Buying a Case 885XL Tractor

TheClubMan

Well folks, I'm looking to buy a 4WD Case 885XL tractor with a loader in good condition, preferably from a dealer. Can anyone recommend any dealers around the country (North and South) where I might be able to get my hands on a good one? I'd appreciate your input.

White Clover

TheClubMan wrote: »

Well folks, I'm looking to buy a 4WD Case 885XL tractor with a loader in good condition, preferably from a dealer. Can anyone recommend any dealers around the country (North and South) where I might be able to get my hands on a good one? I'd appreciate your input.

What's your budget? Would you consider a mint 398 with a practically new quicke loader for sale in westmeath ? I think everyone on here would agree that it is a well minded genuine outfit.

TheClubMan

I'm willing to spend 11,000 or maybe a bit more if I find the tractor I'm looking for. I've always had a liking for Case tractors and never seriously considered anything else. No harm in looking though. Do you have a picture of it?

_Brian

We have a Case 885xl 4wd here, nice balanced wee tractor, bit of power but tidy enough for round a small yard.

Now, my big gripe is the gearing, I just don't find it good. I'll do my best to explain.

Reverse isn't ratioied the same as either H or L
So in no gear combination can you simply slip from R to H or L and have the same travel speed. Does that
Make sense ?? Always feel the need to shift both levers which is a pain in the ass.

We have our loader on the DB996, simple 2nd and R are very close ratio so in H or L box you can work with one gear move, particularly handy for loader work.

Maybe this is just me, and I'm not spending enough time in the cab to get comfortable with it, but we have it 4 years and haven't gotten over that.

TheClubMan

Thanks for your reply _Brian. I understand what your saying. I've driven a one or two down through the years and I admit it's not ideal but it wouldn't put me off buying one. Have you experienced any major problems with it? Would you know of any dealer where I could buy a good one?

pedigree 6

There's a garage in Wicklow.
Dowzer I think specialize in those case's or will get you one.

_Brian

TheClubMan wrote: »

Thanks for your reply _Brian. I understand what your saying. I've driven a one or two down through the years and I admit it's not ideal but it wouldn't put me off buying one. Have you experienced any major problems with it? Would you know of any dealer where I could buy a good one?

No major problems, clutch is slipping a bit in ours but it's a good tractor otherwise. No idea where you'd get one, as a previous poster said, most men are gone over to Massey round these parts.

Base price

Pulled up late one evening a couple of months ago outside Brogans in Strokestown and admired a clean looking 4wd 885XL. Maybe gone but worth a phone call.
http://www.farmandplant.ie/Pat-Brogan-Tractor-Sales

whelan2

_Brian wrote: »

We have a Case 885xl 4wd here, nice balanced wee tractor, bit of power but tidy enough for round a small yard.

Now, my big gripe is the gearing, I just don't find it good. I'll do my best to explain.

Reverse isn't ratioied the same as either H or L
So in no gear combination can you simply slip from R to H or L and have the same travel speed. Does that
Make sense ?? Always feel the need to shift both levers which is a pain in the ass.

We have our loader on the DB996, simple 2nd and R are very close ratio so in H or L box you can work with one gear move, particularly handy for loader work.

Maybe this is just me, and I'm not spending enough time in the cab to get comfortable with it, but we have it 4 years and haven't gotten over that.

We have one its 1991 with a tanco loader on it. I know what you mean about the gears but we are well used to them at this stage. We bought ours in wicklow about 16 years ago. Had to do the engine up a few years ago as lad that was working here ran it with no oil. No problems since. Topping with it at the minute.

TheClubMan

whelan2 wrote:

We have one its 1991 with a tanco loader on it. I know what you mean about the gears but we are well used to them at this stage. We bought ours in wicklow about 16 years ago. Had to do the engine up a few years ago as lad that was working here ran it with no oil. No problems since. Topping with it at the minute.

Did you buy it off Dowzers? What do you make of the tanco loader on it?

whelan2

TheClubMan wrote: »

Did you buy it off Dowzers? What do you make of the tanco loader on it?

No private sale. Great loader

White Clover

TheClubMan wrote: »

I'm willing to spend 11,000 or maybe a bit more if I find the tractor I'm looking for. I've always had a liking for Case tractors and never seriously considered anything else. No harm in looking though. Do you have a picture of it?

It's not mine. Belongs to a poster on here that is trading it in. Im just saying if you're looking for a genuine non abused tractor, it would be worth considering.

Limestone Cowboy

White Clover wrote: »

It's not mine. Belongs to a poster on here that is trading it in. Im just saying if you're looking for a genuine non abused tractor, it would be worth considering.

He'll want more than 11k going for reggies bus!

lakill Farm

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

He'll want more than 11k going for reggies bus!

was up in reggie yard the other evening

Was like a removal or wake :eek: ,

whelan2

whelan2 wrote: »

No private sale. Great loader

was topping there, sticker in tractor says murphy case garage Ferns, county Wexford, dont know if they are still in business

TheClubMan

White Clover wrote:

It's not mine. Belongs to a poster on here that is trading it in. Im just saying if you're looking for a genuine non abused tractor, it would be worth considering.

Do you have a link to that particular thread?

pedigree 6

whelan2 wrote: »

was topping there, sticker in tractor says murphy case garage Ferns, county Wexford, dont know if they are still in business

No not selling tractors anymore.
The other garage I mentioned bring those tractors in from England and go through them before selling.
Doing used jd tractors as well now.

sea12

Fitzpatricks in monasterivin are good reliable case dealers. U might get something there

greek88

TheClubMan wrote: »

I'm willing to spend 11,000 or maybe a bit more if I find the tractor I'm looking for. I've always had a liking for Case tractors and never seriously considered anything else. No harm in looking though. Do you have a picture of it?

11K is a lot for a case 885xl just my 2 cents. Think you should get one cheaper than that. We have a 2wd one gears are like nothing iv driven before the most oddest place but look they are not a bad tractor when they work right.

millertime78

I've a 1984 MF690 with a loader and am looking to trade up to a 4wd also, similar work profile - approx 100 hours a year.....topping, spreading fertilizer, hauling cattle and round bales...... Hadn't considered the Case 885Xl until I read this post..... seems like a good alternative to the MF 390 which seem to be v expensive

Musketeer4

Gave a day driving one of these for a neighbour's father in law. Awful yoke to drive from my experience. 885s are dog rough, uncomfortable, noisy and yes, the arrangment of the gearing is just stupid.
Very old thing to be using every day.

_Brian

Musketeer4 wrote: »

Gave a day driving one of these for a neighbour's father in law. Awful yoke to drive from my experience. 885s are dog rough, noisy and yes, the gears are stupid.
Very old thing to be using every day.

We call it our NEW tractor

But, yea. I'd hate to be on it day in day out.

greek88

we still call it our new tractor too to be fair we had awful trouble with ours for the first year fella we bought it off only used it for a log splitter he had no farm etc. turned out reason it kept dieing out was a fuel issue, we thaught first it was dirt which the filters and mesh gauzes were covered in dirt, pump and injectors were done too and it still wasnt going right, until we discovered a few months back there was water in the tank. we dont do that much with it only couple hundred hours of work per year so the water was still there fecking things up. its going fine now though (touch wood) handy little tractor i find the splitter good. gears thaough as i said earlier are a pure balls but they are a cheap enough tractor to buy