I think the CEO of Mahindra told me **** off

[Turbys_1700]

I check FEL bolts when I do my yearly maintenance in addition to other fasteners that could come loose. I did notice that my tractor had witness marks on bolts affixing the wheels. A good dealer will do that. Even good dealers miss things. When my 3rd function valve was installed they called and told me to top off the hydraulic fluid. They forgot to. Gave me the fluid. No harm no foul. At least they called me and told me.

 

[ovrszd]

I check FEL bolts when I do my yearly maintenance in addition to other fasteners that could come loose. I did notice that my tractor had witness marks on bolts affixing the wheels. A good dealer will do that. Even good dealers miss things. When my 3rd function valve was installed they called and told me to top off the hydraulic fluid. They forgot to. Gave me the fluid. No harm no foul. At least they called me and told me.

Yep, good dealer. How did they catch that error?? Checklist maybe?

 

[Grumpa Wally]

Boy, it sounds like you have had a time with this piece of machinery. I do know that when a person gets to the point of writing a post like this, they have been through h---. It is human nature to not document a timeline, we are all busy. I think the documentation serves two purposes, it helps to accumulate evidence of whether this issue is an overall, larger problem than just the equipment and documentation also serves to help one not forget how much time was spent dealing with the totality of individual problems. I know this only helps going forward. As to the brand, I just got rid of a 2011 Mahindra 5035 12 spd shuttle that I determined, after three years, to be put together cheaply by Mahindra. I think the company has a QC problem and lacks the desire to use top quality materials. The first issue came when a hydraulic hose under the platform burst. Dealer fixed. When the second hose under the platform burst months later I was at a remote location on another property and had a h--- of a time getting the loader off so I could get the tractor to the trailer. I told the dealer to replace all the hoses under the platform, my dime. By now I was pissed because Mahindra used cheap hoses the dealer agreed. Next to fail were the fuel lines which began to deteriorate from the inside out which also damaged the manual fuel primer. Dealer acknowledged that the fuel lines many other models had already been replaced. Next major problem also happened out in a remote location when the front steering box just loosened by itself and damaged each connecting rod. Also had to a h--- of a time getting loaded once again to haul to dealer for repairs. There were dozens of smaller issues I just repaired in my shop myself, but by this time I knew this tractor was NOT going to be in my possession much longer. I purchased Mahindra because I had a long relationship with the in town dealer and I have purchased a lot of AG equipment from him. I recently traded the Mahindra for a Kubota M7060HD12 after a year of looking at different brands and models. I have friends that were JD farmers all their lives now buying Kubotas and I quizzed all of them before making my final choice. Most machinery, that gets worked and I mean harrow work, chisel plow work, pulling grain drill and clearing work with loader use, will need some repairs from time to time. The issues I experienced with the brand I believe were related to 1) Quality, 2) Design and workmanship. The tractor might have been OK for occasional light use but not to be used in AG or heavy working. I think we both have something in common now, there will be no Mahindras in our future. I will also tell you, once you make your choice for another tractor, be sure to shop the dealers as the prices can vary 10-20%.

 

[tkevan]

Yes, you missed the request to check loader mount bolts periodically. Page 10 of your loader manual. The dealer prep checklist is also in that manual. Most loaders do come loose. Do a search in any brand forum. You'll see posts. If you had a coolant leak, and didn't get it stopped, the head gasket is probably on you. No it's not a design flaw, my 4025-4 has never leaked. Yes, things have vibrated loose. Decades of motorcycle ownership have taught me that things that vibrate shake bolts loose. I check all important bolts/nuts/fitting after EVERY use. Grease is cheap. I give every zerk a shot monthly or every 50 hours. I also grease every new piece of equipment before use. Peace of mind for a few minutes of time. BTW, Kubota requires retorquing the loader mount every 50 hours.

 

[jb1390]

What a ridiculous thread. You are complaining amongst other things, that putting a block of wood underneath the loader to remove it is a design flaw worth reporting to the CEO of Mahindra?

Maybe tractor ownership isn't really for you.......

 

[BlackOps]

i got a X-mas card from the CEO this year with a $50 check. i guess i am lucky!

 

[KB7722]

When I need something for limited use and don't want to spend much, I look on Amazon or Harbor freight for the best deal. When that product has a short life span or design flaws I just know I got what I paid for. When it comes to tractors, I view them as a long term investment. When I need to use my tractor I want it to function properly without working on it all the time. So I go with a reputable brand. The cost difference over say fifteen years will be negligible not to mention the time, labor and money spent on a poor quality tractor.

 

[2ndhalf]

Sorry about your issues; it is extremely frustrating to spend good money on something and have issues while it is still new. I have heard enough about Mahindra's lack of dealer/customer support to know I will not be buying one.

Which is too bad because I think they make a decent tractor; at one point I was a big Mahindra fan.

 

[tkevan]

When I need something for limited use and don't want to spend much, I look on Amazon or Harbor freight for the best deal. When that product has a short life span or design flaws I just know I got what I paid for. When it comes to tractors, I view them as a long term investment. When I need to use my tractor I want it to function properly without working on it all the time. So I go with a reputable brand. The cost difference over say fifteen years will be negligible not to mention the time, labor and money spent on a poor quality tractor.

$10k difference between my 4025 and the L4701, more than $10k for the JD 5041. The Deere is still an Indian tractor, and the Kubota is 1000lbs lighter. I run out of traction long before power, so the extra weight is needed. I've had very little problems that weren't self inflicted. I think a lot of the OPs problems were just that. If you see coolant leaking, don't run the unit till its fixed. Otherwise, you can expect head problems. If you don't check for loose loader bolts, just like the Mahindra AND Kubota manual tells you to, expect problems like broken mounts. These are not autos that you jump on and drive without weekly, if not daily maintenance, if nothing more than a post work walk around.

 

[KB7722]

$10k difference between my 4025 and the L4701, more than $10k for the JD 5041. The Deere is still an Indian tractor, and the Kubota is 1000lbs lighter. I run out of traction long before power, so the extra weight is needed. I've had very little problems that weren't self inflicted. I think a lot of the OPs problems were just that. If you see coolant leaking, don't run the unit till its fixed. Otherwise, you can expect head problems. If you don't check for loose loader bolts, just like the Mahindra AND Kubota manual tells you to, expect problems like broken mounts. These are not autos that you jump on and drive without weekly, if not daily maintenance, if nothing more than a post work walk around.

To each his own