Pacesetter300
Silver Member
The time has come. We have a new C/B forum, this is my 200th post and I have finally got three digits showing on my Century's hour meter (10.0) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. What a journey it has been to get here /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I started this quest about a year ago when three needs became apparent. First, I am spending too much time cutting my front three acres of weed plot with my Honda 4518. As sweet running a machine as it is, it only has a 38" deck. Secondly, I cannot depend on my neighbor to hay my back 14 acres as he does get very busy. Lastly, because of two operations, I have limitations lifting and moving things. Can't do like I used to /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. Once the body has hit 50 it went from Mercedes diesel dependability to Yugo dependability in short order.
Well, I started looking at Kubota B7500 and NH TC25. That quickly escalated to L3010 and TC33. Next step was Class III TC40, JD 4610 and now Kioti DK45, lost Kubota somewhere there. I started at a $15k price target, quickly went to $20K and before I knew it was nudging $25K. Backtracked and started looking used, but high prices and machines that seemed well used canned that idea. Enter Chipperman, the (then) new factory rep in the Northeast for Century. "Would I consider Century?" Why not, I considered about everything else! Just under 100 miles from our Mass property is Foskett Equipment in CT. A trip there, a talk with the owner Harold and a lookover and test drive of a new Century and I was impressed. What also impressed me was I was saving substantial money over even Kioti. Deal was made, I was under the $20K budget and had more tractor than I thought I would get! Fast forward to today.
I have the 3045 at the farm in Maine and it has all of ten hours on it. Trust me, I have been in the seat longer than ten hours, it's just I very rarely have to really "work" the tractor. For those of you who aren't aware. Tractor hours are not actual hours of use unless you are at rated RPM. My tach rarely sees 2000 rpm and mostly runs in the 1500 to 1700 rpm range. So far all the work has been FEL work as I am still shopping for a bush hog and finish mower. For my FEL work, I have been using 2-1 (range two, first gear) for driving into the pile and 2-4 for transport. A few times I have forgot to change gears and driven into the pile in 2-4. Disaster? nope! still slams it hard and spins the R4's. In the first ten hours of my learning curve, I have made a few mistakes, yet never once stalled the engine! That Yanmar four is an absolute thing of beauty, smooth as silk, torque like a freight train and very economical. I've used about all of 1/2 tank of fuel so far. The only time I have pushed the FEL to the limits is when I put one of my old Chrysler 300 parts cars up on stands. Something I'm sure not many of you intend to do. I have got stuck in the mud a few times. Each time I needed the diff lock to get me out. Each time it worked no problem. A testament as to how much you really need 4WD in a CUT. So far mechanical problems have been - ZERO. My biggest surprise is how much the R4's can tear up the turf if it is wet. Of course we are talking 5200 lbs of tractor here. They are fine when the ground is dry. Since my weed plot will never make the pages of HOME AND GARDEN, not a huge issue with me. I have said numerous times on TBN to others. Century reminds me of the old Nissan Xterra commercial. "Everything you need, nothing you don't" . After my 100% satisfactory experience with this tractor, even if I had the extra three to seven large for a Kioti or JD, I wouldn't change a thing. Those of you lucky enough (except for weather) to live in Chipperman's territory (Northeast) owe it to yourself to consider a Century no matter what you are looking at now. You can rest assured you will get an excellent value and know that the dealer and rep will give you 100% support with whatever issue you may have. Promise some pictures and an update when I get my implements and the weather changes a little! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Pacesetter
Well, I started looking at Kubota B7500 and NH TC25. That quickly escalated to L3010 and TC33. Next step was Class III TC40, JD 4610 and now Kioti DK45, lost Kubota somewhere there. I started at a $15k price target, quickly went to $20K and before I knew it was nudging $25K. Backtracked and started looking used, but high prices and machines that seemed well used canned that idea. Enter Chipperman, the (then) new factory rep in the Northeast for Century. "Would I consider Century?" Why not, I considered about everything else! Just under 100 miles from our Mass property is Foskett Equipment in CT. A trip there, a talk with the owner Harold and a lookover and test drive of a new Century and I was impressed. What also impressed me was I was saving substantial money over even Kioti. Deal was made, I was under the $20K budget and had more tractor than I thought I would get! Fast forward to today.
I have the 3045 at the farm in Maine and it has all of ten hours on it. Trust me, I have been in the seat longer than ten hours, it's just I very rarely have to really "work" the tractor. For those of you who aren't aware. Tractor hours are not actual hours of use unless you are at rated RPM. My tach rarely sees 2000 rpm and mostly runs in the 1500 to 1700 rpm range. So far all the work has been FEL work as I am still shopping for a bush hog and finish mower. For my FEL work, I have been using 2-1 (range two, first gear) for driving into the pile and 2-4 for transport. A few times I have forgot to change gears and driven into the pile in 2-4. Disaster? nope! still slams it hard and spins the R4's. In the first ten hours of my learning curve, I have made a few mistakes, yet never once stalled the engine! That Yanmar four is an absolute thing of beauty, smooth as silk, torque like a freight train and very economical. I've used about all of 1/2 tank of fuel so far. The only time I have pushed the FEL to the limits is when I put one of my old Chrysler 300 parts cars up on stands. Something I'm sure not many of you intend to do. I have got stuck in the mud a few times. Each time I needed the diff lock to get me out. Each time it worked no problem. A testament as to how much you really need 4WD in a CUT. So far mechanical problems have been - ZERO. My biggest surprise is how much the R4's can tear up the turf if it is wet. Of course we are talking 5200 lbs of tractor here. They are fine when the ground is dry. Since my weed plot will never make the pages of HOME AND GARDEN, not a huge issue with me. I have said numerous times on TBN to others. Century reminds me of the old Nissan Xterra commercial. "Everything you need, nothing you don't" . After my 100% satisfactory experience with this tractor, even if I had the extra three to seven large for a Kioti or JD, I wouldn't change a thing. Those of you lucky enough (except for weather) to live in Chipperman's territory (Northeast) owe it to yourself to consider a Century no matter what you are looking at now. You can rest assured you will get an excellent value and know that the dealer and rep will give you 100% support with whatever issue you may have. Promise some pictures and an update when I get my implements and the weather changes a little! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Pacesetter