mahindra

DavesTractor · May 11, 2004

Great Bend and KMW both make "Mahindra" loaders, as was surmised.

I understand that Mahindra sold around 8500 units in the USA last year, and another 75,000 or so in the rest of the world. They are very interested in gaining an even larger market share in the USA. I've noticed a couple of posts saying they are pricey. They aren't cheap, like a tractor built in China would be, but comparing apples to apples on quality, size, features, capacities, etc., they are less than the comparable big 3 and are a very good value.

KiotiJohn · May 11, 2004

( They aren't cheap, like a tractor built in China would be, but comparing apples to apples on quality, size, features, capacities, etc., they are less than the comparable big 3 and are a very good value. )
I agree Dave, the Mahindra was a lot of tractor for the money and seemed to be well built when I was first shopping. If I hadn't disliked the dealer so much, I may have owned Mahindra. Then I found Kioti and bought that. John

Soundguy · May 11, 2004

( They aren't cheap, like a tractor built in China would be, but comparing apples to apples on quality, size, features, capacities, etc., they are less than the comparable big 3 and are a very good value. )
I agree Dave, the Mahindra was a lot of tractor for the money )

I found them to be insuficient savings to make the jump... For instance.. you have the big three.. priced very similar.. and you KNOW exactly what quality and service to expect.. then you get a mahindra.... lets just say... that 1500$ less isn't enough of a savings to gamble on... Heck.. I can find 1500$ price difference between the same model of the big three at dealers across town from each other. If the savings were more substantial.. then the risk would be less... that's why chineese tractors like jinma.. and other imports like Eicher. are attractive. Yes.. lower quality.. and the low price to go with it.. sometimes 66% lower than big three... that's when you start doing hte math.. cost averaging.. deciding what you are going to do with it.. etc.

Like I said though... The mahindra dealer here.. which also sold case had the 350 and a slightly bigger one going for the same price as MF's and NH... units of the same size.. Now the local NH dealer has them and sells them a tad cheaper than the NH units on his lot... again.. not enough cheaper for me.. but perhaps enough cheaper for someone who does need that 1000$ off.. or financing help.. etc. I don't knock them though.. for all I've seen and heard.. I have yet to hear about any dealbreaker problems.
Perhaps once their dealer network grows a bit...

Soundguy

SteveH_CT · May 11, 2004

One thing to consider - This is just my experience, and perhaps things are different around the country - but the "Big 3" dealers in my area won't take some brands in on trade. Unfortunately Mahindra is one of them. It's not a huge issue, especially if you plan to keep it for a very long time, but something to at least consider.

Good Luck Shopping.

KENB · May 11, 2004

I agree that it really depends on the if the dealer's prices in the area are comparable. For example, I really liked the NH TC-40 with FEL. I could see the bucket easy with those curved loader arms. But seems like the NH TC-40 was priced out at $23,000-24,000 range, and the Mahindra 4110 with FEL priced around $17,000. AND the Mahindra had comparable specifications (lifting capacity, etc). AND the Mahindra was 0% financing for 36 months. AND the Mahindra dealer delivered for FREE. AND the Mahindra offered the same price for AG tires or R4 tires. AND the Mahindra had a 3 year warranty. I don't think the NH had ANY of these. Like I said, I really liked the NH, but for price difference and all of the other differences, I just couldn't do the NH. But if the price alone had been comparable, I would have probably gone NH, just to stay with the NH/Ford dealer in my area that helps me with my Ford 2N.

cowboydoc · May 11, 2004

I agree with you Soundguy. I don't care what some people say there is a difference in the fit, finish, and quality compared to a JD, Kubota, etc. It is not the same. If this is your first tractor or even if you've owned a few you don't pick up on it but there is a difference in the quality.

DAP · May 11, 2004

Rich ... I didn't see anywhere in Soundguy's post where he questioned the QUALITY of this line.

Did I miss it? The crux of his point was the risk on resale market values and dealer scarcity as I understood it to read. Those are good points and require a calculated risk assessment for an interested buyer. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

The Mahindra is NOT a chinese tractor nor can it be compared to the crate chinese tractors Soundguy alludes to.

My daddy drove Mahindra's from time to time in WWII. They're called Jeeps.

cowboydoc · May 11, 2004

"For instance.. you have the big three.. priced very similar.. and you KNOW exactly what quality and service to expect.. "

What part of that didn't you understand DAP? And I completely disagree with you that it can't be compared to a chinese tractor. They are not the quality of the bigger mfg. It's like saying the Deere 03 series is the same as the 20 series. It's not.

DAP · May 11, 2004

Ok then ... we could all benefit greatly, I'm sure, from your experience. Really.

