BX2230 vs. TZ24DA

[Biggie]

New to the forum, and glad to see some information I can review to help with my purchase. As you know the sales folks can be at times misleading.

I live in Maryland, and have about an acre of lawn. I will do snow plowing (about a 700 ft paved driveway), hauling wood, and of course mowing with a 60" deck. Down the road getting additional implements.

I believe that both dealers are working with me as far as price: New Holland Tractor with 60" deck $10,500., and the Kubota with a 60" deck $9600. Some of the differences I have figured out are the following: The New Holland comes with a 40amp, compared to a 15 with the Kubota (I will not have to get the optional amp with the New Holland), The New Holland dealership supplies and services tractors for the entire state of Maryland. There are mote Kubota dealers and service centers than New holland. Kubota set the standard for the sub-compact tractor and it seems that everyone is still trying to catch up, Kubota is a proven piece of equipment whereas the New Holland is new. The New Holland has about 200lbs more rear PTO capacity than the Kubota, and I like the foot controls a little better than the Kubota. Kubota does have cruise control, whereas the New Holland it is a $175. option.

My main question is will the New Holland stand up in time, and have little maintenance issues as I believe the Kubota will?

How does the Kubota vs. the New Holland engines match up as far as durability?

Any difference in attaching implements (easy and quick)?

I test drove both machines, and both were great! The Kubota seemed like a tank, and the New Holland was quietier, smoother, and seemed more stable.

Both are great machines, and I know that I will not be disappointed if I shut my eyes and flip a coin.

Thanks for your input!

 

[hazmat]

The Kubota is a proven machine. The New Holland is new to the market. That said, the TZ's bigger brothers are very reliable. The engines in the TZs are transplants from bigger machines.

Spec wise They are pretty close, New Holland did bump up the three point capacity & the HP so that it looks better on paper, but real world either will get the job done. I'd say the only significant difference would be the automatic 4wd available on the new holland. Also some BX owners have had to turn their lift pins on three point equipment in for easier hookup. I haven't measured the spread on the TZ, but it may be bigger - not sure.

Go with the dealer you like better.

One recommendation I'd make is GET A LOADER!!! It's the best 2-3K you'll spend on the tractor.

 

[Biggie]

Aside from the Front Loader, anything else you like or dislike about your NH. Sounds like you are pleased with your purchase.

How does your loader handle snow?

 

[BotaGuy]

Both will do the job. These are my two favorite brands that offer a good value. I have a BX23 currently and couldn't be more tickeled with the mowing performance. I traded in a 60 inch pro-grade ZTR and the BX cuts better than that machine, a little slower but not much. I always have a hard time paying more for one machine without any hard reasons, I guess thats why I have ORANGE instead of Blue. The extra money would go well toward a front end loader.....an item that is useful beyond words....and typically the New Holland front end loaders are more expensive than Kubota....especially after the tractor sale (NH offers rebates if purchased with the tractor)

 

[Chechnya]

Kubota.

 

[hazmat]

I love my NH. I think I'd love a Kubota if I had one or Deere - you get the picture. I really like my dealer which was the deciding factor on New Holland vs. other brands. The service after the sale has been fantastic.

How a loader handles snow is a big debate here every fall (try poking around with the search function key word snow). Personally, I use mine for stacking snow piles at the end of the drive, but find that a $300 rear blade is much faster at removing snow off the drive. This year I bought a used blower (rear mount). My purchase effectively ended snow fall for the year, so I didn't get to test it out too much. But did run it after 1 6" snow storm. It was super fast.

I don't know where you are located, but if in snow country, I'd recommend a blower. Front is easier on the neck, rear is easier on the wallet. I have a gravel drive & every piece of equipment - Loader, plow & blower - removes the gravel to the yard if the ground isn't frozen.

Regarding other options - you may want to consider a rear remote (Hydraulic ports). They are needed for running any attachments requiring hydraulics - top & tilt, log splitter (will be slow on small tractor) etc. I think it is newly available for the kubota BX, not sure on the New Holland.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I have lots of experience with both Kubota & New Holland, so I think I can be reasonably unbiased.

Some of the quesitons you ask simply cannot be answered such as "will the NH stand the test of time?" The answer is PROBABLY but nobody knows for sure because it is a new design. NH is a large company and has been producing high quality tractors for years, it is likely that the TZ would be an excellent machine.

As for which is better, I simply don't know. I do not like the 3pt arrangement of the BX series Kubotas as they are not quite Category 1 standard. I believe, but I am not positive, the NH TZ is a full Cat 1 3pt.

