Ugh...I'm so sick of John deere...need help

[yukonhunter]

I'm going to try and make this as short as possible, I'm so frustrated. About 5 years ago I bought a brand new 4520, i only had about 70 hrs on it and long story short it had an electrical problem to where it would sit for 2 or 3 weeks and then not start up. I didn't have my tractor for months throughout the year. It was In the shop multiple times and they could not figure out the problem. It also had several mechanical issues.
After a long hard fight with corporate they told me they would buy the tractor back but I would have trade up to a 4066r so for about 7000 dollars more that's what I did. I noticed from the start the hydraulics seemed very weak on the tractor. I told John deere about it but they said they were up to specs. Last fall there was a recall on engine. I took them till spring to fix it. We also noticed a rear axle leak , tractor was still under warranty. I told them while in the shop to check the hydraulics and the loader problem as mentioned on this forum. The axle leak was back ordered for months and again my tractor sat in the shop for 6 weeks. They told me they would return my tractor and to run it with the rear axle leak. Finally the part came in , it took 2 more weeks in the shop they finally fixed my tractor and said the hydraulics were up to specs by a field rep.
I got the tractor back and just bought a new drill. My tractor should have picked it up no problem, it didn't budge it an inch off the ground. My buddies kubota mx5100 lifted it with no problem, it has less lifting capacity the my jd by a few hundred lbs. So I call them again. While on the phone with a different dealer. He mentioned they now have a "product improvment" warning for the loader the I mentioned. I gave them the I told you so and my tractor is now back in the shop. They supposedly fixed the loader problem, but are now waiting on back ordered parts for the new improvment problem with the pistons and valves for the 3pt hitch. I told them I'm done with this tractor. It just turned 2 years old and has 170hrs on it. I'm losing money in my sweet corn and pumpkins etc. They may give me a deal if I trade up to a 5090m, but I'm so scared to get another deere at this point. I have a b series kubota with zero issues..I'm not a picky or crazy consumer... .does this seem fair to be jerk Ed around like this??? Are the bigger tractors better quality? This is too much time with large tractor payments and no tractor to use.

 

[hawkeye08]

I don't have a John Deere, never cared for them, but there is a bunch of them out there... sounds like you have a dealer problem more than a tractor problem.

 

[yukonhunter]

Oh yeah and the whole time I've been dealing with corporate and they can care less and extremely rude

 

[rustyshakelford]

I'm on my third tractor since Jan 2015. First one they bought back within 6 weeks (think it was closer to 4) second tractor was in the shop for over 9 months and 20k in warranty work (split twice, new injector pump, injectors etc) both were 5055e cabs. Ordered new tractor in oct 16, came in mar 17. Already been in shop 3.5 weeks and still needs to go back. 60 hrs on the clock. It's a 5100e that was build in Augusta GA. The brakes still aren't working right, 3rd function isn't as described and a def gauge issue. Getting real frustrated but really don't like the offerings from kubota in the 100 hp and up.

Almost work it to sell it all and pay 2k a year to have someone else mow my place

Brett

 

[Rara Avis]

Oh yeah and the whole time I've been dealing with corporate and they can care less and extremely rude

Sorry to say, but to them you are small potatoes in the world of tractors...
For example, a farmer who grows corn, soybeans and wheat on 1,000 acres likely would need $250,000 to cover the cost of seed, fertilizer, chemicals, spraying and fuel for a single growing season....not to mention multiple high-horsepower tractors that can cost more than $200,000 a piece, and harvesting combines priced at more than $500,000.

Sounds like there might be a dealer component in NOT properly preparing your tractors...I find it unusual that you have had back to back lemons...but in today's business environment anything is possible...

 

[vvanders]

Sorry to say, but to them you are small potatoes in the world of tractors...
For example, a farmer who grows corn, soybeans and wheat on 1,000 acres likely would need $250,000 to cover the cost of seed, fertilizer, chemicals, spraying and fuel for a single growing season....not to mention multiple high-horsepower tractors that can cost more than $200,000 a piece, and harvesting combines priced at more than $500,000.

Sounds like there might be a dealer component in NOT properly preparing your tractors...I find it unusual that you have had back to back lemons...but in today's business environment anything is possible...

Yup, we walked into the local JD dealer here a while back and were looking and couldn't get time of day, multiple times! I totally get that you have high-value customers(and I've been that customer before) but if that's the case you need to split your business or someone(like Kubota, Kioti or others) will come along and eat your lunch. This wasn't even an ag heavy dealer(mostly stuff in the 2-5 series).

We've sent a ton of business to the Kioti dealer next door and will continue to do so because they actually care and follow through.

 

[yukonhunter]

Yeah it sucks to pay these tractor payments and have them in the shop non stop

 

[Rara Avis]

Yeah it sucks to pay these tractor payments and have them in the shop non stop

Have you considered an attorney?

 

[yukonhunter]

That's probably going to have to be my next step

 

[ProjectKing]

Sorry to hear about Deere issues. I'd trade it in on a Kubota and not look back. Deere quality has dropped over the last 20 years. And they are a very arrogant company. And many of their dealers are as well.

I know a number of farmers that have had it with Deere. Small time farmers are still a huge majority in this country. Deere is slowly loosing them. Mr John Deere would not be happy.

