MACHINERY AND TRACTOR With a 20-year history of running Valtra tractors, one Dorset contractor has chosen the Finnish maker’s flagship S394 model to handle his extensive operations. Geoff Ashcroft went to find out more.
Big Valtra is no onetrick pony R eliability is increasingly at the forefront of many a contractor’s mind. And it comes as no surprise, given the electronic complexity and emissions paraphernalia that today’s tractors bring. Bernard Cox operates a diverse general contracting business that also takes on share farming and contract farming agreements with customers around Dorchester and Dorset, totalling several thousand hectares. He explains: “We have had our fair share of breakdowns and hassles over the years but, lately, it has only been a few sensor issues rather than mechanical failures. “Downtime is softened by choosing the most reliable kit you can and relying on the service and support of a knowledgeable local dealer,” he adds. “And when we put our tractors to work, it is not just for a few hours here and there.” It is a process that led him to Valtra ownership more than 20 years ago, but he admits the early offering was more functional and less involving for
Bernard Cox tractor fleet n Valtra S394 Smart Touch n Valtra T234V n Valtra T214V Smart Touch n Two Valtra T194A n Three T174A n T174V n T213V n T183V n Case IH Optum 300CVX n Two Case IH Puma 185 22 | JULY 2020
MTM p22 23 July17 JR BB RM.indd 2
operators. And while he has since tried many other makes, the business continues to revert to Finnish-form. The Cox fleet is not an allinclusive affair. Hidden in the line-up of 11 Valtras are three Case IHs – a pair of Puma 185s and an Optum 300CVX. “We still look at other makes, but invariably end up coming back to Valtra,” he says.
Fuel “Fuel consumption does not vary that much between tractor types, but when you do get large variances in fuel consumption for two tractors doing the same job, it is usually the operator. A little training and guidance goes a long way. “For 150-250hp tractors, we have found that the Valtras can run 10,000-12,000 hours with little problem – it is almost twice what we can get from other makes,” says Mr Cox. “And it happens without having to rely on costly extended warranties or swallowing expensive repair
bills. And that is very important for our business.” This confidence in tractor reliability steered Mr Cox towards Valtra’s Beauvais-built S-series. His first S-series – an S353 – was bought to replace a Case IH Magnum and went on to clock up 8,100-hours in less than five years. Based on that performance, it was replaced two years ago by a more powerful S394. “I had not the confidence to push the first S-series quite as far as we normally run our smaller T3 and T4 models, but these bigger tractors are certainly living up to expectations,” he says. “The T-series are easier to substitute at short-notice if something serious happens, whereas the S394 is more likely to be stood down while waiting for a loan tractor. This makes running them under warranty much more practical for our business. It also fixes costs.” Operator Rob Hallett likes the S394’s agility.
These bigger tractors are certainly living up to expectations BERNARD COX Mr Cox says the S-series was chosen for its ability to be much more than a one-trick pony and the current S394 brought a considerable leap in power to the contractor’s fleet. “Tractor availability saw its replacement arrive much sooner than a factory-ordered model, which really suited us. We did not really need 400hp, but it has certainly come in useful this autumn with a big chain, to pull out tractors and trailers on maize harvest on the days it could not go drilling. And for a 400hp tractor, it does not look out of place on more regular tasks.” The S394 shares arable duties with the firm’s Case IH Optum 300CVX, but operates with a 6m Horsch Terrano and a six metre Horsch Sprinter, leaving a smaller 5m Terrano for the lesser-powered Optum. While it could be considered overkill, the rolling Dorset countryside has confirmed that having a bit of power up your sleeve can be useful. Away from cultivations and FGinsight.com
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