Buying Advice Buying from one dealer / Using another for repair

[devildog1]

I'm not wanting to engage in an argument either and I do apologize if I offended anyone,as that was never my intent.It was Just to point out the vast difference in pricing for the same tractor with the same options from different dealers from different locations.I guess many have different ideas why and some make good points to that fact. But probably we'll never know for sure why.
DevilDog

 

[TripleR]

I agree with you, but we're not prioritizing the work...

Some dealers and former dealers have said they do based on where the tractor was bought.

 

[keyman1808]

All I can say is that when I was looking at a MMM and bagger, Barlows quoted me 3650.00 delivered to mass while my local dealers were around 4200.00. Now that's a giant savings just on 2 attachments. So I can only imagine what is built into a machine. And as far as a markup on zero fin...I had negotiated my deal and worker out the final price before we covered the financing so they had no idea if I had cash or not.

 

[DAY]

Like the rest of us, dealers are human; usually somewhere between crooks and saints.

If they can't make a profit, then they won't be still in business at 4:49 Friday before the Big Snowstorm, when you need a 50 cent shear pin for the snow blower. Or a $50 dollar needle for that old NH baler, and it's lookin' like rain, and it's noon on Saturday, and you catch the parts guy in the parking lot on his way to the Little League ball game. If you bought the baler there 10 years ago, and have been buying twine ever since, and you brought him a Cliff Lee shirt you picked up at Good Will last summer, because you know his kid is a Phillies fan; well, then, he'll unlock the door, and take care of you.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Like the rest of us, dealers are human; usually somewhere between crooks and saints.

If they can't make a profit, then they won't be still in business at 4:49 Friday before the Big Snowstorm, when you need a 50 cent shear pin for the snow blower. Or a $50 dollar needle for that old NH baler, and it's lookin' like rain, and it's noon on Saturday, and you catch the parts guy in the parking lot on his way to the Little League ball game. If you bought the baler there 10 years ago, and have been buying twine ever since, and you brought him a Cliff Lee shirt you picked up at Good Will last summer, because you know his kid is a Phillies fan; well, then, he'll unlock the door, and take care of you.

A Company that charges (a lot) more than the competition and a Company that treats tractor owners bad because they didn't buy the tractor from them are more apt to not be there (out of business) when you need them than the low/decent profit dealer that charges the customer a fair price. The shirt for the kid is a good idea though. Should be able to buy locally for a decent price and receive decent service. I don't think anyone believes a dealer should sell at cost or below. Decent profit is the key word.
Times are a changing. The Internet has changed our world and we can watch it go by or jump on board. Actually those on this board, dealers and buyers, are riding but maybe some of us are dragging our/your feet. I remember the 60's with fondness but I also remember it wasn't perfect.
Barlows is a father son thing. The father is from the 60's:thumbsup: and the son is from today.:thumbsup: They have the 30+ years of farming and tractor experience plus the energetic and forward thinking of youth on their team. I'm sure Dad feels like he's just hanging on some days but the son is showing success. I've come to like Steve and Brady and their wife/mother and their parts/mechanics/drivers by talking with them during my tractor dealings. They are a rural tractor dealer that has moved forward with the times and it's paying off for them. They are a great team. They are the tractor dealer described above as being there and coming in during bad times of need. I didn't buy Brady a shirt but I would have if I found one cheap enough. Course he wasn't that young seven years ago when I started buying tractors.
I bought tractors from them as down home good ole boys and didn't have the foggiest idea they were selling tractors all over the USA. When I heard it I was shocked. I guess I never noticed the trucks loaded with tractors or I thought they were customers picking up their tractors. Their service and conversation is as down home as you'll find any where. Stop by and see them and you will like them and maybe like them even more after they tell you the price which I think is the same for local or distant other than the additional delivery charge for distant. Steve usually delivers my tractors when he closes the office for the day.
The Barlows are not back room phone bank fast talking sly slick tongued silvery foxes. They are good ole boys that will answer your questions and price you a Kubota or implements, picked up or delivered (almost any where). They don't seem to know or care what any other dealer is doing. They just pay attention to their own shop, business and customers.

 

[crazyal]

Obviuously a controversial issue. I do want to say that I never "held anyone up" for price or took advantage of anyone. Our price was fair and competitive continuously whether the guy was 6 mi. away or 100. We priced the same and sold a lot. And to clear the negative that is not why we are not JD anymore but still in business!

As someone said, many dealers far away will cut a price because they know they most likely won't see the customer again and to "get" the local dealer. Their attitude is let someone else take the loss for the warr. and PIPs or modifications, he won't come back to us. In that case, they are only helping their volume, not profit. Larger dealers can afford to take skinny deals more than a smaller one can if they choose. And yes, the margins are low even on a normal deal so there isn't much room left to absorb someone else's warranty loss and and a PIP loss. I will say, if someone moves into the area w/ a warranty machine from their old dealer, I would take care of it.

Refrain from your negative comments until you have been on the other side of the desk and know what it takes to survive. You help those that help you, but if it's just the low price game no matter what, then I elect not to play that game. The cheapest price isn't always the best price. But if you buy from me, I WILL take of you.

