Going shopping tomm...

Turp · Sep 3, 2004

Hello to everyone...

I have been reading the information in the topics here for some time but this is my first post. I would like to start by saying the people in this forum are top notch, offering helpful and friendly advice. Ok here is the deal. I am going to a Mahindra dealer tommorrow to look around and see some models in person. I am interested in the C-35 and also the 3325. I like the looks of both but unfortunately the 3325 has no power steering. I saw on the mahindra site that there may be a 3525 but I cant find any info on it. The purpose of this tractor will be for my 6 acres with some pine trees and underbrush that I have to clear to build my house. I am interested in a fel, and a box to start off with. I have read about the NH's but I think they are going to be a bit pricey. Any advice that you can offer would be great!

Travis_R · Sep 3, 2004

Turp,

I live out in Colyell (Livingston), LA. One of my buddies bought a new Mahindra 5500 2wd with front end loader a few months ago. Bought the tractor, loader, Bush Hog Squealer SQ720 (6ft.), Land Pride finishing mower, and Land Pride farm blade with hydraulic cylinder for the side of the blade all for $20,000.00 He loves his tractor. He had one small warranty claim on a hydraulic hose for the FEL. Somehow it got a whole in it by something rubbing up against it. His dealer, SINGLETON SALES AND SERVICE in Franklinton, gave him a new hose and 5 gallons of hydraulic oil both free of charge. My buddy also re-routed the hose.

A couple of weeks ago, my uncle bought a new Mahindra 2810 4wd from the same dealer. He got the package (discs, Bush Hog Razor cutter, Land Pride finishing mower, boom pole, Howse grader box) all for I THINK around $15k or $16k. He likes his tractor a lot too. He made a small warranty claim also. His right front tire has a knot in the inside of the tire. Singleton told him that they would bring a tire out there for him for free and he would have to go and have it put on. BUT they said whatever it costs, they would REFUND ALL OF HIS MONEY. I think they are pretty good people.

If I were to buy a Mahindra, that is definitely where I would go.

Liberty Tractor in Mississippi are good people too, but their prices are high as a Giraffe's ****.

Well I hope this helps ya',

Travis

Chet · Sep 3, 2004

Turp, welcome aboard. you will get lots of advice on specific tractors, but I can only add that you DO NOT want a tractor with FEL that does not have power steering, trust me......Chet

Bob_Skurka · Sep 3, 2004

First, I totally agree with Chet, if you get an FEL you NEED a tractor with power steering.

<font color="blue"> I have read about the NH's but I think they are going to be a bit pricey. </font>

Interesting you should say that without pricing them. Please understand that pricing is very regional. And I will say that NH is known for being a bit higher than some other tractors. But yesterday a guy on the Kioti forums posted prices on 3 Kiotis and 1 NH tractor. A New Holland with 3 more hp and greater capacity was only $300 more expensive than the lesser 21hp Kioti, and the same 24hp NH was almost $2000 cheaper than a 25hp Kioti. All the pricing was from dealers within 75 miles of New York City.

In my area (60 miles southeast of Chicago) the Kioti tractors are virtually impossible to find, I did a dealer search and only 2 dealers exist within a 100 mile radius of my home. Deere, NH and Kubota are all so competitive and fight for marketshare that it is hard to find any established dealership that handles the minor brands.

Mind you, I am not knocking the minor brands, in fact I think some of the Kioti, Mahnindra and Branson tractors look to be excellent machines. I just am trying to point out that some of the major tractor manufacturers may be more price competitive than you think (but that really seems to depend on the area of the country you are in).

Turp · Sep 3, 2004

Thanks for the info guys... You have definitely sold me on the power steering but that scratches the 3325. I am going to find out tommorrow if the dealer has any info on the 3525.

EucB30 · Sep 4, 2004

There is info on the 3525 at www.mahindrausa.com on the same page with the 3325 I believe. I'm very intersted in a 3525 too. Wish I could pick it up this weekend ! I'd be playing with it Sunday afternoon for sure.

EucB30 · Sep 4, 2004

The info for the 3525 is in a .pdf file that you get to from the 3325 spec page on the www.mahindrausa.com website. You click on "Click here to download specs".

Turp · Sep 5, 2004

Ok, here is the deal. Looked at the C35 and it is nice, but its on a compact frame. No big deal, yet.... Then We looked at the 3325 and I realized that was what a tractor was supposed to look like. It is on a utility frame but no p/s or dual clutch. So I asked the dealer about the 3525 and its going to look exactly like the 3325 but will have p/s, dual clutch, and the fenders may look slightly different. The catch is that Mahindra will not release the 3525 until all of the models they are phasing out are sold. There are 29 models left in the nation so I asked him how long it would take to sell them. He says one month! So the 3525 is on a utility frame, and is cheaper than the C35. So now I am done with the C35. Had my mind set on the 3525 when total devistation set in, we walked past a 4500. I told the salesman that thats what I wanted but was way too expensive. When he told me the price was only 1500.00 more than the 3525 I lost it. So he let me drive the 4500 and boy is it sweeeet. That is a real tractor. It is huge, sounds like a monster machine and was a pure joy to drive. I want it bad. He qouted me 16110.00 for the 4500 with fel, and a 6ft bush hog heavy duty box. About 1500.00 less for the same thing but with the 3525. The hard part has been telling my wife that I want to spend 16000.00 on a tractor, and she is not taking it well.

