Buying Advice New tractor purchase.

[Turbys_1700]

Run it and don't worry about it...
You have a good dealer trying to make things right...

 

[DieselBound]

I've had a couple issues with my Kioti NX5510, but the dealer has been really good about dealing with them. Nothing has kept me from being able to use the tractor: as far as I am concerned this tractor will handle everything I can throw at it and do so time and time again until I'm too old to operate it. I had an early issue with a cab leak and a tweaked loader: both rectified right away. The tractor then racked up the hours until I was right about at the 200 hour mark; I was doing the 200 hr service and noted that the rear axle case on one side appeared to be a bit wet. Sealing issue. Since I have another tractor, and since I was on to other projects that didn't require a bigger tractor, I made it clear to the dealer that I wasn't in a hurry to get the tractor back*. The dealer not only resealed up the one side but they resealed the other side. I'm a firm believer in approaching things as a joint effort. The dealer needs to do good work and be responsive in order to stay in business. I need for there to be a dealer for when there's an issue (or for general maintenance items- I try and run money through them on such things as I know this helps them stay in business). I really demand/expect excellence, and if it ain't happening I'll look to help make it happen: doing so makes everything better.

* I feel that this also gives me a bit of reserve currency to use should I run into a really bind. It's really a lot about how the dealer's experience has been with you: it's only human nature that when people view you more positively that they tend to be a little more receptive to you. A good thing to note here is that people do not like to be rushed: I had some body work done on one of my cars and I gave the guy a LOT of time- I wanted him in the right frame of mind when we worked on it (body work can be like an art form, and this guy can be a little edgy- I would visit him and my car from time to time, always to BS and let him know I wasn't in a hurry; it was a job that most body shops wouldn't touch).

I have a Kubota (B7800) and I love it: got it used with 748 hrs (I've put on about 1,100 hours); I've bad some issues, but have dealt with them myself. I needed to add a bigger tractor but couldn't justify one, not a Kubota (I didn't like the lower end machines, how they were equipped, though for sure they're rock solid machines). My research included an annual survey of manufacturers, feedback from dealers. In the report that I saw I saw Kubota ranked right at the top -no surprise!- but, Kioti was also listed very high on the list. To me this said that these manufacturers supported their dealers (of course, Kubota's support is VERY polished). Never a guarantee, but, armed with all I had researched I pulled the trigger. I have a LONG way to go for this Kioti to cover its cost (my Kubota has), but so far in about 224 hrs its gotten a LOT of work done.

I once bought a washing machine, it was a relatively new design by a reputable manufacturer. It had a couple of problems early on and I was not happy with it after spending a lot of money on it. I did some of the resolution work on it myself (replaced a logic controller board; didn't have to wait for a service person to show up- wanted it running ASAP). After all that I experienced early on I can say that that once questionable piece of equipment has been, for MANY years now, humming along as though it'll run until the end of time. Customers, dealers and manufacturers working together almost guarantees a good outcome. I also look at it like the least I can do is to make sure that someone else coming along is less likely to have headaches.

But as Turbys_1700 says, just RUN IT! And run it as though you have no prior knowledge of any problems. My dealer also sells Mahindras and I probably would have been good going with one as well. After a while, though, need for dealer work is likely going to be long past: newer machines just tend to exhibit problems more so than older ones; once you get a new one settled down they'll tend to stay that way.

 

[BMan2005]

newer machines just tend to exhibit problems more so than older ones; once you get a new one settled down they'll tend to stay that way.

That's a good way to put it and probably true for most.

OP, the dealer is at least taking care of you no questions asked and has offered a loaner if you have any future issues. That's not bad at all! Like they said, run it & enjoy it.

 

[Gasifier]

Now waiting on a new hydraulic cylinder for steering. 254 hours. More lost time.

 

[JamesF]

Sorry to hear about your problems. I bought a McCormick X1.35 recently because it seems like I was getting more tractor for my money at $20,000. It has 5 year warranty. Here's the way I think of it: A Kubota or Deere tractor with similar capability and weight (that's what make the difference) was going to cost me $13,000 more. $13,000 buys a lot of parts and maintenance after the warranty is up. I'm like you in that this tractor isn't my day job so if it's in the shop I guess I'll do my wood working in garage of some honey do the the wife comes up with. If this tractor was for my day job the calculus would be different but its not.

 

[Gasifier]

Tractor steering cylinder has been fixed. Now to wait for the Mahindra representative to call me and come and look at my tractor, and then hopefully listen to me as I tell him about all the too many problems I have had with my tractor.

 

[Gasifier]

I just found a nice heavy duty blade at a good price on Craigslist for the three point on the tractor. This will be nice for moving snow, and building and maintaining roads and trails. It will rotate 360, tilt, and offset.

