Owning a machine that sits idle most of the year is a common mistake.
The test
1. Estimate annual use in hours or acres.
2. Add ownership costs: depreciation, interest, insurance, housing.
3. Add running costs: fuel, repairs, operator.
4. Divide by hours to get cost per hour or acre.
5. Compare with the hire rate, including the delay risk if you depend on someone else's schedule.
Rule of thumb
If you use a machine only a few days a year, hiring is usually cheaper. If you need it at exact times (planting, harvest) on large areas, owning or sharing may give more control and timely work worth a lot of yield.
Middle ways
Share with neighbours, hire the big machine and own the small ones, or buy second-hand with parts available.
Timeliness has a value too: a week of delay at planting or harvest can cost more than the rental fee.
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