Mahindra 4550 One year update

Hi all,

It has been a busy year for me as I am sure it has been all of you as well.

As some of you will recall I bought a new Mahindra 4550 on Oct 31 last year (4x4, FEL, brush claw and medium duty rotary cutter) and it has seen some pretty heavy use non-tillage. Mostly been using it for brush cutting reclaiming/cleaning up on my parents place in Ark and other farm properties that I get to play/hunt on. Pretty good amount of loader work and general tractor related work.

It has about 90 hours on it after one year. I know this is not a lot but for me it has been fairly busy considering the weather and other factors.

Well after one year and 90 hours of what I consider fairly heavy use it has held up well. Other than regular servicing the only issue that it has had was after a really dusty day brush cutting the check engine light came on. Hauled it to the dealer and they found some dust under a sensor.

Overall I have been happy with the tractor and related equipment. Thought I would share my experience so far.

Hope to start working on my Dad's old MF 135 diesel in the spring to get it back up in shape. got it running but have some fuel leaks and other items that need addressed pretty bad. Hope to put a power steering unit on it also but we'll see.

Thanks for all the info you guys share here I do learn a lot.

BJ

Tell us how good it is after 3 or 4 thousand hours

(quoted from post at 08:51:34 10/26/16) Tell us how good it is after 3 or 4 thousand hours

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Not trying to tell how good is is just giving an update on how it has been used and what I have seen.

If this post has offended my bad

(quoted from post at 14:25:55 10/26/16)

(quoted from post at 08:51:34 10/26/16) Tell us how good it is after 3 or 4 thousand hours

Click to expand...

Not trying to tell how good is is just giving an update on how it has been used and what I have seen.

If this post has offended my bad

Click to expand...

I personally like hearing progress reports. A lot of times I can tell how good a piece of equipment is going to be after the 1st year. Let us know how the dealer support was. There are some on here that may be interested in hearing, me for example. I'm thinking about getting a smaller chore tractor and have heard some good about the Mahindra.

(quoted from post at 19:25:55 10/26/16)

(quoted from post at 08:51:34 10/26/16) Tell us how good it is after 3 or 4 thousand hours

Click to expand...

Not trying to tell how good is is just giving an update on how it has been used and what I have seen. If this post has offended, my bad

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No, their bad! I like hearing updates also, especially for tractors that are "up and coming" brands. Haters will always hate so ignore them. I've had my Mahindra for almost three years and it's been near perfect.

(quoted from post at 12:06:52 10/26/16)

(quoted from post at 14:25:55 10/26/16)

(quoted from post at 08:51:34 10/26/16) Tell us how good it is after 3 or 4 thousand hours

Click to expand...

Not trying to tell how good is is just giving an update on how it has been used and what I have seen.

If this post has offended my bad

Click to expand...

I personally like hearing progress reports. A lot of times I can tell how good a piece of equipment is going to be after the 1st year. Let us know how the dealer support was. There are some on here that may be interested in hearing, me for example. I'm thinking about getting a smaller chore tractor and have heard some good about the Mahindra.

Click to expand...

I have been dealing with Diamond R Equipment in Higginsville MO for both the purchase and post purchase support. I will give them kudos on the support side.

I was looking to get a couple of extra keys at $10 each and they just gave them to me. To get the check engine light corrected (dirt under sensor) was $159 plus tax not bad in my mind. They told me that since harvest season was starting when I took it in that they were about a week out from getting to it. They called after one week and told they were still a bit behind and told them to handle the real farmers stuff first as mine could wait. They called me a few days later telling me I could pick it up and thanks for letting them get to some of the real farmers stuff.

I asked about the Mahindra Engine oil and they quietly told me to pick up Rotella T3 at a parts store as it would be cheaper. Never had a dealer tell me that before.

Overall I would say my dealer experience has been good. Other dealers might be as good as experience has taught us all.

One thing I like about the 4550 is that it is more old school with a simple 4 speed with a Hi/Low range. Yes the sticks are between your legs making it a bit harder to get on and off of but I was looking for simple. They do have other models with shift on the fly, shifers on the side and other bells and whistles, but I was looking for old school simple in a new tractor.

