Tractor Tuesday - Massey Ferguson

Did a quick local walk with the dogs and then we all set off for Bad Woerishofen, a major spa town about 15 minutes fro here. I wanted to get some free "health" advice to support the claims from my normal general health and life practitioner, Nogbad, the only one I trust and know gets results. Seems he was right but he could have warned me that there are amateurs around who don't warn you not to use so much pulling power with alternative methods and certainly when you try the XXXStrong method.

Done in 30 minutes, feeling buoyed up and even got a plan lined up to start later this week and hope his idea doesn't evaporate in to thin air. But that's down to me.

Took the back road home as loads of roadworks on the autobahn. No queues on the outward journey, but if an accident does happen, then you really are stuck. The back road only takes 15 minutes longer and is quite scenic. Had to pass through Mindelheim, directly past the huge BayWa agricultural suppliers place. Although represented throughout Germany and indeed sole Fendt suppliers, they are strongest in Bavaria. On their internet Used Machinery page, they have some 1800 used machines for sale, 350 of them tractors.

They are also Massey Ferguson and Valtra dealers. So took a quick look and was quite taken by this 1972 MF148 with 48hp, an "interesting front loader and a mowing bar. 4,900 Euros, I wonder what it cost new? I had arrived exactly at lunchtime so headed off with the dogs for a walk and got a few things at the nearby pet supply shop, using the opportunity to weigh them both and make use of the free water and dog biscuit filling station.

Back at BayWa asked one of the (two?) salesman if he could tell me more about the MF. I started by saying I was interested in the MF with front loader and pointed towards the one in the Extra Photos - the 148 was directly behind it!!!!! I was told for 5000 Euros I could borrow the newer model for maybe 5 months. We went over to the machine, the salesman had never sat on it - it started OK with the normal few minutes of billowing smoke, the rear hydraulics lifted but after 10 minutes of trying to raise the front loader, he gave up. His colleague had parked the vehicle so it must work. And that was it. No suggestion he would find him (nowadays with mobiles no problem) and get advice, not even he would contact me when he had it sorted. No - thats it, take it or leave it! I left. Wish I had had MrTBay along.

Perhaps he had been a bit peeved I didn't want the alternative MF and had already "booked" his summer holiday based on the commission he could see from my pointed finger.
Back home and a late lunch for the dogs, and then came the rain and thunderstorms and cold. Lit the fire and that was about it.