Buying Advice Kubota 3200 vs Mahindra 3016

[jkempcai]

So talking transmission, I'm new and don't know what to expect from the different options... what would you say in comparing the basic gear drive vs the shuttle drive vs hst? Cost of maintenance/repair and reliability? From what I understand the shuttle is reliable and convenient but I like simple and gear driven is simple. I love the hst on my lawn tractor but I understand it can be costly to repair in the long run.

 

[rScotty]

Consider the next size larger tractor than what you are looking at. It's not horsepower so much as balance. Plus the larger ones tend to have the features - like draft control and live PTO - that you want to have.
rScotty

 

[wolftree]

A HST will cost about $1000 more over gear drive. Only you can say if it is worth it to you.

 

[Bluegill2]

They are all reliable, but HST will be the most costly to repair.

I personally like gear drive much better! I'll likely never own a HST trans tractor.

 

[petegoud]

If you do get the L3200 (Mine's about 3 months old now), and you get it with an HST, make sure you also order it with a cruise control. I took me about 2 hours of using mine to realize it was needed. Cost me just has much for the part, with me installing it has the initial cost of ordering one already installed. Another lesson learned.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

IF you have not already done this, then do yourself a favor and go to EVERY tractor dealer that is within your comfortable driving distance. Pretty much all of the tractors these days are good machines, :thumbsup: what you need to find out is which one feels the best to you. Typically the Korean tractors offer a few more goodies as std equipment that the bigger names charge extra for. Nothing wrong with that, just letting you know how it is.

I happen to have a Mahindra 3215 HST as one of my tractors. A predecessor model of the 16 series tractors. While this tractor is one heck of a tractor for it's size, and I have it ballasted to 5000lbs, I think that if there is any way that you can afford to get up into the 40HP range of tractors, you would be quite a bit better off. I know that you said storage is a problem, but it really is something that you might want to consider.

Good luck.

 

[dogbrdr1]

I will never buy another Mahindra (unless really cheap). My 2310 has 800 hours and the frame is cracked, found out it is cast and made by TYM. I have a huge lise of stuff that is or has broke on this tractor. I really got jipped buying the Mahindra. I now have a china YTO and it is much better.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I will never buy another Mahindra (unless really cheap). My 2310 has 800 hours and the frame is cracked, found out it is cast and made by TYM. I have a huge lise of stuff that is or has broke on this tractor. I really got jipped buying the Mahindra. I now have a china YTO and it is much better.

Sorry that you had one of the bad units. Every manufacturer has a bad unit now and then. There are 10s of thousands of good units for every one that ends up bad. I happen to have 2 Mahindras, one built by Miutsubishi and the other one built by Mahindra. Both VERY GOOD tractors IMO.

 

[dogbrdr1]

Yep should have read the tag "Made by TYM"

 

[TomSeller]

I would go with a Kubota and I would choose R4 tires, the more plys the better for all those woods you have. While you get less traction, you would be getting a much more stout tire. All the sticks and stumps could easily puncture a tire and R4s are better than R1s in my book.