Dealer told me "you can't buy from them...

[Bird]

just got off the phone with a sales rep from a big Caterpillar dealer

And it sounds as if their situation is normal to me. When my brother was a Matco Tool distributor, he had a certain "exclusive territory" in which no other Matco truck could enter to try to sell products. By the same token, my brother could not take his truck into another Matco dealer's territory to sell anything. However, there was one garage in another dealer's territory with a small problem. They liked Matco tools, but did not like the distributor in that area (different personalities). So they had an employee who lived fairly near my brother and that employee would visit my brother at night or on the weekends to buy tools from him, but always paid cash.

 

[Doc_Bob]

I've ended up with "somebody elses problem" after buying NEW on a couple of occasions. I prefer new if it's something I plan on keeping for a significant time. If I'm buying short term, then reselling, used is the only way for me.

I bought used, saved 15 grand. Tractor had 168 hours and 3 years old. Had it inspected, spent some money on known required repairs and a 100 hours later, no regrets. I would have loved to buy new, but the savings were too great. I am also new to tractors, so I can sell some day if my needs change as my experience grows and I learn what I really should have purchased.
Bob

 

[Piney Woods Rooter]

...I will never buy a new Stihl. I will not support any company that should be convicted of price fixing. [steps off soapbox]

[FONT=&quot]When I bought my Stihl a few years ago, I called about 8 different shops. It seems like half of them quoted about the same price (within ten dollars) and a couple were higher and a couple lower. The dealer I bought from was substantially lower than the rest. Maybe things have changed in the last 3-4 years.[/FONT]

 

[jand38]

Did I read correctly this happen in 1983 and it is 2006 that is 23 years ago let go, move on. Just my 2 cents worth

 

[BTDT]

I have let go. I was just passing along information that may be useful to someone as to why their dealer/dealers are acting and pricing things the way they are. I think I got a great deal, the dealer was the one upset. Still using this tractor to this day.

 

[daTeacha]

I got my DX29 through the CNH "A" plan. To make it happen, the dealer here in Ohio had to do some fancy paperwork to convince all appropriate parties that my daughter, who lives 3 hours away in Michigan, is the actual buyer and she is keeping her tractor here where it will be used. He said it was unusual to have an absentee farm owner that far away, but not unheard of.

He didn't mind at all selling to me when I'm not officially in his territory. The "local" Case dealer is the same mileage away and the salesman seemed way less interested in working with me than the family owned outfit I got it from.

 

[jand38]

Chainsaws I have not ever noticed 8 dealership in the same area. Why? There would never be enough bussiness for all 8. I do not believe there is enough mark up in the product to discount to bare bones. I know our local dealer has been here 30 plus years wife 3 kids paid taxes was part of our comunity. Had a great business and he treated ever one fairly and honestly. Most discount bussiness are here today gone tommorow.

 

[Piney Woods Rooter]

Chainsaws I have not ever noticed 8 dealership in the same area. Why? There would never be enough bussiness for all 8. I do not believe there is enough mark up in the product to discount to bare bones. I know our local dealer has been here 30 plus years wife 3 kids paid taxes was part of our comunity. Had a great business and he treated ever one fairly and honestly. Most discount bussiness are here today gone tommorow.

Just looked at the Stihl website - today there are ten dealers within 50 miles - perhaps because I live in an area with a large timber industry. The dealer I bought from is still there - and he sounds just like the dealer you described in your community (except the 30 plus years part, he's a young kid who took over from his dad).

 

[Zoombah]

Encountered some of that catty behavior while shopping for a loader to put on a used TN65 I had just purchased. When I called a local dealer one of the things he wanted to know early in the discussion was where the tractor came from. I happened to know where the previous owner had purchased the tractor (about 40 miles away) and responded with the name of that dealer. Upon hearing the name of the original dealer the local dealer got kind of snooty, said he "might" call me back (no kidding), and slammed the phone down. He never called me back with a price. My business went elsewhere.

I guess the local dealer never considered the idea that I had purchased the tractor used from an individual. The local dealer eventually got cut off by NH.