Compact tractor options

[Bill_B]

The ole Mahindra 2615 has 750 hours and served me well for the past 15 or so years but it's time for something different. My biggest complaints with this current set up is: No factory cab (90% of use is snow removal in the winter), under power tractor and PTO (running a 70" blower), the ignition switch has to be replaced every few years, no rear hydro outputs, no quick detach bucket, low lift capacity, gas tank fill too high up, and I have a hard time getting the tractor to start when it is below 0F (tractor sits outside).
I really like this frame size but I feel like I need to stay above 35 HP.
Dealerships in my area are Mahindra, Kioti, Branson, TYM, Kubota, And if I drive a ways Massey. Oh and the blue tractors.
I have some brand loyalty to Mahindra but the local Mahindra dealer has been moving away from Mahindra to Kioti which worries me.
The emissions crap worries me but it seems like Mahindra fixed this issue with thier Mcrd??

Application is residential use. 90% use is snowblowing, scraping, and pushing back snowbanks for my 6 acre property which has a steep 1000' driveway the dumps out on a blind corner on a busy major road.

So I am thinking compact tractor like I have, 35-40 HP (not too worried about other performance specs because once about 35HP other specs are way better than what I have now), factory cab with heat, somewhat quiet cab, hydro rear outputs or can be added inexpensively, less than $40k, space for chains on rear tires without hitting fenders.
I have looked at TYM, Kioti, and Mahindra so far. I don't know the price on the Kioti 3520 yet but I really like the inside of the cab and how the controls work vs the Mahindra 2638. Also the Kiotis all had 4 rear hydro outputs and the M. Had only two.
The M. controls seem very poorly laid out and seemed old fashioned (see pics) The three point hitch lever is jammed right up against the seat.
Then there is the dumb stuff like how the the triangle onto the rear window. What the heck were they thinking??

Anyways looking for recommendations.

Oh and to complicate matters since I mostly do driveway snow removal and sanding I am considering not even going with a traditional tractor platform. See my other post for that. Thanks

 

[bmaverick]

Mahindra is now joined to Mitsubishi. The Mitsubishi CEO now runs the entire company. And as of last year, there is a venture now with Kubota. Makes me wonder if Kubota will enter their fold too.

And Mahindras are coming with these engines,

I too would agree, avoid the 'imported' blue brands. The only exception would be New Holland.

If my 1981 Yanmar YM2610 machine had a cab, it would be the ideal snow removal tool. Not had any of the issues you have seen on your more modern Mahindra.

Don't jump to hastily, read reviews, watch reviews on YT, see if the engine is used in many machines and or globally across various brands too. This way, 10, 20, 50 years from now, parts are still there! One reason why I have the machine I do today, the engine is used in many tractor brands, excavators, dossers, and even in hwy construction gensets for road crews. Best of all, it's per-emission DEF and per-computer glitches.

 

[WinterDeere]

New Holland ain't an import, tho! I don't know where they fab their CUT's today, but the company and ag business is just a spit and a throw west of me, in New Holland, PA.

 

[bmaverick]

New Holland ain't an import, tho! They're made just a spit and a throw west of me, in New Holland, PA.

Well, some are still Shibaura machines with a New Holland badge.

Oh, and Deere compacts are really Yanmar kit tractors pre-fabbed in Adirsville, GA and sent by rail to Augusta, GA for final assembly.

 

[WinterDeere]

Well, some are still Shibaura machines with a New Holland badge.

Oh, and Deere compacts are really Yanmar kit tractors pre-fabbed in Adirsville, GA and sent by rail to Augusta, GA for final assembly.

My 750 and 855 were Yanmars, and they were both great tractors for their time. But I believe only the engine is by Yanmar on my 3033R, I believe the 3R's are completely designed and built in USA. At least that's what the badging and marketing both say.

Like anything today, I'm sure it's using a lot of foreign parts.

 

[Torvy]

CNH brands use LS for their CUT models. So both modern blue brands are the same in the size related to this thread.

OP, those are 2 pair of rear remotes, not 4 outputs. (Vs 1 pair).

Depending on local dealer support, probably the best bang for your buck for a tractor in this range would be the T474 or 4815 from TYM. If the gas tank and standard remotes are important, a step up to the T494 or 4820 would solve that problem and the price bump is not too much. Kioti makes a decent machine, too. It may come down to feel.

 

[airbiscuit]

I would also rethink your choice in tires. R4s turn into racing slicks is wet snow. I've had Turf, Industrial and Ag tires. The Ag tires were far superior in snow. R14s might also be an option.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I would also rethink your choice in tires. R4s turn into racing slicks is wet snow. I've had Turf, Industrial and Ag tires. The Ag tires were far superior in snow. R14s might also be an option.

I can attest to R14's being great in snow.

 

[WinterDeere]

"In snow" is vague. I actually run turf tires on my 3033R, and find they're superior to both R4's and Ag's, when plowing my asphalt driveway. However, going across the un-plowed lawn or down to the wood lot, not so much!

Never got stuck with turfs in any snow condition, with 4wd. However, I do need to chain up if I want to pull my wood wagon through deep snow, with turfs. They also completely suck in mud, without chains. If pulling wagons through deep snow or running through mud were my daily chores, I'd have gone with a different tire, but turfs are the better choice for most of my "on lawn" or "on asphalt" usage. I have tire chains to handle the exceptions.

Know your conditions, no one tire is best for everything. That's okay, very few individual tractors are used for "everything".

 

[aesanders]

The blue tractors aren’t bad. LS is about on par with the other Korean tractors ie Kioti and Tym(both traditional Tym and recently purchased Branson now also called Tym). All three companies have decent models. Kioti seems the most refined of the three and has the biggest footprint in the US, but LS and Tym both are worth checking out.

I like the Kioti 3520 se cab. It’s fully equipped with about every option except the 3rd function. Good all around machine. Kioti seems to play games with their loader specs. They list it lifting 1800-1900 pounds, but only to 59”. They are the only company that lists their specs this way, and I believe they do this so they can brag best in class.

The Kubota LX series is their models with cabs in the size you are looking at. They are nice and refined, a bit lighter than most others, which could be a plus or minus to you. To me it would be a minus, but for someone that wants to run a mid mount mower a definant plus. Not sure on all the uses you would use for, so could be a plus or minus. To get a larger Kubota cab machine you would have to move up to a grand L, and don’t think it will be in your price range.

Please go check out a Massey Ferguson 1800 M model. Nicest cabs you will find, and super quiet and refined. They are Japanese made by Iseki, which is on par with Kubota quality wise. Great machines. There loaders are able to lift 1800-1900 pounds full height, and 2200 lb’s to 59”. It’s a bit larger machine than the Kioti though.