Well, I didn't have a great lot of choices to choose from in my area, so I purchased a new Boomer 3050 which has a cab and it happened to have the Super Steer option and Sensitrack, which is nice. As for reliability, on the Warrantee page of my documentation, New Holland warrantees tractors with CVTs for 24 months or 2000 hours and the engine, transmission, drive shafts and drive axles for 36 months or 2,000 hours. Tractors without a CVT are warranted for 24 months or 750 hours and the engine, transmission, drive shafts and drive axles for 60 months or 1,500 hours. If it wasn't for the issues mentioned below, it would seem to be nice but I haven't been able to use it much yet to really say for sure.
Here is my experience so far with the tractor:
1. The new tractor and loader came with a missing bucket level rod and associated hardware which I had to bring to the delivery person's attention and it took around two weeks, I believe, to get.
2. After having the rear tires filled with liquid
ballast, immediately after taking delivery, it was dark and I found that the tractor which has a cab didn't have any interior lights that worked so I couldn't operate all of the switches or controls (has a CVT) properly. I had to spend time to contact the dealer and troubleshoot the problem and found a blown fuse. The fuse was a special low amperage one that took weeks to get.
3. While driving it in the third speed range, after warming it up, when I want to speed up while going maybe 12-14 MPH, by pressing the speed control pedal all the way down, on a paved level or nearly level surface, I have had the problem where the tractor engine tends to labor and the speed keeps decreasing. This is while not pulling anything.
4. The rubber boots were broken/significantly damaged on both of the cab door electrical light switches. I did eventually receive two switches which haven't been installed yet.
5. Paint was chipped or broken off of various parts and there was rust in some areas. The dealer sent me some spray paint but it's too cold out to paint now.
6. The back of the operator's seat has paint scraped off down to the bare metal in four places.
7. Because the front of the toolbox is somewhat concave, the latch assembly needs to be pulled out on when closing the lid so it seals properly. The toolbox is too small to put a claw hammer in lengthwise and not wide enough to lay it down. The largest adjustable wrench I can put in it is a 10 inch. I could easily put a 12 inch wrench in an older New Holland TC 45D toolbox. After some research, it looks like the best work-a-round would be to purchase a toolbox for approximately $45 but then an additional support needs to be made and painted and the lid couldn't be raised fully for the easiest access to things stored in the toolbox. Surely, New Holland could spend a few more dollars and put a more reasonably sized and utilitarian toolbox on the tractor.
8. The battery decal was pressure washed off that has the specs on it and when the tractor was started at around 40 degrees, it didn't turn over very energetically so I put a battery desulfating device on the battery.
9. In the paper manual that came with the tractor, it says to put the Operator' s Manual in the toolbox but the manual is large and fairly thick and would have to be rolled up and then where would be room for the tools? The toolbox would become a "manual box." It's best not to store tools and a manual together anyway so the manual doesn't get damaged. In the online manual which is an updated version and applies to all tractors like mine which have a serial number above mine, it has a diagram showing that the manual is supposed to be stored behind the seat which is a much more reasonable place. The problem is, there is no place behind the seat on this tractor to store the manual. I presume the reason New Holland suggests storing the manual on the tractor is because of the additional complexity of the newer tractor with the CVT transmission. So far the dealer has found a plastic pouch like thing that has to be pop riveted to the back of the seat (the seat does have threaded holes in it for something, maybe a manual holder)? So far, it appears that if I want a pouch like thing to fasten on the back of the seat, I will have to pay for it and perhaps install it.
11. I've called New Holland Customer Relations concerning my issues but they just refer me back to the dealer, so they aren't too helpful. I've asked to speak to a Customer Relations Supervisor but they refused.
12. Also, since I wanted to purchase a locking fuel cap, I spent some time trying to find out whether I should get a vented or non-vented one. At first, a New Holland dealer told me that it takes a vented one. So I ordered one but then before I opened the box upon receiving it, I found out from New Holland that I should rather have a non-vented one, so I sent it back and lost some money for the shipping charge, so this delayed getting the cap. After further checking, I was told by a New Holland dealer, that either type of cap would work and that I needed to call a company to order it. I called the specified company but I was told that they do not sell to people directly, I would need to go through a dealer and that the number given was incorrect. I then called the New Holland dealer and ordered a vented one from them. After receiving it, I called and spoke to the Service Manager to double check on the cap type and he said that it should be a non-vented one. So I checked to make sure the cap fit and then took the extra time to mix up some JB Weld and used it to plug the vent hole.
13. I requested that the dealer check over the tractor thoroughly before delivery since the delivery place was around a 4 1/2 hour round trip away and I didn't want any problems. Not all of the problems mentioned above were caused by the dealer--some are due to issues with New Holland.
