Mahindra Max 28XL HST vs Kubota 2920 HSD with FEL, 60" mower, and BH

[deathtoblackberries]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a new tractor (my first) and have it narrowed down to these two. I'm leaning towards the Mahindra at the moment, see the below pictures of my 1 acre and what I expect to be doing with the tractor, I'd appreciate any input, feel free to comment on yes the tractor can do it or no your smoking crack.

Mahindra pro's - Less expensive, I would need to negociate a 15% discount on the Kabota to match a quote I have on the Mahindra. FEL rated to lift several hundred pounds more, more HP, on paper it beats the Kubota in several areas. I used to be a CNC machinist so I like the cast iron frame.

Mahindra con's - I have an appt to check one out in person this weekend, so this is only based on pictures and videos...what the heck is with the birds nest of FEL hydraulic hoses and the funky position of the controls? This tractor looks to be well engineered everywhere except here, advantage Kubota. Kubota specs on the backhoe crush the Mahindra, Kubota Bucket Force 2,585 lbs vs Mahindra 2,145 lbs, Kubota Dipperstick force 1,687 lbs vs Mahindra 903 lbs. Check out the pics below, digging out all those stumps and roots is why this is on my radar. If not for these backhoe specs I'd have crossed the Kubota off my list already.

Kubota...there's a large dealer 8 miles from me (the nearest Mahindra dealer is 70 miles) so I have already checked them out in person. Mixed feelings, I see areas that are very well engineered and beefy yet areas that are cheap and not worthy of the price they are asking. The rubber flooring is a joke and poorly fitted. When I see cheap crap like that I get wondering where else they cheaped out. Paint was sub-par in several areas also. I'm heading back over there for another look in a few minutes.

So here's what I'm dealing with (see pics). I bought this new house and the 1 acre needs a LOT of landscaping. It could easily cost me the price of one of these tractors to pay someone else to do the work, at least that's my logic for buying a tractor, plus it would be more fun to do it myself on my schedule. All these bushes and scrub trees and f'er blackberries need to be gone. I also need to move a fair amount of dirt from the side and back of the property around to the front. The soil has some clay with a fair amount of round cobble stones in the 1-5 inch range. No big boulders. There are a few older stumps in the 18-20 diameter in range that need dug out also. Once the land is cleared and leveled I'll be putting in a fence, lawn, shop, and garden. At some point down the road I probably won't need the backhoe anymore but I'll be keeping the FEL long term. Plus I sometimes need to move heavy machines around.

 

[nybirdman]

A drive around the area will tell you which tractor is more popular.I.E.if you are going to sell your BH down the road.If you are new to tractors,having a dealer close should come into consideration.Do some reading on this site on both tractors.Good luck shopping.

 

[rider0]

Kubota specs on the backhoe crush the Mahindra, Kubota Bucket Force 2,585 lbs vs Mahindra 2,145 lbs, Kubota Dipperstick force 1,687 lbs vs Mahindra 903 lbs. Check out the pics below, digging out all those stumps and roots is why this is on my radar. If not for these backhoe specs I'd have crossed the Kubota off my list already.

These tractors get compared a lot around here...

This was said recently: Backhoe Here is a Mahindra 28 Max in action with the backhoe - Page 3

Consider whether you want pallet forks for the tractor; Kubota has a very nicely engineered (but proprietary) quick attach system for forks and bucket that's very convenient; you'd have to go to the aftermarket and modify your stock bucket should you want that for the Mahindra.

They're both nice tractors. Be sure you drive both and try out the loaders and backhoes. The feel of the two machines is surprisingly different for as similar as they seem at first glance.

 

[kootch88]

I've been clearing just the same type of area with my Max 22 with ratchet rake. Of course I have 450 pounds of weight on the back, but any smaller than the Max would be a major challenge. The Max 28 would really be nice and do a much better job as would the Kubota you referenced.

 

[jhasafety1]

I bought the Mahindra Max 28xl with backhoe, midmount mower, box blade and tiller and have not regreted a minute of it. Dug out a huge mulberry stump, put in a 90" propane line that I buried 30" down. I have also been replacing poles in my barn. We also poured a biger patio and my son brought every drop of it from the road to the house in the bucket because of the ground was to soft for the truck. The driver could not believe the Max could move a bucket load of concrete that easily. I can't wait for spring to gear up again. I highly recommend Mahindra, I almost made the mistake of buying Kubota. I will say that I wish the Mahindra dealer was closer. Good luck with what ever you buy.

