Tough Decision

[irvingj]

Well, I finally made it down to Claremont (about 25 miles) to see Rick at Northwood Power's new digs....

Nice place, with room for service now! Got to drooling over the new features on the 2400/2600 tractors. Some really good ideas there, the best, to me, being the one-piece, covered, backlit dash/gauge cluster; the "cruise control"; the improved headlights; and the increased floor space due to the two-pedal arrangement....

So I says, "How much for a 2610, Rick, if I turn in my 2310 with about 130 hrs on it (but keep the blower, quick-hitch, & mower deck)?"

If I went to 6 years, less than I'm paying now! I've got almost 3 yrs out of 5 paid on my 2310, at $330+; with trade, 2610 @ 6 yrs would be $299, he says.... (as I watched a 2600 being loaded on a flatbed, to be replacing a 2300 up near me)

Hmmmmm....

 

[Bever22]

Ahh, temptation

 

[Thomas]

Would be great way to bring in the new year.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Then you get a little cab on that thing, and you would be all set. Yes, the new place is set up much better that the place he had in Enfield. Not a lot of yard space (yet) but a good building for both showroom, and service.

 

[SARG]

Don't quite understand it. You'd stick with the same size tractor ...maybe three years newer ..... with the same engine as you have now .... when yours only has 130 hours ?

 

[WilliamBos]

Don't quite understand it. You'd stick with the same size tractor ...maybe three years newer ..... with the same engine as you have now .... when yours only has 130 hours ?

All the other updates make the trade worth while.

I say go for it!!

 

[ChuckinNH]

See Wallace's post above, and ask Rick about it. I was by the main Northwood place yesterday, and they have a lot of inventory in the GC, and 1500 lines.

 

[irvingj]

Sarg, I should also point out that the 2600 series has a bit more HP.... (the 2400 series' engine is the same as the 2300's). One of the fellows at Northwood explained that one of the main reasons M-F (and Kubota, and...) went with a slightly larger HP rating is that they can now handle a 5' bush hog, whereas before, they were a bit anemic, just borderline.

I'm not sure.... On the face of it, my Yankee frugality says, "No way!" Wife is making noises now about retiring, and wants to get all outstanding loans paid off. Mortgage is getting close, about $35K left, and we still have a home equity loan that has a few more years to go.... my car will be done this summer, hers is paid off but is showing a bit of age...

But they M-F have refined their SCUT very nicely; a few just cosmetic, but most changes seem to be well thought out and make it a better tractor.

I'm thinking I'll probably stick with what I have, but still drool....

 

[Thomas]

" but still drool...."
..aahhhhh the second sign of trading.

 

[Rob2310]

I did it last year and have no regrets. After a year with my 2310, I sent MF an email advising of the changes I'd like to see and the did all of them, except for one with the 2610. The one being they still have not made "guards" for the front inner tie rod joint covers. (I destroy them on a regular basis.) Anyways, I had my 2310 for three years and it had 550 hours on it. The changes to the backhoe alone have made life better. The new control handles are much easier to use and the backhoe itself has much more power. My 2310 didn't have the third line. The joystick on the loader is also a huge improvement. I would like to see MF do something with the hoses for the backhoe when it is not in use. My neighbor just got a 1528 and I ready like the way the hoses are fixed mounted near the top link.