So this is what I am left with. I will not be getting 4wd because it is not available on the models I am interested in. The big question is do I really need the 4500 or is it going to be overkill? The wife is trying to get me to consider the 3525, but the 4500 is only 1500.00 more....

EucB30 · Sep 5, 2004

There is a Model 4500 4WD ! Isn't this fun? My wife isn't too happy with me either.............

dieseldoc · Sep 5, 2004

turp,i bought a 4500 2wd in jan.04,i also thought it might be overkill,but,it has performed flawlessly on big jobs and small ones.i have been extremely satisified with it..

Turp · Sep 5, 2004

The tractor is going to be used mainly for prepping the 6 acres I bought to build a house on. My only worry is that once I am done working my property I wont have a use for such a big tractor. BUT I wont settle for less than the 3525 thats coming out soon. Even though its only 7hp, I think its the monstrosity of the 4500 that is intimidating. You gotta love it. It gives me chills /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

powerhouseboy · Sep 5, 2004

Turp,
Buy your wife a new ring or something like that and she'll forget all about your tractor and say yes to almost anything.

Turp · Sep 6, 2004

I forgot to leave some info about the dealer. I went to Singleton Sales on Hwy 10 in Franklinton. My salesperson was Mike. Now keep in mind it was 11:30 on Saturday when I got there, it was 12:15 by the time we were finished looking and test driving. I had called earlier to find out they closed for noon. As far as knowledge goes, he answered every question about every model I could come up with. If he didnt know the answer he looked it up in a book. He sat in his office with me until 1:00, in still hadf somebody waiting at the counter to talk price. It could be because he was part owner, but it made me feel good. He was not negotiable on price, but I am pretty sure I will by from him.

Travis_R · Sep 6, 2004

Turp,

Like I described in my first post, Singleton Sales and Service seems to be pretty good people according to my buddy and uncle. Whenever I buy my Mahindra, thats where I'll go. I was looking at the 3505-DI and the 4500 2wd.

What tractor are you buying? The 4500 2wd? If so, how much you giving for it?

Travis

Turp · Sep 6, 2004

Travis
He qouted me just over 16k for fel and heavy duty 6ft box on a 2wd 4500. 1500 less than that for the 3525 which I think might be replacing the model you are looking at, but I am not sure. If this is the case they have to sell all of those models before they release the 3525 which means if you time it right they might discount these models by a pretty good bit.

DAP · Sep 7, 2004

Turp, suprisingly no one has mentioned this yet, but it, in my opinion, would be a costly mistake to buy a tractor with a loader on it WITHOUT 4WD.

That configuration from your dealer is what has got you all excited. Figure on adding at least another 1000 clams for 4WD, give or take a coupla hundred.

/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Clyde · Sep 7, 2004

I agree with DAP 100% as to getting 4WD with an FEL. I am a happy owner of a Mahindra 4500 with 1,100 lbs of rear wheel weights, and without 4WD, the back tires would be spinning and the tractor not moving with the bucket full of sand or gravel. Trust me - once your land is developed in preparation for your new home......you'll forever be finding new jobs for your tractor to do. It would be a shame to finally buy that tractor of your dreams and then find out that it is under powered or under equipped. Go the extra mile(dollars) now and you won't be sorry.

Turp · Sep 7, 2004

I learned by reading through the forum about having 4WD with a fel. The dealer has also explained to me how nice it would be to have the 4WD in conjunction with a fel. I had decided on my own to sacrifice 4WD becuase of the cost. Unfortunately the only other two models I am interested in are the C35 and the 3525. As I understand it neither one of those models are equipped with 4WD, which means I would have to consider the 3510 that I am not so fond of at 16k by itself. But what you guys are telling me is that I can get the 4500 with 4WD for 1k more give or take than the 2WD? Can this really be true????

Turp · Sep 7, 2004

Also, wouldnt using 4WD lto pull the weight from the fel be more wear and tear on the tractor? I understand that you wouldnt use it all the time but I was concerned it may become a mechanical issue over time that could possibly wear out.

RanchMan · Sep 7, 2004

<font color="blue">I understand that you wouldnt use it all the time but I was concerned it may become a mechanical issue over time that could possibly wear out. </font>

Yes, when it gets down to it there are more parts moving in the drivetrain of a 4WD vs. a 2WD, and the potential for more maintenance, but 4WD's aren't designed to break - they are designed to be used so unless you get a complete lemon, this won't be a problem.

Everything will eventually wear out given enough time and use. The differential in your car will eventually wear out. Same thing for the engine, transmission, paint, etc. on your car.

In other words, don't worry about it.

As for as for not using it "all the time", I rarely take my 4110 out of 4WD as there are simply too many benefits to keeping it in.