Uraban Dealers

   / Uraban Dealers #1  

cadblaster

Silver Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2003
Messages
199
Location
Montgomery Co., MD
Tractor
JD 2210
I live in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC. We're hoping to move in to our new house within 3 months.
I'll have 2.25 acres and a long pipestem drive (about 650'). I share about half of the driveway with my neighbor.
My neighbor has a JD garden tractor (Model?) with a front blade.

My choice for a tractor has been a BX2200. I have also been looking hard at the new JD 2210. Very similar, but slightly better specs. To some degree these may be more tractor than I need, but can you really have too much tractor /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif? I was really pushing the limits of my Cub Cadet 2130 lawn tractor at my last house with slightly less than an acre.

My choice is primarily based on the mowing capacity, and FEL options on these tractors. The usefulness of an FEL is unquestionable.

(hang on, I'm getting to the jist of all of this)

Since I live in a major metropoitan area, my choice of local dealers are somewhat limited. I've did a little pricing locally, and went to talk to the dealers. In general, I'm not very impressed. It's just a feeling that I get about them. I think they've gotten too urbanized, for lack of a better term. They're not all that up on their products, and they're not all that enthusiastic about dealing on a tractor, or even demonstrating one. I get the feeling that they think they're "all that" and then some, to borrow a phrase from a (slightly) younger generation.

I had a co-worker call up his local JD dealer. He lives up in an area that is still predominantly rural, and he does some cattle raising and farming.

His dealer knew what he was talking about and had the 2210/210 loader/62"mmm packaged up with a price right away and they were in-stock for about $1k less than my local dealer.
In contrast my local dealer had to fumble around with price sheets, ask a co-worker, only had one, and thought that it was sold. My local dealer was a guy (business) that has been around a long time.

Likewise my local Kubota Dealer I've also never been very impressed with. They were also my Cub Cadet dealer, and New Holland/Ford, so we have a bit of a history with them. Nothing really outstanding about them either.

I've got a few other rural dealers to check out and I will do so as time permits over the coming months. I assume that warrenties have to be honored at all dealerships, whether purchased there or not. None of my locals offer anything like free pick up or delivery for service, warrentee, or not.
So the way I see it, none of the locals offer any incentive, to them you're just another customer.
Are there any other real issues with buying from "distant" dealership.

Bill
 
   / Uraban Dealers #2  
Cadblaster,

The only issue with buying at a distance is the traveling back and forth for service. If you own your own trailer it is not so bad. But if you have to pay for this service it can add up. Most dealers won't pay for pickup and delivery even though it is warranty. I believe it is written in the warranty policies also. You will find that a lot of guys have purchased tractors as far away as a couple of hours. But don't rely on other dealers taking care of warranties on a tractor sold by another dealer. Warranties are warranties and most manufacturers have a lot of stipulations in them. In other words what I am saying is that when a dealer performs warranty work he may not get paid for the total job. So if he never made the profit on you in the first place he will tend to shy away from taking care of your warranty.

So if you buy far away, just be prepared to take it back there for warranty work.

murph
 
   / Uraban Dealers #3  
Most dealers won't pay for pickup and delivery even though it is warranty


I think it should read some dealers. My Kubota dealer is a good 1.5 hours away from me. When I had a problem with the fuel tank, he drove the 1.5 hours up and back to deliver the tractor, no charge! SO ask you may be surprised what the answer is.

Good luck, looking is half the fun /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / Uraban Dealers #4  
Tom,

You are right, some dealers will pay for pickup and delivery during warranty status. But it is not just Kubota dealers that will do that. I am 40 minutes away and my dealer did pick mine up and deliver under warranty. After warranty there is a $50.00 charge. Mine dealer is a New Holland. I was only stating that Cadblaster may not get that. The Kubota dealer in my area, 60 miles away would not do that for me. If fact he told me based on the distance there would be a $150.00 charge. My intentions was to buy Kubota, but the dealer just turned me off. My whole intention with my reply was to get to a dealer that Cadblaster felt comfortable with.

murph
 
   / Uraban Dealers
  • Thread Starter
#5  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Tom,

My whole intention with my reply was to get to a dealer that Cadblaster felt comfortable with.

murph )</font>

And that is really what I am trying to acheive.

