Buying Advice New tractor purchase.

[DieselBound]

I'm having a hard time keeping up on this thread (sorry, I'm old! :laughing Did you give them an ultimatum? That is KEY. It is clear that you feel this hasn't been dealt with in a timely matter, but there has been no real timeline given. As long as you keep going along with things you are in essence accepting their course of action, which apparently has an open-ended timeframe for resolution.

I would confront the dealer TODAY/NOW and state that YOU demand full repairs by whatever timeline that you wish and if they cannot agree upon any timeline then you WILL seek to retain an attorney. You really have to force them to commit; THEN should they fail to deliver you can walk right into a courtroom and nail them to the wall. Somewhere along the line, and in fairness, YOU will need to specify what the conditions of fully signing off will be (otherwise one could drag things well beyond any warranty period, which isn't normally something that one could expect [some manufacturers have extended warranty stuff for some issues- I know that VW, a company that I don't have any love loss for, extended some corrosion issues on their MKIV (and MKV?) platform to THIRTEEN years!]).

 

[Gasifier]

I told the dealer weeks ago that I wanted him to buy my tractor back. He said no, he will fix it. That’s what the warranty is for.

 

[DieselBound]

But you gave no ultimatum. I'm sure that eventually they'd have no choice other than to buy it back or replace it, but the question is WHEN. You've left this open-ended: yes, you've been tolerant, and I tend to be that way too, but eventually it's time to call for an end. One week? Two weeks? NAIL THEM!

Put it to them this way: "I've been patient for x-amount of time already w/o Mahindra providing resolution; I've been inconvenienced; I give you TWO weeks to fully resolve this issue such that if an acceptable resolution [both sides have to agree here] hasn't occurred that I WILL be retaining an attorney. [and will seek to be compensated for 'pain and suffering'," something that I've been sucking up up until now"]."

 

[Industrial Toys]

Curious, why you strayed from your low hours used tractor approach? Not old beat to death junk, but high quality, nice, low hours machines. In these times of over complicated EPA tractors, your approach would have made more sense then ever. Especially for someone that knows what they are doing.

A warranty means nothing if the design was junk! I found that out with Deere. Manheim even cut (special) new gears just for us, but that only helped, not corrected the problem.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

The lemon law does not apply to tractors. However I have done a little research and don稚 know if I should share that. But the federal consumer protection act basically says the warranty is a promise to FIX the product, not just keep working on it and trying whatever to fix it. Which is what seems to be happening now.

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is a Federal lemon law that basically says they have to fix it in a 途easonable number of attempts? So the question will be what is 途easonable with this latest debilitating problem of power loss. And do all the other attempts to fix the other things like the steering and transmission problems count towards that? I am no lawyer. Just an average Joe trying to get some work done with a very expensive piece of equipment I bought. So I guess I値l have to let the lawyer figure this out. It痴 very unfortunate. I have never, ever retained a lawyer for anything but closing on a piece of property. Very unfortunate.

Well the current administration is working on gutting the Federal Consumer Protection Bureau whose job it was to enforce these protections.

 

[DieselBound]

Well the current administration is working on gutting the Federal Consumer Protection Bureau whose job it was to enforce these protections.

Thanks, Luke, I was going to mention it as well. Not sure if its imminent or not, but probably better for the OP to push hard for a quick resolution!

Industrial Toys, sometimes it's easy to say in hindsight. Not all used machines are without problems. Nothing is immune for weak points; it's really about what weak points you are OK living with. I don't follow all the issues with this Mahindra model (or Mahindras in general- I'd like to because I'm interested in everything, but time is limited), but I'd find it fairly unlikely that this particular issues i rampant. Don't mean that it isn't, just that there doesn't seem to be widespread knowledge of such. Little this matters to the one [OP] who is affected. I really like Kubotas, but I know that Kubota has put out models with some issues that I wouldn't really have tolerated (and they were design issues- I cannot recollect, and I'm feeling a little lazy about providing a source, but my mind tells me that I'm good on this statement). And we have ZERO idea if this is even remotely associated with emissions stuff, so, really, not fair to throw out conjectures (if you know a case of such that matches the OP's issue then by all means elaborate- I'm all FOR every manufacturer being better).

 

[Industrial Toys]

I'm just curious why the OP changed his strategy? One, I tended to agree with and has done well for me. As for the emmissions, I wasn't suggesting that this was the problem here, just, if there ever was a good reason to get older machines, this would be a good "right across the board" reason in my opinion.

I wish the OP best of luck in resolving the matter.

 

[Gasifier]

Curious, why you strayed from your low hours used tractor approach? Not old beat to death junk, but high quality, nice, low hours machines. In these times of over complicated EPA tractors, your approach would have made more sense then ever. Especially for someone that knows what they are doing.

