James Fitzgerald wears two hats - he is a trusted contractor and dairy farmer based in Killeagh, east Co. Cork and knows what it takes to keep a busy operation running smoothly.

James is a long-established customer of Ryalls Farm Machinery in Watergrasshill, has been using McCormick tractors for over 10 years - and has never looked back.

According to James: “The X7.624, in particular, has proven to be reliable, comfortable, and excellent value for money, it’s done everything we could ask for – and more.”

Having grown up in a family contracting business, moving into this line of work was a natural fit for James.

“The business was built up well by my father; who earned the trust of many loyal customers and they’ve been keeping me busy, which I’m very thankful for,” he said.

“When Trevor from Ryalls Machinery recommended the X7.624 to me about a year and a half ago, I wondered might it be too big for what we’re doing.

"When you’re operating on different farms, especially at the busiest time of year during silage season, reliability and comfort are both very important. I’d be hard pressed to get a better tractor than the X7.624,” James said.

Regarding his working relationship with Ryall’s, James said it was a "top-notch dealership".

"Trevor has never let us down; he has a super team of mechanics and it’s great to have such a high-quality, trusted service in our area,” he said. 

“Once I’d given myself a while to study the layout of the cab, it didn’t take me too long at all to come up to speed with where everything was and what everything does," James added.

Featuring McCormick’s signature four-post design for enchanted visibility, the X7.624’s cab comes with an electronically adjustable steering wheel, a semi-active suspension system, a 12-inch touch screen monitor and automatic climate control.

"I know it inside out at this stage," James added.

"While you’re driving the X7.624, you can see the front suspension working away, constantly moving and you know you’re in the height of comfort.”

James explained why the McCormick X7.624 works so well for him.

“When I’ve got the Wilson Super Move Bale Transporter fully loaded, I’m drawing 12 bales behind and two in front of the tractor – and it handles that kind of load with ease.”

The X7.624 delivers 240hp, about 40hp more than James had used previously. Despite its larger size and heavier frame, he said it performs with remarkable balance and responsiveness.

“We’d never had more than 200hp before, but the X7.624 handles incredibly well for a tractor of its size.”

Powered by 6.7L, six-cylinder Beta Power Fuel Efficiency engines, the McCormick X7.6 series combines multivalve technology and electronic common rail injection for maximum efficiency.

The engine is mounted within a rugged chassis designed to reduce cab noise and vibration — providing operators with outstanding comfort, reliability, and durability, without sacrificing simplicity or performance.

James described the X7.624 as “a real all-rounder”.

He added: “You’d stay in the cab all day. Any of the lads who use it hate coming off it in the evening time in case they’re not using it the following day, and that tells you how good a tractor the X7.624 is.

"It’s a seriously good machine and we’ll be sticking with the brand: it’s very reliable, it’s very powerful and represents great value for money.

“Buying the X7.624 is a sound investment and makes good business sense.  I’d advise anyone interested to take it for a drive and then form your opinion. You won’t regret it,” James said.