 

[bspeedy]

Tractor steering cylinder has been fixed. Now to wait for the Mahindra representative to call me and come and look at my tractor, and then hopefully listen to me as I tell him about all the too many problems I have had with my tractor.

A lot of the guys on here are more patient and kind than me. That's probably good for the world. :thumbsup:

I would ditch this problem machine. It's depreciating more and more every day. You've already taken the hit. Sell it for what you can, buy a Kubota (or whatever suits you) and don't look back.

I can't stand having equipment I can't count on. Even though I don't do this stuff for a living, I expect everything I have to be ready to run at any moment. Anything less gets dealt with. If I can't repair it, it goes. This is within your control. End the frustration. If Mahindra won't take it back, ditch it and tell everyone you know about your experience.

I appreciate all the 'testers' out there in TBN land. It keeps a cowardly Kubota owner like me advised on how good or bad the options are.

 

[Gasifier]

A lot of the guys on here are more patient and kind than me. That's probably good for the world. :thumbsup:

I would ditch this problem machine. It's depreciating more and more every day. You've already taken the hit. Sell it for what you can, buy a Kubota (or whatever suits you) and don't look back.

I can't stand having equipment I can't count on. Even though I don't do this stuff for a living, I expect everything I have to be ready to run at any moment. Anything less gets dealt with. If I can't repair it, it goes. This is within your control. End the frustration. If Mahindra won't take it back, ditch it and tell everyone you know about your experience.

I appreciate all the 'testers' out there in TBN land. It keeps a cowardly Kubota owner like me advised on how good or bad the options are.

I have considered that. But financially I can't do it right now. I would likely lose 15-20% of the value when I trade it in and I can't afford it. I'm waiting for the Mahindra representative to contact me. I thought I would hear from him this week, but haven't. I was told he was in training last week. Maybe this coming one. We shall see. We shall also see what Mahindra and the dealer will do for a customer who has gone through too many problems and lost too many days to work on his tractor.

 

[FMFProperties]

...You aren't going to get Toyota quality from a Kia.

I have a 2005 Toyota Tundra and a 2012 KIA Optima Hybrid and quality is awesome in both :thumbsup::thumbsup::laughing:

 

[FMFProperties]

A financial hit only hurts once. It's soon forgotten. Buying and operating a machine that won't do what you want hurts every time you use it.

Very true !!

 

[FMFProperties]

Far as Kubota, I have a simple 02' L3000 since new & it's been nothing but a tank & rock solid design. My dealer does sale both NH & Kubota and I went with a blue tractor this time and don't regret it. All companies have some made on a Monday. Good luck man.

You have both the Kubota and a New Holland. I just posted this thread here http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/buying-pricing-comparisons/387831-buy-new-branson-ls-massey.html

Maybe you could help out, thanks !

 

[Gasifier]

Mahindra representative still has not contacted me. I've talked with dealer twice now about meeting with him and representative. He has said he is waiting for him to come up to this area. So I told him I need him to call him and have him call me. I need to meet with him and the dealer.

The second time I called him was today. About a week after the last time. Today I called because this was the first time I tried to do some real work with the tractor since they fixed the transmission a few weeks ago.

Tractor started right up. Worked fine moving things around. Then I started dragging the York rake around the pasture to clean things up a bit and get rid of pine needles and manure. After about 20 minutes of doing this the hydraulic bogging down issue started again. No matter what I did I could not get it to stop doing it. So each time I put my foot down on forward or reverse pedal the tractor would "go limp" as another Mahindra tractor owner called it. Or when I tried to lift a bucket of manure up to dump it where I wanted the same thing, bogging down.

So I have talked with dealer about it on the phone and he says mechanic will be in my area on Wednesday.

When do these problems occur? When your using the tractor of course. So I have three days off. It happens just a few hours into working with tractor. And now I have to wait until they fix it.

More lost time for me.

Last winter it did well moving snow. What will the tractor be like this winter when I'm relying on it to move snow?

 

[Gasifier]

Mechanic came and hooked up computer. Looked to see if it had latest firmware. It does. I explained how it has happened at different times and suddenly. He asked me to see if I could get it to act up. So it took me about 10-15 minutes of running it and it happened just like he said he had seen it happen on a couple other tractors. After it got up to temp and the temperature gage got to about half way or a little more. Bam. Almost complete loss of power and couldn't do anything after that. He said with one tractor he actually had to have them flash it from another place. (Maybe Texas) Apparently they have a slightly modified one because of this problem on "some" tractors. Not keeping it? Hmmm. So he asked me for a power source and said let me try re-installing or re-flashing it with the same, latest one. Maybe it will fix the problem. The computer had it done in about 10-12 minutes or so. So I needed to make sure it wouldn't do it again. Temp gage was still up there about half way. I ran it. Back and forth at 2500 rpms up and down the drive way like before. Cycled loader up and down, bucket up and down. Then ran backhoe through its paces. No problems. Did that fix it? Turned engine off and on several times like I did the first time we went through. Ran it back and forth again. Now I've been running it longer, a good bit longer than the first time. Several more minutes. Good power, smooth running. That may have done it. More back and forth. Bam! Spit. Choke. Hesitation. Loss of power. Engine check light back on. Couldn't do anything after that.