While reading some of the pricing posts, I have noted that some people have mentioned that their dealers are including pick up and delivery, which I'm sure is over and above the standard warrentee. Since my local dealers aren't even offering that, and I really don't feel all that comfortable with them (and their prices are higher), what incentive do I have to buy from them? Are they required to honor the warrentee regardless? To tell the truth, I think that they probably wouldn't even know it if I bought from them or not. That's how disinterested they seem to be with their customers.

For JD, The furthest dealer that I got a quote from is about 60 miles away. The closest is probably 15 miles. And there is are two more that I have yet to check out. Both between 25 and 40 miles. I know of only 3 Kubota dealers that are 12 miles, 25, and 35 miles away.

The closest of each are also the ones that I don't give me a high comfort level.

Would anyone consider each of these to be local? i.e., How far away (or close by) is local?
 
   / Uraban Dealers #6  
Murph,

Funny my local Kubota dealer, within 5 miles of my home, said they would charge $150 for pick up and delivery for any work on the tractor warranty or not. Then I have the Kubota dealer I purchased my tractor from who is 90 miles away, says no problem, pick up and delivery is free. Bottom line, just add that question to the many you ask your prospective dealer when shopping.

Remember shopping is half the fun!
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / Uraban Dealers #7  
Cad,

I guess I would think that anything under 25 miles is local. Anything under 40 is duable. Anything over 40 is well make sure you are really comfortable with them. A lot of guys have purchased more than 60 miles away. I was prepared to do that because I wanted Kubota at first and they were over 60 miles away. And if it wasn't for the sales rep I would had that Kubota.

I can't stress enough, dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer dealer.

And don't be afraid to ask, you might surprise yourself and get it.

murph
 
   / Uraban Dealers #8  
Cadblaster,

I live in So. Md, outside Indian Head. While it is a bit of a haul for you, Hugh C. Gardiner's in Faulkner on 301 south of La Plata have treated me real well. My pricing was within $100 of some prominent on-line dealers. The tractor has not gone in for warrantee work (or any other service), but the loader dump cylinders have. I dropped them off at the dealership, and they dropped them off at my house while I was out of town. Someone that has dealt with Gateway in Upper Marlboro may want to chime in. I thought there were some bad experiences. But I don't want to say for sure, because I AM NOT SURE. I will not comment further in this public forum, I might be wrong. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif But I do highly recommend Gardiner's in Faulkner.

Nick
 
   / Uraban Dealers #9  
I live 15 miles outside the Beltway west of DC (Clifton, VA). I bought from Gateway in Upper Marlboro and had a very good experience. They sell both Kubota and New Holland. My tractor is a TC40D slightly used (was 31 hours when I got it.) My salesman was Chris Spitalari and felt I was treated well. I got the deal I wanted at the price I wanted with the pre-service I wanted. They made it VERY clear that any service, warranty or otherwise, would have a call charge or transportation charge - at least my eyes are wide open.

I was surprised that they didnt own any transportation equipment - even the local Kioti dealer working out of what I would describe as "shacks" owns a roll-off truck! (They refer transport to a separate carrier.) I will also say that I have yet to use them for any service AFTER I took delivery, but the service department seemed competent when taking care of some warranty issues and modifications I wanted.

I have a long list of (minor) warranty items. For transporation, I own a F150 with a 6 cyl engine and plan to rent a U-Haul car transport for about $25. Much cheaper than the $150 they quote. Removing the loader will keep me within limits of the truck and trailer.

Bottom line: Gateway is very negotiable, as is probably ANY dealer. Do your homework, tell them what you want (for instance, 1 or 2 free transports for warranty service in the first 6 months, or something like it), and give them a chance to accept it or counter it. You may be surprised what dealers will do to get your business.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mark
 
   / Uraban Dealers #10  
Thanks Mark,

I am glad someone came along that knew more than me. To bad I was wrong. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Good that my wrong direction makes them a good dealer. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I still think there is a dealer up that way somewhere that several member here had bad experiences with, but Gateway doesn't sound like it. Gateway, if you are listening, pls don't sue me for slander.

Nick
 
 
Top