Looking at a new Mahindra 5500 w/loader....

[JimWaltman]

do i really need 4wheel drive???? what is a fair price????

Any other comments /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[KennethBrown]

Right at one month ago I bought a 5500 with FEL. I paid $17950 at J5 tractor in Normangee Texas. Mine is 2wd, I do wish I could have gotten the 4wd. I tend to work mine as close to the limit as I can so it would have been helpful. For what I paid I am extremely happy, no real problems so far.

 

[Clyde]

Jim - Welcome to the Mahindra forum! We are eager to answer questions with models of Mahindra's that we are familiar with. Your question as to whether or not you need 4WD is rather vast as to what typo of land you are working, the soil conditions, and what you are trying to do. To help us help you - fill in your approximate locale in your profile. With a FEL, I have found 4WD invaluable for traction with heavy loads. I don't think you will find the extra dollars spent as wasted and someday it will make your tractor that much more valuable as a trade-in or selling it outright. Good luck in your purchase.

Clyde

 

[7520]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( do i really need 4wheel drive???? what is a fair price????

Any other comments /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gifclyde is right go for the 4wd. there won't be a day when you regret it . i almost made that mistake. i'm glad they talked me into it. with fel I feel it is a must. your tractor will be able to do 10 times the work with the extra traction. Happy tractoring

 

[MECO1]

5500 is a great tractor. I know McKelvey Equipment was advertising them for $16,999.00 with a FEL. 2wd. Cheapest one I could find.

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Jim:

I would say that if you're not sure whether or not you need 4WD, you should definitely get it. If you were absolutely convinced that you did not need it, that would be a different story (although I'd probably still try to talk you into it). /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I couldn't imagine not having it. I'd get stuck 20 times a day without it, or couldn't do nearly as many of the things I do with my tractor.

As others have said, you're bound to get light in the rear at times when doing loader work and need the traction in the front.

In fact, I'm sitting here trying to think of an application where 4WD wouldn't be a good thing to have. Someplace where it never rains, so there's never any mud? Or maybe if the tractor is always going to be operated on a paved surface, and it never snows?

I will say that the CUT that I have is the only tractor I've ever owned, and maybe really big farm tractors can just go through just about anything with 2WD, and if the fields are muddy you just don't work them, that kind of thing. But for utility work and all kinds of varying tasks and conditions, I think you'll be really glad you got 4WD.

I dunno - maybe a good basic rule of thumb would be: tractors that have 2 wheels, get two-wheel drive; tractors with 4 wheels, get 4-wheel drive. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The last thing I want to do is be, or sound like, a know-it-all. I'd welcome some input from the 2WD fans I've just offended on why the extra expense of 4WD wasn't worth it for you. If you have your reasons, then that makes them valid in my book.

 

[TobaccoRoad]

Definately go with the 4WD when using a FEL.

 

[davidki]

I have been looking at a number of tractors, JD, Kabota MF in the 50 + hp range, after reading this forum today I made a call to a Mahindra dealer, seems like he has a 6000 and a 5500 both 2 Wd's used.. thought i'd go down and look at them, they both have FEL's Anything I should look for or ask? Any ideas on fair price if they are in Good condition? I think the guy said the 6000 has about 200 hours on it. Ill get more info tomorrow if I take a drive. Since this is my first tractor buy I am going to look at as many as I can before I buy.. unless I get a killer deal.. (which by the way, I missed out on a JD 5202 wit FEL last week for $17,500 with 200 hours on it) how whould the Mahindra stack up to something like that? I am in Lebanon Tn, just out of Nashvllle

 

[davidki]

My post about the JD should have been a 5303 with FEL for 17,500 not a 5202 sorry..

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

In my previous post on the merits of 4WD (MFWA I guess I should say) for utility tractors I left out maybe the biggest reason of all to get it - SAFETY.

A fellow tree guy (who just bought his second Mahindra, a 5500 4wd) and I were just comparing notes on this one.

Picture yourself going down an incline, doesn't have to be that much of one, with a load that is making you light in the rear. Now picture yourself picking up speed as your rear tires fail to put down enough traction to slow you down. Since your tractor has no front brakes, picture yourself now on a nice "Nantucket Sleighride". Now picture your new car, a child, or a steep drop-off at the end of the incline.

Sure, you might think fast enough to drop the loader in time to stop you before something bad happens, but things can happen pretty fast.

Having 4wd makes all the difference in this situation. All that weight in your loader gives the front wheels more traction to help keep you in control. (Of course, you have to already BE in 4wd - failing to do so is how I know about these thrill-rides).

I don't want to sound like a jerk, maybe it's too late, but please don't get 2wd just to save some money. Read a bunch of posts from many, many sources, like the ones in this thread saying that 4wd is a "must" for loader work. Maybe ask the dealer for the name and number of the previous owners of the tractors you mentioned, and ask them why they traded in their 2WD tractors. Maybe they took one thrill-ride too many.

Bird said it very well in one of his posts. The vast majority of the time you'll do fine with 2wd. The other times, you'll be kicking yourself wondering why on earth you didn't get it. It just seems to me that those "other times" will be enough to put a great big damper on your tractoring experience, and it seems to me that life's too short for stuff like that.

Ok, I'll shut up now.