Compact tractor options

[Bill_B]

The ole Mahindra 2615 has 750 hours and served me well for the past 15 or so years but it's time for something different. My biggest complaints with this current set up is: No factory cab (90% of use is snow removal in the winter), under power tractor and PTO (running a 70" blower), the ignition switch has to be replaced every few years, no rear hydro outputs, no quick detach bucket, low lift capacity, gas tank fill too high up, and I have a hard time getting the tractor to start when it is below 0F (tractor sits outside).
I really like this frame size but I feel like I need to stay above 35 HP.
Dealerships in my area are Mahindra, Kioti, Branson, TYM, Kubota, And if I drive a ways Massey. Oh and the blue tractors.
I have some brand loyalty to Mahindra but the local Mahindra dealer has been moving away from Mahindra to Kioti which worries me.
The emissions crap worries me but it seems like Mahindra fixed this issue with thier Mcrd??

Application is residential use. 90% use is snowblowing, scraping, and pushing back snowbanks for my 6 acre property which has a steep 1000' driveway the dumps out on a blind corner on a busy major road.

So I am thinking compact tractor like I have, 35-40 HP (not too worried about other performance specs because once about 35HP other specs are way better than what I have now), factory cab with heat, somewhat quiet cab, hydro rear outputs or can be added inexpensively, less than $40k, space for chains on rear tires without hitting fenders.
I have looked at TYM, Kioti, and Mahindra so far. I don't know the price on the Kioti 3520 yet but I really like the inside of the cab and how the controls work vs the Mahindra 2638. Also the Kiotis all had 4 rear hydro outputs and the M. Had only two.
The M. controls seem very poorly laid out and seemed old fashioned (see pics) The three point hitch lever is jammed right up against the seat.
Then there is the dumb stuff like how the the triangle onto the rear window. What the heck were they thinking??

Anyways looking for recommendations.

Oh and to complicate matters since I mostly do driveway snow removal and sanding I am considering not even going with a traditional tractor platform. See my other post for that. Thanks

 

[bmaverick]

Mahindra is now joined to Mitsubishi. The Mitsubishi CEO now runs the entire company. And as of last year, there is a venture now with Kubota. Makes me wonder if Kubota will enter their fold too.

And Mahindras are coming with these engines,

I too would agree, avoid the 'imported' blue brands. The only exception would be New Holland.

If my 1981 Yanmar YM2610 machine had a cab, it would be the ideal snow removal tool. Not had any of the issues you have seen on your more modern Mahindra.

Don't jump to hastily, read reviews, watch reviews on YT, see if the engine is used in many machines and or globally across various brands too. This way, 10, 20, 50 years from now, parts are still there! One reason why I have the machine I do today, the engine is used in many tractor brands, excavators, dossers, and even in hwy construction gensets for road crews. Best of all, it's per-emission DEF and per-computer glitches.

 

[WinterDeere]

New Holland ain't an import, tho! I don't know where they fab their CUT's today, but the company and ag business is just a spit and a throw west of me, in New Holland, PA.

 

[bmaverick]

New Holland ain't an import, tho! They're made just a spit and a throw west of me, in New Holland, PA.

Well, some are still Shibaura machines with a New Holland badge.

Oh, and Deere compacts are really Yanmar kit tractors pre-fabbed in Adirsville, GA and sent by rail to Augusta, GA for final assembly.

 

[WinterDeere]

Well, some are still Shibaura machines with a New Holland badge.

Oh, and Deere compacts are really Yanmar kit tractors pre-fabbed in Adirsville, GA and sent by rail to Augusta, GA for final assembly.

My 750 and 855 were Yanmars, and they were both great tractors for their time. But I believe only the engine is by Yanmar on my 3033R, I believe the 3R's are completely designed and built in USA. At least that's what the badging and marketing both say.

Like anything today, I'm sure it's using a lot of foreign parts.

 

[Torvy]

CNH brands use LS for their CUT models. So both modern blue brands are the same in the size related to this thread.

OP, those are 2 pair of rear remotes, not 4 outputs. (Vs 1 pair).

Depending on local dealer support, probably the best bang for your buck for a tractor in this range would be the T474 or 4815 from TYM. If the gas tank and standard remotes are important, a step up to the T494 or 4820 would solve that problem and the price bump is not too much. Kioti makes a decent machine, too. It may come down to feel.

 

[airbiscuit]

I would also rethink your choice in tires. R4s turn into racing slicks is wet snow. I've had Turf, Industrial and Ag tires. The Ag tires were far superior in snow. R14s might also be an option.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I would also rethink your choice in tires. R4s turn into racing slicks is wet snow. I've had Turf, Industrial and Ag tires. The Ag tires were far superior in snow. R14s might also be an option.

I can attest to R14's being great in snow.

 

[WinterDeere]

"In snow" is vague. I actually run turf tires on my 3033R, and find they're superior to both R4's and Ag's, when plowing my asphalt driveway. However, going across the un-plowed lawn or down to the wood lot, not so much!

