Why won't the dealer let us "test" drive the fel??

[megaboz]

I'm sure a lot of dealers would like to be able to do that, especially if it would increase their sales, but for the most part a lot of the dealers are small and mostly make their living off of the repair work and accessories sold.

Overhead is expensive and hopefully a dealer would know enough to ask you the right questions to hook you up with the right equipment. And if they had used equipment, the would probably let you spend some time on it, but in the end sitting on the dealers lot, would you really get a chance to know if that was the machine for you? Especially as a newbi to a tractor, I know I wouldn't have had a clue.

But either way I am glad you got what you needed.

As for some of the other posters, please try to be a little nicer to others and not be so mean or treat people like thier idiots.

[RayCo]

Originally Posted by PILOON

Used to sell fork lift trucks!

A 'farmer type' complete with muddy boots walked into the showroom and was totally ignored by all personnel but me.
I chatted with him a bit, answered his questions showed him a few units and determined what he would most likely need to do the job.
Long and short is that he had $25,000. in cash with him and purchased then and there.

Downside was that we were on commission and the credit went to another sales rep who had totally ignored him.

That sucks that you got screwed out of your commission, but I commend you for treating him right.

A few years back, I went to my local John Deere dealer to chat about the 2305/2310 models. The salesman made some remark like, "Oh, those are real expensive" and tried to redirect me to lawn tractors. I think he dismissed me because of my young age. So, I wound up with a Kubota.

[BTI]

I treat everyone the same......
I don't care who you are, which if you are a bit "better than me" you might not like LOL

In all seriousness, doesn't matter to me, I talk to everyone, even ones that have no interest in buying.
Yes it sometimes interrupts things BUT, I genuinely do enjoy it.
I know of one customer that I talked to a few years ago......
Ended up buying used, I figured I never see him again (had never seen him anyway only chatted on the phone).
Low and behold, 2 years, give or take they all run together, he calls comes down looks and buys.
You never want to dismiss anyone, it's not ALL business....maybe it's a character flaw for me LOL

I would love to give free loader demo's but unfortunately the few that really are serious about it, would not outweigh the ones thinking it's a good way to get some work around the house done.
I fell to that early in my owner days....
I didn't leave it though, customer was mad.
Said the Mahindra dealer was bringing one the next day, and Deere the day after.
Went by his place sometime later, when it was all said and one, he had been clearing and leveling the land....but it wasn't his.
His yard needed a small 0-turn, not a 45hp tractor.

We just can't afford to have that many demo units.
We normally try to have a couple of demo models we mark down but not one of every model.

BTI

[Big Bri]

I own a music store and while i guitars and drums are different than tractors to have people who want to take a guitar home and "try it out" we stop all that when one of the guys we "loaned" a guitar to try at "home" was on stage at a local bar with it. Turns out he does this a lot. For what little margins we work with to compete with the net its hard to make every one happy.

As far as not judging people, we treat everyone who comes in the door like their going to drop 10k. Might not get the sale that day but they will remember how we treated them and will at some time stop back and buy.

[WarrenF]

Originally Posted by tommyz270

you obviously didn't understand my question. I believe I understood your question quite thoroughly.

I don't expect them to offer a new one, I don't expect to "test drive" at my place, I don't expect them to deliver a test tractor to me.

Sorry, but I'm going to spend $22k and to me, that's a lot of money.

What I DO expect is great customer service, helpful service, and someone to actually act like they want my money - ya know, like have a used one I can try around their yard, or at least take my name and number and let me know when they get a used model in that series so I can come out and test drive it, or a dealer who would take advantage of some extra money by renting...

There is a definite difference between a B and BX and only "test driving the fel" would tell the purchaser the difference - and I don't mean taking it for a spin around the yard. Anyways, doesn't really matter - I actually found a dealer who meets all of those "desires" and he's going to get my money.

