Is this acceptable quality on a brand new Kubota?

[George in Spokane]

I'm sorry but some of you sound like a bunch of old women.
As long as the weld is strong and the tractor does it's job, what does it matter?

When was the last time you noticed the scratches on your hammer? Never, because it's just a tool. A tractor is a tool.

If paint jobs is what the market wants then we'll all just have to pay more.

 

[Mustangous]

As long as the weld is strong and the tractor does it's job, what does it matter?

When was the last time you noticed the scratches on your hammer? Never, because it's just a tool. A tractor is a tool.

If paint jobs is what the market wants then we'll all just have to pay more.

Another point missed, your partially right, A structurally strong sound weld doesn't have to be pretty, but some of those welds don't look strong.
Nothing wrong with the paint job, just the careless guy probably putting the tires on that banged up the rims. I heard in another thread that one of the mechanics put a slice in the tread of their tire because of carelssness.
The splatter shouldn't of been there if they prepped the metal for paint, must of missed that step.
The welds were done by someone who was either inexperienced, or didnt care. That is some serious under cuts. The strength in those other welds are not there. Yeah they MAY never fail, but who knows. Could develop a crack down the road and cause more issues. Its definitely a weak spot.
We pay for a high quality tractor and have a high quality tractor comes from all these previous points and more. These tractors cost more than some cars!
If we didn't pay extra for quality we would buy china made or whatever.

 

[Botabill]

I'm sorry but some of you sound like a bunch of old women.
As long as the weld is strong and the tractor does it's job, what does it matter?

When was the last time you noticed the scratches on your hammer? Never, because it's just a tool. A tractor is a tool.

If paint jobs is what the market wants then we'll all just have to pay more.

You do pay more when you buy a Kubota. Even when I buy a hammer I pay more to get a good one. Yes I could get one for 1/4 the price but I want lasting quality from day one to the end.

 

[teg]

Bottom line, you bought it and left the dealer lot with it... done deal, sold.

 

[Harvest Moon]

I'm sorry but some of you sound like a bunch of old women.
As long as the weld is strong and the tractor does it's job, what does it matter?

When was the last time you noticed the scratches on your hammer? Never, because it's just a tool. A tractor is a tool.

If paint jobs is what the market wants then we'll all just have to pay more.

I'm sure to many a tractor is just a tool, but not to everyone.

Fit and finish matters to a lot of tractor owners and that should matter to Kubota.

For those who don't care about scratches and dings, a Kubota with 350 hours on it is as good as a Kubota with 3.5 minutes, except someone else payed for the 50 hour service... they just about last forever... If paint doesn't matter, save money, buy used.

 

[Mike_Kanzer]

The lesson to be learned from this is "Caveat emptor" (buyer beware) - whether you are buying a tractor, horse or a hot dog you need to look it over and be satisfied with it before you purchase it. It is a shame though that Kubota doesn't do a better job with quality control. I just finished a two day intro welding course and my stick welds looked similar to those on the loader. If they continue to put out sloppy work evidentially it will bit them back as their reputation for quality will suffer.

 

[N80]

I'm sorry but some of you sound like a bunch of old women.
As long as the weld is strong and the tractor does it's job, what does it matter?

As mentioned, a 'big' weld is not necessarily a strong weld. Also, lumpy bumpy welds with nooks and crannies hold water and dirt which lead to rust. Most people keep tractors a long time.

When was the last time you noticed the scratches on your hammer?

If my hammer cost $20,000, I can assure you it would not have any scratches on it the day I bought it.

A tractor is a tool.

That is so worn out. A pickup truck is a tool too. So is a boat. So is a car. So is carpet and vinyl siding. They all have jobs to do but in general we all want them to look nice. So the 'tool' argument is totally moot.

If paint jobs is what the market wants then we'll all just have to pay more.

That does not make sense. First, we already pay 'more'. Second, at least in the past, when you bought a Kubota is already had a good paint job. This was not an option or an extra feature. And I think it is just crazy that people think that paint is simply a vanity/aesthetic issue. Paint protects. If the paint it bad, metal rusts. Resale value goes down, AND its not as pretty and we don't like it. So we leave this argument behind to. If they are going to paint them, then they should paint them well and a dealer ought not deliver one with defective paint.

 

[BANDAMAN]

Seems to me we can all boil this down to people who care and people who don't. The continued comments about how a tractor is a tool is noted....agreed.....but I'm also one of those guys that wipes my tools down when I'm done and hang em back up were they belong. My weed trimmer and leaf blower and chainsaw are over 10 years old...they get worked, but are maintained well and still look good. I have a whole bunch of Dewalt tools and a Stihl saw, I paid more for them then a craftsman or a Tool Shop brand....they get worked, and they get dirty and scratched....but when I spend money for a brand new one and its defective in some way (performance or appearance) it warrants a replacement, no matter if it will get scratched or dirty the first time I use it.

Some people use their tractor loaders to move rock, mix concrete in the bucket, pound a post in, pull trucks out of ditches, etc. Some have a loader just to move the garbage cans to the curb once a week or carry a bag of mulch out to the yard. The guys who mix concrete in the bucket and let it harden up, and throw steel posts in the bucket, or let it sit out in the rain while the bucket rusts have the right to do that. I also have the right to keep mine in a heated garage and wax it once a year to keep it looking nice. The fact that it is a tool is irrelevant, same as a truck or a boat, etc as N80 just pointed out, it does not need to have inferior workmanship because its a tool.

 

[Mike Costello]

Just out of curiousity because I'm not a welder, I checked out the welds on my L4400HST. It's a new unit with about 3 hours on it. They are smooth and well laid with no overpainted splatters.
Bandaman, in comparison to the welds on your tractor as shown in your pics, it's the difference between night & day. You definitely have a case for weld quality not to mention safety.
I'd go all the way with this issue, including going up the chain of command as far as it takes to satisfy you. Again, I will state that sloppy welds and deplorable prep work should not be excused by anyone!

 

[blueriver]

Was there a day when the customer was always right? I have worked with people in business for over 30 years, and can say from my experience in those years that the customer is NOT always right. There are some very strange characters out there!

The paint scratches could likely have been avoided and fixed up to be less noticeable. As for the welding, in my opinion, it doesn't look to have much penetration from what the picture show. I have done some welding, and don't call myself a professional, but I would have been disappointed if my welding looked like that.

I believe for some it is and that is why they have the business .. customer satisfaction. There are many strange charecters out there, they too spend money.

What I think is as consumers we have simply agreeded to accept sub standard ... that should not be the way it is.

In this case, he is unpleased ... What is he to do if Kubota does nothing for him, then what? I also agree with the other post that said "Done Deal" ... In this case his overwhelming excitement and faith in the product and the dealership his expectations have not been met.

Perhaps someone somewhere during th mfg process said "What the hey ... out the door ... who cares ... looks good to me ... I'll still get a check"