I intend to buy a sub compact very soon to use around my house. i want a small tractor with a front end loader and backhoe.  i have been approved by Kubota to sign and drive with 0% for 60 months.

I was pretty much set on the on the Kubota BX25, i was offered as price of $17,600 + tax out the door with front end loader and backhoe. this was over the phone at a local dealer. i have been there to see machines, and believe they would do slightly better if i was there ready to buy, which i am.

After heading down there i came home to do some final research and came across the John Deere 1026R and the Mahindra Max 25 while searching online.

Both are new entries to the market for 2012. and appear to offer much more than the BX25 for not much more in price.  Right now i have been given numbers of $19,800 + tax for the deere with front end loader and backhoe, and $20,000 + tax for the Mahindra Max 25 with front end loader and backhoe.

all three dealers are local to me and seem to be decent operations. i am not a fan boy of any brand, but i believe that the deere or kubota would probably have higher resale down the road. i hope to never sell though.

based on appearance and specs it seems the Mahindra offers the most tractor for my dollar. the new deere also has alot to offer but is rated in all areas less than the Mahindra. the bx25 is starting to seem dated to me.

any thoughts, experiences, ideas, info would be greatly appreciated.   and are the mahindras on par with deere and kubota?   thanks.

max price sounds a little high, call some other dealers. Also you 0% finacing jacks up the price a comperable amount to the interest. You pay it in the price rather then over time, so even if you pay of the tractor early you pay the full equivlet of interests

thanks for input.  i was offered the max for $18,900 if i were to take 4.2% financing for up to 84 months. i will definitely call around i was impressed with the max 25.

the dealer seemed like a decent person as well. was first mahindra dealer in state an live and works less than 10 min from me.

BX 25 owner here. Can't speak for the others you me ntioned, but I am very happy with the BX. If you go that routebe sure to get the belly mower, it mows fast and gives a great cut. Get the 3 point hitch kit also (my dealer threw it in for free), you'll find it to be indespensible.

I have a JD but really like Kubotas.

Power stearing is a must, beyond that play one aginst the others and take the beast deal.

here is a 33 page thread on the same question. Get thee to tractorbynet

they offered to include 3pt in that price with my choice of tires.  for mowing i have a scag for finish stuff.  definitely want a brush hog for it though. thanks.  


also mahindra dealer offered a thumb and extra set of turf tires on rims at cost.

orion–– that is the exact thread that turned me on to the mahindra.  definitely some good info.  

seems like the biggest argument against mahindra is that it is a little bigger than the others and it's not the fairest comparison.

I honestly don't use my thumb near as much as I thought I would. My hoe also spends most of it's time disconnected. I use 3PH implements far more than the hoe, but it sure is nice to have availabe when you need to make a hole!

I have don't any experience with the Mahindras but just looking at them they seem to be a couple generations behind the Deere or Kubota.   I think you're right about them not holding their value as well, I am curious how they hold up over time.

1) don't buy the subcompact - go right to the B-series compacts. more weight, larger buckets (huge plus when you actually use the loader), more ground clearance, and for the same horse power there is very little price difference (something i learned after i bought my first).

2) really think about the backhoe - most people use them substantially less than they think they will. and it's an expensive option to use rarely...

3) get the QD bucket. as soon as you start using the loader, you'll see the advantage of having pallet forks. and you'll want real forks. the kind that clamp on to the bucket are worthless.

EDIT: for clarification sake, the B-series compacts (kubota) are larger than the BX-series subcompacts, but still fairly small. also, while my statement on size referenced the kubotas, it would stand for any of the manufacturers of compact and subcompact tractors.

the deere 1026r comes with the quick detach bucket which is a huge plus.

as far as going bigger i want to be able to drive around fully manicured lawns without doing any damage or needing to do repairs after finishing jobs.

i have significant backhoe needs on my property and i feel i can pay for the backhoe and more over time with small jobs ill be able to do for others because i have it.


mahindra definitely looks like an older design but to get the same specs out of a deere or kubota i'm looking a 25K+ tractor.

mahindra does not offer quic detach on this model.

