Buying Advice New Holland Workmaster - Anyone got an opinion?

[flyswatterbanjo]

Hey Gang,

I'm in the market for my first tractor and there's a NH dealer near me. After telling him what I'm needing the tractor for (brush hogging 20 acres, pulling trees out of the woods, moving manure, and eventually haying about 20 acres in 5 -10 years) he said to me, "You know what you need? The Workmaster."

They didn't have any in stock at the time but he gave me a brochure and showed me a couple of similarly sized tractors in the Boomer and Compact series.

After looking over the brochure and visiting some competing tractor dealers in my area (John Deere and Kubota) I think he may be right.

I'd love to hear from folks who own a new Workmaster and what their experiences have been.

(If it matters I'd be looking at the 55 in 4WD.)

Thanks in advance!

 

[Fastcars63]

The Workmaster 55 is a great little tractor with some big tractor features. The shuttle on the transmission and the deluxe 3pt hitch make this tractor attractive for the hobby farmer. The price is also reasonable. Good luck. Go Blue

 

[jdbnh]

well the workmaster is gonna be a little bigger than any boomer or compact tractor but it is a great tractor. really simple, nice transmission, and features like draft control, standard rear hydraulic remote, 4 cylinder turbo motor. were are you located?

 

[flyswatterbanjo]

well the workmaster is gonna be a little bigger than any boomer or compact tractor but it is a great tractor. really simple, nice transmission, and features like draft control, standard rear hydraulic remote, 4 cylinder turbo motor. were are you located?

I'm in Central Vermont. I like the size of the Workmaster compared to the Boomer and others. The haying down the road is what's keeping me looking at the bigger models. Otherwise I'd be happy with something like the T1520.

After looking at the Boomers and similarly sized Kubota's and John Deere's I really appreciate the no frills simplicity of the Workmaster. Honestly, I don't need a cup holder!! Just give me solid construction and less plastic in the cockpit and I think I'll be happy for years!

Thanks for the advise. I have not been able to find any product reviews for the Workmaster on the internet so I just want to be sure that there aren't bugs in the early years of the Workmaster that need to be worked out that I'll get stuck with.

Anyone using a Workmaster 55 for haying? Is so how many acres and how is it performing?

 

[flyswatterbanjo]

The Workmaster 55 is a great little tractor with some big tractor features. The shuttle on the transmission and the deluxe 3pt hitch make this tractor attractive for the hobby farmer. The price is also reasonable. Good luck. Go Blue

What kind of prices are you seeing on these in the 4wd w/FEL in your area?

 

[jinman]

My NH dealer told me that his biggest problem is getting tractors delivered in this size/price range. It seems that New Holland's changes from Shibaura to LS have caused an opening in the supply path of medium sized utility tractors. Perhaps there was never really much in this gap anyway as far as general purpose utility tractors goes. For whatever reason, my NH dealer is now shifting to Mahindra to fill this gap in NH's line. The fact that your Vermont dealer did not have a Workmaster seems to go along with this. I'd make sure I could get one delivered before firming up my order.

 

[jdbnh]

Banjo,

the workmaster is really a upgraded version of the old TT-A series, all metal body, simple and durable. NH added the shuttle shift tranny which is nice and really smooth, and the motor is different, the 4 cylnder turbo on the wrk master 55 is nice. no problems or bugs what so ever. here in texas we are getting $25,275 for a workmaster 55 4x4 with loader. that is for 0% financing they are a little cheaper for cash.

 

[jdbnh]

My NH dealer told me that his biggest problem is getting tractors delivered in this size/price range. It seems that New Holland's changes from Shibaura to LS have caused an opening in the supply path of medium sized utility tractors. Perhaps there was never really much in this gap anyway as far as general purpose utility tractors goes. For whatever reason, my NH dealer is now shifting to Mahindra to fill this gap in NH's line. The fact that your Vermont dealer did not have a Workmaster seems to go along with this. I'd make sure I could get one delivered before firming up my order.

who is you NH dealer? we are in texas too and we have no problem at all getting workmasters and others in stock. LS doesnt make the workmaster tractor. Just wondering.