When he first hooked up computer he could see it was, I can't remember what he called it, but hitting or pinging that pressure relief valve (PRV). He said 29 times. I showed him the fuel cap. He had told me it was the updated one. And told him I was still seeing it collapse the tank. So I would not tighten it down. He said the under side of that is showing it is still collapsing the rubber. He'll replace with a new one.

They are coming back to get it within the hour.

I told him of all my troubles in a nice and polite way. He is the mechanic. Not his fault. I told him I do not have a problem with the dealership. This is a Mahindra problem and I want to talk to the representative ASAP. Way to much lost time on my projects. And now winter is setting in, snow will be here soon and ground will be freezing up. Soon will be out of time for the ground work.

I want some satisfaction from Mahindra.

He is calling him this afternoon.

 

[sixdogs]

All things aside, you sure are a gentleman. It's hard to do but likely the right way to go about things.

 

[Fastball]

You’re a better man than I, sir. I’d have driven it through the dealership window at some point.
I know it sucks, but put the thing up for sale at your earliest opportunity and save yourself a potential ulcer. Then take whatever hit and buy a Kubota.
Sorry for your troubles, man.

 

[Gasifier]

Whatever it is it has cost me dearly in time. I only have so many days off from job. So many days of workable weather.

So since I had my tractor delivered last February I have been able to put 260 hours on it. I took 260 hours and devided that by 8 hour work days to see how many full days I have had to work it.

260/8=32.5 full days of work.

As of today, I have lost right about that amount of days waiting for them to fix my tractor with all the different things I have had go wrong with it. 32-33 days I have been unable to do anything with it.

And they have it now.

That's 50% of the time I could have worked the tractor it has been down.

I try to imagine where I would be on my trail projects if I had the tractor working all that time.

Now the winter is setting in. Snow will be here and ground will be freezing up. Won't be able to work on them again until things dry up enough next spring or early summer.

 

[Ortimber]

I feel for you. I usually take a similar approach as you and try to resolve issues like a gentleman. Getting pissed off has never really gotten me anywhere when dealing with problems like you are having.

If I was in your shoes, I would figure out a way to get out of that machine and into something you have confidence in. The financial sting only hurts for a while.

 

[DieselBound]

Really does seem like a fueling issue, fuel starvation. If diagnostics seemed to point toward excess vacuum build-up in the tank (as in their issue with the fuel cap) then perhaps there is something in the tank that's ending up blocking the outlet? I know that I was struggling with what I can only figure was some sort of ice pellet issue in the tank of my NX: engine was running and then after a while it quit; I would start it and it would run a bit and then die; finally figured it wasn't getting fuel; popped off the line and blew back into the tank and felt something dislodge.

One could possibly put something on the fuel line to watch flow, but I think that it would be easier to just run fuel from a separate container. This assumes there's not a separate fuel pump (just the IP being responsible for pulling fuel from the tank). If there's a fuel pump then for sure it needs to be checked out.

 

[Gasifier]

Really does seem like a fueling issue, fuel starvation. If diagnostics seemed to point toward excess vacuum build-up in the tank (as in their issue with the fuel cap) then perhaps there is something in the tank that's ending up blocking the outlet? I know that I was struggling with what I can only figure was some sort of ice pellet issue in the tank of my NX: engine was running and then after a while it quit; I would start it and it would run a bit and then die; finally figured it wasn't getting fuel; popped off the line and blew back into the tank and felt something dislodge.

One could possibly put something on the fuel line to watch flow, but I think that it would be easier to just run fuel from a separate container. This assumes there's not a separate fuel pump (just the IP being responsible for pulling fuel from the tank). If there's a fuel pump then for sure it needs to be checked out.

You could be right. It may be some sort of fuel issue. But I can start the tractor and let it run and it will keep running. It's only after I have worked it for a while will it start having the issue. It may be that it is causing that valve, pressure relief valve, to do what they say. I don't know why. But it does seem to be doing what JB1390 says. It shuts down the top rail pressure to prevent damage? Does this by mistake. Loses all power when trying to use anything. But still runs after you let off of said attempt at using power. Something like that. I'm far from a mechanic and have not studied this engine.