A warranty means nothing if the design was junk! I found that out with Deere. Manheim even cut (special) new gears just for us, but that only helped, not corrected the problem.

I am curious why I did this as well. LOL! I have no good answer looking back now. I was in a John Deere 210 C I had bought to move a lot of fill and other work to build my barn. Decided to sell that when project was completed and thought a new one would be nice. When I got this machine I was excited. Just moving snow and light weight work it did great. But when I started doing the more difficult work the problems started.

 

[DieselBound]

One can always second guess oneself. It does no good to go back in time (only value is in the future for other possible purchases).

I would be surprised if "difficult work" is responsible. I'm NOT going to claim that my Kioti is a Kubota, but I sure as heck can work it as hard as a Kubota and it's done everything I've wanted it to do and has not broken down doing "difficult work." (I've put about 1,100 hours on my B7800 in seven years; in one year I put on about 230 hours on the Kioti, doing darn near everything). However, I highly doubt that the Kioti could take the utter abuse that I'd thrown at my Kubota: I can claim total ignorance with my tractor knowledge over most of the time I've had my Kubota; some things I look back at and shake my head- would NEVER do that with the Kioti, AND, I wouldn't look to do them again with the Kubota; my point here is that shy of total abuse (which Kubotas seem able to handle, well, my B7800 can) I doubt that any tractor matched for the job is going to fail. A particular member of the population of a particular tractor line, yes, but not the total population (a high percentage).

As I've been trying to get across is to FORCE the resolution. Another story, on something unrelated, but I believe it still speaks to being in this kind of situation. Correction! TWO stories. I'll make them as brief as a I can.

Story 1: I sent off $1k for a new, ported chainsaw. The guy kept telling me "I'm finishing up on these other saws and I'll be doing your <model> next;" that or "check back in a couple of weeks." I'd check back and get no response. Call him up and he says his e-mail was hacked and that I could use this other one. OK! Same delay runaround. After NINETEEN weeks of this horse pucky I fired off e-mail to him stating that I expect to see either my money returned OR the saw BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK. One week later I get what I was after- the saw (while the experience sucked I can say that now that it's over I'm perfectly content with the saw that I wanted).

Story 2: Had one of my cars in for body work. I had a spare car and was in no hurry. There was some specialized work that was needed and I didn't want to make the guy feel like he was rushed. I put off this job for over two years and I didn't really want to be disappointed. I really had no time frame. BUT, I would stop by his shop from time to time and just visit and see how things were shaping up. I REALLY like the guy. But after a good couple of months when I was visiting he said that he really did need to get my car done and told me not to say that it was OK for him to put it off! He was well aware that he'd put it off for too long. Not much later my car was done. I completely allowed this guy to take however long he wanted. The outcome was just what I wanted.

(this was a busy year!)

Both stories ended up with "happy" endings. Both were different approaches. Unless you're willing to hang in limbo you should NOT appear to acquiesce to doing so. think that you need to go the route of my Story #1. If there's any balking THEN inform them that you refuse to wait any longer and that you will get your attorney involved. Don't need to be nasty about it, just forthright, professional- it's a business thing in which there appears the need of an outside arbiter to help resolve.

 

[Gasifier]

Thank you all for trying to help out.

 

[sixdogs]

All this talk of warranty and lawyers is premature and at this point not the right thing. You're too nice of guy and not skilled enough to navigate some of this and may need legal help if it comes to that. A warranty is fine but there are other already settled principles that say the product you buy must conform to the quality and expectations of products produced before and in conformity with what buyers have come to expect of that product.

In other words, if all Kubotas are Orange II and yours comes through as Orange I without your consent, you win without another word being said. If all Ford trucks come through with a spray in bedliner and yours is the only one without, you win. If all GMC trucks come through with tinted windows and your is the only one without, you win. That kind of thing and no lawyer would argue otherwise. A lawyer is not in your future because it's too expensive, a local atty wouldn't know thing one and the other side would knot things up forever. That's why you have no receipts.

Work with the regional and get tougher without threatening. If you don't know what to say, don't say anything. Always say as little as possible and skip the wife and kids talk since that's just smoke and mirrors. You may have to have a lawyer write a letter requesting any needed info but that ought to be enough to move the regional. I think I wrote early on in this thread that when problems like this start to happen to just bail on the tractor and chalk it up to buying the wrong thing. Somethimes life is lemons and we need to get out from under. Just my free advice.

 

[bspeedy]

He has no documentation. Nothing.
Weeks ago, I politely explained that they should not touch his tractor without a signed work order.

He has talked to the dealer, mechanic, and the Rep and still not one document to connect his tractor to all these issues.