My 2 cents

BJ

dealer in monroe wi has sold a bunch of the to townships with loaders and mowers on them.
i was told because of price and they seem to hold up good.

Those are great relevant comments rb. I wonder about those tractors also. Thanks for taking the time and interest to post them. Paul

Mahindra seems to be a pretty good simple tractor for guys like yourself that are not really pushing a tractor and do not put many hours on it. Think about it. At 100 hrs. a year in twenty years your only going to have 2000 hours on it.

I have a JD 6400 that is 23 years old and just turned over 17500 hours. That is around 750 hours year. That is a different use than you do. So yours works for what you need and more than likely would not work for me. Different coats for different seasons.

I like to hear how things actually do.

I am surprised you had to pay anything for the sensor issue with a tractor with 90 some hours and is only a year old. Mahindra advertises a two year warranty on general stuff and five year warranty on engine and power train.

Mahindra seems to be a pretty good simple tractor for guys like yourself that are not really pushing a tractor and do not put many hours on it. Think about it. At 100 hrs. a year in twenty years your only going to have 2000 hours on it.

I have a JD 6400 that is 23 years old and just turned over 17500 hours. That is around 750 hours year. That is a different use than you do. So yours works for what you need and more than likely would not work for me. Different coats for different seasons.

I like to hear how things actually do.

I am surprised you had to pay anything for the sensor issue with a tractor with 90 some hours and is only a year old. Mahindra advertises a two year warranty on general stuff and five year warranty on engine and power train.

my mahindra just hit 1000 hours in 3 years has had no problems.

(quoted from post at 17:29:24 10/26/16) Mahindra seems to be a pretty good simple tractor for guys like yourself that are not really pushing a tractor and do not put many hours on it. Think about it. At 100 hrs. a year in twenty years your only going to have 2000 hours on it.

I have a JD 6400 that is 23 years old and just turned over 17500 hours. That is around 750 hours year. That is a different use than you do. So yours works for what you need and more than likely would not work for me. Different coats for different seasons.

I like to hear how things actually do.

I am surprised you had to pay anything for the sensor issue with a tractor with 90 some hours and is only a year old. Mahindra advertises a two year warranty on general stuff and five year warranty on engine and power train.

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On paying for the cleaning of the sensor I was honest with the dealer and told them about the extreme dusty conditions and they treated me well in return. I was told that if the sensor had been bad it would have been covered under warranty.

I will be doing some light plowing this fall prepping ground for next years food plots on the hunting property. This will be my first using a turning plow. All of the plowing I have done in then past has been with a disk and cultivator. I will try and post some pics when I get to that for some feedback.

You guy are welcome for the feedback on the tractor.

Sensor must be out in the open, I wonder if washing the tractor would keep it clean.

Yes, pictures are always great!

The only complainer must be one of the "buy American" guys. Kinda funny though, if there are any compact tractors made in the US the components are made off shore and they are just assembled here.

Branson, KIOTI, LS and TYM tractors are all manufactured in South Korea. LS Tractor is also the manufacturer of Case and New Holland tractors. John Deere and Mahindra compact tractors are manufactured in India.

HMMMM so just what should one buy? To get American made that is? :lol:

I've been kinda looking at compacts lately. Thanks for the info.

Rick

(quoted from post at 08:57:44 10/27/16) The only complainer must be one of the "buy American" guys. Kinda funny though, if there are any compact tractors made in the US the components are made off shore and they are just assembled here.

Branson, KIOTI, LS and TYM tractors are all manufactured in South Korea. LS Tractor is also the manufacturer of Case and New Holland tractors. John Deere and Mahindra compact tractors are manufactured in India.

HMMMM so just what should one buy? To get American made that is? :lol:

I've been kinda looking at compacts lately. Thanks for the info.