Agree.

I'm a Kubota guy, but recently a friend bought a Max and I must say its much nicer than I had expected. Seems very well built.

I've got a Kubota B3200 and there is much truth to this statement. As much as I'd like a backhoe I seriously doubt that I'd get enough use out of it to justify the cost.

In this pic the JD B-hoe compartment looks really cramped.





The outriggers look cheesy too.








 

Kioti? - I flat out love my 35.

the deere definitely looks small.

even though the mahindra is being compared to the bx series i feel it is more on par with the kubota b-series.  specifically the B2620.

I've got a buddy that bought a Mahindu quite a while back, and he's very happy with it.

I bought a kubota, just because I had beat the hell out of my neighbors, and the damn things just keep going.

the mahindra max 25 is 100% made in japan by mitsubishi.

Kubota is where its at for small tractors.

I've owned and abused a Kabota BX2200 sense 2000. I maintain 8 acres of
rough country and besides changing all fluids once a year I keep the air filter
clean and service the 60" mower deck once a year I've had to do "Nothin" else!!

KABOTA  RULES!!!

here's my take on the backhoe - as an option, the cost of the factory backhoe is usually in the same price range as a factory cab.

if i'm going to add 5K-15K on to the price tag, i'm going with the cab every day of the week. backhoe i might use a few times a year. cab i'll [obviously] use every time i use the tractor, and having heat, ac, stereo... keeping the rain, snow, and bug out, adds a lot of functionality to a utility device like a tractor.

IMO, the B  is a fine machine, but is kind of an odd fit between the L series and the BX. I actually was looking at the B series initially, but the dealer convinced me that the BX was a lot more bang for the buck. He let me take both a B and BX out to the back lot "play ground". The B seemed to have just a little better hydraulic response, and slightly larger capacities, but the BX  proved that it was a capable machine also. Plus the hoe is really amazing for it's size. There were a couple of other features the BX had over the B (can't recall exactly what now) but I decided on the BX and felt it was the right choice for me. The four wheel drive makes an incredible difference too for when you need the extra traction. It also is a hell of a mower and easy on the yard (I remove the loader and hoe for mowing) The BX really is the little tractor that could!

super janitor –– i've pretty much come to that exact same conclusion.

i have been offered a price of $23,100 otd for the Kubota B2920 with front end loader and backhoe.


i also just received an exceptional offer on a Mahindra Max 25, that puts it at about the exact same cost as the BX25.


i feel that the Mahindra Max 25 is comparable to a B2660 in working ability. but is $4,000 less.

i don't know if i'd call it an "odd fit". every manufacturer now makes tractors in the same chassis size-range as the B-series kubotas.

anyhow, my point was just to say that, when it comes to tractors you'll always find folks who say "find the size that you think is 'just right', and then buy the next bigger." personally, i can't agree more. when one considers there is so little difference between the price of a subcompact and that of a compact (example: BX2660 @ $12,136 and B2620 @ $13,888), it's a no-brainer.

you only start spending a lot more money when you add a lot of attachments, or when you start chasing HP.

from personal experience I have spent many hours in the seat of a Kubota tractor
zero issues

buddy of mine just bough a Mahindra less than two months old.
although nothing "major" it keeps on having little nit picky issues coming up.
4 wheel drive wouldnt engage...pin in a lever was missing.
another similar issue with the 3pt hydraulics lever. I want to say the lever housing was banged up/clearance issue

this is just cosmetic but still... the fenders are already faded to pink... they were faded the day he picked it up at the dealership

I certainly respect your point of view and if I just wanted a regular BX (no hoe), I probably would have opted for a B. I was just stating that in the case of the BX25 you get a lot for your $$$ and really aren't losing much in the way of performance from the B.