Never got stuck with turfs in any snow condition, with 4wd. However, I do need to chain up if I want to pull my wood wagon through deep snow, with turfs. They also completely suck in mud, without chains. If pulling wagons through deep snow or running through mud were my daily chores, I'd have gone with a different tire, but turfs are the better choice for most of my "on lawn" or "on asphalt" usage. I have tire chains to handle the exceptions.

Know your conditions, no one tire is best for everything. That's okay, very few individual tractors are used for "everything".

 

[aesanders]

The blue tractors aren’t bad. LS is about on par with the other Korean tractors ie Kioti and Tym(both traditional Tym and recently purchased Branson now also called Tym). All three companies have decent models. Kioti seems the most refined of the three and has the biggest footprint in the US, but LS and Tym both are worth checking out.

I like the Kioti 3520 se cab. It’s fully equipped with about every option except the 3rd function. Good all around machine. Kioti seems to play games with their loader specs. They list it lifting 1800-1900 pounds, but only to 59”. They are the only company that lists their specs this way, and I believe they do this so they can brag best in class.

The Kubota LX series is their models with cabs in the size you are looking at. They are nice and refined, a bit lighter than most others, which could be a plus or minus to you. To me it would be a minus, but for someone that wants to run a mid mount mower a definant plus. Not sure on all the uses you would use for, so could be a plus or minus. To get a larger Kubota cab machine you would have to move up to a grand L, and don’t think it will be in your price range.

Please go check out a Massey Ferguson 1800 M model. Nicest cabs you will find, and super quiet and refined. They are Japanese made by Iseki, which is on par with Kubota quality wise. Great machines. There loaders are able to lift 1800-1900 pounds full height, and 2200 lb’s to 59”. It’s a bit larger machine than the Kioti though.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Junk blue tractors? you better think again.....
I remember everyone calling Kubota "Junk orange tractors".....

Look at some of the parts on JD...."made in China" is stamped on a bunch....

This is a global economy..... they ALL must be junk then....

 

[WinterDeere]

Junk blue tractors? you better think again.....
I remember everyone calling Kubota "Junk orange tractors".....

Look at some of the parts on JD...."made in China" is stamped on a bunch....

This is a global economy..... they ALL must be junk then....

Good point, but in fairness, there's a factor of time we all tend to forget. The first Honda and Toyota cars sold in America were junk... then they got better. The first Korean cars from Hyundai and Kia sold in America were junk, then they got better. I know very little about Kubota history, and almost nothing about Kioti and TYM, but could imagine similar trajectories for each.

 

[Bill_B]

Hey everyone thanks for your replies and advice.
I looked at tractors today. I had a great experience at a Mahindra/Kioti dealership. It is down to a Kioti 3520SE Cab, 4020 SE, or a Mahindra 2638 Cab.
The pricing is as follows:
$36,500 0% APR or $34,800 if buying outright
$38,500 0% APR or $36,500 if buying outright
$39,900 2.99% APR or $38,400 if buying outright
Prices don't include tax.

Mahindra pros-
Brand loyalty
Silly but I like the color better
No emissions regen bs
SUBFRAME FROM LOADER TO REAR AXLE
Nice seat
Stereo with Bluetooth hands free
Left-right brake control

Mahindra cons-
Lousy placement of three point hitch lever
NO REAR HYDRO OUTPUTS
Hydro lines snd fittings hang down exposed under the floor on the right side of the cab
No built in third function switches on FEL controller
Lousy placement of Triangle on back of tractor (in the middle of the rear window)
No rear window defroster (no electric type)
$3,000 more than Kioti
High APR (if doing payments)

I am leaning towards the Kioti option.
For a price difference of around $2000 more I think I should go with the 40HP for more power to run a 72" snow blower.
The biggest hang up I am having is the head of the service department was telling me how much stronger the FEL mounting was on the M. than the K. Basically there are rugged tubes running from the FEL mount all the way to the back of the tractor.

 

[tacticalturnip]

LS makes great tractors, and the higher end models have exceptional ergonomics. The problem with LS is that when things go wrong it's almost always electrical and it almost always puts the tractor in limp mode. When an LS breaks it's almost always debilitating.

 

[aesanders]

Hey everyone thanks for your replies and advice.
I looked at tractors today. I had a great experience at a Mahindra/Kioti dealership. It is down to a Kioti 3520SE Cab, 4020 SE, or a Mahindra 2638 Cab.
The pricing is as follows:
$36,500 0% APR or $34,800 if buying outright
$38,500 0% APR or $36,500 if buying outright
$39,900 2.99% APR or $38,400 if buying outright
Prices don't include tax.

Mahindra pros-
Brand loyalty
Silly but I like the color better
No emissions regen bs
SUBFRAME FROM LOADER TO REAR AXLE
Nice seat
Stereo with Bluetooth hands free
Left-right brake control

Mahindra cons-
Lousy placement of three point hitch lever
NO REAR HYDRO OUTPUTS
Hydro lines snd fittings hang down exposed under the floor on the right side of the cab
No built in third function switches on FEL controller
Lousy placement of Triangle on back of tractor (in the middle of the rear window)
No rear window defroster (no electric type)
$3,000 more than Kioti
High APR (if doing payments)

I am leaning towards the Kioti option.
For a price difference of around $2000 more I think I should go with the 40HP for more power to run a 72" snow blower.
The biggest hang up I am having is the head of the service department was telling me how much stronger the FEL mounting was on the M. than the K. Basically there are rugged tubes running from the FEL mount all the way to the back of the tractor.