Rick

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Depending on the size you are looking at I can say that I have been not only around my Mahindra (not sure it is exactly a compact) but have also been around the 32-33 HP Kobota's both HST models. I will say these have been good units that I have personally used. The one that I am the most familiar with is my hunting partners Kubota L3200 HST (4x4, FEL). His has over 100 hours now and has been rock solid. Only thing that we had happen to this one was a pin on the FEL get lost that was replaced under warranty (not counting one flat tire here).

He purchased just late in 2014 and it is holding up well. Most of the hours were put on in the last 12 months when we were working the tractors together. I liked his well enough that I helped my brother get his new last month Kubota L3300 same configuration.

Hope this helps

BJ

(quoted from post at 09:57:44 10/27/16) The only complainer must be one of the "buy American" guys. Kinda funny though, if there are any compact tractors made in the US the components are made off shore and they are just assembled here.

Branson, KIOTI, LS and TYM tractors are all manufactured in South Korea. LS Tractor is also the manufacturer of Case and New Holland tractors. John Deere and Mahindra compact tractors are manufactured in India.

HMMMM so just what should one buy? To get American made that is? :lol:

I've been kinda looking at compacts lately. Thanks for the info.

Rick

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I bought a KIOTI CK20 new in 2009, mainly because it is only 48" wide and can get into places my bigger tractors can't. Right now, it has only 420 hours on it so, even though it's my 'go-to' tractor, I can't say that it will still be good with a thousand or more. I got it with a KIOTI FEL and b'hoe. I have kept up with the maintenance and run Schaffer's 15w40 oil in the crankcase and TSC hydraulic oil. It is heavy- built and weighs 4,000# as equipped and the fenders, hood and grill are steel, not plastic. I have had ZERO issues with it. The hydrostatic drive is excellent and allows finer work than my old eyes and reflexes can truly exploit. I call it a 'Mini Power-Brute' as it is a definitively an 'over-achiever'. So, 'buying American' was in my mind BUT I refuse to pay 10% or more for an American-brand that's made overseas, and I am not 'color blind'.
As far as service is concerned, there are plenty of independent shops with the knowledge and tools to keep the modern electronic garbage working at less cost than what a dealer charges once the warranty runs out. I would look at KIOTI, MAHINDRA & KUBOTA(even though they are getting pretty spendy) if I needed a different tractor today. 8)

(quoted from post at 10:14:12 10/27/16)

(quoted from post at 09:57:44 10/27/16) The only complainer must be one of the "buy American" guys. Kinda funny though, if there are any compact tractors made in the US the components are made off shore and they are just assembled here.

Branson, KIOTI, LS and TYM tractors are all manufactured in South Korea. LS Tractor is also the manufacturer of Case and New Holland tractors. John Deere and Mahindra compact tractors are manufactured in India.

HMMMM so just what should one buy? To get American made that is? :lol:

I've been kinda looking at compacts lately. Thanks for the info.

Rick

Click to expand...

I bought a KIOTI CK20 new in 2009, mainly because it is only 48" wide and can get into places my bigger tractors can't. Right now, it has only 420 hours on it so, even though it's my 'go-to' tractor, I can't say that it will still be good with a thousand or more. I got it with a KIOTI FEL and b'hoe. I have kept up with the maintenance and run Schaffer's 15w40 oil in the crankcase and TSC hydraulic oil. It is heavy- built and weighs 4,000# as equipped and the fenders, hood and grill are steel, not plastic. I have had ZERO issues with it. The hydrostatic drive is excellent and allows finer work than my old eyes and reflexes can truly exploit. I call it a 'Mini Power-Brute' as it is a definitively an 'over-achiever'. So, 'buying American' was in my mind BUT I refuse to pay 10% or more for an American-brand that's made overseas, and I am not 'color blind'.
As far as service is concerned, there are plenty of independent shops with the knowledge and tools to keep the modern electronic garbage working at less cost than what a dealer charges once the warranty runs out. I would look at KIOTI, MAHINDRA & KUBOTA(even though they are getting pretty spendy) if I needed a different tractor today. 8)

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Thanks. Last time I looked online there were no dealers in my area for Kioti. Now I see that a respected dealer, Bobcat has taken them on. I'll check them out.

Rick