Is this acceptable quality on a brand new Kubota?

As some of you know from my other posts, I recently traded in my 5 yr old BX2230 for a new BX1860. This machine was not on the dealer floor or lot, but was ordered and shipped from a Kubota Warehouse and arrived with zero hrs (or just run in a bit). Part of my deal to save some money required me to deliver my old tractor and pick up my new one. We made the exchange and I gave my machine a quick 1-2 minute inspection, but in hind sight that was wrong and I should have spent more time checking it over.

Now, I may be an overly picky buyer, but hey, when I spend big money on something, I expect it to be perfect and that I plan to put the first scratches on it.

Once I got it home, I was able to get a close up look at everything and began to notice little things that kinda ticked me off.

-Slow moving vehicle sign flew off on the way home.....I did not know it wasn't bolted on, but only in a slide in bracket....nobody told me this.

-Excessive grease on the zerks and pivots....no biggie, I cleaned it off and was just glad everything was greased, although done sloppy.

-Small scratch on the hood....deep enough it won't buff out....ok, no biggie, but still its new!!

-Small scratch on one of the rear wheels...once again, I can live with this, but come on!

-Many more small-medium scratches on one of the spare wheels (turfs mounted on). This time bad enough I want the wheel replaced.

-Weld splatter on the front grill guard that wasn't cleaned up before paint....just sloppy, no big deal, I can live with it.

-And my biggest complaint......nasty ugly welds all over the loader. My old machine had nice smooth beads, (the way it should be) and this new one looks like amateur work. I happen to have been a pretty savvy welder in the past, and this is just flat out crappy workmanship.

I wrote this all up in a polite, professional email to my dealer salesman, who had been excellent to deal with during this transaction so far....

After 5 days with no reply, I called him today......

All he had to say was....

-He spoke to the regional Kubota rep and the rep plans to visit the factory and make them aware of the quality concerns....that's it....nothing for me.....but hopefully better quality for future tractor buyers.

-They will send me a can of spray paint for my beat up wheel.......which I think is pathetic and there should have been no hesitation to swap out the wheel for a new one. In my opinion, the shop guys most likely did this with careless use of a tire iron when the tires were filled. My dealer salesman just makes excuses about how the wheels are shipped loose and can get scratched.....

Yea, so what! I don't care how it happened, I paid for a brand new scratch free unit..

My old machine was built in Japan, my new one in Georgia....think this has anything to do with the weld quality??

I know some will say these are petty nit picky concerns, and a tractor is meant to be worked....I agree to a small extent, but I also take extremely good care of my stuff, most looks like new, and although I work my machines, I keep them looking like new.

Other then these few items, this is a fine machine and I am sure I will be happy with its performance.

I have the name and number of the Kubota rep and plan to call, but I was wondering what you guys thought of my complaints/concerns?

I'll try and post a few pics, but it may be hard to see from a picture.

More pics

last ones

I'll trade you a PTO that doesn't always cut off for what you have... or others that have a jerky valve... Yes, it does stink that it is not perfect, but for me, it looks very minor. I know people that "take really good care" of their stuff... that is just not me. I'm sure that whoever buys your old BX2230 is going to get a great tractor.

I don't think so considering the amount of money spent. I am going throught the same situation with my new B2320. My dealer won't give me the rep. contact information, but I have asked him to have the rep. call me then. I will try and post some more information about my quality concerns when I have some more time. Thus far, my concerns have just been dismissed.

Well, at least us amateur weldors know where we can go ask for employment.

Scratches???

Oh man. I feel another tractor waxing thread coming on...

Sorry you do not like your new tractor. If you dent it a couple of times I promise the scratches seem minor. Grease on zerks are a high-class problem. The sales people can't do anything about the welds.

UNLESS you break one, then Kubota will care deeply.

I think the scratches are something to complain about. I can see what you mean about the welds, but if they are strong and effective that is what I'd be more concerned with. My ROPS had a few scratches on it at delivery but I didn't give it a second thought. I'd ask for some compensation, a discount off an attachment or a few hundred bucks back on the price. I'm sorry this happened to your deal. Good luck to you.

I just figure that the hefty price was based on a perfect product....since its not, I feel that these "minor" items either be fixed or replaced, or the price adjusted to compensate for the "lack of perfectness."

If my dealer had a fleet of these machines, I would have cherry picked the one I thought met my approval...since this was ordered directly from the factory, I did not have that option, but one would assume a new machine just uncrated that has "passed inspection" (**** its got a sticker right there) should be expected to be just like the ones in the brochure.

wheel swap for a new one or a dismount and repaint/powdercoat seems very reasonable to me.

The ugly welds on the loader probably do not warrant a replacement, I'm sure its structually sound, but due to shipping, etc, not likely that my ugly welds would be reason for kubota to replace it.....but I do feel the price should be adjusted accordingly for sub-par workmanship.

I feel for you and agree entirely, that is some pretty ugly welding, the biggest bummer of it all is that you will end up just living with it

My B3030 bucket isn't level when raised, all the dealer could do is shrug his shoulders and probably thought to himself, man I hope this dude don't make a bid deal out of this

In the end it is nothing that really detracts from the use of the machine but I agree, you trade money for a product with expectations that it will be in a like new condition with workmanship commensurate with the cost, this ain't a no-name lawn tractor here

all these words to say it just sucks