So, just what refinements would be required for you to change your mind?
For what it's worth,
The MAX 25 is HEAVY. Mahindra touts this as a positive. They use it as support for "How Well Built" the MAX is. But there are two things here, They want to call the MAX a SCUT. MOST people looking for a SCUT class tractor do not want a 1700 LB Bare tractor. As far as SCUT's go, this is a negative to me. On the other side of the argument, the MAX 25 is a CUT as far as I am concerned, and the Weight makes sense as such. However, Kubota pointed out, and rightly so, that the Mahindra is under powered, power to weight ratio, compared to other comparable tractors by other brands. Please note, I am not commenting on rather or not the tractor has enough power. Maybe it does, maybe it does not. But I do feel that compared to other brands, the Power the MAX does have is not some super selling point.
Huge rear tires, "For a Scut", and no rear fenders. Yes, the MAX has fenders, but like 90% of the tire is exposed. I don't like this.
The placement of the brake peddel, and the fact that they give you right and left braking, but place it on the same side as the forward reverse pedals is just stupid. Yes, this stupid design is shared by some other brands, and it's just as stupid on them. I have to swing my left leg over to the right side in order to get any use out of right and left braking. Why? In fact, why give Right and left braking on a "SCUT" anyhow? Are you plowing fields with your SCUT? That was the original purpose back in the days of 2WD Farm Tractors. They should have saved the money adding this, and gave you a proper forward pedal.
Which leads me to my next complaint. What the heck is up with the wire rod for the foot pedals? Is it functional? I guess so, but it's pretty dang UNREFINED in my book. I don't like it.
The FEL has all flexible Hydraulic line stuck to it. Why? When every other SCUT has Hard line, and every other CUT has hard line on the FEL. This was clearly a step backwards and likely done as a cost saving measure. I don't like it.
Further on the FEL, that is one heck of a loader control set up. The valve is jacked off a steel stand off, with about the most basic handle you could find sticking off the valve. Again, function? Yea I guess so, but I have seen and operated much cleaner and better fitting designs. Is this the way we build things in 2013? On a totally redesigned from the ground up tractor? I don't like it.
The control lay out is awkward. People that like the MAX disagree, I get it. But it makes me think of the tractor design they were using in the 1940's. It's old fashioned and not as comfortable to me.
The hood is flimsy. When you lift it, it rocks back and forth and feels like it was just thrown together hap hazard. I don't like it.
Max brags about how easy it is to work on the engin, and sees the "Backwards Desing" of other brands as somehow a negative. There is a reason the radiator is in the back on other brands. It shields the radiator from taking on laundry Lint when mowing the lawn, and it pulls the air from the cockpit through the engine and passes the hot air out the front. This is LESS refined in my book to mount the engine the same way they have been doing it for 100 years.
The Diff Loc lever is in the back of the cockpit. You have to pull your foot back, and lean forward to apply pressure to the foot control. Why not put it up front where you just have to move your foot 1 inch to catch it. And instead of having to lean forward to apply weight, you can push back naturally into your seat. I don't like it.
The lights on the fender are an absolute joke. Both the light quality and the placement. They are begging to be smashed.
The MMM height adjustment is NEOLITHIC. Mahindra, you are seriously going to use the draw bar in the MMM height adjustment scheme? I don't like it.
The way the Backhoe attaches to the MAX, now here is an interesting question. My local dealer claims he has NO IDEA how the backhoe attaches the the MAX 25, as he has never sold one with a hoe. He can't speak to how easy or not easy it is to take on and off. He was not certain if the 3 point hitch arms had to come off or not. I heard through someone else that the arms can stay on, but it's actually less of a pain in the but to simply take them off. The hoe connects to the tractor by an under carriage mount. It is unclear if this has to come off in order to mount the MMM. Oddly enough, with all the videos available on line, NOT ONE showing how to take the hoe on and off. And my local dealer can't give me even the first clue how to do it? I would call the Service primitive also.
Looks mean something to me. I certainly would not overlook and ugly tractor if it had everything else going for it. But, it is a factor non the less. Along with the cockpit layout, the whole tractor looks OLD. The Mahindra Max Series was supposed to be a completely new development from the ground up. (I do not buy this, I think they took an existing tractor and put new tires on it, but that's another thread). For being a completely new tractor, this thing is dated. I don't like it.
The advertising campaign for the MAX series is simply misleading and distasteful. This says a lot to me about what the core values at Mahindra are. And I do not share them. Between Don and my local Dealer, they have both shown utter contempt for any other brand of tractor and non Mahindra branded/sanctioned attachments. If you need a demonstration of unprofessional-ism, see Don's No More BX/S video. The core values of the company are Primitive, and I don't like it.
Now before you tell me that many other brands, share many of the same traits I have listed here, I am not denying that. But in totality, the Mahindra showed me it's true colors. It is not a new tractor in my opinion, it is an old tractor with a few changes to it. It was a tractor designed for the Asian market from whence it came, namely India. And the total package added up to be much less appealing to me then many other choices available.
These are my Opinions. You asked me for them, and I have put them forth. Please note that I never once said that the Mahindra is not a solid tractor, nor did I say that people should not buy it if it works for them. But at the same time, I think quite a few people share many of the same opinions.