Dealership customer service....Am I just an ***, or what?

[PAPPASMURF]

The dealership lied to you so many times that I lost count. I went through this with a different brand and will no longer support that dealer by giving them any of my money again, and letting everyone that I know how they lied to me over and over again.

What happens now if you have problems with your grapple?

I realize it's too late now, but why didn't you have the dealership that you know and trust do all the work, and just buy a grapple from somebody else? I guess I know the answer, you didn't know that the other dealership would be so dishonest.

This particular dealership was the only one that offered the j-Bar brand grapple that I wanted.

 

[Diggin It]

^^ Yeah, how many times have we seen the PC flake off, sometimes still in the store? Once it begins to peel on the job, it gets coated with real paint.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I don't think the black grapple looks as good as the matching Kubota Orange one. Yes, I know that's **** on one hand, however its the same difference as ordering a blue car and they give you a red one to me. I like my equipment to not only operate great, but look good as well. The black Grapple looks almost "cheap" compared to the matching Orange one. Just a personal preference.

I've had bad dealer experiences in the past but I can't top yours. I'm glad it all worked out in the end.

I've had a bunch of orange tractors over the years and I used to agree with you about matching colored implements. I've found that after a couple of hundred hours, the orange color (especially on buckets) shows the wear more than plain black. Due to the contrast, scrapes, dings, dirt and grease don't show up as much against a black background. Black is now my preferred color for wear implements. Just my opinion though.

 

[JK22]

You can buy a new grapple that’s not powder coated??

 

[Industrial Toys]

I'm kind of glad, the bulk of my equipment buying days are over, as I would not want to deal with that powder scab. I'm having my new to me, top dresser sandblasted and painted soon. It was just painted. It will turn out nice. Powder Coating would have been a nightmare, and I probably would not even have bothered to buy it.

It just amazes me how something that is total garbage, can not only become so popular but actually have people believing is a superior process. AND, even paying EXTRA!

Same here on the black implements. Done with color matched stuff. If CAT has black tools fot their IT line of loaders, that's good enough for me too.

 

[PAPPASMURF]

For those asking "why I was so insistent" on an Orange Grapple...….doesn't this look much better matching the tractor than would a black one? Just sayin.
]

 

[Industrial Toys]

Absolutely it does. But it does not look that way after a days work. And BLACK is just the better compromise.

 

[Diggin It]

^^ My stuff is for workin', not showin' or lookin' at. Just got a yellow Carry All and Landscape Rake. And a couple of cans of blue spray paint, which I might use someday. Not today though.

 

[PAPPASMURF]

Im really not saying that color trumps workability and quality....just making a point that I am that picky. If you notice, I take very good care of my equipment and looks do have a place with my business, but quality is far more superior. That being said.....You'll notice that the tractor in the picture looks new, but is actually a 2011. (8 years old). I take pride in how my equipment is serviced and kept and that is why I wanted what I wanted, not what someone else wanted to throw at me and see if it stuck.

 

[BigBlue1]

All I have to say is "was it worth the $200 bucks?"

That's really irrelevant here. The issues the OP had would not have been any different or less troubling to him if he had gone to the dealer with the orange grapple in the first place and never considered the black one. All you're saying in effect is "the first dealer might have been able to do better". Which none of us could predict.

As for the situation, I completely understand being mad about the lack of communication. If someone fails to follow through once ("I'll call you tomorrow" but doesn't) then their second strike is an out. Two failures is a pattern. However, given that pattern it was pretty risky to take the risk of the dealer following through correctly on the tight timeline install. I would have waited until you had more buffer time before bringing the tractor in. And never, ever pressure them into something like staying late to finish it up. You just KNOW they are going to half-*** it at that point. I would have picked up the tractor and rescheduled or just gone elsewhere.

Rob