Buying Advice Yanmar or Mahindra? Small vs Large? - HELP!!

[2manyrocks]

The OP is complicated by the statement that there are 3 other tractors on the farm already. So does the OP get to use any of them? Then the OP says he wants something to use in the woods which raises questions about what kind of terrain and so forth he has.

I sort of scanned the responses, but did anybody talk about parts availability for the two brands in question?

I like my YM, but I'm not so sure which brand I'd get if I were starting from scratch.

 

[chnash99]

Thanks for all the responses so far. A couple of things to note:

The Mahindra is owned by an individual and it is not at Fredricks. I have not been to Fredricks yet but only talked to them on the phone. The Mahindra has 800 hours and the guy that owns it seems very honest. Says he wants to change the oil before he sells it and that I can come watch if i decide to buy it to learn how. Makes me believe he is honest and has taken care of it. I know looks can be deceiving though.

We do have several other tractors on the farm. We live on 120 acres in NW GA. The other tractors are not mine and I would not just ask to use them. They are all owned by family. I would not have to ask to use them because if I needed something done whoever had the right tractor for it would come do it with me/for me. The terrain is rolling hills. We have about 60 acres pasture and 60 or so woods. The main pasture that is about 45 acres is hayed by someone else for us. We don't have the equipment to hay it. They do the work, leave us enough hay for our livestock for the winter and take the rest.

The mower is not a belly mower. It is actually a 3pt hitch mower. We maintain about 15 acres of grass on the farm between 4 families. I would probably cut 2 acres or so every 2nd or 3rd cut. Not that much because my father in law is retired and just likes to spend time on his TC33!

Right now I am leaning towards the Mahindra. The only reservation is that it is so much more complicated of a tractor and if something goes wrong I won't be able to troubleshoot/fix it. My father in law has an electrical problem on his TC33 right now and no one in town can figure out what is wrong. These things have gotten almost like working on newer cars and it is difficult to find anyone that understands what is really going on with them. That is one thing about the yanmar that is attractive.

Also the 1 yr warranty with the Yanmar is attractive. I can just see me buying the Mahindra and the thing won't cranck to get it off the trailer when I get home. Maybe I am just paranoid but this is a big purchase for me and I don't want to screw it up!

 

[yanmars]

I own a 336d Yanmar, I have had it over 20 years and a Mahindra 4510. The first is a 33 horsepower tractor or thereabouts, the other 45 HP. One is an open tractor, one is closed. They are just different tractors so it is hard to compare, each has its virtues. I have had a bit of trouble getting some parts for the Yanmars because of its age although for most it has not been a problem. Look them over carefully and get the one that fits your needs the best.

 

[2manyrocks]

rolling hills--do both have ROPS?

 

[chnash99]

Yes both have ROPS

 

[clemsonfor]

Thanks for all the responses so far. A couple of things to note:

The Mahindra is owned by an individual and it is not at Fredricks. I have not been to Fredricks yet but only talked to them on the phone. The Mahindra has 800 hours and the guy that owns it seems very honest. Says he wants to change the oil before he sells it and that I can come watch if i decide to buy it to learn how. Makes me believe he is honest and has taken care of it. I know looks can be deceiving though.

We do have several other tractors on the farm. We live on 120 acres in NW GA. The other tractors are not mine and I would not just ask to use them. They are all owned by family. I would not have to ask to use them because if I needed something done whoever had the right tractor for it would come do it with me/for me. The terrain is rolling hills. We have about 60 acres pasture and 60 or so woods. The main pasture that is about 45 acres is hayed by someone else for us. We don't have the equipment to hay it. They do the work, leave us enough hay for our livestock for the winter and take the rest.

The mower is not a belly mower. It is actually a 3pt hitch mower. We maintain about 15 acres of grass on the farm between 4 families. I would probably cut 2 acres or so every 2nd or 3rd cut. Not that much because my father in law is retired and just likes to spend time on his TC33!

Right now I am leaning towards the Mahindra. The only reservation is that it is so much more complicated of a tractor and if something goes wrong I won't be able to troubleshoot/fix it. My father in law has an electrical problem on his TC33 right now and no one in town can figure out what is wrong. These things have gotten almost like working on newer cars and it is difficult to find anyone that understands what is really going on with them. That is one thing about the yanmar that is attractive.