In your opinion how would you classify the Mahindra line of CUTS (for simplicity's sake, say the 26 to 35 ghp CUT 4WD gear & HST machines) in how you think they stack up qualitatively. Would you classify them with say .. the Jinma crate machines? Benye? Tieniu? Shanghai?

Would you say they are as good as a Kioti? Ya know, generally?

One HAS to assume you've carefully checked out these machines (Mahindra) very carefully, since you are in 'complete' disagreement. I for one would love to hear some of the details about qualitative disparity between any of the JD lines and the Mahindras. Can you provide these details? This will help sharpen the board's collective eyes when considering one of the 'off brands'.

While you choose to speak for Soundguy, I'll always chose not to ... perhaps we should let him speak for himself, if he so chooses.

( ... you have the big three...priced very similar... and you KNOW exactly what quality and service to expect..")

Doc ... are you to have me believe that Big 3 quality and service are a constant acrross the board? From Mfgr. to Mfgr? From Dealer to Dealer? From machine to machine?

( They are not the quality of the bigger mfg. It's like saying the Deere 03 series is the same as the 20 series. It's not.)

One thing I DO understand is a contradiction when I see it.

Charlie_in_TX · May 11, 2004

cowboydoc, you have far underestimated the quality of Mahindra. The Mahindras are every bit the quality of unit as JD, Kubota, NH, MF and now Kioti. You look at the Mahindra 2015, you will find nothing in its class from the big 3. Thats right I said the Mahindra is better than what is offered in 20hp from JD, Kubota or NH. In order to get a similar piece of equipment you will have to get a Kioti.

The dealers can be a different story. My dealer sells MF, equipment trailers, landscape equipment ect in addition to Mahindras. I have heard of a few Mahindra dealers who were used car dealer that filled empty slots with a tractor. A few bad apples hurt the name of the tractor, however it has no effect on the quality of the tractor.

in reply to another post.

The price is not similar at all from my experience. I bought a 26hp, 4x4, R4, 72in MMM, HST, cast iron frame for under $15k. You will have a hard time finding a JD4110 similarly equiped for that price much less its JD equivelent, the 4210.

cowboydoc · May 11, 2004

Well I'll respectfully disagree with you Charlie. If I thought for one minute they were even half the quality of a JD, NH, etc. I'd buy one but they aren't. I like saving money just as much as the next guy but I won't do it at the expense of quality. I pay very close attention to everything that is out there. I look at reviews, listen to what people I know and trust have to say about the equipment that are actually using them hard, go to every farm show around that I can. I keep myself pretty informed and base my opinions on what I can see, feel, and use. I haven't underestimated the quality in my opinion. You may feel different and that's your opinion. But my opinion is that they are not that great of quality.

As far as price I could walk into my dealer today and walk out with a 4110 4wd, hydrostat with mmm for $12,551. Seems to me you paid $2500 too much for your Mahindra.

Soundguy · May 11, 2004

( post where he questioned the QUALITY of this )

Quality .. but mostly via manufacturer reliability, when compaired to many imports.

On otherwise comprable machines.. a small margin like 1500$ just isn't enough to make me jump from a big three brand.. to any that we have mentioned here.. Not all based on quality.. some is dealer support.. parts.. and mechanic service.

Soundguy

Soundguy · May 11, 2004

( ( The Mahindra is NOT a chinese tractor nor can it be compared to the crate chinese tractors Soundguy alludes to.
)
You misunderstand.. I was not comparing the mahindra to a jinma.. but rather compairing the cost savings of a mahindra to the big 3.. oposed to the cost savings of a jinma to the big three. In this case.. you can have as little as a 10% savings or less on the mahindra on a 15000$ big three unit.. and oh.. 30-40% savings on a china import. And yes.. I feel the china units are inferior in design.. and thus cost less... a direct trade off.

The mahindra are of better quality than the china units. I still feel they are not at 100% of the big three.. but very close.. their big thing is limited dealer support right now.. and no body i know will work on them, save the dealer here locally that carries them.

Before i but a tractor.. I call around to all the local aftermarket parts houese and services.. and local tractor mechanics to see who carries what / services what. When I got a 'none' response.. I avoid that tractor unless I am collecting it... That is one thing that is kinda keeping me from getting a super cheap long 900 right now.. nill support.

And no.. it isn't a chineese tractor.. its indian... Deffinately a step up the wooden ladder... and still getting hairy eyed looks for the fanatically domestic crowd.. ( the domestic crowd that doesn't understand the japaneese connection to most all the big three units.. ).

Soundguy

Durbob · May 11, 2004

Am i wrong or aren't the mahindras always "Last years technology"? Even the new 2015,2615,and3015 are on last years Cub Cadet after Cub Cadet redid its line up. At least that is what i heard. Seems you are gonna never get up to date technology with Mahindra. They should be a good bit cheaper. The Tafe (sp?) seems like the best bet for the money.

