Why is it so hard to buy a tractor?

[plowhog]

I have owned a SCUT tractor for about a year. That is my entire tractor experience, so I am still a "newbie." I recently started shopping for a larger tractor. I'm a cash buyer. Budget is $50,000+. It has been a difficult experience.

After great help on this forum, I chose a Kubota Grand L6060. I developed an exact configuration using "build your own." But no dealer ever had one to look at. Surprisingly, one dealer told me on the phone: "yes I am looking at a cab model L6060 on my lot right now." When I got there, it was a M7040 narrow model. No L models in sight.

I presented the "build" to a Kubota dealer and asked for a quote. I received an emailed quote at full retail price for the tractor and all implements. No follow up call. A inquired at a second dealership, and received the exact same response. Finally a different dealer had an L6060 cab model. I went to look at it. Very nice tractor. "No" you cannot drive it-- we are preparing it for a customer. That was disappointing because I really wanted to try out the much-maligned "treadle" and see if that setup works for me. "No" I can't start it up without permission, and the person who could give that permission was gone. I handed the sales person my "build" and asked for a quote. He agreed to email a quote. Then no response. I phoned about a week later. "Sorry, he's not in." I left him a voice mail telling him I was ready to proceed and asked for a quote. No response. To be fair, the sales person did provide an original quote. This was after my first visit and before I had done the on-line "build" with a final configuration and choice of implements. So what I could not obtain was an update to the original quote. Which was the configuration I wanted to purchase. The last time I saw that salesperson, he mentioned he had just bagged a huge order comprising many units. Hmmm.

I asked another dealer for a quote. To be fair, they were the most responsive of all. They said up-front they don't quote retail price, they returned several phone call(s), answered a few questions, and provided a quote but omitted two items I wanted. They don't load tires. And they don't deliver. When I asked for a quote including loaded rears and delivery, I was told I needed to take the tires to a local tire shop myself and have them loaded. And maybe they could "find" a third party truck and driver to do delivery. I gave up on Kubota.

I started focusing on a Massey 1758 tractor. I searched for a 1758 to look at. The closest one was a used model about 500 miles away. I called and left a voice mail for the sales person. No return call. It wasn't because the 1758 sold, because I didn't communicate in my VM which of their many tractors I was interested in.

There are several Massey Ferguson dealers near me. Good quality dealerships, responsive and attentive. I've done business with both and have friendly relationships with both. But they didn't have a 1758. Then came the pressure-- you better sign a contract right now because all of Massey's incentives change at the end of the month. If you don't sign right now, huge discounts might vanish. It's apparently a closely guarded secret what the future incentives might be, but supposedly word was "leaked" that they won't be as good!!! Act now or pay the price!

I really dislike that way of doing business. At age 18 I signed a long term gym membership based on that tactic. I had little money and it was financially painful for years beyond after I ceased using the gym. I am waiting now to learn of new pricing after New Year. I don't blame the local dealers for the cheesy pressure tactic. They have to play the hand they are dealt. Both dealers are good.

If I were the reader, I would wonder if the author is the "common denominator," and ask myself if the author was difficult, overbearing, trying to grind to the bottom penny, or had some other flaw or reason to attract bad experiences. I hope I am none of those. I know people I do business with need to make money. I don't want to get fleeced, but I want people I do business with to make a decent profit so they are still in business in the future when I need service or something new.

I don't know if there is a reasonable answer to any of this. Dealers can't afford to floor every model. I would love to take a suitcase full of cash to a dealership, and on the same visit test drive a cab model Kubota L6060 and a cab model Massey 1758. Then hand over the cash and take home a tractor. Ain't gonna happen. So, in the mean time, I continue looking at internet pictures of tractors, and wonder what it would be like to sit in them or drive them around, and what one might cost. All in all, a pretty miserable way to buy a complex piece of machinery.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Wow what a miserable experience.

I would think that they would be all over you if they knew you had 'cash in hand' and were ready to buy on the spot.

I have no advice, just sympathy.

Happy New Year!

 

[Thomas]

I've notice over the years dealers inventory stock what's selling best in there area,but to say they have one on the lot and don't kinda warning sign.

 

[mike69440]

I have owned a SCUT tractor for about a year. That is my entire tractor experience, so I am still a "newbie." I recently started shopping for a larger tractor. I'm a cash buyer. Budget is $50,000+. It has been a difficult experience.

