New 5545 Trouble

   / New 5545 Trouble #11  
This is a disturbing thread that looks like it's headed to an attorney. Does NY state have a tractor lemon law?

sixdogs, it appears the real problem is that he bought, or he was sold, the wrong tractor for the application. Even if there is a lemon law, we would be well short of that as far as problems go on this tractor. He has some initial problems that are regrettable and the dealer ought to be all over it, but he is also asking for his money back and his old tractor back and the dealer probably sees this as a much larger problem than fixing the 4wd light or whatever. If he fixes the tractor perfectly, and he should, the customer still wants his money back. That's a touchy situation.

The customer has some obligation to look at specs and see if the tractor he is buying will fit his needs. The dealer has an obligation as well to try to make the tractor work for the customers needs. I think about anybody would see this tractor as too large for his implements.

I'm not blaming the customer for a flawed delivery. The tractor should have zero problems. But I think the problem is much larger than mechanical issues. Wrong tractor for the job, then of course the snafu of not paying off Kubota right away. It all compounded to cause a lot of buyers remorse, some of it justified.
 
   / New 5545 Trouble #13  
:thumbsup:

There is an old saying that goes something like this "Quality is remembered long after the price has been forgotten". When it comes to Mahindra and quality it seems that Mahindra leaves it mostly up to the dealer so choose your dealer wisely or you will probably be sorry. That is likely true for any brand but I think Mahindra needs to do much more than they are in matters relating to after sales support. Also the length or term of the warranty means nothing if the warranty is no good to begin with. It doesn't matter if the warranty is for a hundred years if they aren't going to stand behind the product and it spends half it's time in a repair shop.
 
   / New 5545 Trouble #14  
Mahindra stands behind their products. They support their dealers. As to why we have some dealers that do not seem to support their customers....I have no idea. I think this thread is more about buying the wrong tractor.
 
   / New 5545 Trouble
  • Thread Starter
#15  
Thanks for the posts guys. I wanted to give an update. The tractor did have mechanical issues and Mahindra USA and Mahindra Finance were not helpful at all. I have followed every request that Mahindra USA suggested with no outcome. I talked with a dealer that was a Mahindra dealer but dumped the line about 3 years ago. They gave me some insight that Mahindra does not always stand behind the dealer. They had issues with warranty work that left the dealer footing the bill to keep the customer happy. This does not leave a good taste in my mouth with Mahindra. It was up to Mahindra finance to pay off my Kubota and they took a month to do it. I called Mahindra Finance every day until it got resolved. As of last week my Kubota was paid off. The 5545 has had issues, poor design, and not enough HP. The issues are listed in my original post so I am not going to get back into them.

I have read that Mahindra USA is trying to get the dealers to push the 55 series line. The selling dealer tried to work up a deal for the 2555 but the price tag was $35k fully equipped because not as much incentives as the 55 series. I dont feel comfortable with Mahindra as a company to get into that expensive of a tractor after everything that has happened. The dealer said that he could trade me out but I had to get another Mahindra. I asked about his used tractors on the lot that were not Mahindra but that was a no go. He said a Mahindra trade was the only way to get out of the 5545. I made the decision to get as much HP as cheap as possible. I went with a 2wd 4550 no loader. Mahindra evidently makes 400+ of these units per day and I have been told they are bullet proof. They traded the tractor yesterday and I am happy that I can run a baler and my implements now. I just have to stay out of the fields until they dry up. Anyone looking into the 55 series tractors, I would highly discourage you against it. I may have got a lemon however go to Mahindra and take a look for yourself. They offer a 7 year warranty on all of their tractors accept the 55 series line and up. That is only a 5 year warranty and in my opinion, that says something...

In the end the dealer made it right although it took the better business bureau and calling Mahindra USA, Mahindra Finance, and emailing the dealer daily for 5 weeks to make it right. This 4550 has 5 more hp at 1/2 the weight and it handles all of my implements awesome. The quality of the 4550 is much better than the 5545. The 5545 has weird linkages that are sloppy for all of the controls like low/neutral/high, parking brake, 4wd, pto engagement with a hand clutch for the pto. The 4550 is much cheaper but the quality is much better in my opinion and it has by far the best parking brake out of any tractor I have looked at. The brakes on the 4550 stop the tractor and you can feel them. The 5545 feels like the brakes are not big enough for the tractor. I never rely on brakes, I always utilize the rpm to slow down and use the brakes last to stop however with the 5545 the tractor would take forever to stop and it feels very unsafe working on hills like that. I never trusted the parking brake on the 5545, I would lower the loader bucket into the ground because the tractor felt like it was going to roll away if I didnt. My current implements are small but as I have said I would like to upgrade to 8' discs, be able to run a 4x4 round baler, and lift round bales and this 4550 fits my needs.

