I am trying to make an informed decision on which tracked machine to purchase. I am having trouble finding anyone with any information on either machine. I have been to dealers of both and I find both impressive. I am hoping owners of both machines might advise me on any issues that these particular machines might have. I just want to do my due diligence before purchasing a new machine. I want to hear the good and the bad.
Welcome to HEF, Thunder Castle, This question would get more attention if were posted in the Skid Steer forum. Hopefully a mod will move it.
The 300 series NH is new out this Spring so you wont find a lot out there about that model yet. I putting a deal together now on a CASE 450B which is the same machine your looking at just different colors essentially. Obviously I like the new CNH machine. I have not run a G series Deere. I did run the E series I think it was on a demo for a wheeled machine. I thought the EH was the worst I had run, and I kept smashing my elbows on a steel beam by the window. Honestly, I had never been so happy to give a demo back. Perhaps the G is better than the last series. Have you demoed both machines?
The #1 complaint is jerkiness and the reason is calibration (99% of the time). The pre-delivery (PDI) check sheet has the technician perform a calibration to the hydraulics and the hydrostats. I have seen too many dealers out there just check the boxes on the check sheet and don't actually perform the PDI. Then the dealers who do fill out the check sheet may have some lazy tech's who say, "it runs fine, I'm not doing that, it takes too long". Then those that do the calibration are not paying attention. Calibration on those machines is all about attention to detail. The tech has to concentrate as well a be quick with his response in the calibration process. The "human" factor involved in the calibration process can dramatically change the way the machine performs. I myself calibrate a machine 2 -3 times to get it right. If done right the machine will perform very smoothly. Also calibration is also part of the regular maintenance to keep those machines performing as expected and that gets skipped all to often. The other thing operator's don't understand is that there is 3 modes you can choose (for hydraulics or hydrostats) on the switch module. Production mode (quickest response to lever movement), Utility mode (a little less response time compared to production) and Precision mode which slows down the response even more for that "fine" work.
My biggest complaint was the machine had a hesitation when moving back and forth from forward to reverse. It felt like the machine would stop for a second or two every time you changed direction. I dont know if they all do that or it was just this one. Really irritating for me. Sales guy wasn't surprised about it, said it was the EH system. I have not been called on by Deere since then.
That definitely would have been a calibration issue or a setting issue. Sounds like your sales guy was not well informed on the operation of the machine. Oh well, it's the Deere dealer's lose and CNH's gain .
I'm on my second Deere. My third will be something else. The thing I can't stand is you can either raise the arms, or you can curl the bucket, but you can't do both at the same time. Maybe that is fixed on later machines, but it is a pita on my "G" model.
We have a Case TV450A which is the same as a C245. It’s our first skid steer and the only one we run but it is an absolute workhorse. It will push as much loose dirt as our 100hp dozers. It can load our tri axle dump like nobody’s business and breaks out of everything you can get the bucket into. With the enhanced high flow hydraulics it has the same hydraulic horsepower as the Deere and it also has the same engine torque as the Deere. They’re also about $25,000 cheaper than Deere.