Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor

   / Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor #1  

bartonkj

Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2003
Messages
41
Location
Northeast Ohio
Tractor
New Holland TC29DA
Long post but good story (for me at least)

I had a New Holland TC24D manual transmission with the 12LA loader. I went out to use it one day in May and the low range would not work. This was odd since it worked the last time I used the tractor. Tractor in the shop before Mother's Day. Find out the low range gear was completely stripped (no teeth left at all). I have no idea how this happened because I do not recall hearing any grinding, banging, or antyhing else that would indicated the gear getting torn up.

Once they find out what is wrong, the parts are not in stock anywhere around - dealer orders part. Dealer keeps looking for the part. I don't get too worried at first since having parts on backorder doesn't seem too uncommon. A couple of weeks go by from when they first picked up the tractor. Still no sign of the part. They investigate and find out the part is nowhere to be had in the country. They are trying to get the part from the factory in Japan.

I politely tell the shop that it has been some time without the tractor, and although I know it's not the dealer's fault, I need a tractor and if the part can't be located - I should get a new tractor from New Holland. Shop manager says he'll work on New Holland rep.

The New Holland parts rep and sales rep find out the supplier doesn't even have any parts to spare - so they are trying to get the factory to pull one off the assembly line to ship over. I give them a few days to figure out if they can do that and continue to press for a new tractor if there is no resolution.

Working with the Owner of the dealership and finally say I can't wait any longer. He says, understandable - we'll get you a new tractor. They have a TC24DA on the lot but hydrostatic not gear. I say I don't want hydrostatic with the same engine HP. They have some TC30s and a TC29DA - all hydrostatic. Although I prefered gear I decided to go with the hydro. I like the features of the TC29 better than the 30 so I decide to take that one.

Dealer gives me full credit for the TC24 and FEL (100% of the price I paid) and charges me the extra for the 29 (and a good price for the 29 w/ FEL). Preps tractor and finalize paperwork next day, delivers tractor the day after that.

I originally went with the 24 b/c I thought it would be a decent size and I didn't want to spend more. We have a very rutted old farm field and it was rough riding the 24 through the property. While the 24 worked fairly well for our needs - it really was too small for our property and the things we need to do. I should have gone with a bigger tractor to begin with (I just didn't want to spend the extra money). After having the tractor for a year I was able to see just how much we needed a bigger tractor. And, I got to use it for free.

I'm VERY happy with how the dealership operated during these circumstances. They gave us a fair price on the TC29DA and 14LA FEL ($18,500), they gave us full credit for the old tractor, and they worked for us to resolve the issues we had. I have heard some stories on here about dealers leaving people high and dry and telling them tough luck when they have problems. If anyone else lives in the North East Ohio area - I highly recommend Spear's Chardon Tractor as an honest dealer willing to stick by their customers.

I've put 7 hours on the new tractor this weekend and it really makes a big difference - it is so much easier to use than the 24 for some of the things I need to do around here. And while I wasn't interested in the HST before - I'm a quick convert (although HST isn't perfect by any means).
 
   / Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor #2  
Interesting story !

Congrats on the new tractor and a pretty successfuly negotiation.
 
   / Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor #3  
Great story. It really does pay to have a good local dealer. Bottom dollar doesn't always mean the best deal if the dealer isn't top level . It sounds like is.
 
   / Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor #4  
First I'm glad you got taken care of the way you deserved to be. Your situation sounds good with your dealer being the right one to have.

Secondly though is whats up with New Holland? No parts available for a newer tractor, anywhere in the world? I'm more scared of this type of situation then you seem to be. If it was me I would have considered switching brands because of this. I hope this was more an isolated incident than the norm. But gears aren't that non-typical.
 
   / Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor #5  
Bob,
Here is a way to look at it. If the broken part is in high demand and lots of dealers have it in stock as well as the warehouse having several on hand, that is when I would worry. That would mean that there is a high failure rate for that part. In this case it would mean a weak MAJOR casting. I don't think that NH has a problem with this part nor do I think that they need to stock more than one or two in the country at any one time.
This is my thoughts only and may not reflect the actual mileage by others.
 
   / Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor #6  
Yeah, I used to have a Suburban the the starter went out. I braced myself for a high dolar hard to find part. Nope $29.95 and they are everywhere. Pretty soon I was wondering why they don't use wing nuts or go on with a bayonet mount. Pretty sad when you have to change yer starter with each oil change...

Glad to hear the dealer went to bat for a customer in need!
 
   / Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor
  • Thread Starter
#7  
It did make me pause to wonder about the non-availability of the part. However, since I have a different tractor now, I at least don't have to worry about that part breaking again. Will I have problems getting a different part if there is a need for the part? I don't know. I haven't heard of there being a massive parts supply problem or a massive parts failure problem with New Holland lately, but I don't claim to be an expert in New Holland parts quality/availability. The dealer was pretty surprised that this happened (both the part failure and the part unavailability), and while some dealers can't be relied upon for information, I feel pretty confident with this dealer........
 
   / Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor #8  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I feel pretty confident with this dealer........
)</font>

Yeah, it sounds like you found yourself a good one. Reenforces what many others of said on here. An you got to try one out for a year, decide to go bigger and still got full credit for your slightly used tractor. Great Deal. Congrats!!!
 
   / Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor #9  
Don't mean to sound like a complete noob here, but aren't new Hollands Fords? Ford gets their tractor parts from Japan? I knew the smaller JD's were made by Yanmar in Japan, but I didn't know the Fords were too..........

Oh and congrats on the new tractor!
 
   / Tractor Broke + Great Dealer = New Tractor #10  
<font color="blue">
Don't mean to sound like a complete noob here, but aren't new Hollands Fords? Ford gets their tractor parts from Japan? I knew the smaller JD's were made by Yanmar in Japan, but I didn't know the Fords were too.......... </font>


Ford used to be in the tractor business, they were sold as Ford tractors. They then became Ford/New Holland after a merger. They then sold out completely several years ago, and Ford is no longer involved, although Ford employees can still buy New Holland tractors under the A plan. New Holland is now Case/New Holland, its majority stock holder is Fiat of Italy, the company is incorporated in Denmark, but traded on our stock exchanges with many facilities/offices here in the US. They also own Kobelco.

The "boomer" series New Hollands largely use Japanese parts from a subcontractor (Shibura) who builds them to Case/New Holland spec, ships them here and they are assembled here. I believe the loaders are made here?
 
 
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