 

[deathtoblackberries]

I bought the Mahindra Max 28xl with backhoe, midmount mower, box blade and tiller and have not regreted a minute of it. Dug out a huge mulberry stump, put in a 90" propane line that I buried 30" down. I have also been replacing poles in my barn. We also poured a biger patio and my son brought every drop of it from the road to the house in the bucket because of the ground was to soft for the truck. The driver could not believe the Max could move a bucket load of concrete that easily. I can't wait for spring to gear up again. I highly recommend Mahindra, I almost made the mistake of buying Kubota. I will say that I wish the Mahindra dealer was closer. Good luck with what ever you buy.

Excellent that's just the kind of direct feedback I'm looking for. What size backhoe bucket did you get? Dealer is recommending the 12", says it will be better for digging around roots and stumps but I'm thinking about the 16".

 

[deathtoblackberries]

I've been clearing just the same type of area with my Max 22 with ratchet rake. Of course I have 450 pounds of weight on the back, but any smaller than the Max would be a major challenge. The Max 28 would really be nice and do a much better job as would the Kubota you referenced.

Thats great to hear, did you go with the industrial tires?

 

[s219]

They are both great tractors and similar in a lot of respects (even though Mahindra markets the Max as a sub-compact and Kubota markets the B as a compact).

The weak points of the Max are the backhoe (that is truly a sub-compact unit, more like a toy) and the ergonomics of the operator station (that's more personal opinion). Otherwise, it's a great tractor that is well equipped at a low price, so it's a very good value for the money. In particular, the front loader is very strong for a tractor of that size (just don't let that get you in trouble, since it's still attached to a small tractor at the end of the day).

Kubotas are well regarded and the B2920 was the best choice when I was shopping around (I was primarily comparing Kubota and Deere, and the Max was not on the market at the time). I've had it just over a year and 100 hours and it's been a strong workhorse of a machine. I paid $15400 for the B2920 with front loader back in Dec 2011. I believe that was about a 15% discount from MSRP, and I didn't have to haggle at all.

My neighbor ordered a Max 28 that should be here any day now, and I am looking forward to seeing it and maybe do a side by side comparison with my B2920.

 

[deathtoblackberries]

My neighbor ordered a Max 28 that should be here any day now, and I am looking forward to seeing it and maybe do a side by side comparison with my B2920.

Please check back after it arrives with your thoughts on the Mahindra. My quote on the Mahindra is $22,728 (cash price) with the FEL, backhoe, and 60 inch mid mount mower. The build my Kubota is $28,576 so even with a 15% discount that's still $1,685 more than the Mahindra with tax. We'll see what the Kubota dealer is willing to do this afternoon. I didn't see any 2920's on his lot last week, he has a bunch of 2620's which would be closer in price to the Mahindra.

 

[s219]

If you don't need the extra horsepower at the PTO, then save about $700-1000 and look at the B2620 instead -- it's identical to the 2920 in all respects except for the engine and horsepower numbers, and plenty adequate on it's own. It's a much more popular seller than the 2920.

If the difference between the Max and Kubota is $1700 or so and you like both options equally, to me the beefier backhoe on the Kubota could certainly justify the price difference. But that's only if backhoe work is an important factor. Be sure to compare the backhoes if that is the case, since there is a notable difference there.

To me the primary decider should be how good of a fit you are on each tractor in terms of operation, feel, ergonomics, etc. You'll know it when you try them all out and drive them around. Then consider dealer support, then features, and then price last of all.

I know many people put pricing first, but I think that's a mistake for this kind of purchase. Choose wisely and spend the money to get the best option for you. This is a big purchase that you could have for decades if you choose right. And heck, you may find that the best choice is the lowest price anyhow!

Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[madmax12]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a new tractor (my first) and have it narrowed down to these two. I'm leaning towards the Mahindra at the moment, see the below pictures of my 1 acre and what I expect to be doing with the tractor, I'd appreciate any input, feel free to comment on yes the tractor can do it or no your smoking crack.

Mahindra pro's - Less expensive, I would need to negociate a 15% discount on the Kabota to match a quote I have on the Mahindra. FEL rated to lift several hundred pounds more, more HP, on paper it beats the Kubota in several areas. I used to be a CNC machinist so I like the cast iron frame.

Mahindra con's - I have an appt to check one out in person this weekend, so this is only based on pictures and videos...what the heck is with the birds nest of FEL hydraulic hoses and the funky position of the controls? This tractor looks to be well engineered everywhere except here, advantage Kubota. Kubota specs on the backhoe crush the Mahindra, Kubota Bucket Force 2,585 lbs vs Mahindra 2,145 lbs, Kubota Dipperstick force 1,687 lbs vs Mahindra 903 lbs. Check out the pics below, digging out all those stumps and roots is why this is on my radar. If not for these backhoe specs I'd have crossed the Kubota off my list already.