 

[flyswatterbanjo]

My NH dealer told me that his biggest problem is getting tractors delivered in this size/price range. It seems that New Holland's changes from Shibaura to LS have caused an opening in the supply path of medium sized utility tractors. Perhaps there was never really much in this gap anyway as far as general purpose utility tractors goes. For whatever reason, my NH dealer is now shifting to Mahindra to fill this gap in NH's line. The fact that your Vermont dealer did not have a Workmaster seems to go along with this. I'd make sure I could get one delivered before firming up my order.

Jim,

That's the story my NH dealer gave me too - great tractors, hard to get in stock. I'll be sure that I can actually get in a reasonable time period before I more forward.

 

[flyswatterbanjo]

Banjo,

the workmaster is really a upgraded version of the old TT-A series, all metal body, simple and durable. NH added the shuttle shift tranny which is nice and really smooth, and the motor is different, the 4 cylnder turbo on the wrk master 55 is nice. no problems or bugs what so ever. here in texas we are getting $25,275 for a workmaster 55 4x4 with loader. that is for 0% financing they are a little cheaper for cash.

That's about the price line I'm seeing here. My understanding is that the 0% financing deal runs out at the end of March... not sure I can scrape together that much cash so the financing is pretty attractive.

 

[jdbnh]

Jim,

That's the story my NH dealer gave me too - great tractors, hard to get in stock. I'll be sure that I can actually get in a reasonable time period before I more forward.

must be different in other parts of the states. we have no problem getting them for our dealersip. interesting

 

[jinman]

who is you NH dealer? we are in texas too and we have no problem at all getting workmasters and others in stock. LS doesnt make the workmaster tractor. Just wondering.

My dealer is McMaster NH in Decatur, TX. They are an old Ford/NH dealership who has been in business since the early '60s. Yes, the TT-A series of tractors is now the Workmaster line. I think they sell so many tractors that they just had a hard time keeping up with demand. Was there a period last year where the TT-A models were being changed over to the Workmaster? I'm just quoting what Steve McMaster told me about availability. He said he took on the Mahindra line to meet the demands of his customers in the 45-65 hp range. I believe the Workmaster tractors are made in India the same as the Mahindras. Is that right? I don't mean that Mahindra makes them, just made in India.

EDIT: Just checked the specs on NH's website. I find it interesting that the Workmaster 55 has a 1 gpm main hyd. flow advantage and about 400 lb additional lift on the 3PH when compared to the Workmaster 65 or 75. It seems to indicate that the 55 is the "sweet spot" in the lineup.

 

[jdbnh]

Jinman,

Mcmaster's are great people. we trade with them often for inventoy. yeah it may be they sale more of that model than we do or something of that nature. On the Wk master 65 and 75 they really didnt change much other than the engine. i wish they would have put the shuttle tranny on those too, but they didnt. I know on the WK master 55 is a great seller for us so i guess you could say it is the "sweet spot" of the 4 models.

 

[flyswatterbanjo]

Just got off the phone with my NH dealer here in Central Vermont and he said he's got a Workmaster 55 coming in for another customer. He said it's "in port" now and should be in next week. I'm going to check it out when it arrives.

He also told me that that they end up doing a lot of trading in order to get Workmasters in stock.

Lot's of small/hobby farms here in Vermont which explains the demand for 45 HP and under tractors. Kubota's seem to own the market for that range in our area but for my money, the Workmaster is more tractor at a better price.

 

[flyingcow]

How much haying are you planning on doing? It's all relative to the equipment you'll be trying to run, but is a 55hp tractor enough? Whats the PTO hp? Mind you, I'm used to seeing big mower/conditioners haying the farms I visit. Just curious.

 

[flyswatterbanjo]

How much haying are you planning on doing? It's all relative to the equipment you'll be trying to run, but is a 55hp tractor enough? Whats the PTO hp? Mind you, I'm used to seeing big mower/conditioners haying the farms I visit. Just curious.