Also the 1 yr warranty with the Yanmar is attractive. I can just see me buying the Mahindra and the thing won't cranck to get it off the trailer when I get home. Maybe I am just paranoid but this is a big purchase for me and I don't want to screw it up!

Im not knocking a fredricks tractor or any dealer, but you nailed it. These things are fairly simplistic machines. When you buy that shiny reconditioned tractor from fredrics with the loader you pay a premium to warrenty that 30 year old tractor, after all any bearing can go out requiring $500 labor to replace it. A motor can go out injector pump fail etc. A proven well taken care of tractor from a privite owner who has had it and kept if for a while in good shape and care for it i think is the best buy. If you have time keep looking and searching for a used one. The money you save will be your warrenty. You can replace a lot of stuff for the 4K or so $'s you will save over buying new. Just my thoughts.

But you do have a point on the newer stuff and electrical gremlins etc. At around $80/hr to trouble shoot you can rack up a bill pretty quick.

 

[Car Doc]

Its going to be hard to beat that Yanmar for sheer simplicity and simple is good more stuff means more trouble also especially electrical stuff.

These Yanmars will still do everything they normally would except run the headlights with a bad alternator and a dead battery not so with these newer machines.

If you once get them started they will run as long as they have fuel just something to think about. my .02

 

[kenmac]

If you aren't in any hurry to buy. Try out both tractors to see which fits & you like the best. That should help you make a decision.
Good luck

 

[284 International]

"What should I buy" threads are always tough for me. I want to stay out of it, but I can't help having an opinion.

I'd buy the Mahindra over the Yanmar, more complicated machine or not. If you need that size tractor to do your jobs, that 3016 will do it better. Powershift transmissions are awesome compared to regular manual transmissions, but can't match the finesse of a hydrostatic in mowing or loader work.

The trouble is you say that the 1820D is appealing for its agility. Big tractors do the jobs little tractors do much faster, but little tractors can go places big tractors cannot. It doesn't take much dimensional increases to allow much better access: My YM186D will do things in many more places than my YM2000, even though it is only 1.1 inch narrower and 9.7 inches shorter. It's not even close, and looking at them it doesn't seem like they are anywhere near the same size on paper.

Another factor is that you have other machines available.

So, I would suggest you consider whether buying the 2310D or the Mahindra would complement the other machines available, or just duplicate their strengths. It sounds like the 1820D would clearly fill a desired niche that isn't currently covered by your family's tractor suite. It will pull a scraper or rake down your driveway, run a 4 to 5 foot mower, fit on a smallish trailer or tighter trailer, or whatever. Is that what you need?

If the 2310D or Mahindra are going to perform about like the TC33 does, in about the same size package, is that what you're wanting? Would you better served buying a skid steer, perhaps with a grapple, to do work in the woods and dirt? A skid steer will work dirt vastly better than a tractor of the same dimensions.

I'm not trying to talk you into or out of anything, but the mission drives the gear. I would try to make a list of things that are requirements, things that are ought-to-haves, and then things are would-be-nice-to-have.

Keep us in the loop, and take pictures of what you decide on purchasing!

 

[chnash99]

Funny you mention the skid steer. My brother in law and I just had that conversation yesterday. He has a John Deere 50hp with loader on the farm (not sure of the model).

We live on a little over 100 acres and when we bought the land and built our houses we had a skid steer for the construction. Not sure why but we sold it when we were finished building. Probably the biggest mistake we made but it is what it is.

I do think a skid steer would serve some of what we need very well but I also need to be able to help in the grass cutting arena. My father in law and grandfather in law maintain most of the grass (except for our 50 acre pasture that is hayed) and I feel guilty that I can't help. Also I want to be able to get out on a tractor and cut some grass. At least faster than my riding lawn mower will do.

284 International you have really made me think about this again. I was settled on the Mahindra just for the name brand and I think it is VERY good deal but you are correct in that we have 2 other similar tractors on the farm that will essentially do the same thing. The 1820 probably will do everything I need except for the rare occasion that I need some real power. In those instances I definitely have access to something that will get it done. The advantage to that also is that it will get in tight places in the woods.

gonna make a decision this week and i will keep you posted on my saga!