USED MACHINERY: Introduced in 1997 with power outputs that spanned 50-100hp, the six-model Case IH CX series became an early casualty to the massive New Holland/Case ‘merger’: By 2001, Case-branded CXs were no longer produced for the UK market. The CX is far from dead, though, the former Case factory in Doncaster now producing essentially the same tractors but badged McCormick. But is this good news for those seeking an early Case CX as a used buy? James de Havilland reports
Case IH could not afford to get the design and production of its Doncaster-built CX tractors wrong because, even though they sold strongly, the CX’s predecessors, the 3200 and 4200 models, were based on an old design. These 3200/4200 models are sound enough tractors (see profi 10/00), but early 4200 models in particular could keep main dealer workshops busy on warranty work, and the odd rogue tractor resulted in some formerly loyal Case customers looking elsewhere.
Subject of a large investment, the CX range proved to be a complete contrast to the outgoing models and was ‘right’ from the word go. Of course there may well be the odd tractor with more than its fair share of problems, but by and large any woes that have cropped up have been minor. Of equal importance, Case also got the basic specification of these tractors right, particularly with regard to the drive transmission.
With the 4200 tractor users were forced to essentially make a choice between a ‘yard’ shuttle or semipowershift ‘arable’ transmission. But with CX, both the basic synchromesh and semipowershift transmissions featured a mechanical synchro shuttle as a CX standard.
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