BAGMA points out that the total cost incurred by the farmer or contractor can be from 3 to 17 times the cost of appropriate preventative maintenance, especially at harvest time when other machines and people are idle while corrections take place.

The findings are part of a new BAGMA initiative called Making Service Pay, designed to raise awareness of how much farmers can save by having their tractors and machinery serviced and checked by dealer staff using approved diagnostic equipment.

The True Cost of a Breakdown study carried out in 2003 by Cranfield University showed that a combine breakdown could cost, taking into account grain quality loss, £3438, whereas a routine maintenance plan would cost only £247. And for a straw chopper the cost of a breakdown could be £1765, with the cost of maintenance only £159.

“Breakdowns are becoming fewer as machine reliability improves, but the costs of breakdowns are becoming far more expensive,” says Douglas Hamilton, BAGMA President.

“This expense has to be controlled to aid budgeting and working with a local dealer can reduce the probability of breakdowns taking place. The other benefit is that a well- maintained machine should increase in value when it comes to trade-in time.”

Mr Hamilton points out that 60% of major repairs are completed within 1-2 days, but 44% of farmers would like these repairs to be completed on the same day. This is where the high costs of the breakdown are incurred.

 True Cost of a Breakdown report, available by clicking here