I am not judging anyone or trying to be a knot head. Obviously some of you have never EVER been in business. You act as if the dealer is making thousands of dollars off of your sale. While I am not that well acquainted with tractor dealerships....I do have a long history of family in the auto business. Let me ask you all a simple question. If you took that $22,000 and invested in a business, what would you expect for a return on your investment. Remember you are going to be married to that business seven days a week. You will be called at all hours of the day and night by any customer who decides that you personally need to hear from them how you ripped them off.

Now your going to have customers just waiting to sue you for any and all reasons....primarily because you breathe air. Or they will want to sue you because you tried to sell them a 40 horse tractor and they decided they needed a 15 horse toy tractor, and it won't pull that stump out of their lawn.

For all of that, are you going to settle for a 3% return on your investment? Understand that you do not get a paycheck if you have a bad month, and you don't get an hourly paycheck either.

Then some customer wants to come in and "test drive" a front end loader. Sure the only one you might have is brand new....and after dealing with him for 2 hours a day for seven days.....he wants to scar up your new equipment.

Oh and by the way.....I have found that many dealers who are bold enough to tell you NO....will in the long run be the most honest to deal with. Good luck when you need some service, and get ready to bend over. I PROMISE YOU, the dealer who bends to all those crazy requests, will in the end get his comeuppance.

[RonVL4]

The question is! If we had something to sell would you let a guy take it home to try out? Not a chance ! Some dealers around here do when they know the guy is really serious but my dealer said he has got burnt bad in some cases?

I was fortunate enough my Kubota dealer's son is good buddy with my son and have known him for a long time. So he dropped a 2630 and said have fun and let me know when you decide.

As my test tractor was being dropped off my neighbour down the street which is a John Deere salesman went by! He called me at home later that night and offered to drop off a 2305. Which he did next morning which is the best of both world.

Did buy a Kubota but will be buying in the future and would consider the John Deere because of the effort the salesman went through. Nice guy he laughs about it and ask me to clear his driveway in winter. At night if possible when it's dark so no one sees a Kub on his driveway!

[RadarTech]

I had a similiar experience to Rayco...

First and foremost I went to the local Bota shop..
first think I asked was to drive one of the HST's
The owner, who was at least in his late 60s, hem hawed around and said oh you don't want to do that blah blah...
I thanked him and left.

I went and saw the, at the time new, CUB/Yanmar 3200 did not like the pedal arrangement.. and the first thing he did was put me on the tractor.
He was shocked that (the other dealer) treated me that way...

about 2 months later, I was an hour south working and went by that bota dealer. When told I was interested in a 2800/3400 he tossed me a key and said go drive it and then come see me. As I walked out, another guy went with me and I was sold!!!!

As Paul Harvey said-- and now you know the rest of the story.....

J

[tommyz270]

I guess my "local" dealer is just getting too much business now-a-days to deal with a home owner who doesn't know the difference between a B and BX and how they "work" and how much work they will do.

Sure, I could take it for a spin in the yard... great... I could also ride a bike around the yard.

I understand he needs to make money, but I also need to watch how I spend my money, which is why we negotiate.

Guess it was the overall attitude also... I'm actually looking forward to giving my business to this other dealer and I'll be telling everyone I know to go visit him becasue he is fair, will treat you right, and acts like he wants to do business with me.

[megaboz]

This debate can go on forever, and while it wold be nice, it isn't always going to happen for one reason or another. A friendly dealer does make a big difference in a purchasing decision. As for other posters, there is a lot of costs in running a business, and not all of them can handle that type of overhead, so don't be entirely mad because he can't oblige you.

I know it would have been nice on my BX24 to test drive the BH, even it if was just in the air and not in the dirt. The BH is so slow that it really isn't suited to any ditch digging jobs more than 20 feet or so.

For those that have a dealer that can do it, congrats. To those that don't, do a lot of research or try to find another dealer.

[newbury]

Originally Posted by megaboz

<snip>
I know it would have been nice on my BX24 to test drive the BH, even it if was just in the air and not in the dirt. The BH is so slow that it really isn't suited to any ditch digging jobs more than 20 feet or so.
<snip>

Although OT, what do you mean about "slow"? My BH70X seems to move fast for me, but I have not tried fiddling with the thing to slow it down.