Need Suggestions for 45 HP

[mowniacal]

I am considering the new Mahindra 5145 (45 HP). I am concerned about future availability of parts. I got burned buying a MF 451 years ago that was made in Brazil (I didn't know) and now it is very hard to find parts for it. The Massey is a separate story, but now I am worried about getting parts some day for this foreign brand. Is discontinued parts an issue for even JD, New Holland, etc.? I would like any advice on this Mahindra model (no reviews here yet), Mahindra in general, and brands in general in this category, especially as it pertains to reliability and future parts availability.

If money was no object (not that it's not), what new tractor would you buy in the 45 HP PTO class? I am mostly mowing in an orchard, so a cab and even a sun shade is out due to tree limbs. Also, I want to get a grapple out front, so recommendations there are welcome too. While looking at the Mahindra, I noticed that they offer a grapple, but some online said it was rather light duty -- which is all I probably need, mostly picking up piles of fallen limbs -- but is there a hands-down "get this one" recommendation?

Any advice on any/all of the above would be greatly appreciated. I thought my Massey would be a once in a lifetime purchase, and I have kept it like a baby, but electrical failures got to it and I can't find parts anywhere (and I've looked everywhere) -- so this will be another once in a lifetime purchase for me and I don't want any regrets, and am willing to pay extra for that outcome.

Thank you!

 

[jyoutz]

I am considering the new Mahindra 5145 (45 HP). I am concerned about future availability of parts. I got burned buying a MF 451 years ago that was made in Brazil (I didn't know) and now it is very hard to find parts for it. The Massey is a separate story, but now I am worried about getting parts some day for this foreign brand. Is discontinued parts an issue for even JD, New Holland, etc.? I would like any advice on this Mahindra model (no reviews here yet), Mahindra in general, and brands in general in this category, especially as it pertains to reliability and future parts availability. If money was no object (not that it's not), what new tractor would you buy with a 45 HP PTO? I am mostly mowing in an orchard, so a cab and even a sun shade is out due to tree limbs. Also, I want to get a grapple out front, so recommendations there are welcome too. While looking at the Mahindra 5145, I noticed that they hava a grapple too, but some said it was rather light duty Iwhich is all I need anyway). Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I thought my Massey would be a once in a lifetime purchase, and I have kept it like a baby, but electrical failures got to it and I can't find parts anywhere (and I've looked everywhere) -- so this will be another once in a lifetime purchase for me and I don't want any regrets, and am willing to pay extra for that outcome. Thank you!

In that hp range: Kubota L-4701

 

[3gunr]

Their is a thread on here about the new mahindra 51 series tractors , Most all of the tractors today era foreign made and parts can be hard to get, I have 2 mahindras and have been happy with both, Over 1500 hrs total .

 

[3gunr]

If you go to the mahindra owning and operating forum on here you will find lots of information.

 

[Brady D]

I am considering the new Mahindra 5145 (45 HP). I am concerned about future availability of parts. I got burned buying a MF 451 years ago that was made in Brazil (I didn't know) and now it is very hard to find parts for it. The Massey is a separate story, but now I am worried about getting parts some day for this foreign brand. Is discontinued parts an issue for even JD, New Holland, etc.? I would like any advice on this Mahindra model (no reviews here yet), Mahindra in general, and brands in general in this category, especially as it pertains to reliability and future parts availability.

If money was no object (not that it's not), what new tractor would you buy in the 45 HP PTO class? I am mostly mowing in an orchard, so a cab and even a sun shade is out due to tree limbs. Also, I want to get a grapple out front, so recommendations there are welcome too. While looking at the Mahindra, I noticed that they offer a grapple, but some online said it was rather light duty -- which is all I probably need, mostly picking up piles of fallen limbs -- but is there a hands-down "get this one" recommendation?

Any advice on any/all of the above would be greatly appreciated. I thought my Massey would be a once in a lifetime purchase, and I have kept it like a baby, but electrical failures got to it and I can't find parts anywhere (and I've looked everywhere) -- so this will be another once in a lifetime purchase for me and I don't want any regrets, and am willing to pay extra for that outcome.

Thank you!

A mahindra would be a great choice they’re reliable and I see them all the time around where I live

 

[ericm979]

If future parts availability is a prime concern, and price isn't, then I'd get a Kubota L4760. Kubota is unlikely to go away and builds their own tractors. But even so, five years ago when I had a mid 90's Kubota, some parts were NLA from Kubota and were hard to find. And that was for a very common model.

