Price Check wonder what the mark up really is

[RickB]

I doubt the parts counter guy has a clue if the tractor was bought at their dealership.

You would be wrong more often than not. A good parts person knows their customers, and knows how to use the "units sold to" file in the store's business system. We continually look up a serial numbers because the customer often discounts the importance of providing a serial number or build date to aid in getting the correct parts for his machine.

 

[brain55]

I use a friend that works for a dealer. His dealer allows him to do side work as long as it is not on the brand the dealer sells. In addition to this friend I know of least two more guys that do the same thing.

You said independent shops, you didn't say buddies with tools in the bed of their truck. Not everybody has buddies that are competent equipment mechanics, so they are going to have to rely on good support from their dealer. If the local dealer doesn't provide that support, they are going to have to find one that does.

Brian

 

[EFC]

Everyone seems to make a huge deal of dealer support. I bought my tractor used and have been to both local dealers for filters and parts. Both dealers gave good service. I doubt the parts counter guy has a clue if the tractor was bought at their dealership. The only service repair I go to dealers for on cars, trucks, ATV, lawnmowers, etc is warranty work. After the warranty is over I prefer independent repair shops. If it were my purchase I would go with the cheaper price.

You said eloquently what I have said in the past and it is very specific to tractor customers. After the warranty we just dont see tractor customers again. Our outdoor lines like Cub, Troy built and Echo are completely different, those customers I will see almost every year as long as they own the equipment. I read all over this board about how a dealer has to sell at cost to earn future service work (I think because they assume car dealer and tractor dealer are the same business. Tractor dealers have about as much in common with car dealers as pastry chefs). What they are really saying is warranty work not service work. And warranty work is just not profitable or at least not something I want to pay to earn. The sad part is after the warranty I can almost always beat the independent repair shops price and quality. It drives me absolutely nuts when they finally bring in their tractor after months of frustration and a $1000.00 worth of repairs from various shops and we have it out the door in an hour for under $100.. Fixed correctly. Not only does it make me mad to see them waste their money but almost without a hitch they are mad at me. Like I said? Self inflicted wounds. Are all shops the same, no. Are all shops fair and professional, no. But if a tree falls in the woods is a dealer always a crook?

Even when we had 300 tractors a year going out the door I still knew who my customers were and who were not. If I dont remember them they remind me because of their in store 10% off for life discount

 

[Kep]

In this world I've learned over the years is you get what you pay for..there's no free lunch and a good working relationship with a dealer is worth it's weight in gold.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I've often wondered if a dealer could set up a two-tiered customer system. One would be VIP and would include free delivery, free pickup and delivery for services and warranty and maybe free scheduled services for the first 5 years. Next day air on parts, front of the line on service. Free loaner. Something like that, really over the top. The other we could call the parsimonious program. The price is rock bottom, but no free delivery, no warranty favors (where a dealer covers something out of his pocket-happens all the time), no free clips, pins, hats, toplinks, service calls, etc. No talking on the phone for two hours for free because you ran it out of fuel and can't figure out how to start it, or your radiator screen is filled with chaff or your battery cables are dirty. Read your manual. No sponsoring your child for his club, no wash job after a service, no full tank of diesel. Got a little weatherchecking on your tires, talk to Titan, it's not my problem...etc.

I've ready a few articles of dealers who have done this successfully. It does give a good picture to the customer of the cost of providing service.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

You would be wrong more often than not. A good parts person knows their customers, and knows how to use the "units sold to" file in the store's business system. We continually look up a serial numbers because the customer often discounts the importance of providing a serial number or build date to aid in getting the correct parts for his machine.

Or... "I have the 30 Hp Kubota"... or I have a "42 inch cub cadet". Come on now people... know your model numbers!

Yes, we know who bought from us because we have to lookup model / serial info all the time. All too often people don't know what they bought.

 

[brain55]

Or... "I have the 30 Hp Kubota"... or I have a "42 inch cub cadet". Come on now people... know your model numbers!

Yes, we know who bought from us because we have to lookup model / serial info all the time. All too often people don't know what they bought.

I've even got, "I don't know, it's orange", when asking for a model number. When I first started we didn't have computers at the parts counter or shop. Everything was hand written. Accounting had a computer and would print out reports that we could look stuff up in. Inventory control was mostly done with pull tags. Ahhh, the good old days.

Brian