Probably alittle bit of all 3 points.
Way back when (3 yrs ago to be exact) I was considering the CK20 vs the
B7510 vs the GC2300 vs the
BX2230 and I found things I liked with all of the above. ( I quickly ruled out the green due to many bad dealer experiences but thats a story I've covered many times in the past).
I could have went with either and I'm sure I would have been happy with the choice but I had established a criteria to whittle each down to an eventual single choice that fit my needs the best. My criteria, in no particular order was:
1) price, I wanted the most machine for the best bargain.
2) reputation, I wanted to go w/an established brand. I didn't want to get stuck w/ poor after sales support, i.e. service, parts, upgrades etc.
3) finish mowing quality, my primary purpose of the machine is to give me a high quality finish cut of alittle over 4 acres of lawn and former pasture. This was the 1st and formost purpose of the tractor. (at the time I was using a 23hp L&G tracor to finish mow and a 5' brush hog to maintain the pasture).
4) adaptability to do more than just mow, maintaining 4 acres entails more than just mowing so I wanted a machine that could dig, move material and provide a platform for other useful implements. I was also wanting to consolidate two machines into one.
I then built a spreadsheet listing each tractors ranking in the above categories and surprisingly the
BX23 made an 11th hr run to make the grade. I decided a BH was the "unnecessary" premium feature I would spring for
I ruled out the CK20 for 3 reasons,
1) I didn't see any out in the fields around me,
2) the one and only dealer within 50 miles of me wouldn't budge on the price. He priced it nearly $1000 over the
B7510 which was even higher than a
B7610.
3) the fit and finish just didn't seem as well thought out as the Kubota's. I especially didn;t like the way the FEL's hoses interfered w/the pedals.
As I stated earlier, I have done "tons' of 3PH work with a tractor that only boasted that it had "draft control" and I had no problems grading w/a boxblade nor working any other 3ph implment so position control wasn't an important consideration. Sure it makes it easier but then again a cab w/heat & AC makes mowing alot easier too
and to me neither are "necessary" for my tasks.......
I ruled out the GC 2300 primarily because the MMM was a ground contact type that I feel my former pasture would beat to death (as it did several L&G mower decks). And the one of the Kubota dealers also carried MF's so I got to compare teh GC2300 side x side w/a
BX2230 and the BX just out shined the GC2300. The GC2300 had alot of surface rust od the flywheel and other surfaces.
I ruled out the
B7510 also because of the MMM type and I thought the HST whined too much. The operators platform was also a tighter fit than the BX as I couldn;t mount/dismount without my arse hitting levers......
My
BX23's 3PH doesn't have position control nor even 1/4 inching and somehow, someway the 3PH work I do with it seems to get done with little to no problems at all. I guess I must be talented
And to address the point about the economics of offering nicer but "unnecessary" refinements to a machine inorder to make it more profitable for the manufacturer, well, ain't that good business?