Kubota...there's a large dealer 8 miles from me (the nearest Mahindra dealer is 70 miles) so I have already checked them out in person. Mixed feelings, I see areas that are very well engineered and beefy yet areas that are cheap and not worthy of the price they are asking. The rubber flooring is a joke and poorly fitted. When I see cheap crap like that I get wondering where else they cheaped out. Paint was sub-par in several areas also. I'm heading back over there for another look in a few minutes.

So here's what I'm dealing with (see pics). I bought this new house and the 1 acre needs a LOT of landscaping. It could easily cost me the price of one of these tractors to pay someone else to do the work, at least that's my logic for buying a tractor, plus it would be more fun to do it myself on my schedule. All these bushes and scrub trees and f'er blackberries need to be gone. I also need to move a fair amount of dirt from the side and back of the property around to the front. The soil has some clay with a fair amount of round cobble stones in the 1-5 inch range. No big boulders. There are a few older stumps in the 18-20 diameter in range that need dug out also. Once the land is cleared and leveled I'll be putting in a fence, lawn, shop, and garden. At some point down the road I probably won't need the backhoe anymore but I'll be keeping the FEL long term. Plus I sometimes need to move heavy machines around.

I did not get the backhoe, yet. When researching, I noticed the previous year backhoe specs were stronger. In redesigning for single seat operation, the specs changed. I think the previous model was the 1710 B (IIRC).

You would be pleased with the Max28XL. I know I am.

I got the 5' RFM and the Mahindra/Kodiak pin on forks (which mount on the FEL or 3PTH).

Very capable machine.

I have also been pleased with the industrial tires. They are fine with grass, dirt, mud, tar, and snow. We had a wicked snowy winter. My tires are not loaded, and I had no trouble whatsoever. Our blizzard dropped 27".

Max28XL. It will do what you need it to do, and more.

 

[deathtoblackberries]

I did not get the backhoe, yet. When researching, I noticed the previous year backhoe specs were stronger. In redesigning for single seat operation, the specs changed. I think the previous model was the 1710 B (IIRC).

You would be pleased with the Max28XL. I know I am.

I got the 5' RFM and the Mahindra/Kodiak pin on forks (which mount on the FEL or 3PTH).

Very capable machine.

I have also been pleased with the industrial tires. They are fine with grass, dirt, mud, tar, and snow. We had a wicked snowy winter. My tires are not loaded, and I had no trouble whatsoever. Our blizzard dropped 27".

Max28XL. It will do what you need it to do, and more.

Okay wow that's a huge difference between the Mahindra 2516 backhoe and the Max28 backhoe, rather disapointing. The 2516 backhoe is a whopping 295 lbs heavier than the Max 28. 895 lbs vs 600 lbs and the 2516 backhoe is rated significantly stronger, up near the Kubota specs. The flip side is the Max 28 FEL is rated much higher than the 2516.

 

[3v0]

Too bad that Kubota has not wised up on the floormats.

Spend enough seat time in both to make up your mind if the dealers will let you.
There is more to this then money. Dealers matter too, check them out as well.

I bought my BX used out of state yet the Kubota dealer I use treats me like royalty.
If they aren't good to you when you are in a buying mode what will they be like when you need real help.

 

[kootch88]

No, I have the turf tires and chains if I really need them.

 

[madmax12]

Okay wow that's a huge difference between the Mahindra 2516 backhoe and the Max28 backhoe, rather disapointing. The 2516 backhoe is a whopping 295 lbs heavier than the Max 28. 895 lbs vs 600 lbs and the 2516 backhoe is rated significantly stronger, up near the Kubota specs. The flip side is the Max 28 FEL is rated much higher than the 2516.

You have other options for the BH, as I'm sure you know. That is why I waited. While many are concerned with the stress effects of 3PTH BHs, they exist for a reason. You could buy the tractor you want, and add the BH of your choice. Maybe a Woods BH. Maybe you'll find a good used one. Or maybe you could find an old stock Mahindra for the previous model.

There are also tow-able standalone BHs that go for as little as $2500 new. Youtube has several videos of various models in action. With your situation, that may be a real option. The stand alone actually allows two people to knock out a project together, far more quickly, and leaves the Tractor free for other tasks.

Here's a current, brand new, $2500 example: http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=backhoe

You will really like the Max28XL.

 

[Redneck in training]

I think both backhoes are small for serious work so it doesn't matter much which (if any) you get. I would rent mini excavator for serious work.

 

[deathtoblackberries]

UPDATE: Mahindra Max 28 is now out of the running, Kubota B2920 is now my top pick, probably buy one Monday.