View attachment 823454View attachment 823455

The Kioti also has a loader subframe.

 

[arrow]

Hey everyone thanks for your replies and advice.
I looked at tractors today. I had a great experience at a Mahindra/Kioti dealership. It is down to a Kioti 3520SE Cab, 4020 SE, or a Mahindra 2638 Cab.
The pricing is as follows:
$36,500 0% APR or $34,800 if buying outright
$38,500 0% APR or $36,500 if buying outright
$39,900 2.99% APR or $38,400 if buying outright
Prices don't include tax.

Mahindra pros-
Brand loyalty
Silly but I like the color better
No emissions regen bs
SUBFRAME FROM LOADER TO REAR AXLE
Nice seat
Stereo with Bluetooth hands free
Left-right brake control

Mahindra cons-
Lousy placement of three point hitch lever
NO REAR HYDRO OUTPUTS
Hydro lines snd fittings hang down exposed under the floor on the right side of the cab
No built in third function switches on FEL controller
Lousy placement of Triangle on back of tractor (in the middle of the rear window)
No rear window defroster (no electric type)
$3,000 more than Kioti
High APR (if doing payments)

I am leaning towards the Kioti option.
For a price difference of around $2000 more I think I should go with the 40HP for more power to run a 72" snow blower.
The biggest hang up I am having is the head of the service department was telling me how much stronger the FEL mounting was on the M. than the K. Basically there are rugged tubes running from the FEL mount all the way to the back of the tractor.

View attachment 823454View attachment 823455

Well, that's not the greatest weld I've seen. The 2600 series are nice tractors made by TYM which Mahindra has dissolved its union with.
You also have the option to wait out for the all new Mahindras which will be a collaboration with Mitsubishi. Those will be of the new K2 line which was supposed to come out last spring but have been pushed to this January. The wait being mostly for dealerships to sell their old stock. These will include 40 models going from sub compact to full utility.
You can use your old gal till then and if not liking the new Mahindra's, can always rely on the Kioti.

 

[airbiscuit]

I'd like to better understand the Mahindra/Mitsubishi relationship. Is Mahindra in it to improve their quality? Is Mitsubishio in it to sell more engines?

 

[arrow]

I'd like to better understand the Mahindra/Mitsubishi relationship. Is Mahindra in it to improve their quality? Is Mitsubishio in it to sell more engines?

So Mahindra has had a long standing relationship with Mitsubishi. The current Max and 1600 series Mahindras are made in Japan and purportedly have the least issues of the 3 branding types. The Mahindra branded TYMS for us have also been very reliable.
Mahindra wanted a tractor for the world market and because of the successful previous relationship with Mitsubishi, decided on a 50/50 union with them to help produce and design their new line. They and TYM got into a "scuffle" having to do with parts availability during covid and thus, Mahindra decided to part ways.
These tractors will be made in India at one of the largest new facilities in the world.
I think this union is to produce the best tractor they can and reach viable world wide sales as a result. It will incorporate the quality of Japanese made products while enhancing Mitsu sales with the wide dispersion and dealer base of Mahindra products. Mahindra now gets to consolidate their product line with "one" type machine instead of the 3 iterations they previously carried.
It is my understanding that remotes will be standard issue on the new Mahindras.

 

[rScotty]

SNIP


The biggest hang up I am having is the head of the service department was telling me how much stronger the FEL mounting was on the M. than the K. Basically there are rugged tubes running from the FEL mount all the way to the back of the tractor.

I don't know the details of those particular tractors, but I do agree that the head of your service dept has a right to be concerned. A frame can be made strong enough for a loader to be mounted in the center - but there is a good reason why many imports are not made that way.

The reason is that most imported tractors were designed to be used in other places than the USA - and in most of the world compact tractors are used for small farms and and for pulling implements. They are rarely fitted with loaders and used as miniature dirt moving machines like we do in the USA. So to the manufacturer, there is not point in going to a fairly large expense of making a frame stressed for loaders. They could do it, but generally don't. Instead, they leave that up to the loader manufacturers.

When that tractors comes to the USA where loaders are popular and aftermarket loaders are a big industry, your service dept head is just saying that he feels most compact tractors should have a full length subframe to handle the loader stress. Most of us mechanical guys would agree.

It's not a matter of one brand versus another, just a matter of how certain models are designed.

rScotty

 

[airbiscuit]

That might be a good plan. The made in India Mahindras were perfectly functional tractors, but a little crude (like they had a Belarus father) and sometimes lacking in quality (e.g.rough castings, leaks and hoses). If they can get the quality up and keep the cost down, it would be good for the CUT market.