Bruce's Journal

[mystang89]

I have a Mahindra. It's my first tractor and I was a bit Leary about it at first since it's not American made but originated in France however all that worry got thrown out the window after the beating I've put that through. Great tractor!

 

[mystang89]

I have a Mahindra. It's my first tractor and I was a bit Leary about it at first since it's not American made but originated in France however all that worry got thrown out the window after the beating I've put that through. Great tractor!

 

[Bruce]

France? The 1500 series is a Japanese product from Mitsubishi. There is a sticker on the tractor that says "Proudly assembled in Pennsylvania"

Glad to hear it has done well for you! What model/year do you have?

 

[CntryBoy777]

It sure would help this "scrambled brain" that I have.....if there were at least a pic or 2....so, I could see ya working and having fun doing some projects there.....

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm going new with the 7 year warranty instead of used and hope I can figure out what isn't working right on a used one after I buy it not knowing what isn't working right

with bucket and backhoe

GOOD for you! I get a lot of use from my backhoe besides digging. Work up a fence puller and you can move it up, down, back, forth, pull sideways with the backhoe. Takes practice but not much.
I have cruise on mine. You probably do, also. Nice when mowing open fields. I've used mine to pull those trees out of/off of another. Have several of those wide flat, long tiedowns, ones like truckers use.

NEW - absolutely good decision. Warranty and I am not wanting to do any heavy repairs...or breakdown with no backup. Waited a long time and love my tractor! Mine is a little smaller and has always done everything I needed.

ENJOY that new ride.

 

[goatgurl]

I have tractor envy. I could do so much if I had a tractor around here.

 

[Bruce]

You want selfies? I don't think I can do that. I guess I could take a picture of the tractor in a working "pose".

Tractor gets delivered Friday. He didn't say what time, guess I'll just be ready. Likely not before 9 I would guess. Saw should be fixed soon as well. But I'm going to start on the pond. With my luck, if I put it off a couple of days to cut more trees, we'll get a monsoon and the pond will fill, then I can't really dig it out much. Only a bit at the edge which wouldn't gain much for the fish and frogs.

Called yesterday on the flail with hydraulic shift. I need a valve on the back for it but those are $$ and I have read on TractorByNet that some people steal from the loader valves. Since I can't imagine I'd ever need to tilt the bucket while mowing, I'm going for a couple of "extension hoses". Thought MAYBE they would have an idea how long the hoses need to be. Not surprised that he didn't. But glad I called. He looked at the tractor specs and really advised me against the 6' model. 25 PTO HP isn't nearly close enough to the 30 their literature said the bigger one needs. He sounds like he really knew his product. So even though the tractor sales guy said "No problem!", I'm going with the 5' model. But there is a small problem, they are sold out for the year. There are some coming in Sept but all have deposits on them. So I am the waiting list in case one of those people changes their mind. If not it will be spring before I get one though it could be earlier, just of no value then.

 

[mystang89]

Sorry, said France, meant India. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahindra_Tractors

I have a 4500 DI. I "think" it was produced somewhere around a 2000 or so.

Wow, that's a long waiting list. I sure hope someone changes there mind.

 

[Bruce]

I have cruise on mine. You probably do, also.

I do on the garden tractor (tractor in name only ). Didn't notice that feature on the real tractor. But I found this video

that compares the 1538 (1500 series made by Mitsubishi Japan which is 35% owned by Mahindra) to the 2538 (2500 series made by TYM - Korea). They have the same engine but I guess otherwise do not share design features. The local "leftover" 1538 was sold a few days before I started looking, if it weren't I could have gotten that instead of the 1533 for a couple thousand less. Oh well. Anyway, apparently the 1533 does have cruise.

I looked at the leftover 2538 since the specs between the 1500 and 2500 series are very close. I could have gotten the 2538 for even less (MSRP is less to start with) but my height (6' 2") got in the way. As is noted in the video, the seat in the 2500 is lower and that meant that my knees were up, lacking thigh support. I've never been able to do the "catcher's squat" and get back up, poor knee design I guess. And that hasn't gotten better with age. If I were to sit for even half an hour with my knees locked up, and they would have to be to keep pressing on the accelerator, I would have a hard time walking afterward. I actually have more legroom from that perspective on my garden tractor. The higher seat in the 1500 gives me more extension and support.

Secondarily, the seat in the 1500 rotates backward to use the backhoe. That can't happen with the lower seat on the 2500 so its backhoe has its own small, low back, seat. Again a leg room problem for me in the backhoe "operator's station". And it also means extra length behind the tractor. BUT, if one were to be digging a trench AND had an assistant, it would be quite convenient to have a separate seat for the backhoe. One digs, the other moves the tractor.

There are other things I liked better on the 1533 but those were the 2 main reasons I chose the 1533 over the 2538. A shorter person may not have those issues and can save some money if there aren't other things that make the 2538 less desirable for them.

 

[CntryBoy777]

Leg room is one of my main concerns, too.....being 6'2" it is rather difficult, as ya have stated to work very long if your chin is bouncing off your knee.....sounds like ya made the better choice.....