I stopped by a dealer today and got to see the
B2920 and
B3030 side by side. Both machines had FEL only.
There is a fairly significant size difference between the 2 machines, though the rear tires are close in size and the fronts are the same size.
Operator stations on both machines were comfortable, and with more than enough room for me, but I'm not a big guy at only 5'-9". The
B3030 operator station was a little bit bigger. Both seats are extremely comfortable, and the 2920 seat seems to be essentially a 3030 seat without the armrests. The seat linkage on the 2920 was a bit different, and was inferior to the 3030's. Getting in and out of the seat on the 2920 caused it to flop around in a weird way until it settles in because the spring is set off to one side, where the 3030 seat spring is centered. I do a LOT of climbing in and out of the seat during the course of a work day, and I know the seat flop would become real annoying in a hurry.
Control layouts were good on both machines, though slightly different, and the 2920 has the same instrumentation as the 3030. The light switch appeared to be the same, so once that
B26 horn button is figured out for the 3030, it should be able to be added to the little B's. The 2920's integrated loader joystick is a very nice feature. I would not buy the 3030 without upgrading to the fender mounted joystick from the cab model (it's less than a $200 upgrade). Overall, the LA403 hydraulic functions felt much smoother and more refined than those of the LA364 on the 2920. I raised the loaders to full height and then rocked the machines from side to side by grabbing onto the bucket edge. Although the narrower 2920 looks significantly less stable and 'feels' significantly lighter when operating, it didn't rock any more than the larger, wider 3030. That's something that really bothered me about my little Case subcompact - lots of body lean and twist when the bucket was fully raised.
The new HST on the 2920 was not as 'sure' as the 3030, or the
BX22 that I've run - there was a bit of a lag when depressing the 'go' pedal - may have just been an adjustment, though. I like the entire 3030 HST pedal sitting on top of the deck better than the one on the 2920 that just has the front and rear pedals poking through the deck because of the numerous different potential foot positions, which I've found in the past to be a benefit during a long, tiring day of tractor work.
The little 29hp 3 cylinder was nice and smooth, but believe it or not, the bigger 4 cylinder was even smoother. Though there is only a 1hp difference, I think I've calculated a torque difference of nearly 10 ftlbs, and you can feel it when driving both machines.
Overall, I was fairly impressed with the new little B. It is a nice size machine, definitely a step up from a subcompact, with a pretty powerful loader for such a little machine. However, the amount of steel in the FEL mount is significantly less than the 3030, and even was less than the older BX and my subcompact. I like a small, nimble machine, as repeated climbing on and off the smaller machines is less of a 'chore' than it is with the bigger machines, and it is nice for getting around tight spaces.
But after owning a subcompact, and cursing it's limitations nearly 50% of the time, I can see myself wishing for a larger compact almost immediately after bringing the 2920 out to my property. I see the new B's as being a nice step up if someone is seriously considering a subcompact, or a good size machine for your first machine. But for someone that's already outgrown a subcompact, I think they'd also quickly outgrow the new B2x20. The nearly $3k price difference for the TLB setups might seem to justify getting one of the new Bs over the 3030, but after spending some time on both machines, it seems as if that price difference should be even greater. I think the new B TLBs fill a nice gap between the
BX24 and 3030 TLBs. But adding up all of the additional features, size, & power of the Deluxe Bs compared to the smaller standard Bs, the price difference seems to be well worth the money to upgrade.
For me, the decision to go with the
B2920 would be strictly because I want to save $2800 over the 3030. But I'd rather spend a little more each month (that's what's nice about Kubota's financing deals right now) and get a machine that I could be satisfied with for quite a few years (I'm hoping at least 10 years). A 3030 might possibly be another stepping stone, but there's no doubt in my mind that the
B2920 would definitely be a stepping stone, and I'd be counting down the years until my next trade-up. And those trade-ups can be a little costly if they're done too soon.
I got some good side-by-side pics that I'll post a little later.
