New Holland BOOMER8N 4.30 star(s) (7)

Runaway Boomer 8N
Model Year: 2009

Our family has a 63-acre hobby farm in Virginia and we purchased our 2009 8N as a dealer demo in early 2011 with 12 hours. We loved the retro styling and the size was plenty to pull a 6-foot finish mower around our pasture space and pull our ground-driven hay rake during hay season. The tractor has been barn kept and meticulously maintained. To date it has 172 total lifetime hours. After our last use, we throttled down to idle and headed into the barn, where we found that we could not stop. Without warning, the tractor could not be stopped from moving forward (in neutral), despite pushing through both the foot pedal and parking brake. After cutting off the power, the tractor would no longer move forward when warmed up after being restarted. It lost forward altogether, then later lost reverse, as we tried to load it onto our trailer to head for the dealer. The dealer has had it for nearly a month. We have been told that it needs an entirely new clutch pack and the transmission has been destroyed, yet there is no explanation of how this could have happened or why the new parts won't simply be destroyed again in the future. New Holland assistance and customer service have been no help. We've been told by New Holland assistance that the service representative has told them that "more durable parts will be used in the repair." As in they weren't "durable" enough originally? A bit of research has found many 8N owners with the same problem on various tractor blogs, some nearly facing injury as a result of tractors essentially running off with them. One 8N owner was nearly run over a cliff having the exact same issue, with no prior warning! Other dealers have informed their customers that a software issue exists in the CVT transmission, yet so few of our model were made that New Holland doesn't seem to feel it justifies a recall. We have all been left without remedy. New Holland has built and sold a faulty product and is refusing to stand behind it and make it right. Now we are left with paying a quarter of the value of the tractor (should it be functional) for a repair that may or may not resolve the issue long-term with no answers or explanation, or keep a tractor that is a useless shell. I just cannot believe that a company with such a long-standing reputation would react this way to a clearly faulty product. I am also surprised to find no larger coverage of this issue in the agriculture media, but am guessing that there are just too few of us complaining to be heard. If anyone has any additional information on this issue or know of coverage, please let us know. In the meantime, we have a tractor that's nice to look at. The end.

Pros: Nice looking, performs great until it runs away with you
Cons: Will run you through your barn

2010 Boomer 8N
Model Year: 2010

My Boomer 8N had 145 hours on it and was five years old when I bought it for about half its new cost and it€“ looked new! I had a Quicke 160C loader and rear remote added before it was shipped to me. I had an issue with the continuously variable transmission kicking it to "N" when I first used it for moving a large pile of mulch (a lot of back and forth loader work). I had to switch off and let it sit a while before it would stay in drive enough to load it on the trailer. The selling dealer said to disconnect the battery to reset the computer, which seems to have fixed it (for now). Other than that, it has worked perfectly, although the continuously variable transmission (CVT) does take a little getting used to. I love the compactness of the tractor, too.

Pros: Very compact, really grunts in and digs with the loader!
Cons: CVT performance / software is on the flakey side

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8N is a Great Value
Model Year: 2010

I love the tractor. It has done everything we have asked of it. Our property was fallow for over a decade, so we had/have a lot of bush-hogging to do to clear the pastures. The 8N has done it without a whimper. I really like the CVT transmission - what a plus up it is. No whine, and pure power to the wheels. My only complaint, and the reason I downgraded the reliability rating, is the service. My local dealer does not like servicing the tractor because it requires a computer - I had to complain to corporate to get them to make a service call at all. Then, they didn't bring the laptop so they could update the software. Who knows what problems I'll have with that in ten years? Great tractor. New Holland made a mistake by introducing it in economic bad times - if they did it today, I think the model would be a success.

Pros: Power, CVT transmission, low center of gravity, looks.
Cons: Dealer service.

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Nice Tractor
Model Year: 2010

Nice tractor, but it doesn't want to stop going forward or reverse, when using under load conditions. Dealer has performed several updates on it, but it hasn't fixed the problem. It will push you in a hole if you aren't careful! Has anyone else had this problem? If you have please reply to my review. Has a tendency , while sitting idling to move forward. Bought tractor because liked the looks and new model made by New Holland and thought it would be a good quality tractor to buy. Wrong! Otherwise it is a nice tractor.

Pros: Controls are good. Seems to be reliable starting.
Cons: Hydraulics are weak, won't stop quick enough, moves forward while idling.

Too Pretty to Scratch but it is a Great Tractor
Model Year: 2010

I can't say enough good about this tractor. I have had no trouble with it. We are in the process of clearing land for a house and it handles everything we've thrown at it, except 1 good sized log/tree bounced off the rear fender leaving a few cracks. Early on I heard some bad reviews of it climbing hills but we our property has a 50ft ridge we had a road built going down and it has no problem with it. I do have to put it in low speed to climb it though. We tested a lot of tractors when buying. It was the best deal for the most HP and features. It had the best operator comforts for both my wife and I. I believe the key to this tractor is the setup of the electronics by the dealer when you buy it. Our dealer H&M Equipment is great to deal with and have been very helpful with support on implements for it as well.

Pros: Controls, digital display, PTO RPM display.
Cons: FEL/hydraulic capacity seems a bit weak, no rear 3PT lever like on the Kioti tractors.

Boomer 8N - A Good Buy
Model Year: 2010

I use mine mainly for mowing pasture with a Bush Hog Squealer 6' cutter or with my 6' tiller. The Boomer 8N has good power transfer to the implements. The only problem was a cracked fender where the left step attached, quickly replaced under warranty. The chrome ROPS adds a touch of class.

Pros: Comfortable for a big guy, easy to get to controls, dual cruise controls - 1 preset, 1 adjustable.
Cons: Headlights do not give out a good pattern.

Walk Away From This Tractor
Model Year: 2010

Had 3 months down time right in first year. 2nd year same deal. Called Case Helpline and rep who came to handle situation basically said tractor not meant to be used as a tractor; more a collectible. With 50 HP? I told him where to go. Luckily I leased the thing so they can have it back in another 16 months. It is worst tractor I've ever had.

Pros: None.
Cons: Cruise control, shifting, cost, computer chip, steering, maintenance, starting, ignition, tires, loader, PTO, and on and on.