While I respect you being honest I would like to point out the loss of business you may have missed out on. I can only speak for myself but I would think that warranty work is not a major part of any business. After all if tractors were always coming back needing work people would stop buying them. But if treated poorly by a dealer why would anyone go back to that dealer.

Sooner or later the warranty will be up and that's when the owner will need parts, ones that could be had over the internet for a savings of a few dollars, hardly worth the effort if you like your dealer. Secondly that tractor owner will need attachments. Why would a dealer expect a person to buy an attachment from them after they said "you didn't buy it here so I will not honor thee warranty"?

I guess your business model worked just fine and you made money. I don't own a dealership so I could be wrong but I think you left some money on the table in the form of attachments, parts, non warranty service, and future tractor sales. If me, I think I would have gone the "you buy from us and we give you 10% off parts and service" or something along those lines.

Now I would think it would hurt my feelings some if a local buyer I spent time with going over tractors decided to save a couple of bucks and buy from a different dealer. Nobody likes to invest time and loose a sale. But would it be much different if that person when with a different color from a dealer across the street? That person most likely will never buy parts, supplies, or attachments from you.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

While I respect you being honest I would like to point out the loss of business you may have missed out on. I can only speak for myself but I would think that warranty work is not a major part of any business. After all if tractors were always coming back needing work people would stop buying them. But if treated poorly by a dealer why would anyone go back to that dealer.

Sooner or later the warranty will be up and that's when the owner will need parts, ones that could be had over the internet for a savings of a few dollars, hardly worth the effort if you like your dealer. Secondly that tractor owner will need attachments. Why would a dealer expect a person to buy an attachment from them after they said "you didn't buy it here so I will not honor thee warranty"?

I guess your business model worked just fine and you made money. I don't own a dealership so I could be wrong but I think you left some money on the table in the form of attachments, parts, non warranty service, and future tractor sales. If me, I think I would have gone the "you buy from us and we give you 10% off parts and service" or something along those lines.

Now I would think it would hurt my feelings some if a local buyer I spent time with going over tractors decided to save a couple of bucks and buy from a different dealer. Nobody likes to invest time and loose a sale. But would it be much different if that person when with a different color from a dealer across the street? That person most likely will never buy parts, supplies, or attachments from you.

B...I...N...G...O! :thumbsup::thumbsup: BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Out of twelve Kubotas I've only had ONE that had to go back to the dealer for warranty work. I've had some piddly items that the dealer ordered for me and gave them to me on warranty.

 

[bigbull338]

heres another thing about good dealers,they have to have good salesmen working for them.the salesmen that i delt with gave me his cell # an told me to call him anytime while we was working on the tractor deal.he is only at the dealership when he isnt busy with the cattle.but he stayed on top of my tractor deal.

 

[Volfandt]

I know it's rare that a Kubota has to go back for warranty work (my BX23 has never been back to the dealer since it rolled off his lot new). Just think of all the warranty work the 50 series BX's required, the 3PH complaints on the L2800's, the dead smart dashes on some of the Grand L's. It doesn't take much for a factory defect to eat a dealers lunch.

We all expect the local dealers to be there when we need them and it's to their direct benefit to be. But, if one doesn't contribute to the local dealers well being, how can one justify expecting them to treat them as well as those customers that have?
In business theres something called value added services? Thats when you get additional benefits over and above the primary product. VAS can be defined as getting parts for less, priority service, free pickup/delivery, free technical consulting and also being within a short distance from their market, i.e provideing a local bricks and mortar presence. Provideing these additonal services is a part of the dealer's cost of doing business but it also adds to his bottom line. And how does he pay for the bottom line? well we all know, no need to go into basic business 101.

I'm sure we're all debating the extremes here.
For the dealer that's $1000 or more higher than his competition, he best have a very attractive VAS or he's going to loose buiness, its that simple. No one wants to pay a ridiculously high price for a product when he can get it somewhere else cheaper.

For the buyer, well, buyer beware isn't a saying I've made up. We should expect excellent and courteous service from a dealer we purchase a product from, bottom line. Ofcourse checking out the dealers services is also part of the buying process, that VAS thing you know...
If one purchases a product from a dealer that doesn't have a local presence, well buyer beware. What VAS are you also getting? Could it be that since theres no additional benefits that you get what you pay for? Keep in mind that the manufacturer of the product delegates most all repair responsibilities to the dealer, even tech support. It may not be right but it is what it is.
Just additonal food for thought....

 

[Tom_H]

Volfandt makes a good point about value added service. Crutchfield Electronics charges the highest prices of anyone for their products, but they are basically selling service. There are many people who will not buy from anyone else than Crutchfield because they will go to every length in discussing products and pretty much have a "no questions asked-the customer is always right" return policy. Pretty much the rule for online electronics purchasing is this: the less you pay, the worse the customer service is going to be.

I backpack and camp a lot. REI has very competetive prices, but not always the lowest. I usually buy from REI, however, because they will take things back for a refund, even used and years later, with no questions asked. I rarely have to return anything, but the one or two times I did, I was really appreciative of how easy it was to see a smile and have no questions asked.

I realize that large ticket, lower volume items like tractors is a different market, but still D. T. had a good point.