It is frustrating as a reader and participant because we are all trying to help but he does not seem to want to help himself.

This is where I'm at on this. Don't know why I would be so frustrated... I just really want it to work out for the OP. He seems like a decent fellow, and I hate to see him suffer.

Also - you don't need a document from a dealer. Just document times / dates / phone calls / etc YOURSELF. Write it down. This is EVIDENCE, and I've suggested doing this already. Stop trying to get OTHERS to do something and DO IT FOR YOURSELF!!!!

Good luck, Gasifier. I'm with you, really...

 

[RSR]

I'm amazed that more dealers don't pay attention to the good/bad will that they are often sowing when dealing with customers. I am a long time lurker on this site, as I try to learn everything I can in preparation for buying a tractor for property maintenance.

As a fellow North Country resident, with few options for buying tractors, I have been closely watching discussions regarding Mahindra, as they are one of the more cost-sensitive options in this area. My concern is tractor reliability, and dealer support. This was a great opportunity for the local Mahindra dealer, which is a relatively new dealer, to demonstrate they would stand behind a product should problems arise. This was an opportunity to instill confidence in future customers, such as me, that they would do what is needed to keep the customer working, and happy. Instead, they have done the exact opposite.

It may only be one data point, but when it comes time to buy in the next year or so (once I come to terms with the cash-outflow that will be required), I now know which dealer I won't even bother visiting.

 

[Gasifier]

Holy ****! Tractor fixed and returned today! One of their drivers /workers dropped it off to me.

I don’t have much time. Lots to do and then driving.

Short at the back of the fuse panel. The mechanic said he chased this problem for 2 1/2 days. Said the ECM or Engine Control Module was powered most of the time but when the short occurred must of been creating bad codes and problems with maybe the fuel something or other? All I know is it created havoc.

So let me ask your opinion on this.

I wish the dealer or Mahindra would have at least called me and said sorry for all your problems and here is what I (we) can do for your troubles.

Is that too much, for me to be asking now that they fixed it for me? After all these headaches, stress, frustration, and lost time?

 

[Teachu2]

Holy ****! Tractor fixed and returned today! One of their drivers /workers dropped it off to me.

I don’t have much time. Lots to do and then driving.

Short at the back of the fuse panel. The mechanic said he chased this problem for 2 1/2 days. Said the ECM or Engine Control Module was powered most of the time but when the short occurred must of been creating bad codes and problems with maybe the fuel something or other? All I know is it created havoc.

So let me ask your opinion on this.

I wish the dealer or Mahindra would have at least called me and said sorry for all your problems and here is what I (we) can do for your troubles.

Is that too much, for me to be asking now that they fixed it for me? After all these headaches, stress, frustration, and lost time?

Yours, or the dealers? This hasn't been a barrel of laughs for them, either! Intermittent shorts are one of the worst - 20 hours of chasing phantoms...but they stayed with it until they fixed it. Have an adult beverage and be happy.

 

[Gasifier]

Yours, or the dealers? This hasn't been a barrel of laughs for them, either! Intermittent shorts are one of the worst - 20 hours of chasing phantoms...but they stayed with it until they fixed it. Have an adult beverage and be happy.

Oh I plan on that! But my point is that I go through the worst of it, the dealer goes through his lost time and headaches, (but submits warranty claim to get paid for some of it) and Mahindra apparently does nothing about it for either of us.

 

[cphilip]

Look at it this way... you may have saved many other owners the headache and loss of use by at least making this problem on the check list that others may pursue if they have similar symptoms. In the end, if this problem occurred once it could again. Not sayings its a design flaw but it could be. At least in a small cross section of these. You can do good by letting everyone know what it was. That may be the only satisfaction you receive. If you were my customer you'd at least get a nice fruit basket!

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Now sell that thing! It's the difference between ignorance and stupidity.

 

[mike69440]

Now sell that thing! It's the difference between ignorance and stupidity.

Mahindra seem to have more than their share of electrical issues. Are all the good Indian electrical engineers moved out of India? Mechanically the 3500 series are beasts, Tough decision to keep or sell. Best of luck!

 

[Gasifier]

Mahindra did contact me and left a message on my phone.

A follow up e-mail also said this:

Dear Mr. ______,

I called you this morning and left a voicemail for you to return my call. I have also been in touch with ______, owner of The Wood Chop Shop. ______told me your tractor has been repaired and returned to you.

Please accept my sincere apologies for the issues you have had and the time it has taken to resolve it. As a gesture of goodwill from Mahindra I would like to offer you the next tractor service for free. I have instructed _______ to take care of this for you and Mahindra would reimburse him for the service.

If I can be of further assistance to you please feel free to contact me at any time.

Thanks for choosing Mahindra and have a great afternoon.