Tiller Tiller Thriller: What next?

[topshop]

I need a 60-inch rotary tiller for my New Holland TC34DA. I am tempted to get the New Holland brand from the local dealer to avail myself of his good service, and he has one on the lot for $1,950. It was manufactured in Italy in December 2006 so has been sitting along the way. Any advice or concerns I should be aware of, such as freezing up of the slip clutch upon sitting? I know there are various opinions about brands and gear drive vs. chain, but the bottom line is are any of them so important as to override being able to do business with a local dealer who has been responsive to use and service issues in the past? If I have trouble with a King Kutter or LandPride, for example, service will be an issue.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Speaking strictly from the perspective of a King Kutter II owner, along with the collective opions of many other KK II owners, the likelyhood of any significant issues is almost nill. The only "quality issues" I've heard are related to things like the paint not being show car quality, the shipping crate not being a piece of furnature, and so on. Many of the TSC locations have already started stocking the "Chinese KK" tillers (DARK HORSE) They're significantly less expensive. At this stage, no one seems to know if the mechanical quality is same/greater/less than the yellow KKII tillers. Jury is still out on that one.

That said, the price you quoted on the NH tiller isn't so far off that of a new KKII. I'd ask the selling dealer to service the slip clutch and inspect the unit. Ask what sort of warranty he's offering, if any. If his answers seem satisfactory, I'd probably go that route. Nothing like the reassurance of having a reputable local dealer to stand behind a new purchase.

 

[yankeerider]

When I picked up my KKII 48" tiller two nights ago at the local TSC, they had just received a Dark Horse 60" that had a price tag of $999 on it. Like others have said, it looked just the the KKII's. Made me wonder if I had bought the right tiller at I think $1449.