 

[mowniacal]

Thanks all. Not to sound too naive, but I wish manufacturers would standardize on their parts more. What I mean is I need a tachometer assy (which includes the hour meter and warning lights in the same assy) and, for my tractor model, there are three different part numbers, depending on the tractor's features/options, and that's different from other models by the same mfg. Something in that tach assy is shorted, and it is bringing down the tractor's supply voltage to below what is necessary to charge the battery. It started when the regulator inside the alternator went bad. I searched forever for an alternator (discontinued, of course) and finally found one I could use. But the bad regulator allowed the votages to go way high, like 25-35v, which fried something downstream, which I traced to that tach assy. Now I can't find that. Sorry, just ranting at this point. I do appreciate the feedback on Mahindra and eric's suggestion about Kubota.

Any recommendation on a quick connect / skid steer attach grapple with full upper and lower jaws?

 

[ericm979]

Everything Attachment's Wicked grapples are good. My dual lid model is still perfectly straight and true after a lot of heavy lifts.

 

[WVH1977]

I had a john Deere 1520 tractor (1969 model). They still had parts. Expensive but still had them. If you are worried about part availability, John Deere might be the way to go.

 

[Jchonline]

No silver bullet here. Kubota should have parts around for decades, but maybe 30 years…not 40 or 50. Will you be alive in 40 years? I wont lol!

Deere is pretty well known for parts availability, but they have gone 50 directions with manufacturing (tractors built all over the world depending on model/year) so that may be getting harder with new machines.

Branson is a no frills, minimal electronics machine and my choice if you really want to wrench every part of your own equipment. I cant speak to parts availability.

LS is doing their best to establish a market in the US (since 2010) but they are still very low on the market share ladder.

 

[sea2summit]

Generally Mahindra is an Indian, Massey is Chinese, Koti and Branson are Korean. Those brands to me represent large risks in supply chain disruptions and parts availability. I had never seen Massey's up close to around Christmas time last year and was really impressed so started researching them, to many issues already with supply chain stuff for me.

JD, NH, and Kubota all have significant portions of their manufacturing here in the US and two of those brands have very good reputations and market share with no anticipated issues. Supply chain issues are everywhere but it doesn't seem like critical parts are hard to come by in these colors.

Pure personal opinion here but Deere focuses on large agriculture and Kubota focuses more on the homeowner/small land owner market shares. I would really lean toward Kubota in the 30-80 HP range. 80-130 it would be a toss up. 130+ I'd look at Deere.

 

[metalbender]

My Massey 1742 is Japanese, not China produced.

 

[duffer]

I can't speak to parts availabily where you are, but the Kubota dealer here hasn't had 1 tractor on his lot for over 18 months. I find it hard to believe that parts are "easy to come by", because they are assembled in the US. Don't know for sure, but I doubt if most Kubota parts are actually made in the US.

I have a Mahindra 2538 (now 2638) for 5 years, 1600 hours without any issues. The Mahindra dealer here does have tractors on his lot to sell, although not many.

TBH parts will continue to be a problem for any brand in this economic environment. Not just tractors....autos, machinery, manufactured goods, and on and on.

 

[sea2summit]

My Massey 1742 is Japanese, not China produced.

My 1840 was made in Hesston Kansas, I said "generally" and it's just important to understand what is made where now days. Just like parts of my Kubotas weren't made in the US.

 

[DaBear3428]

I am considering the new Mahindra 5145 (45 HP). I am concerned about future availability of parts. I got burned buying a MF 451 years ago that was made in Brazil (I didn't know) and now it is very hard to find parts for it. The Massey is a separate story, but now I am worried about getting parts some day for this foreign brand. Is discontinued parts an issue for even JD, New Holland, etc.? I would like any advice on this Mahindra model (no reviews here yet), Mahindra in general, and brands in general in this category, especially as it pertains to reliability and future parts availability.

If money was no object (not that it's not), what new tractor would you buy in the 45 HP PTO class? I am mostly mowing in an orchard, so a cab and even a sun shade is out due to tree limbs. Also, I want to get a grapple out front, so recommendations there are welcome too. While looking at the Mahindra, I noticed that they offer a grapple, but some online said it was rather light duty -- which is all I probably need, mostly picking up piles of fallen limbs -- but is there a hands-down "get this one" recommendation?

Any advice on any/all of the above would be greatly appreciated. I thought my Massey would be a once in a lifetime purchase, and I have kept it like a baby, but electrical failures got to it and I can't find parts anywhere (and I've looked everywhere) -- so this will be another once in a lifetime purchase for me and I don't want any regrets, and am willing to pay extra for that outcome.

Thank you!

take a look here

Mahindra 5155 Anyone?