We'll be haying less than 20 acres... and this won't happen for another few years. I'm planning to pick up a disc mower or used sickle bar, used square baler, tedder, rake and wagon in the coming years. The literature on the Workmaster 55 gives it 47.5 HP at the PTO. According to the NH dealer that's should be enough for haying relatively small acreage and providing the baler doesn't have a kicker.

If I was haying more I'd be looking for a bigger tractor and likely going with round bales.

 

[jdbnh]

We'll be haying less than 20 acres... and this won't happen for another few years. I'm planning to pick up a disc mower or used sickle bar, used square baler, tedder, rake and wagon in the coming years. The literature on the Workmaster 55 gives it 47.5 HP at the PTO. According to the NH dealer that's should be enough for haying relatively small acreage and providing the baler doesn't have a kicker.

If I was haying more I'd be looking for a bigger tractor and likely going with round bales.

yeah if you went with say a NH square baler, BC5050 (565 old number) the pto hp requirement is 35 so you are good. on square baling the other factor beside hp is to make sure yoour tractor weighs at least a good 500 pounds then the square baler. Because of the back and forth motion of the plunger on square balers, it will push around a light weight tractor. You coudl also run a small 3 point disc mower no bigger than 6'5". or really any sickle even with conditioners up to 9'5".

 

[Turbys_1700]

Local dealer here has a 45 with FEL on the lot...
I would imagine that the 55 will outsell the 45 due to HP and the 65 and 75 due to the shuttle...
Sure wish that NH would put the shuttle on the 65 an 75...

 

[MR PLOW]

Hey Gang,

I'm in the market for my first tractor and there's a NH dealer near me. After telling him what I'm needing the tractor for (brush hogging 20 acres, pulling trees out of the woods, moving manure, and eventually haying about 20 acres in 5 -10 years) he said to me, "You know what you need? The Workmaster."

They didn't have any in stock at the time but he gave me a brochure and showed me a couple of similarly sized tractors in the Boomer and Compact series.

After looking over the brochure and visiting some competing tractor dealers in my area (John Deere and Kubota) I think he may be right.

I'd love to hear from folks who own a new Workmaster and what their experiences have been.

(If it matters I'd be looking at the 55 in 4WD.)

Thanks in advance!

You and I are in the exact same predicament and I mean to the T!!! I was looking at Boomer 50's when I started explaining to the salesman what all I wanted to do and the amount of acreage I have. And his reply was you need more tractor than a CUT.

He also suggested the workmaster 55. Your and my needs for a tractor are exactly the same. I test drove the WM 55 and the Boomer 8n and they are both sweet machines.

Quoted me 28,196.00 OTD for the WM 55 with Rimgaurd fluid in tires and 615 quick attach louder w/ 72' bucket.

And 33,337.00 for the 8n with 250tc 72" quick attach bucket and rimguard fluid filed tires.

I should add I also briefly looked at a JD 5055E. I can get a much better deal on this tractor as around here JD is king. I have three different JD dealers within a 20 mile radius compared to the one New holland dealer. AND THE JD SEEMS TO SPEC OUT MUCH BETTER!!! But **** am I the only one who thinks that damned green and yellow is the most offensive and ugly color combo in the world! I'm serious I just can't get past it. If i bought a JD I would have to repaint it some other color.

 

[Bigfoot62]

IMHO, economy tractors are fine for people that don't really need or use a tractor.

You are already 'hogging 20 acres and plan to put an additional 20 acres into hay production. I think that you would be well served to set your sights a little higher.

Just my :2cents: worth, but I would strongly suggest that you look at the T4000 series.
http://agriculture.newholland.com/us/en/Products/Agricultural-Tractor
You'll get a LOT more tractor for just a few thousand more dollars.
Just a few examples: A heavier tractor, with greater lift capacity, faster hydraulics, tighter turn radius, hydraulic clutch, twice as many gears, etc, etc, etc. That all translates into a higher capacity, harder-working, easier to operate tractor. And, that means, you will be in better shape after a long day in the saddle.

If possible, you need to find a dealer in your vicinity that has both tractors on the lot and compare them side-by-side.