First post, deciding on a new machine

[toxic]

Hello everyone,
I've been looking around here for a while and i guess it's about time I joined in on the decisouns. I own a lawn care business which primary opperation is mowing. I currently own a ZD21 and a ZD28 and they are kept busy 5-6 days a week. So this year I have decided I would like to focous on the landscaping side of my business, which means of course new toys ..er i mean equipment. I have a local dealer who I bought the ZD's from and he is also a New Holland dealer. Today I was there looking at some of the models he had in stock. The ones that caught my eye were the kubota L2800 and B7800 and also the NH Tc30. He was pretty busy so he just gave me some ball park figures of 24-25000 for either of the kubotas with FEL and 19-20000 for the Tc30 with FEL.
The othe brand I was looking at is Koiti. I dont know to much about them because they have only had a dealer here for about a year and a half but from what i have seen they are a very rugged looking machine. I have yet to look atthem to closely yet because the dealer is 40 miles away but he said the next time he is coming my way he would bring me one to try out.
So what i'm looking for is everyones opion good or bad on the models I have mentioned or perhaps advise me on a different model of tractor that you think would better suit my needs .

thanks, Barret.

 

[jbrumberg]

toxic:

Welcome to TBN ! The TC30 is a "standard" to which many other brands compare. I went with a NH TC29DA for the "refinements" over the "30". Jay

 

[thcri]

The TC30 is a well built designed to compete machine. There is no bells or whistles on it. However, you can get it in Hydro. I don't know much about Kubota or which model competes with the TC30? But there is too much of a price difference for you to be comparing the right models or your guys gets a lot for his Kubota's. In the John Deere line I beleive the 790 compares with the TC30. As for the Kioti I can not say much about them either as I have never seen one but there is a Kioti section here, go read there and you will find information about them there. Good luck in your decision


murph

 

[RAD10]

NH TC30 is 30 HP with 24HP PTO with HST
Kubota L3400 34HP with 27.5HP PTO with HST
Kubota L2800 29HP with 22.5HP PTO with HST
JD 790 27HP with 29HP PTO with Gear
JD 3203 32 HP with 24HP PTO with HST

I listed the PTO HP on the HST because I think with landscaping business you will probably do FEL and box blade work and you will enjoy having HST. The PTO may not matter as much if you are not using any implements to utilize.

The models I listed are the ones I have researched and been told to compear with the NH TC30 which is mentioned earlier in this post. I have driven the JD 3203, NH TC30 and Kubota L3400.

I like the kubota and JD over the NH TC30. Everyones preference is different but I just did not like the NH. I also took my father to test drive each to get a 2nd opinion and he agrees, the TC30 just did not have it for a few reasons. Now the boomer series TC's which is more money seemed to have a better feel to them but out of what i want to spend.

Any way the above list gives you a good comparision to start with, now the next step is to just test each of them for you feel. Also I liked the setup of the 3pt on the JD and Kubota better than NH. They all have about the same features and setup, however you might like the MID PTO on the NH for your business, which could make more since for a Finish Mower for you.

good luck and hope this helps some.

 

[jbrumberg]

After I decided on a NH TC29DA over a TC30 I compared the TC29DA to these tractors when I was "shopping" :
JD- 790, 2520, and 3120
Kubota- L2800, B2630, B2710, B2910, B7800, and B3030
Jay

 

[Dmace]

From what I have read and learned from my own experience, the Kioti's are very rugged machines. They are built like a brick sh*thouse and that is why they are almost always heavier than the competition. This may not be what you are looking for if you want a primary mowing machine.

The CK30 HST has 30hp and 23 PTO hp and 3042lb with no attachments.

See the other models here.

If you can get that Kioti dealer to have a tractor at your house while you have another to directly compare, that would be ideal. That is if the other dealers are willing to do that.

Have fun tractor shopping.

 

[RoyJackson]

NH TC30 is 30 HP with 24HP PTO with HST
Kubota L3400 34HP with 27.5HP PTO with HST
Kubota L2800 29HP with 22.5HP PTO with HST
JD 790 27HP with 29HP PTO with Gear
JD 3203 32 HP with 24HP PTO with HST

The 790 has 24 HP at the PTO

 

[RAD10]

The 790 has 24 HP at the PTO

Oops looks like I missed a digit this morning. Thanks for the catch. Guess that is what happens when you can't sleep and try to type early in the morning.

 

[toxic]

thanks for all the replys guys. I forgot to mention in my first post that I would only be looking at HST models. after having been working with different HST tractors for quite a while now there is no way i would consider buying any gear models. Not saying that geared tractors are bad it's just that in my line of work i think the hst would be far superior espically since it wouldn't always be me opperating the machine, and i would think that hst has a much lower learning curve for my guys to be productive in the field.

another thing i guess I forgot to mention is that this tractor will not be used for any finish mowing. I have two ZD's for that and when I feel that I have I have enough work for another mower I will add another ZD or two. When it comes to commerical mowing on propertys 5 acres and under theres nothing that can compete with the productivey of a zero turn mower.

thanks Barret

 

[coasterez]

You are right to stay with HST. Time is money and the HST will save you time. I have a Kioti CK25. Love it. Great for ground engagement stuff like loader, backhoe, or blade work, which I pressume will be your primary tasks. But, she's heavy. In the Kioti line, the CK20 is more easily towed and will offer greater maneuverabilty. Most brands are very good machines. I would suggest you also consider TYM K2's, Mahindra, and MF, and the articulated machines (like Ventrac). Those little Bobcat truck things (can't remember the name) are also pretty nice too. I think the TYM T273 would be perfect for your line of work - nice balance of size/performance. Though, dealer network is a major concern with them (at least around here). Test drive as many as you can. It's a big investment and you want to get the machine the "right" for you.