While I dont have a loader or 4wd, I am out 15K not 35K+ with Mahindra. This will allow me to get another tractor with 4wd and a loader from John Deere, Kubota, or New Holland.
 
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   / New 5545 Trouble #16  
Wow, I love happy endings and feel better for you already. That the dealer stepped up is a great sign and that you are happy with what you have is even better. Run it till it drops and everyone is happy. it's a twist on a modern saying but if the customer is happy, everyone's happy.
 
   / New 5545 Trouble #17  
Thanks for the posts guys. I wanted to give an update. The tractor did have mechanical issues and Mahindra USA and Mahindra Finance were not helpful at all. I have followed every request that Mahindra USA suggested with no outcome. I talked with a dealer that was a Mahindra dealer but dumped the line about 3 years ago. They gave me some insight that Mahindra does not always stand behind the dealer. They had issues with warranty work that left the dealer footing the bill to keep the customer happy. This does not leave a good taste in my mouth with Mahindra. It was up to Mahindra finance to pay off my Kubota and they took a month to do it. I called Mahindra Finance every day until it got resolved. As of last week my Kubota was paid off. The 5545 has had issues, poor design, and not enough HP. The issues are listed in my original post so I am not going to get back into them.

I have read that Mahindra USA is trying to get the dealers to push the 55 series line. The selling dealer tried to work up a deal for the 2555 but the price tag was $35k fully equipped because not as much incentives as the 55 series. I dont feel comfortable with Mahindra as a company to get into that expensive of a tractor after everything that has happened. The dealer said that he could trade me out but I had to get another Mahindra. I asked about his used tractors on the lot that were not Mahindra but that was a no go. He said a Mahindra trade was the only way to get out of the 5545. I made the decision to get as much HP as cheap as possible. I went with a 2wd 4550 no loader. Mahindra evidently makes 400+ of these units per day and I have been told they are bullet proof. They traded the tractor yesterday and I am happy that I can run a baler and my implements now. I just have to stay out of the fields until they dry up. Anyone looking into the 55 series tractors, I would highly discourage you against it. I may have got a lemon however go to Mahindra and take a look for yourself. They offer a 7 year warranty on all of their tractors accept the 55 series line and up. That is only a 5 year warranty and in my opinion, that says something...

In the end the dealer made it right although it took the better business bureau and calling Mahindra USA, Mahindra Finance, and emailing the dealer daily for 5 weeks to make it right. This 4550 has 5 more hp at 1/2 the weight and it handles all of my implements awesome. The quality of the 4550 is much better than the 5545. The 5545 has weird linkages that are sloppy for all of the controls like low/neutral/high, parking brake, 4wd, pto engagement with a hand clutch for the pto. The 4550 is much cheaper but the quality is much better in my opinion and it has by far the best parking brake out of any tractor I have looked at. The brakes on the 4550 stop the tractor and you can feel them. The 5545 feels like the brakes are not big enough for the tractor. I never rely on brakes, I always utilize the rpm to slow down and use the brakes last to stop however with the 5545 the tractor would take forever to stop and it feels very unsafe working on hills like that. I never trusted the parking brake on the 5545, I would lower the loader bucket into the ground because the tractor felt like it was going to roll away if I didnt. My current implements are small but as I have said I would like to upgrade to 8' discs, be able to run a 4x4 round baler, and lift round bales and this 4550 fits my needs.

While I dont have a loader or 4wd, I am out 15K not 35K+ with Mahindra. This will allow me to get another tractor with 4wd and a loader from John Deere, Kubota, or New Holland.

I'm glad it worked out for you. Don't know if I'd be happy with a lighter tractor and no 4WD though. Especially if you have to deal with a lot of hilly terrain.
 
   / New 5545 Trouble
  • Thread Starter
#18  
The tractor I grew up on as a kid was a Massey Ferguson TO30. Weight wise the Mahindra is 1500 lbs heavier and has 20 more hp. The way everything happened I am extremely happy I have a running tractor that can handle 75% of my tasks on this farm startup.
 
   / New 5545 Trouble #19  
we will just leave it at that then
 
   / New 5545 Trouble #20  
Mahindra stands behind their products. They support their dealers. As to why we have some dealers that do not seem to support their customers....I have no idea. I think this thread is more about buying the wrong tractor.

If there were more good dealers like you there would be less bad threads like this.
 
 
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