2538

[screamin400]

Pushing 200 hours on my 2538 with no regrets

 

[Atchuuu]

Hi, I have the 2555 HST TLB open station since May 2017 and now have 90 hours on it. I am quite pleased with it. Acthuuu,I am not sure where you are located but it has hit single and below 0 consistently by me in hudson valley NY. I am glad I got the block heater. It does start a little easier and the radiator temp is up to operating in just a couple of minutes instead of the 15 to 20 minutes it would take. i have some videos at allthingsdiy mike if you want to see the comparison and such. good luck.

Mikeman and TXHF - Thank you for your replies. Fortunately really low temps is not the norm for me but I will keep the block heater in mind.

Have read many forums and find some people are really fans of whatever brand they have. This is totally understandable but some say Mahindra is second tier or doesn't have good resale value. Others have said the warranty, although long, is difficult to use and not always honored. I'm no expert but have been impressed with the Mahindra 2538. It just seems like a better value then some of the others and if I pay less and sell for less then resale value might actually be the same or better than others. The only reason I am thinking of new vs. used is for the warranty so I want to make sure Mahindra stands behind their product. Any warranty experience and dealer support would be welcomed.

 

[mikeman1]

I am pleased with the dealer I purchased the tractor and implements from. They are actually further away than a closer dealership but the closer dealer did not give me the warm and fuzzies. the only problem i have had was PHD bent arm which was covered with no issues. Yeah, before I purchased I researched for a year and saw the pros and cons about Mahindra and the other manufacturers. Eventually i found what i thoguht was good and so far so good.

 

[dickfoster]

Mikeman and TXHF - Thank you for your replies. Fortunately really low temps is not the norm for me but I will keep the block heater in mind.

Have read many forums and find some people are really fans of whatever brand they have. This is totally understandable but some say Mahindra is second tier or doesn't have good resale value. Others have said the warranty, although long, is difficult to use and not always honored. I'm no expert but have been impressed with the Mahindra 2538. It just seems like a better value then some of the others and if I pay less and sell for less then resale value might actually be the same or better than others. The only reason I am thinking of new vs. used is for the warranty so I want to make sure Mahindra stands behind their product. Any warranty experience and dealer support would be welcomed.

I always suggest that you choose your dealer wisely. The dealer can make you life miserable or a joy so I recommend that people pay more attention to the dealer than they do the brand of machine. The warranty is only as good as the dealership that backs it up anyway. Lucky for me I chose wisely and so far it has paid of as the dealer has picked up the machine, done warranty work and brought the machine back twice on his dime. My dealer is 50 miles away so it's not an insignificant issue.

 

[Atchuuu]

I always suggest that you choose your dealer wisely. The dealer can make you life miserable or a joy so I recommend that people pay more attention to the dealer than they do the brand of machine. The warranty is only as good as the dealership that backs it up anyway. Lucky for me I chose wisely and so far it has paid of as the dealer has picked up the machine, done warranty work and brought the machine back twice on his dime. My dealer is 50 miles away so it's not an insignificant issue.

Dick, thanks for your advice. I agree the dealership is critical. Do any of you have any tips for comparing dealerships? I have searched for reviews online, length of time in area and for tips from people in the local area. Other than that, how do you really know how good a dealership is or if they will be around.

 

[TXHF]

I always suggest that you choose your dealer wisely. The dealer can make you life miserable or a joy so I recommend that people pay more attention to the dealer than they do the brand of machine. The warranty is only as good as the dealership that backs it up anyway. Lucky for me I chose wisely and so far it has paid of as the dealer has picked up the machine, done warranty work and brought the machine back twice on his dime. My dealer is 50 miles away so it's not an insignificant issue.

I chose my dealer 60 miles away because the closer dealer had such a bad reputation for service. I have a hauler for the tractor so I cover transportation and the one time it broke, I delivered it unexpected and they had it back to me 3 days later, no charge. I chose Mahindra first, then looked for the better dealer.

 

[sideskraft]

I don't have many hours on my 2540, but so far I love it. The FEL is stouter than the 2538 and it has a suspension seat, but otherwise pretty much identical to the 2538. My local dealer is outstanding -- I really lucked out, considering I bought the machine used on CL. They're main line is New Holland, but they have significant inventory of Mahindras too. Regarding resale value, based on my observations, I've noticed tons of low hour E Series Deere machines on CL selling at low prices, and most of the Kubota ads continued for weeks (they took a long time to sell). There is a fast growing audience for the "off brands" like Mahindra, Branson, Kioti, LS, Tym, etc. because of their higher performance, weight and pricing. A used Mahindra I was eyeing in IN sold before I had the chance to look at it. New orange and green machines command a premium price when new, but that doesn't seem to be the case on the used market, especially the green ones. To be clear, I'm talking about compact tractors -- in the "big machine" market I'm sure it's much different.

 

[Atchuuu]

Was out of town and went to visit a tractor dealership. Told the sales guy right up front that there was no way I would buy at his location but would pay him for a few minutes of his time. He was adamant that it wasn't necessary I pay him but I insisted. He spent over an hour telling me about the two lines they carry. The Mahindra and LS. I didn't feel there was any sales pitch at all. Perhaps a little personal bias but he really liked the Mahindra. Said they sell a bunch of the 1526 and 2538. Biggest issue in his opinion was related to wiring harness/pins.

He was able to give me some history on my local dealer too and said they have a very good reputation. Getting closer to making a decision. So far the 2538, Kubota L3901 and LS 3135 are the top three. The default is the L2501

 

[sideskraft]

Was out of town and went to visit a tractor dealership. Told the sales guy right up front that there was no way I would buy at his location but would pay him for a few minutes of his time. He was adamant that it wasn't necessary I pay him but I insisted. He spent over an hour telling me about the two lines they carry. The Mahindra and LS. I didn't feel there was any sales pitch at all. Perhaps a little personal bias but he really liked the Mahindra. Said they sell a bunch of the 1526 and 2538. Biggest issue in his opinion was related to wiring harness/pins.

He was able to give me some history on my local dealer too and said they have a very good reputation. Getting closer to making a decision. So far the 2538, Kubota L3901 and LS 3135 are the top three. The default is the L2501

The 2538 has more weight and capacity performance than the others, and the lack of DPF/DEF is a big plus IMO. The orange machines are pretty bare bones by comparison as far as features go. I was close to pulling the trigger on the LS XG3025 at my local dealer (excellent), but I couldn't pass up the deal that came up on my low hour 2540. As others have said, put lots of "weight" on the quality and attitude of the dealer. I totally lucked out that my Mahindra dealer (also NH) is outstanding, but that wasn't a big part of my buying decision on my 2540 (it should have been). I had a line on a very nice low hour JD 3038E, but that's a toy by comparison.

 

[dickfoster]

Dick, thanks for your advice. I agree the dealership is critical. Do any of you have any tips for comparing dealerships? I have searched for reviews online, length of time in area and for tips from people in the local area. Other than that, how do you really know how good a dealership is or if they will be around.

Well if they've been around they will likely stay around. Most of it is the feeling you get when you're talking to them. When I was shopping tractors some of them clearly were not interested, heck one of them never even got up from behind his desk so that spoke loud enough. While the dealer I choose said they delivered to my home and covered transportation for warranty work, others were done with you as soon as your tail lights cross the curb. It all adds up and eventually you get the warm fuzzies from some and nothing but cold and calculating from others so your gut will be your guide. Of course it never hurts to talk to other folks and have yourself a good look around the dealership at the service and parts departments etc. There is an old saying, service sells. Some know this others do not and tend to prey on suckers shopping for a rock bottom price. Another old saying is that you get what you pay for.