CT230

[kraazie8]

im ready to retire my international 300 utility, i was just quoted over phone for a 230 with free fel and 3500 rebate, and than i said i wanted the bob tack with forks and the rear tires loaded for 13500. i think this is an excellent price, do all you guys think it will handle a 75 acre retired farm, i lease about 40 acres to a farm, but i still need to brushhog the spots he misses and the pastures that no longer have cows in them. my 300 did the job well but im looking to upgrade to powersteering, comfort, not wrenching, and 4wd, just wondering if this model is up to the challenge, in others experience with the tractor?
thanks

 

[chucklesva]

krazzie8
i just got my ct230 with the loaded tires and deluxe seat for 10900. i don't know what the extra charge is for the tac bucket. i can get the forks for under 300. i purchased mine in Va. hope this helps. good luck
chuck

 

[dfeck]

The Bobtach is roughly $900-$1000 and forks are another $400-$500. I've found that Bobcat dealers will not discount the Bobtach attachment. So, adding Bobtach and forks will set you back an additional $1500. I have no idea what tires would cost to load. Is 13.5K a good price? I personally think it's a tad high for a Bobcat tractor but that was for a quote over the phone. I assume if you show up in person then they would deal a little more. I think the prices on Bobcat tractors are higher than they were a few months ago. I paid $9500 for a CT230 w/turfs, deluxe seat and loader in May. No dealer today is coming close to that price so if you can get them to knock another $500-$800 off the price I think then it would be a great deal. As it stands, I think you're getting a very good not a great deal. Again, that's my opinion.

Doug

 

[wfodickinson]

Bob-tach is about $500.

$13,500 is a good price with the added items.

See if you can find a J/D or Kubota with the same features for anywhere near that figure, not happening.

 

[dfeck]

Where did you get a $500 price for the Bobtach? List price is over $900. Did I say anything about JD/Kubota in my post? He ask if it was a good deal for a BOBCAT tractor. My response was directed at a Bobcat tractor. however, I do agree 100% with you that you can't touch other tractors for the price Bobcat is offering for their tractors. I still stand by my opinion that it's a tad high with what others are reporting they are paying for the same model from Bobcat.

Doug

 

[CT230 Fan]

I gave right around 15,500 for the CT230 w/ standard FEL, deluxe seat, and 1 set of rear hyros. This was the price using their 0% for 48 months, nothing down financing. If I had cash in hand, I believe the quote was about 12,300. I didn't ask for a quote on the bobtach loader.
I don't feel like I got a steal, but I do feel like I paid a fair price. If I had cash in hand, then that would have been a pretty darn good deal.

I have 40 acres, 1/2 timber and 1/2 in hay. I really like my tractor to this point. I have used it w. a 72" landpride finish mower to mow about 2-3 acres of yard, and I've used the front end loader to cut down a couple hills left over from contruction, and also to move dirt/clay from one place to another. I'm not going to say I've been blown away by the tractor, because I was expecting it to handle the dirt mounds a little better than it has, but then again, I don't have a tooth bar on the loader, and the mounds are hard clay that has settled over my septic latterals, so maybe I was just expecting too much.

 

[kraazie8]

so i stopped at dealer got em down some, i wasnt really asking your opinions on price, i wanted to know opinions on the tractor itself. thanks ctfan for your post. hoping to get more on the tractor itself.

 

[CT230 Fan]

so i stopped at dealer got em down some, i wasnt really asking your opinions on price, i wanted to know opinions on the tractor itself. thanks ctfan for your post. hoping to get more on the tractor itself.

I'll give a little more opinions on this tractor. I really like the hydrostat. It makes using the tractor much easier for me. It is as simple as pressing forward or back. No changing gears. It also makes using the front end loader very easy. Also helps in mowing around obstacles. I used to mow w. a gear JD rider, and would have to shift every time I needed to back up. No need w. the hydro.
I have the deluxe seat and really like it. It is very comfortable, and very easily adjustable forward and back, and also for different amount of suspension.
The placement of all of the controls is very well thought out. The loader control joystick is in the perfect spot. I can drive the tractor and operate the loader with ease. The other controls are out of the way for the most part.
The 3 pt hitch seems to be well put together, and the telescopic links are nice for hooking up. There is aslo a manual crank on the right bottom link, so you can manually adjust the height of the link.
From what I can tell, all the service items like filters, and screens are placed in areas that are very easy to get to. The hydraulic fluid dipstick and filler are at the rear of the tractor, and very easy to get to also.
As for perfomance, I have yet to operate the tractor in High gear. Middle gear is plenty fast for the jobs I have been doing. I mow in the middle gear, and can pretty well mow as fast as I want with the 6' finish mower. Honestly, you can hardly tell it's back there. I found it somewhat difficult to use the FEL in middle gear. I haven't stalled the tractor, but it will come to a complete halt fairly easily when digging too deep. I have had better luck in low gear. The only problem there, is if you are transporting the load a distance, then you are constantly changing back and forth between low and middle. Again, I don't have a toothbar, so that could make a difference, and I also read on hear that you can dig better if you aren't running the hydrostat at the same time, so I'm going to try not to push into the pile, but to pull up to it, then dig w. the FEL. We'll see if that improves it. Also, I only have about 12 hours so far. I have read that you gain power after the initial break in period.
All in all I think it is a very good tractor, especially when you figure in the fact that a similar JD, or case, ect. will run you anywhere from 18000 and up. I have no issue recommending this tractor, and wish you luck w. your purchase and the tractor.
Sorry for the long winded post.

 

[kraazie8]

thanks ctfan that is exactly the stuff im looking for, to be honest with you i dont give a sh@t what anyone thinks of the price i pay, i think im getting a great deal. im looking for tractor opinions, i think your post is good enough to order mine after work.
thanks .

 

[Dmace]

Very good write-up CT230 Fan! Very Informative.

kraazie8, If you were not already aware the Bobcat and Kioti tractors are the same and made by the same company (DaeDong) so if you were to browse through the Kioti forum for post on CK30's you would get more thoughts on that particular model. Keep in mind that these tractors have different loaders/backhoes and it's just the tractor itself that is the same.

Good Luck! That CT230 is a good sized machine.