After great help on this forum, I chose a Kubota Grand L6060. I developed an exact configuration using "build your own." But no dealer ever had one to look at. Surprisingly, one dealer told me on the phone: "yes I am looking at a cab model L6060 on my lot right now." When I got there, it was a M7040 narrow model. No L models in sight.

I presented the "build" to a Kubota dealer and asked for a quote. I received an emailed quote at full retail price for the tractor and all implements. No follow up call. A inquired at a second dealership, and received the exact same response. Finally a different dealer had an L6060 cab model. I went to look at it. Very nice tractor. "No" you cannot drive it-- we are preparing it for a customer. That was disappointing because I really wanted to try out the much-maligned "treadle" and see if that setup works for me. "No" I can't start it up without permission, and the person who could give that permission was gone. I handed the sales person my "build" and asked for a quote. He agreed to email a quote. Then no response. I phoned about a week later. "Sorry, he's not in." I left him a voice mail telling him I was ready to proceed and asked for a quote. No response. To be fair, the sales person did provide an original quote. This was after my first visit and before I had done the on-line "build" with a final configuration and choice of implements. So what I could not obtain was an update to the original quote. Which was the configuration I wanted to purchase. The last time I saw that salesperson, he mentioned he had just bagged a huge order comprising many units. Hmmm.

I asked another dealer for a quote. To be fair, they were the most responsive of all. They said up-front they don't quote retail price, they returned several phone call(s), answered a few questions, and provided a quote but omitted two items I wanted. They don't load tires. And they don't deliver. When I asked for a quote including loaded rears and delivery, I was told I needed to take the tires to a local tire shop myself and have them loaded. And maybe they could "find" a third party truck and driver to do delivery. I gave up on Kubota.

I started focusing on a Massey 1758 tractor. I searched for a 1758 to look at. The closest one was a used model about 500 miles away. I called and left a voice mail for the sales person. No return call. It wasn't because the 1758 sold, because I didn't communicate in my VM which of their many tractors I was interested in.

There are several Massey Ferguson dealers near me. Good quality dealerships, responsive and attentive. I've done business with both and have friendly relationships with both. But they didn't have a 1758. Then came the pressure-- you better sign a contract right now because all of Massey's incentives change at the end of the month. If you don't sign right now, huge discounts might vanish. It's apparently a closely guarded secret what the future incentives might be, but supposedly word was "leaked" that they won't be as good!!! Act now or pay the price!

I really dislike that way of doing business. At age 18 I signed a long term gym membership based on that tactic. I had little money and it was financially painful for years beyond after I ceased using the gym. I am waiting now to learn of new pricing after New Year. I don't blame the local dealers for the cheesy pressure tactic. They have to play the hand they are dealt. Both dealers are good.

If I were the reader, I would wonder if the author is the "common denominator," and ask myself if the author was difficult, overbearing, trying to grind to the bottom penny, or had some other flaw or reason to attract bad experiences. I hope I am none of those. I know people I do business with need to make money. I don't want to get fleeced, but I want people I do business with to make a decent profit so they are still in business in the future when I need service or something new.

I don't know if there is a reasonable answer to any of this. Dealers can't afford to floor every model. I would love to take a suitcase full of cash to a dealership, and on the same visit test drive a cab model Kubota L6060 and a cab model Massey 1758. Then hand over the cash and take home a tractor. Ain't gonna happen. So, in the mean time, I continue looking at internet pictures of tractors, and wonder what it would be like to sit in them or drive them around, and what one might cost. All in all, a pretty miserable way to buy a complex piece of machinery.

Why are you buying new?
If Buying new is a at any cost requirement, read no further.
Tractors do not wear out , loose function and value like cars.
A low hour Tractor that you want to own will be difficult to find but possible if you want to be patient.
Example
My Boss just paid asking price from a Craigslist ad buying an 2014 L3800 HST Kubota,
It has a Hard Cab, Heat Defroster and electric windshield wiper.
It comes with a quality very HD rotary cutter and rotor tiller, QA Pallet Forks and an aftermarket 7-1/2 3 Pt Backhoe plus other implements that I don't remember.
He paid what the dealer would buy it back, $24,500. The seller had 1/2 dozen people seriously interested. Seller would rather do someone a favor, rather than sell back to a dealer.
The sellers father passed away from Cancer. The tractor has 16 hrs on it. Nubs on tires still there, Bucket paint barely scratched.
Similar tractors with no implements or CAB with a few hundred hours are going for Low Twenties, so the deals are out there for patient people with cash on hand.
Also.
In 2014 I bought a 2013 leftover, Teir 3 and saved +15% over my best price on a new tractor.

