Combines New Holland Dropping the Ball

TR, My Case salesman told me that the old Case heads will not fit on the new machines. The new machines all have a wider feeder house for more capacity. K.A.

It is quite possible that conversions will be made available to convert old style heads to new combines and vice versa.

I am looking for a late model eight row 30" corn head

TR, go back and re-read my first post on this matter posted on 10_03_02.....Well guys, I saw the new "CR" today. last spring when the lease was running out on a 8970 I had, I saw first hand the change I was speaking of in the above post as to the company walking out on loyal customers. I know there are many farmers spending way more money with them than I, but since '96 I had leased 3 8970's and bought a TR-97 with 30ft head. Not to mention being an owner of several TR's before. When I went in to lease another 8970, I got the hint that they didn't need my business rather quick! Not from the dealer as he was as dumbfounded as I at the utter arrogance displayed by NH management. I also had a less bitter taste of it the first season I ran the 973 flex in beans, we couldn't get it to float properly in the beginning as it wanted to dig on one end. My local dealer does not deal the combines, but I called him to get me a field rep's name and number. After leaving a message with the rep at his home office I recieved a call from somebody there informing me that a dealer had to come and attempt to fix the problem before he (rep) would get involved! What a joke! The nearest servicing dealer to me is over 100 miles away. Anyway it turned out that the 2 rods that run under the platform where not tied together in the middle. I found this out by calling the dealer I purchased it from, inturn he made a call and got a guy from the Harverst Support Crew call me and help outIJ Took the better part of 2 days and a lot of digging dirt out of the header till that was fixed! Also, I met a couple factory guys a few years ago at a show and asked them about the "new" machineIJ (If you go back aways on the board I made a post that from what I was hearing that the "new" machine would be much like that of the other makes.) Anyway, they tried to explain to me that the TR was old technology and this "new" machine would bring them up to speed with the competition. I had the gut feeling then that I would not much care for this "new" machine as those guys made it a point to me that it would be more sophisticated! That meant to me that....the dumb old farmer would not be able to work on this oneIJ JD

I was told that you can convert the 996 corn head to the CR for $1000-6000. I think it's the higher cost if you want the auto head height on it. Dealer wasn't sure last time I talked to him back in Sept. of $ numbers. Ilnewholland

I just bought a 2002 model 8row cornhead or next year. It's a demo model and it has the removable plates for the CR's and the plate on the left side for quiktach hookup for the electric and the hyd. The terrain tracer attachig holes are there too.973 platforms will work, with attaching kits.I imagine the cost will scare us.

I sympathize with you 100% JD. The 8970 is a heck of a tractor, isn't itIJ New Holland's product line is so much improved over the years, but the people have changed. A few years ago when I was working at a NH dealership, the service reps were excellent, but with the merger with CIH, alot of those guys were forced out and are gone. Many had been around for years and genuinely cared about the farmers and how their NH products were performing. Not now. It's a bunch of young guys fresh out of college who have no idea what agriculture is all about and the people involved in it. Not to mention these guys don't know a lot about service work either. We were more knowledgeable about bulletins and such than they were. I guess the equipment companies are changing as farmers are, the bigger the better and to heck with the little guy. You know, the NH people say their equipment is built an designed based on what farmers want...which farmers, oh wait the mega farmers I guess. Still have an 8970IJ

Nope! Had to go green as it was the best deal in town. The Genesis was a fine tractor and I wish that is what I had now. The Deere is nice and seems to be well built but, the tranny in the Genie was pure heaven compared to the Deere's! Plus it turned sharper. The Deere rides a little better but that may be a tire thing, dunnoIJ Deeres cab is a little nicer but I liked the Genie's just fine too! My first 8970 was awesome! I had a 7150CIH before it and I thought it was strong, well the 8970 was more of a man than it. The next 2 where lacking the power of the first one, dealer said it had to do with emissions regsIJ I think my dealer is going to pick up the Buhler line, I hope so. He doesn't do the combines. But, I'll be in the Deere for another 2 years and I know here that the Deere is a better value than the TG or MX at the present. Tried to get up with the Massey dealer who is closest to me to look at their big one with the Valmet motor but he was in the process of dropping the Massey line and I think has since picked up the Valmet line itselfIJ Seems like this whole mass transformation NH has made in the last year or so has been the breaking point with meIJ JD

I know what you guys are feeling with the change at New Holland. I do wish things could have stayed the same as I do not really see any advantage to the merger of CIH and NH. I have had AC and Oliver tractors when I started farming and have tried to stay with Agco now but every few years they keep changing engines in the tractors. The dealers sometimes have no ideal what kind of oil filter the tractor uses. I lost one of the best Agco dealers we had a few years back so I'm not sure what tractors I will buy in the future. I'm not sure change is for the better in ag. Ilnewholland

Your dealer was right, the EPA nootered the Genesis because of emmissions. At the dealer I was at, in the early 90's when the Genesis first came out there were a fair amount of 8970's turning 265+ hp. I'm curious about the TG, obviously resale will be a joke but have you driven oneIJ What's it likeIJ I don't think CIH's 8.3liter cummins engine can compare the 7.5 liter Genesis. Guys I talk to with TR's and Genie's love the power but the one thing that totally blows them away is fuel efficiency, a hallmark of that motor.