I currently have a Mahindra 1538 Shuttle. It’s been flawless since new and has done everything reasonable that I’ve asked of it. But at times a bigger footprint and more weight would be a benefit for me on my hilly property and for maintaining my 900 foot gravel driveway. My dealer is working to...

www.tractorbynet.com

I have the 5145 and love it, but it is a personal decision and is more dependant on your local dealer support as well as you personal tastes, all of the brands make good tractors in the end my decision came down to dealer. I was strongly interested in the LS MT342 it is a lot of tractor for the money, but the dealer is a lot further away and LS has a policy of not allowing owners to obtain copies of the factory service manual. The Mahindra 51 series is a lot of tractor, upper end of the CUT spectrum and may not suite your needs. If you need a heavy CUT with strong performance but do not want all of the bells, HST lots of electronics etc. at a great price, the 51 series is great tractor. Mahindra is suppose to be the largest tractor manufacturer in the world, but as with every other manufacture (outside of Kubota I think) they sub out manufacturing of a lot of the components / whole tractors, also most of the CUT tractors in the US are actually made in part or in whole overseas with a us badge on it.

I cannot say enough good things about the 5145, like that the 5145 (not 5155) has a naturally asperated engine, on a tractor I do not like turbos but that IMO.

 

[mowniacal]

take a look here

Mahindra 5155 Anyone?

I currently have a Mahindra 1538 Shuttle. It’s been flawless since new and has done everything reasonable that I’ve asked of it. But at times a bigger footprint and more weight would be a benefit for me on my hilly property and for maintaining my 900 foot gravel driveway. My dealer is working to...

www.tractorbynet.com

I have the 5145 and love it, but it is a personal decision and is more dependant on your local dealer support as well as you personal tastes, all of the brands make good tractors in the end my decision came down to dealer. I was strongly interested in the LS MT342 it is a lot of tractor for the money, but the dealer is a lot further away and LS has a policy of not allowing owners to obtain copies of the factory service manual. The Mahindra 51 series is a lot of tractor, upper end of the CUT spectrum and may not suite your needs. If you need a heavy CUT with strong performance but do not want all of the bells, HST lots of electronics etc. at a great price, the 51 series is great tractor. Mahindra is suppose to be the largest tractor manufacturer in the world, but as with every other manufacture (outside of Kubota I think) they sub out manufacturing of a lot of the components / whole tractors, also most of the CUT tractors in the US are actually made in part or in whole overseas with a us badge on it.

I cannot say enough good things about the 5145, like that the 5145 (not 5155) has a naturally asperated engine, on a tractor I do not like turbos but that IMO.

DaBear (and anyone), please expound on your point about turbo vs. naturally aspirated. I was looking at the 5145 based on web research, but the local dealer has a 5155 on the lot. What is your concern about the turbo? (Nat-asp certainly seems simpler.)

 

[DaBear3428]

DaBear (and anyone), please expound on your point about turbo vs. naturally aspirated. I was looking at the 5145 based on web research, but the local dealer has a 5155 on the lot. What is your concern about the turbo? (Nat-asp certainly seems simpler.)

one of the most common causes for engine failure is heat, a second one is movement related wear. the hottest and fastest spinning item on a turbo engine will be the turbo, and they are a major maintenance item, the 5100 series service manual has an entire section devoted to do's and don'ts about owning and operating the turbo 5155. Things like getting the turbo wet right after it has been running or shutting the tractor off without letting it cool first or powering it up without letting it warm up first are all more complicated with a turbo. Outside of that i love me a turbo or supercharger you get more hp and i love the racket it makes (i have corvette with a roots blown ls1). On a tractor i do not need that much power, 45 hp is more than i need, so why complicate my life more. if you need more power then IMO get the turbo and deal with the added maintenance, but i got from your post that you do not need the additional hp. my dealer (and i think i believe him) stated that the 5145 would handle a 12' rotary cutter on level ground near sea level. If you are up in the higher elevations IMO a turbo makes a lot of sense.

 

[DaBear3428]

an additional reason I like the 5145 is that the entire drive line is the same as the 5155 except the turbo and tune so to me that indicates that i can expect the driveline to be more durable.

 

[DaBear3428]

bottom line is that either would most likely provide good to great service, i just think that the odds are better without the turbo.

 

[DaBear3428]

do exactly what you are doing, research ask questions etc then go sit on the tractor you think you want and talk to the dealer. I found out that the tractor that best fit me was not the tractor i thought i wanted, and the dealer/service manager was also a large part of the final answer. I spent more for my tractor and waited a month (local dealer had a 5155 on the lot also) for a 5145 from my local dealer that a larger Mahindra dealer 120 miles away had available, because I expect to receive better service, (i could be wrong but so far i'm happy with that decision).