 

[murphy1244]

UPDATE: Mahindra Max 28 is now out of the running, Kubota B2920 is now my top pick, probably buy one Monday.

What happened?

 

[deathtoblackberries]

What happened?

Well let me say the Mahindra dealer was a very nice guy. Unfortunately the customer experience was lacking as was the tractor in quality. I made an appointment to check out Max28 today, they had days to prepare. I drove 140 miles round trip and when I got there half the tractor was MIA no backhoe no mower deck. They were 10 miles away at another facility. Then I noticed it didn't have the swivel seat for the backhow, the dealer insisted there wasn't a swivel seat rather the backhoe had its own seat e.g. a two seat setup. He did some checking and later agreed I was correct. This told me I knew more about the tractor than the dealer.

The tractor itself, rust everywhere in the nooks and crannies. There was rust on both axle housing for example, dealer said it was dirt, I wiped some off and showed him it was rust. :talktothehand: It looks like the areas painted black on the tractor were rusted before it was painted. Even the FEL control block protected up under the housing was rusting. Big turn off to be wire brushing rust and painting a brand new $26,000 tractor.

One of the quick disconnects for the FEL was bent off to the left at an angle where the rest were all straight I'm sure its fine functionally but speaks to attention to detail. The birds nest of hydraulic hoses wow, poor routing, some lines just laid along an edge of the frame where they could rub through, this was worse in person than I saw in pictures. Kubota very neat and tidy routing of lines and good protection. I could see the Mahindra hoses getting caught in the brush. Location of the FEL control hung off the FEL looked half assed. Kubota right there at your hip where it belongs. You could see Kubota took the time to route those lines and locate that control with thought to ergonomics. **** this dealer had a cheaper Korean brand tractor on the lot and it was similar to Kubota. IMO Mahindra really should get their act together in this area. It wasn't all bad, the FEL was built like a brick ****house, 1/4 inch steel vs the Kubota 3/16. I liked other things about it. Mahindra has thicker sheet metal fenders and floor, I found the Kubota flimsy in comparison.

Lots more to say about both tractors but we are just heading out to dinner so more later. I will say this though, the Kubota dealer got within $600 of my best price on the Mahindra and overall the Kubota has more features. Fit and finish on the Kubota was flawless. I also noticed the rubber floor mats on the B2920 are thicker and better quality than the BX I commented on earlier.

 

[murphy1244]

Well let me say the Mahindra dealer was a very nice guy. Unfortunately the customer experience was lacking as was the tractor in quality. I made an appointment to check out Max28 today, they had days to prepare. I drove 140 miles round trip and when I got there half the tractor was MIA no backhoe no mower deck. They were 10 miles away at another facility. Then I noticed it didn't have the swivel seat for the backhow, the dealer insisted there wasn't a swivel seat rather the backhoe had its own seat e.g. a two seat setup. He did some checking and later agreed I was correct. This told me I knew more about the tractor than the dealer.

The tractor itself, rust everywhere in the nooks and crannies. There was rust on both axle housing for example, dealer said it was dirt, I wiped some off and showed him it was rust. :talktothehand: It looks like the areas painted black on the tractor were rusted before it was painted. Even the FEL control block protected up under the housing was rusting. Big turn off to be wire brushing rust and painting a brand new $26,000 tractor.

One of the quick disconnects for the FEL was bent off to the left at an angle where the rest were all straight I'm sure its fine functionally but speaks to attention to detail. The birds nest of hydraulic hoses wow, poor routing, some lines just laid along an edge of the frame where they could rub through, this was worse in person than I saw in pictures. Kubota very neat and tidy routing of lines and good protection. I could see the Mahindra hoses getting caught in the brush. Location of the FEL control hung off the FEL looked half assed. Kubota right there at your hip where it belongs. You could see Kubota took the time to route those lines and locate that control with thought to ergonomics. **** this dealer had a cheaper Korean brand tractor on the lot and it was similar to Kubota. IMO Mahindra really should get their act together in this area. It wasn't all bad, the FEL was built like a brick ****house, 1/4 inch steel vs the Kubota 3/16. I liked other things about it. Mahindra has thicker sheet metal fenders and floor, I found the Kubota flimsy in comparison.

Lots more to say about both tractors but we are just heading out to dinner so more later. I will say this though, the Kubota dealer got within $600 of my best price on the Mahindra and overall the Kubota has more features. Fit and finish on the Kubota was flawless. I also noticed the rubber floor mats on the B2920 are thicker and better quality than the BX I commented on earlier.

Do you have a Kioti dealer near you?