cerescobra
Member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2008
- Messages
- 25
After deciding that I will drop the JD 2520 from my list due to lack of 3-range HST, I went to my Orange dealer today and drove the two B-series tractors that I've been considering; B2920 and B7800. First I drove the B2920. Nice little tractor! I did notice that the short wheelbase gave it a pretty rough ride, especially since it didn't have a FEL installed. I think I like the joystick mounted on the tractor, but withheld conclusion until driving the B7800. I did notice at idle the 3-banger shook alot! The instruments in the dash panel were shaking so hard it was like watching a blurry old movie trying to read them. Not totally unexpected for a small diesel, however.
Now I climb on the B7800. The first thing I notice is not only is the engine ALOT smoother, it is also quieter. No shake at all in the instruments. The joystick was shaking a bit until increasing the engine RPM to a range where the stick calmed down. Not nearly as annoying as the shake on the 2920. The platform is comfortable and when I start driving, wow, it's a lot smoother ride. Longer wheelbase, larger tires and with FEL attached, there was no comparison to it's smaller sibling. It feels bigger, but not too big and felt more like what I expected in a compact tractor. Then I'm told the joystick stays on the tractor when the FEL is removed and it seems identical to the B2920 from a functional stanpoint.
Pricewise, I think the B7800 is a much better value. In my case, the B7800 with 72" MMM + FEL is $800 more than the B2920 with 60" MMM (largest available on that model) and smaller capacity FEL. That's about the price premium for a 72" vs. 60" MMM on the 7800. Kubota has an incentive on the B7800 right now, so taking advantage of that plus the 0%/42 month financing makes this a no brainer for me. I committed to the tractor and will confirm other accessories in the next couple of days. Delivery is expected by Friday. This is the last remaining 7800 the dealer has and was already being assembled in the shop before I made my commitment. It's pretty impressive to see how Kubota ships the tractors knocked down from Japan for final assembly by the dealer. My dealer has sold 5 of them in the last month and won't receive any more until mid-May. The weather is forecast to be ugly here this weekend, but I'm sure I'll get some seat time when it arrives. I'll post my impressions after a few hours at the controls.
Thanks for all the insight provided by the experts on this forum. I would have been totally unprepared for the purchase decision without your help. By the way, I decided to buy a work truck with a snowplow instead of upping the cost of the tractor with snow removal implements. I needed the truck for hauling wood, so the plow there is a bonus. That also helped to bring me to decide on the B7800, knowing that I can avoid the high cost of front blades or snowblowers.
Cheers!
Chuck
Now I climb on the B7800. The first thing I notice is not only is the engine ALOT smoother, it is also quieter. No shake at all in the instruments. The joystick was shaking a bit until increasing the engine RPM to a range where the stick calmed down. Not nearly as annoying as the shake on the 2920. The platform is comfortable and when I start driving, wow, it's a lot smoother ride. Longer wheelbase, larger tires and with FEL attached, there was no comparison to it's smaller sibling. It feels bigger, but not too big and felt more like what I expected in a compact tractor. Then I'm told the joystick stays on the tractor when the FEL is removed and it seems identical to the B2920 from a functional stanpoint.
Pricewise, I think the B7800 is a much better value. In my case, the B7800 with 72" MMM + FEL is $800 more than the B2920 with 60" MMM (largest available on that model) and smaller capacity FEL. That's about the price premium for a 72" vs. 60" MMM on the 7800. Kubota has an incentive on the B7800 right now, so taking advantage of that plus the 0%/42 month financing makes this a no brainer for me. I committed to the tractor and will confirm other accessories in the next couple of days. Delivery is expected by Friday. This is the last remaining 7800 the dealer has and was already being assembled in the shop before I made my commitment. It's pretty impressive to see how Kubota ships the tractors knocked down from Japan for final assembly by the dealer. My dealer has sold 5 of them in the last month and won't receive any more until mid-May. The weather is forecast to be ugly here this weekend, but I'm sure I'll get some seat time when it arrives. I'll post my impressions after a few hours at the controls.
Thanks for all the insight provided by the experts on this forum. I would have been totally unprepared for the purchase decision without your help. By the way, I decided to buy a work truck with a snowplow instead of upping the cost of the tractor with snow removal implements. I needed the truck for hauling wood, so the plow there is a bonus. That also helped to bring me to decide on the B7800, knowing that I can avoid the high cost of front blades or snowblowers.
Cheers!
Chuck
