jun 7, 2015 0:34:35 GMT -5
Too new to be made of durable materials. Only 16" wide which is too narrow to be of much use to a real farmer. |
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Post by DarJones on Jun 7, 2015 15:45:49 GMT -5
Earthquake is a 2nd tier manufacturer. It will typically last 3 to 5 years in a garden under heavy use. IMO, you would be far better off to buy the 20 year old electric start Kohler engine Troybilt. You will also find a lot of Husqvarna rear tine tillers that run $700 new and typically $350 used. They are good for 3 to 5 years. The Troybilt will last 20 to 30 years and the Kohler engine is the most durable engine on the market. You may wear out the engine in 5 years, but add a new engine and you are good for another 20 years. Here are the criteria you should work from: 20 inch wide tilling width minimum and 24 inch wide maximum. This is the optimum size for most gardening. I use a 24 inch wide front tine Tillsmith 5.5 HP engine to cultivate between rows. I use a 20 inch Troybilt Horse 10 HP for heavy tilling and cultivating when the ground is too hard for the Tillsmith. There are lots of 18 inch wide rear tine tillers on the market with 6 HP engines. IMO, you should avoid them like the plague. They are not made to hold up under heavy use. Don't get a Troybilt Pony or Bronco for the same reason. Heavy duty cast iron gear box. Most tillers have a stamped steel gearbox that eventually leaks and wears out. I've worn out so many of them that I won't have one ever again. Minimum 8 horsepower cast iron engine. You can get a good quality sleeve cylinder engine that is acceptable. 6 HP will just make you mad over time, it is not enough power for heavy duty tilling. More than 11 horsepower is too heavy to use effectively. There is a really good 14 HP Briggs engine on Troybilt Horse that you see from time to time. I love the tiller, but the 14 HP engine is just a bit too heavy for most gardening. Be careful with replacment engines on Troybilt tillers. There are loads of cheap "predator" motors that you can pick up for $150 and mount on a Troybilt tiller. These engines might last 3 years if you are lucky. As Steve has said, BCS makes a very good tiller. They are also VERY expensive. I've never had a BCS because I've never found one at a price I considered reasonable. I currently own 2 Troybilt Horse tillers, one electric and one 1970's model pull to crank. Either one will work circles around most modern tillers, but the old hand crank Horse is geared just a tad faster than I like and does not have an emergency shutoff to stop the engine if it gets away from the user. My 1992 Horse on the other hand has the tine disconnect lever on the gearbox and has the electric shutoff on the handle. These safety features are the critical reason why I suggest 1985 to 1998 Troybilt Horse as the best tiller generally available. Here is a listing for a 14.5 HP Troybilt Horse. It will sell for $1100 but unlikely to go for the asking price of $1850. bham.craigslist.org/grd/5041851731.html |
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Post by jondear on Jun 7, 2015 17:45:22 GMT -5
Seems to me, if someone is getting rid of a tiller, they might be done gardening.
Maybe offer a CSA share instead of cash?
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Post by steev on Jun 7, 2015 19:43:04 GMT -5
I enjoyed my 1979 Troybilt Horse; it was what prompted me to start my business, 36 years ago. I have a Troybilt Pony (blown engine) that I have to get running before rain returns to NorCal; so many people will want new lawns and it's the right size for that; foolish of them, IMHO, but profitable to me. As I've posted, I really like my Mantis and Sukie, my BCS.
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Post by littleminnie on Jun 7, 2015 20:10:05 GMT -5
There is a BCS on Craig's List but from Missouri. I'm not sure how it is even on there.
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Post by DarJones on Jun 7, 2015 22:51:44 GMT -5
Here is an unusual one. The motor is toast so would be a repair job to get it running. This appears to be a Tillsmith tiller manufactured and branded Sears. If you were in the mood for a durable old tiller but had to put an engine on it for about $200, this one would fill the bill. There is also a chance that putting a new carburetor on it would fix the problem. If I were nearby, I would be at this guy's house right now handing him $50 and loading this tiller in my truck to bring home. minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/grd/5061851394.html |
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Post by DarJones on Jun 9, 2015 1:36:49 GMT -5
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Post by 12540dumont on Jun 9, 2015 17:33:58 GMT -5
Minnie, I started with a Howard. An absolute beast. What I love about my BCS is that the handle bars are adjustable. Leo's 6'2" and I'm 5'3", so if I'm going to till, I got to be able to adjust the handlebars. The BCS is such a pleasure over the Howard Rotovator! I have the sickle bar mower, the furrower and the tiller. In 20 years, I have had it in the repair shop twice. This guy is really nice and helped me get a new bar for the sickle mower. (My mom's friend left rebar in the field after pouring a slab of concrete.) Sloppy work that! and yours truly hit the rebar while mowing. I probably should have had my mouth washed out after exclaiming over that one! www.earthtoolsbcs.com/html/specials.html Check out his used specials. He's got a BCS 730 for 1695. Don't forget you can get a snowblower for the BCS..... not that it snows much in Minnesota. |
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Post by RpR on Jun 10, 2015 10:29:00 GMT -5
Check in your phone book for dealers that sell small power tools.
Some have a large supply of older equipment that was traded in for new, plus if the one old one you buy goes belly up they will often give you a good deal on replacing it.
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Post by zeedman on Jun 15, 2015 19:19:33 GMT -5
I would second those who recommended BCS. But I would add that when searching online, you might also look for Mainline. BCS tillers were marketed by that name in the 80's. I have been using a Mainline 1500 rear tine tiller with an Acme engine since 1985, and the thing is nearly unbreakable; it is presently on its third set of tines, and still digs deeper than the tiller that came with the Kubota tractor I bought to replace it. I found a Mainline here, the price seems very reasonable if there is nothing wrong with it: Mainline tillerFor small tractors, there are still some old Bolens floating around out there with attachments, a great small tractor if you can find one. I had one for several years & was very happy with the tractor, but when the drive shaft for the tiller was broken (by someone who borrowed it) I was unable to find a replacement. |
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Post by DarJones on Jun 21, 2015 15:55:37 GMT -5
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