Re: What\'s your opinion of Branson, Kioti, or Mahindra
Thanks to all for your opinions. It was a very difficult decision, but after considering a number of factors, I brought home a Mahindra 4110. I thought I'd post a little information on the +'s & -'s and why I went this route.
The Branson & Century (same tractor, different importer) had strong positives in the "driveablity" department - smooth clutch, smooth shifting, and a very smooth engine. However, I found the fit/finish the roughest of all the brands I was looking at. HP was the highest, but lift capacity was not. Overall nice machines, but seemed to have limited dealers and I was less confident since those dealers I spoke with sold a relatively low volume of tractors.
The real toss-up came down to the DK40 & the 4110. From the spec. sheets from both manufacturers, the 4110 edged out the DK40 on just about every category, but spec sheets aren't everything.
The DK40 had some very nice convenience features with the 3 pt, which basically made getting stuff on/off quicker/easier with fewer tools. Necessary? No, but nice. Also, visibility - the DK40 has a lower hood compared to the driver, which improves your ability to see. Also, the arms on the DK40's loader have a lower arch, so you don't have a "blinder" effect as with the 4110.
So why the 4110 over the DK40? A couple of things- ergonomically I really felt comfortable in the 4110 - I could quickly get on and it was "intuitive" to operate - the Kioti I had to stop and think quite a bit more - I could have eventually become accustomed to the DK40, but it just didn't seemed to "fit" me as well. Specs - as alluded to earlier, it was generally beat out the DK40 in most categories. Gears - 12 instead of 8. Last (but not least) price - a difference in price in the 4 digit realm.
The biggest outstanding concerns I have are parts & resale. Based on the volume of Mahindras being sold by the dealerships I spoke with, I honestly think these will become very popular due to the price/performance ratio, hence improving resale value down the road.
Parts? The dealer I bought the tractor from (they sell Kioti too) said that overall, parts were readily available for both brands. They did give me some specific examples of when parts were a little behind, but most of the time these were somewhat obscure items. So the bottom line is I can't say for sure at this point, but again, based on the volume of sales, I think there will be a good market for parts sales in the future.
I've generally found that folks are pretty proud of the brand they buy (that's ok - it's natural). However, I can honestly say I had a REALLY hard time choosing since I had not built up a brand loyalty based on past experiences (or lack thereof). I'm sure I could have been happy with any of them - as well as a green/blue/orange, but based on my goals & priorities, I think that 4110 is the best fit for me.
Thanks to all for your opinions. It was a very difficult decision, but after considering a number of factors, I brought home a Mahindra 4110. I thought I'd post a little information on the +'s & -'s and why I went this route.
The Branson & Century (same tractor, different importer) had strong positives in the "driveablity" department - smooth clutch, smooth shifting, and a very smooth engine. However, I found the fit/finish the roughest of all the brands I was looking at. HP was the highest, but lift capacity was not. Overall nice machines, but seemed to have limited dealers and I was less confident since those dealers I spoke with sold a relatively low volume of tractors.
The real toss-up came down to the DK40 & the 4110. From the spec. sheets from both manufacturers, the 4110 edged out the DK40 on just about every category, but spec sheets aren't everything.
The DK40 had some very nice convenience features with the 3 pt, which basically made getting stuff on/off quicker/easier with fewer tools. Necessary? No, but nice. Also, visibility - the DK40 has a lower hood compared to the driver, which improves your ability to see. Also, the arms on the DK40's loader have a lower arch, so you don't have a "blinder" effect as with the 4110.
So why the 4110 over the DK40? A couple of things- ergonomically I really felt comfortable in the 4110 - I could quickly get on and it was "intuitive" to operate - the Kioti I had to stop and think quite a bit more - I could have eventually become accustomed to the DK40, but it just didn't seemed to "fit" me as well. Specs - as alluded to earlier, it was generally beat out the DK40 in most categories. Gears - 12 instead of 8. Last (but not least) price - a difference in price in the 4 digit realm.
The biggest outstanding concerns I have are parts & resale. Based on the volume of Mahindras being sold by the dealerships I spoke with, I honestly think these will become very popular due to the price/performance ratio, hence improving resale value down the road.
Parts? The dealer I bought the tractor from (they sell Kioti too) said that overall, parts were readily available for both brands. They did give me some specific examples of when parts were a little behind, but most of the time these were somewhat obscure items. So the bottom line is I can't say for sure at this point, but again, based on the volume of sales, I think there will be a good market for parts sales in the future.
I've generally found that folks are pretty proud of the brand they buy (that's ok - it's natural). However, I can honestly say I had a REALLY hard time choosing since I had not built up a brand loyalty based on past experiences (or lack thereof). I'm sure I could have been happy with any of them - as well as a green/blue/orange, but based on my goals & priorities, I think that 4110 is the best fit for me.
