Price Check Price variation between dealers

[George in Spokane]

Wow, prices really differ between dealers.

I went to my local Kubota dealer in Spokane WA and I was quoted $19,995 for a L3240 with R1 tires with rimguard. He said R1's save me $300 so I figure that should compensate for the rimguard (which I have purchased before).

Looking at other people's recent postings I saw prices as low as $18,850. I guess the moral of the story is you need to bargain.

 

[teg]

careful that you don't end up with a bad dealer that doesn't know how to use a computer to keep up with Product Improvement Bulletins.... worst $1000 I ever saved True moral of the story, talk to people who have had problems with their tractor and how that dealer handles them. Find a good dealer, if he's also lower priced, so much the better.

 

[75H2]

By shopping & bargaining I saved $1,650 from one dealer to the next. Persistance & research pays off big time

 

[GaryCrowell]

I bought a 72 HP massey ferguson with loader a couple of years ago and shopped prices amongst several dealers within a 50 mile radius. The prices quoted varied by $3500 from highest to lowest. The lowest priced was the closest, and he's got a good reputation so I bought from him.

 

[montanaman]

There are MANY MANY things that determine the price that a dealer is selling a tractor for. As a dealer, I will not quote a price on a tractor if the customer is far enough away that I know they won't buy from me. This is one area, where the internet clouds things. You need to keep in mind the cost of living in the area where you live. For me to give a guy in a very high cost of living area, the price I can sell a tractor for, is only going to give him a price to take to his local dealer that his local dealer can't match. As we should all be aware of by now, the US dollar is shrinking compared to every other currency in the world. A dealer that just got a load of tractors, was charged more than he was for the last load of tractors, so if dealer A has a tractor a year older than dealer B, he can offer a lower price.

I lost a sale last year to another dealer only to later find out that even though the customer bought the same model tractor, it was an older model and was missing two big features. I did NOT have live power and had no rear remotes. He told me what he paid and the price difference was exactly the dealer cost difference between the two models. Make SURE it is the exact tractor that you are comparing!! After learning the features that my tractor had that weren't on the one he bought, he wasn't too thrilled about the money he saved. He also shops here for parts because it seems the low priced dealer isn't open too often.

Make sure you are giving all of the dealers the same information!! There are different incentives all the time and some times you can do better buying without financing, so make sure ALL dealers know if you need it delivered, if you are paying cash, if you are financing it,etc.

Just a few things to keep in mind. Also, as gets mentioned here all the time, don't forget service after the sale!

Ken

 

[GinNB]

Montanaman knows what he's talking about. There are so many features on even identical tractors that it's easy to miss one or two and have a $1000-$3000 or more cost differential. Even on "new" tractors, there are "new" tractors and "leftover" tractors that've been sitting on someone's lot for a year or two. Kubota offers discounts on these which an unscrupulous dealer might not pass on. Take note of things like the number of rear remotes, tire selection (not just ag/industrial/turf either- brand, size, and bias/radial sometimes makes a HUGE difference in price), cast wheel centers, self-levelling on the loader, additional function on the front loader, shuttle type, factory vs aftermarket cab, trade-in, and payment type (cash or Kubota financing).

As an example, even on a dealer's lot, I received a quote last year on an M125X that was $20,000 less than what I saw on a windshield sticker this year on a virtually identical tractor (can't remember if I was quoted on a self-levelling loader or with radial tires and this tractor had both) at the SAME DEALER. This year had cheaper tractor prices in Canada, too, because of our strong dollar. And yes, that was a twenty thousand dollar difference.

 

[Maka]

The Spokane Kubota dealer is known as a good dealer. Been there for years. Spoakne is an expensive place to do business and a dealer needs to make a living and be able to give the service.

For that money, give them your business and have a strong dealer backing you. Oh, I echo what Montana man had to say.

Maka

 

[George in Spokane]

Thanks Maka, I value your opinion.

 

[RFB]

I often wonder what folks mean when they say that a dealer offers "good service" or "service after the sale".

Isn't service just another "product" for sale?

I did not buy a dealer, I bought a tractor.

I understand that dealers are in business to make a profit. There's nothing wrong with that; its a good thing.

There also nothing wrong with a buyer shopping for the absolute lowest bottom line price. If the dealer goes out of business tomorrow, that is no concern of mine. I did not buy a dealer, I bought a tractor. Yes, it is difficult for the dealer, and he has my sympathy, but it is one of the vagaries of capitalism.

I also find it to be less than intellectually credible to think that where a person lives dictates how much a dealer will charge. Does the distributor (Kubota, JD, NH) charge dealers different prices based upon the dealers location?

 

[AKfish]

RFB --- well said. If the manufacturer did not attempt to "level the playing field" by subsidizing shipping of their tractors (or cars or trucks..) nobody outside of Detroit or Georgia would be able to compete.

That said, I honestly believe that not all facets of running a business are equal and that there are dealer costs of operating that are different by location.

Nonetheless, the age of the internet has made it more difficult for "obstinate" dealers to try and take advantage of geographic location and the consumer's limited access to alternative markets.

I shop around for a "reasonable" deal. I make that judgement based upon what I know someone else --- someplace else --- will sell that item to me for. I factor in all the variables that go into the purchase (my costs) and if the local guy is not outrageously overpriced; he's got my business.

I do not use the information from other dealer's to arm-twist for a better deal. I will state that the price is/is not competitive. And I'll give figures for what I know the price is if the dealer thinks I'm pullin' his chain. I don't BS and I don't name names. If the dealer can't or won't give me a "reasonable" price for the same machine --- then we don't have a deal.

I also do not waste any dealer's time with a bid request unless I'm "straight-in-the-eye" serious about buying from them.

As you noted, the vagaries of the market place don't leave alot of emotional capital for the "good local dealer" and having a "good relationship" with your dealer. He's gonna have to look out for his own long-term interests and you need to tend to your own financial judgements.

Nonetheless, wranglin' over the last dollar or simply tryin' to "win" (whatever that means...) in the deal isn't the ideal benchmark for good neighborliness and never leaves a good taste in my mouth, IMHO.

If you figure the guy cut you a reasonable offer and factoring in your knowledge of what the geographical costs of doin' business are --- it's a deal.

And maybe the next time your tractor needs some attention --- he'll get you on a backhaul leg and drop the charge.

"What goes out --- comes 'round". (Sometimes it can take awhile...)

AKfish