 

[plowhog]

I agree about stocking what sells. When I bought my SCUT, I test drove a Kubota BX25 and John Deere competitor on the same day. It was a good shopping experience since both were in stock. I preferred the BX25, but I could never get the Kubota dealer to give me a quote. Just like with the L6060, based on poor response I finally decided to look for a different color tractor.

The Massey GC1710 was also in stock. I had to drive a bit to also look at the sister GC1720 model, then decided the 1710 was the best fit for me. Cash purchase and it was done. It's been a great little tractor. I would like to test drive a Massey 1758, but my good experience with the smaller Massey builds some confidence to maybe buy sight-unseen. Not desirable, but I have work needing to get done, and need to advance from shopping for a CUT tractor to owning and using one.

 

[plowhog]

Mike, good comments. I have also been looking at used tractors, but finding few to choose from.

The other "cringe" factor about buying used is my inexperience with tractors. I could kick tires as well as most people on any kind of vehicle or piston powered airplane, but my low knowledge of tractors makes it difficult for me to evaluate if a used tractor is being sold based on legitimate reasons or if there might be some kind of hidden or concealed problem.

 

[Tompet]

Wow what a miserable experience.

I would think that they would be all over you if they knew you had 'cash in hand' and were ready to buy on the spot.

I have no advice, just sympathy.

Happy New Year!

My thoughts upon reading your story.

The Kubota experience has soured and probably passed? You have a Massey and reference the dealer(s) where I assume where you purchased your 1710. Just keep at it and don't get discouraged. I went through similar, though much less frustrating, experience in the past.

You have the budget, basic experience and certainly are stepping up in capabilities, so keep plugging away and get what you want and be cut and dry with the dealer as to that want.
It was good you blew off any pressure tactics....put the pressure on the dealer and ask him where does he go from here for you to see and experience a cab/model of choice? Have you exhausted all dealers within reasonable distance?

Good luck, and eventually you'll forget about all this while enjoying your new tractor!

 

[jenkinsph]

Both tractors you are considering are excellent imo. So it would seem the issue is choosing the dealer you like the best. I also walk in the dealership with a build sheet that I have worked out after careful consideration on my own time at home. This simplifies the quote process significantly and should be an easy process for the dealerships.

Since Deere has the retail pricing listed I know what the configured retail quote is and start the negotiating at 20% off. So far the actual prices have been 20% off on my 110tlb and 18.9% off for the 4520. The x749 mower was lower at 15% off, seems most dealers claim they don't have as much profits in the small machines. That has been my experiences in the recent past. I have had several other tractors over the years and have haggled and so on but times have changed and most of the mom and pop dealerships are long gone.

For the most part when I am purchasing a tractor today I have already done the research and the salesman is there to take the order in my view. After the sale he could disappear for all I care, the service manager and his shop are the ones I want to know more about. I would ask around about their shop reputation before buying anything.

I would spend the month of January trying to figure out who has the best service reputation in your area. I would show up about the first of February with a good down payment check in hand and see if we can make a deal.

Good luck with it.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

plowhog-(tractor operator), if you can wait a bit longer, I highly recommend going down to Tulare to the World AG Expo in February. It is the largest AG show in the world. I can pretty much say with certainty that you will be able to look at and purchase the tractor of choice at that show or at least get set up for the purchase. You will not be able to operate it, but you can see, sit, touch, ask questions to more than one person about whatever concerns that you might have.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I had pretty much the same experience with Kubota when I shopped for a tractor. No return calls, personal visits produced nothing because salesmen were busy with a big order that they had to get out (is this a gimmick at all dealers). Anyway that is the main reason I bought an LS tractor, they were anxious to please and sell. Kubota seems to want you to beg them to sell you a tractor of their choosing, not your choosing. I did buy a used Kubota B26 from an individual and the same dealer is very cooperative with service and parts. I guess it is just the sales folks. By the looks of their lot last year which was bare, I guess they have no problem selling all they can get because it was full at the beginning of the year. This is bad for customers, but good for the dealers.
I had online shopped for MF 1648 which looked very good from photos and sales hype and I had gotten a good quote from the dealer online, but when I went to the dealer's lot and sat on it, it just didn't fit me ergonomically so I passed on the MF and Case. Local JD dealer only had 100+ HP tractors and then lawnmowers on his lot, no CUT or smaller Utility so JD was out also. At the time NH dealer had gone out of business so I was pretty much limited in what was left. Glad I found the LS as it has been a good tractor.