What a nightmare, please read.

[Threepoint]

I wouldn't want another tractor, I would want my money back. He could have the same problem with another tractor.

True...with any brand. And he'd still have to go tractor shopping all over again. If my arithmetic is right, it's already been four weeks. If the delivery date for air freight is accurate, he's almost there. Since the dealer seems to be doing his best, I'd hang in there awhile longer. He knows he likes the tractor. Once it's fixed, it may never give him trouble again.

 

[DavesTractor]

Three months ago we bought a new Mahindra 2538. We use our machines commercially to landscape and have always used Kubota but decided to buy a Mahindra because of the positive reviews and no DPF. All in all it's a very well set up machine. It has good power and is very nimble. The fit and finish is very nice. And not having a DPF is a lifesaver in a commercial application.

BUT, at 81 hrs the hydrostatic unit developed a leak at the input shaft. As of 9/3/16, 24 days since they diagnosed it, the tractor is still split in 2 at the dealer. Mahindra does not stock any pumps in North America, as our unit was the "first to fail" in the 25 series.

We were told the pump had to come from Asia and would be 30-40 days by air and 90-120 by boat!?!? Worst yet is Mahindras customer service is HORRIBLE. We still can't get a tracking number for the pump. It takes 4-6 calls and a full week for anyone to return calls and every time we finally get someone we are given the run around and a promised to be called back, never happens.

Before the leak we pulled out 2 pieces of metal slag that got stuck in the quick connects on the rear remotes. At the 50 hr service the suction filter was PACKED with metal. I have asked numerous time to see the inside of the pump and Mahindra will not let the dealer open it up so we can see if metal has gone through it. Mahindra say flush it and it will be fine. If metal made it to the rear remotes, it went through the pumps, and I just happened to catch those pieces at the right time. Who knows what has been going through it.

Our dealer is doing the best they can, but are getting very little help from Mahindra. They just keep telling us the service reps are overloaded with work.

So as of right now I can't say much for Mahindra.

I will be updating this thread as everything progresses.

*Miss spelled Kubota

If your suction filter was packed with metal at 50 hours and you were pulling metal out of your rear remotes, something terrible happened early on. Your problem started well before your HST started leaking. The source of all of this metal must be found. Perhaps it is out of the HST unit, but I doubt it. I'd want to look inside the HST before I put a new one in place. If the metal did not come from the HST, then I'd keep looking until I figured it out. And of course the entire transmission needs to be cleaned, as well as lines, pump, remotes, etc.

By the way, you guys that hook your new tractor to your old hydraulic implements (like I think we all do) are sharing oil with that implement and any tractor it has connected with. Sort of like STDs in the human world, we will call this Implement Transmitted Disease - ITD. I really doubt this is the cause, but a failed implement that is putting metal shavings into the oil will put that abrasive and damage causing oil into the tractor tank. The system is designed to capture and filter the oil, but just a heads up that you can introduce metal into a system absent a tractor mechanical issue. HST transmissions are much more fussy about filtration. It makes sense that they can tolerate less crud in the oil then a simple gear trans. But the fact that you were pulling metal out of your rear remotes makes me wonder if you were actually putting metal in through your rear remotes. It is possible, and if so this repair should not be on Mahindra's dime.

But whatever the cause, the part needs to be available. As to not having the part on the shelf in the USA, that is not normal for MUSA. They are pretty good at parts. If this is true and there is not another part of this story yet to be told, then I am disappointed. I would understand not stocking many HST units though as we have sold literally several thousand Mahindra tractors, probably half with HST transmissions and other than a couple of charge pumps on the 2015HST (years ago) I do not recall every having a customer HST failure. Failures are rare. But lets say they only stock 1 HST unit and somehow it got sent to another dealer the day before. In this current world we live, you can get any small item from about any of the major countries in a matter of 3-5 days. And as far as I am concerned, the customer is more important than the production run. Build one less tractor for inventory and send us the HST unit!

Hopefully you will have your part soon. Nice you have a loaner.

 

[IH782]

*Update*

I called the dealer today and they said the hydrostatic unit landed at JFK. BUT, now it has to go through customs (1-2weeks), then be shipped to Texas and inspected then to the dealer. It is with a bunch of other parts so their is no way of finding the package as I live 1.5 hrs from JFK and was going to try and get it. The fact that it's with other parts means that it was no special rush and basically nobody gives a crap when it will get here.

 

[ultrarunner]

In the arbitration cases it does make a difference when a loaner is provided as to urgency.

 

[DavesTractor]

*Update*

I called the dealer today and they said the hydrostatic unit landed at JFK. BUT, now it has to go through customs (1-2weeks), then be shipped to Texas and inspected then to the dealer. It is with a bunch of other parts so their is no way of finding the package as I live 1.5 hrs from JFK and was going to try and get it. The fact that it's with other parts means that it was no special rush and basically nobody gives a crap when it will get here.

That doesn't sound right, I suspect they built a lot of "margin" into that time frame.

 

[PJSprog]

Dave makes a valid point. It's important to find out the source of that metal. Simply replacing a damaged pump may only be delaying the next failure. The source of that free metal is where you'll find the root cause of the problem. THAT needs to be fixed as well.

 

[Kubota 2350]

Some times a good deal is anything but.

 

[Threepoint]

[snip]
By the way, you guys that hook your new tractor to your old hydraulic implements (like I think we all do) are sharing oil with that implement and any tractor it has connected with. Sort of like STDs in the human world, we will call this Implement Transmitted Disease - ITD.
[snip]

Makes sense, Dave. But, oh man, I bet you just ruined the day for a lot of us swingers. Any suggestions on how our tractors can practice "safe swaps"?

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Give a new meaning to "key parties?"

 

[DavesTractor]

Makes sense, Dave. But, oh man, I bet you just ruined the day for a lot of us swingers. Any suggestions on how our tractors can practice "safe swaps"?

I was afraid this would happen! I just couldn't think of a more accurate way to illustrate the point. Funny.