Buying Advice Looking for some ideas

   / Looking for some ideas #1  

redpack

New member
Joined
Aug 12, 2012
Messages
1
Location
Castalia, IA
Tractor
IH 656
Being new to this site, I thought I would ask for some ideas/opinions, I have cruised the threads for a few weeks and realize there is a ton of experience to be tapped into, so hopefully I can glean some much needed knowledge.

Here is my situation, I inherited the home farm:us-iowa:(180 acres tillable) 4 years ago and just finished a huge remodeling project on the house/buildings. (yes, I am still married:D). I have been cash renting the land, as did my father for the previous 18 years, but I am starting to get the fever to get into the dirt again after 35 years of being away from it. I am thinking about starting with 27 acres rotated between soybeans and corn, with an additional 12 acres of alfalfa. If I decide to grow larger, I can, but realistically know the odds aren't good, rent prices are too good to turn away the "sure" added income. Two IH 656 tractors, one hydro the other gear, were still being used by my father for brush hogging, removing snow, etc. I sold the gear tractor to a friend who had an IH ear corn picker, but no tractor.

I started this spring to look for a tractor to go along with the hydro IH 656 w/loader. It has always been shedded and works flawlessly, but I realize at 40+ years and 5 thousand plus hours, it is going to need some TLC in the future if I use it for more than just snow removal. I am looking for a tractor that will handle ground tillage and a square baler, in the 40-60 hp range. I like the weight difference of the Mahindra tractors, compared to similar horsepower Kubotas, John Deeres and New Holland, but I do not have much knowledge of the Mahindra brand, just the fact that the dealer, who is over 3 hours away, was so proud of what he was selling, without bashing the other brands.

Would any of you be willing to give me some ideas of which Mahindra tractors would fit my needs? I would like to go with 4 wd, type of transmission is not really a huge issue, a cab would be nice, but just from my uneducated observation, the tractors in the 40-60 hp don't look to be "built" as heavy(rear end) as the non cab tractors? Or am I letting my eyes deceive me? But I also need to keep figuring in the fact that moving snow in minus 20 temps isn't as fun as it used to be either!

Thank you in advance for any and all replies, I appreciate your time.
 
   / Looking for some ideas #2  
   / Looking for some ideas #5  
I have a 5530 and am very happy. If i could justify it there would be an 8560 cab on my property. The Mahindra ag sized machines are built to work. Good luck, I would be happy with that machine and wouldn't hesitate to get it. I just can not justify it, for now.
 
   / Looking for some ideas #6  
I recently bought an 8560 with Cab for an 82 acre property also recently aquired. There are currently only about 20 acres open but the plan is to double that with no immediate plans to actually farm. So far with only 15hrs on it all it's done is mow neglected fields with grass/weeds/brush around 4-5ft high and it doesn't even feel it. The next task is to grade 2 driveways as well as level some very uneven terain with a 6ft box blade as well as move some dirt piles. Having had a small machine with HST in the past I was initially afraid of the shuttle shift but quickly got over that as the back and fourth of loader work with clutch and shuttle shift becomes second nature. It also has a worksaver grapple that I used to pluck some surprisingly large boulders out of fields and will say that it's a LOT of machine to finess. As for the cab..the area is spacious, the AC is awesome and I've been saved 2x from bees nests so quite frankly it's priceless. With winter approaching I'm sure the cab will prove it's worth yet again. Like yourself I wanted a heavy machine but was also interested in the lifting strength of the loader, another area the mahindra shines. I will be moving everything from trees with the grapple to rock walls with the loader and didnt want to be under powered or feel tippy. The final component was pricing. At just under 40k for tractor/loader it was the best price/greatest value I could find plus 5yr warranty. As for the appearance of the build I didn't spend any time comparing between models but I have spent some time crawling up/over and under the 8560 and I will say that it's built thick and strong.
 
   / Looking for some ideas #7  
Congrats!!!!!! Love my 8560!! Just wished I got the cab now:duh:
 
   / Looking for some ideas #8  
Most (if not all) of the compact tractors built these days are well-built. In my area all of the dealers are competent and helpful. We bought the Mahindra (3510H) for many reasons:
  • Much more steel than plastic. It felt heavier, more stable, more durable than others.
  • Nothing hanging out below the body/frame (nothing to catch, drag, and wreak havoc).
  • Very easy to access all maintenance points (except one zerk that hides from me - or more precisely, hides from my memory).
  • Really well-designed 3-point hitch - I can't explain it as well as a dealer could; it's just far, far easier to attach implements than some I've seen.
  • Draw bar is a bit longer, more secure.
  • Adjustable speed on hitch up/down. Surprisingly, not all tractors had this feature.
  • Loader design made it easy and secure to install (weld) hooks for chains/cable/rope for pulling and for securing loads such as brush.
  • Visibility from seat over hood better than some tractors.
  • Very comfortable, adjustable seat. No more hemorrhoids.
  • Intuitive console. It's easy to see everything operational thing I need to know.
  • I don't know how other tractors are designed, but on my Mahindra there are two places to go to control PTO. That's a good thing, because I frequently bump into one of the controls and accidentally put it in the ON position. However, the PTO doesn't spin until I use the other control, as well. That bumping thing is my problem - I'm not very graceful. My wife - and others don't seem to have that problem.
  • Did I mention PRICE? I saved enough over green/yellow and orange and blue tractors to pay for my implements. I wanted to have the dealer throw in some cans of paint so I could paint it to look like those other tractors and pretend to have spent more money than I really spent (all that extra money like my neighbors spent) :thumbsup:. The dealer refused.:thumbdown:
  • Warranty. See an earlier discussion of this. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/mahindra-buying-pricing/195330-mahindra-warranty.html
My insignificant gripes:
  • Differential lock is awkward to use - the pedal is in the wrong place. I rarely use it, but when I do I wish I could cuss in Korean.
  • Getting in and out of the starboard side of the cockpit is awkward. So I have to pretend it's a horse and always get on from the left side. Don't get me wrong - it's quite doable for someone younger, looser, and less clumsy than I am.
  • It's so good at what we ask it to do, and so comfortable - I have to get up early to get to Mighty Mo (our Mahindra) before my wife does. My gripe is having to get up early
  • No matter how great a guy my dogs think I am - smart, generous, handsome, etc. - I still have to write a check for it every month

Most of the compacts from reputable dealers are good enough. I think Mahrinda is far better than good enough. Of course if you ask me 5000 miles from now my attitude might be different. And your hourage may vary. Good luck with your purchase.
 
   / Looking for some ideas #9  
Duh-oh!

My better half just asked me which planet I'm on. Having just written a check to Mahindra Finance, I got confused. Our tractor is a BRANSON - financed through Mahindra. All of those nice things I said about Mahrindra actually apply to Branson. :confused2:

Now you know why I sometimes discover that I'm walking funny because my pants are on backwards. That's what happens when you mix a Traumatic Brain Injury with geezerhood.

The dealer carries Mahindra and Branson. After putting them both through some testing (and having tested many others - new and used), the Branson was the best for us - for the reasons described above. But the Mahindra came in second .... For what it's worth, the dealer recommended Mahindra for 30 HP and under, Branson for over 30 HP. Of course, that was the dealer talking.
 
   / Looking for some ideas #10  
I'd go with a cabbed 8560. You never know when you might decide to go with bigger hay equipment. Bigger is always better than needing a bigger tractor. I have the 6520 and should have bought the 7520, but the 6520 is a Big RED Beast. The 20 series was changed to the 60 series when Mahindra went to the Tier IV engines.
hugs, Brandi
 
 
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