The 40amp alternator versus the smaller 15amp on the Kubota is only a real advantage IF you plan to run some extra lights or some additional current drawing items like a 12volt sprayer. Otherwise it really shouldn't matter.

The NH is a pretty slick design. I stopped by the local NH dealer over the weekend and played with a TZ24 he had on the lot. If it fits you then it will work well for you. The Kubota BX is tried and true, if it fits you then it will work well for you.

As for cruise control, I have it on one of my tractors, I can honestly tell you that I've never found a situation where I can actually use it. I would NOT pay any money for it, and I don't find any reason to have it. On my nearly 12 acres I don't have a stretch that is long enough to use it and we mow almost 5 acres of lawn, I would doubt if you could use it on an acre of lawn.

As for the dealers, I think you will be fine if you pick a tractor from the dealer that treats you well. So that may help you decide which brand is better for you.

As for engines, Kubota is known for smooth running engines in their larger tractors, but the BX series engines run at fairly high RPMs, and that might account for why it runs rought. People who have compared the Massey GC series tractor to the Kubota BX series have also commented that the BX engines are rougher and louder.

As for attaching implements, both are basically the same, lower links have Cat 1 ball sockets, so other than the fact that the BX is not a full Cat 1, attaching implements would be the same, the BX may just have some limits on the implements it easily handles. But that might not be a big deal. And again, I am not positive that all the BX units are sub-Cat 1 3pts.

 

[Will_C]

I have had a BX 2200 since 2000. I am very happy with the tractor. I recently stopped at a New Holland dealer and looked over a TZ24. Some things I noticed:
1. The NH is a bigger machine. I really liked sitting on the tractor, felt roomier and more "tractor-like" than my Kubota.
2. The 3 pt hitch appears to be bigger in spread and size than the Kubota.
3. I like the FEL arrangement on the NH better. Than sloped arms will be a nice touch for visibility when working with the FEL.
4. I have never been impressed with the NH MMM's. They just don't have the finished look of the Kubota decks. I have not used one, so my comment is based on visual examination only. It is hard for me to imagine anything mowing nicer than my BX.
5. This may be familiarity speaking, but the FEL attach-detach looks easier on the BX.
All in all, I think the TZ is a very nicely designed machine. IMHO, it seems to be the best of the sub-CUTs that the BX has inspired. Were I in the market for a new machine, I would definitely spend lots of time looking at the TZ.
Will

 

[hazmat]

<font color="blue"> As for cruise control, I have it on one of my tractors, I can honestly tell you that I've never found a situation where I can actually use it. I would NOT pay any money for it, and I don't find any reason to have it. On my nearly 12 acres I don't have a stretch that is long enough to use it and we mow almost 5 acres of lawn, I would doubt if you could use it on an acre of lawn.
</font>

There are only 2 instances where I've had use for cruise control.

1. Using 3pt spreader to maintain constant speed - need to plan route around trees ahead of time to avoid crashes.

2. Mowing the fields in Maine - 10 acres of wide open space.

I don't use cruise when mowing my 1 acre lawn. Personally, I'd get it, you might use it some day. Dealer might charge you installation fee at a later date. Probably get it installed at N/C when you buy. You could use it as negotiating leverage - ie Kubota offers cruise std....

1 more diff I remember - NH has a tachometer. BX2200 didn't, don't know if they fixed that on the new version.

 

[neilly2]

Don't get hung up on name. I doubt anyone responding has had sufficient long term hours on two different machines to make an honest evaluation either way on long term reliability.

Any brand listed on this site will perform for the acre of mowing and snow plowing for your lifetime if taken care of. People fall in love with what they have and that's about it.

How to decide which one:

1. Comfort -- after enough seat time this will be your biggest issue and $200 either way won't matter a bit.

2. Specs - The machine will do what you want it to. I might give some special attention to the 3 pt. lift. It won't come into play with standard attachments, but I use a 3pt boom pole a lot and you'll notice the difference quickly. However, if you have a loader you're dependence on a 3pt boom pole will decrease.

3. What your neighbor has -- get a different brand so you can bust his stones that yours is better.

As far as moving snow with a loader ---don't. I highly recommend that you use a rear blade since your driveway is paved. A blade will let you run like a plow where your loader will fill up every few feet.... back up.... turn to the side... dump.... reposition... re-fill. As far as a 3pt snow blower you'll pass out when you see the price. Use the blade for snow and put the money toward a loader (which you'll use for everything else)

That's all I've got to offer.

By the way I own a Kubota. When I was buying (used) I would have taken the first JD, Ford/NH, Massey, Kubota that fit the bill.

QUESTION: What is the difference between cruise control and the throttle control stick??? Do new tractors also have DVD navigation??