DAP · May 11, 2004

Chris ... no misunderstanding here. I KNOW you weren't comparing Mahindra to Jinma ... one of our moderators certainly was however. Look back at that thread and see where the word twisting took place. We are in agreement far as I can tell.

And cowboy ... no secrets here ... next time you PM me with a message of the nature I received from you via this thread, I'll send you some info on Anger Management counseling. Now if that was an attempt at intimidation, it almost worked. Pretty spooky PM there cowboy! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

cowboydoc · May 11, 2004

It wasn't any kind of intimidation DAP. I really think you should at least have a resemblance of some knowledge on what you are posting on. So far I have seen none of your posts that were based on anything but a weekend experience with a hydro tractor and now you are the expert on everything tractors. Those that do know something and have some experience are just labeled macho farmers in wolves clothes. I'm sure not on here trying to tell architects how to design things.

DAP · May 11, 2004

Let's clear the air cowboy ...

1st. You can't possibly know JACK about what I do nevermind where I do it, with whom and how I do it. Assuming you know what I have done with my life, what I do with my time and how I do it is silly.

2nd. If you don't already know the word and it's definition, look up the word 'obfuscation' in the dictionary. For career related reasons, I find it very handy and use it often. You are very good at obfuscating posts. Only because I do not presently earn an agrarian living farming would I ever assume to tell a farmer how to farm. So you offering not to tell an architect how to design something is completely irrelevant.

You refer to yourself as a farmer. You also seem to be fixated on pressing the point that being a farmer is very difficult. Not everyone needs to have that explained. I've noticed on more than one occassion your need to reprimand a novice farmer who thinks they can make a go of it in what comes off as a hostile mannerism.

The other attempts in your post paraphrasing some of my early ones (a great way to obfuscate) are dribble. I haven't forgotten some other interactions with TBNers that fly in the face of your childish rant.

Lastly, this will be the 3rd and last opportunity for you to provide the almanac of details you have about the quality differences between the Mahindra's and the JD's, if not so other's, including this JD owner, don't waste money on a Mahindra. I suspect you won't take the opportunity but so be it ...

TBrown · May 11, 2004

I should probably stay out of this, but I'd like to make a couple points.

First, though Mahindra is in fact an India-based company, and Deer is of course based in Moline, my Mahindra 2015 was in fact manufactured in the same place many of the Big 3 are manufactured...Japan. Mahindra does manufacture some models in India, and rebadges some Korean tractors as well. I guess they're a "global company", like CNH and.. well... Deere.

As far as I know, Deere is the only one of the Big 3 that has their name on tractors manufactured in China
Chinese John Deere site
They also have Kukje (in Korea) manufacture John Deere's for the Asian market. Granted, they're not for the U.S. market. But I don't see any other manufactureres putting their name on a Chinese tractor. Or on cheesy lamps & sofa blankets in the Sportsman's Guide either, for that matter.

From a quality standpoint, its been said many times on these forums that everybody makes a good tractor these days. The points about dealer support and parts availablity are valid, but I don't buy the "superior quality" thing. I'd invite anyone to come over and point out the inferior quality of my Mahindra, cuz I don't see it.

Evasive1 · May 11, 2004

When I started seriously looking at tractors three years ago I heard constantly that you had the big three with the best quality and all others had inferior quality in one way or another and I bought into this as fact.

But once I started looking to buy, starting with the big three, I just did not see it. Some of the other companies had just as good of fit and finish on their tractors at quite a cost savings. Of course the fit and finish issue is true with some makes of tractors but not all of them.

Their are people that swear by their colors and I respect their choice. But it is time for the big three to face the facts. They cannot automatically claim that the fit and finish on the "other" tractors is not as good and if they do try to claim it, they better have some evidence to back up that claim.

cowboydoc · May 11, 2004

I'll do even better than that DAP. Next farm show I'll let you know and you can fly out and I'll show you in person the differences that I think are important and why I don't think the quality is as good. Better yet come out and I'll take you to the Nebraska tractor test site. My brother-in-law is one of the managers there and that's where I get alot of my information on quality and performance as well. I can't post information from them because it's propietary info. and that's how they make their money. If you're interested buy the book that they put out every year. Also go to OCED. They test tractors internationally and put out a report.

As far as reprimanding anyone I hardly see it that way but you do. I try and relate real life experience to what people are trying to do. Take Rich Z. I have never once tryed to discourage Rich. I've tryed to help him out anyway that I could as well as others. Some things just don't work though. And most people underestimate the time, money, and breakdowns associated with it. But if anyone has a notion to do it in the face of all the odds I'd be the first one to do anything I could to help them out. Sorry if my trying to point out the reality of it was condescending to you. I certainly never meant it to be that way.

While don't you give us your background then? I'm going off of what I have read in your posts and in your bio. If you have some experience please let me know.