 

[yukonhunter]

Yeah it seems more people are catching on to how bad they are

 

[jdtractor]

Well I have to agree .. JD is and has went down hill. I've owned 3 in the 5 series and I've not been overly impressed with any of them. The latest is a 5115m cab FEL 4WD. Pretty much a joke when I bought it new in 2014.. it's definitely overrated and overpriced. JD likes 2 things I've found there NAME and the GREEN PAINT! I've run heavy equipment all my life from CAT to DEERE...and all in between. There heavy side is decent .. but there farm equipment especially there tractors are a lot of JUNK! anymore. Especially if ur a small operation like myself... I don't matter but they kiss my axe when I talk about buying.. especially when the check book comes out ... then it's hi how r u . After the deal is done .. who r u? I guess I'm the dummy for going back . I've learned a lot and as much as I like DEERE I'm going to a different color! My dealer is a good dealer but I'm tired of it he B S! Have a good 1

 

[Sysop]

Do the buy-back/trade-up and sell the new tractor before putting hours on it.

 

[Coyote machine]

Wow. Feel for you, and can't imagine making big payments and having corporate add insult to injury by being rude to put the icing on the broken tractor cake. And, where do they get off making you have to upgrade to a more expensive unit each time the prior one fails to deliver?!

What I just don't get is why do people stick with any brand after constantly getting kicked in the head by the manufacturer? Not singling you out on this, just trying to understand why one keeps going back for the same beating over and over?!

If it were me I'd kiss JD goodbye and get into another brand, for instance Kioti, and see what you get from their tractors. I know I'm biased toward the brand, but, IMHO, for good reason. They, like a lot of other up and coming S. Korean manufacturers are building some great equipment for what I consider reasonable money.

 

[hawkeye08]

One of the neighbors that used to farm 2000 acres needed a small utility tractor (he had the big tractors, but needed something small). He decided on a 75hp 4wd with FEL (small for him), nice looking tractor. He was going by one day and stopped to chat a minute, I asked how he liked his tractor... he was not happy, been in the shop more than working, had to split twice, still leaking, wished he had bought something else... my little 30hp Kubota has been very reliable (nothing other than normal service). He had enough equipment that you would think the dealer would treat him well... he had weeks of downtime waiting on parts, waiting for dealer mechanic to have time, etc... I think he will be selling the utility tractor and finding something else.

 

[LD1]

If everything you say is true and documented ,(provable) I'd get an attorney involved before spending another dime. Be it on payment OR an upgrade.

Get this behind you, get a brand/model you can have trust and confidence in, and move on.

 

[sd455dan]

One of the neighbors that used to farm 2000 acres needed a small utility tractor (he had the big tractors, but needed something small). He decided on a 75hp 4wd with FEL (small for him), nice looking tractor. He was going by one day and stopped to chat a minute, I asked how he liked his tractor... he was not happy, been in the shop more than working, had to split twice, still leaking, wished he had bought something else... my little 30hp Kubota has been very reliable (nothing other than normal service). He had enough equipment that you would think the dealer would treat him well... he had weeks of downtime waiting on parts, waiting for dealer mechanic to have time, etc... I think he will be selling the utility tractor and finding something else.

We had a guy deliver large square 1250lb hay bales year before last and when I finished unloading 26 of them with my 24 year old chinese Rhino, he said that sure is a sweet running New Holland
I smiled and said it's actually an old chinese tractor, he said OH, .

I asked what he was using to load the bales on the trailer and he said a new deere 5---E series I asked how he liked it and he said it had been in the shop 2 times already and had another issue that was going to have to wait till he was done delivering hay because it needed to be at the dealers for a while ( something about a leak in the trans area)
said if he has many more problems he was going to trade (up)...

 

[leonz]

When you call your attorney have him draft three identical letters,

The first goes to New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in Albany, New York. The second identical letter goes to John Deere headquarters in Moline, Illinois, The third Identical letter goes to The John Deere Deere Dealer you are doing business with.

In the body of the letter explain to Attorney General Schneiderman in great detail(DO NOT OMIT ANYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED) in relation to the mules in question.

Be sure to provide copies of the receipts and all paper work related to the investment you have made in this machinery to date explaining in great detail to Attorney General Schneiderman what you have been dealing with as regards to the poor merchantability of fitness for these machines as you are an crop farmer actively engaged in a farming enterprise in the State of New York. you must emphasize that you and providing a valued service to the consumers and buyers of your seasonal crops.

Explain to him that these machines are costing you money in principal and interest payments each and everyday that they are being repaired and for each day they are in the repair shop to have the problems corrected you cannot fit ground, plant crops and harvest them when the crops are matured.

Also mention in detail how other problems have manifested themselves after the tractor has been returned to you as repaired "good as new" in capital letters.
Be sure to provide him with copies of the principal and interest expense payments you are stuck paying every month while this machine is being repaired or what passes for a repair.
Pleas be sure to provide a cost breakdown per day for the principal and interest and insurance expense you have to pay every day for the tractor as that shows the Attorney general that you are serious about your business of farming.


Add to this that you will be delayed in fall plowing after the crops are harvested increasing your work load for machinery maintenance after the crops are harvested.

When the letters are done with the complete information related to your farming enterprise and especially how you feel this dealer has treated you with regard to your purchase of this machine or machines in good faith that you have lost any and all good faith in the purchase of this equipment from them and John Deere and its farm equipment.

Send the letter to the dealer as a registered letter first to see if it creates a stir and forces them to fix it right once and for all and if nothing happens send the remaining identical letters to JD corporate and the attorney general.

Sending the letter to the attorney general will provoke lots of undesired attention shining a light on the dealer and JD to the problems which you did not create and it will show how you are being dealt with by the dealer and JD corporate with regard to the problems that have become evident with these machines as they should work with no issues as they are supposed to.

 

[Rustyiron]

Oh yeah and the whole time I've been dealing with corporate and they can care less and extremely rude

"There's your sign"

I'm sure 'they' all have a bum tractor roll off the line, but 2 problem tractors in a row would be the end for me no matter the color or price. Good luck with the rest of this long bumpy tractor road your on right now, and I expect you will be for a while.:thumbsup:

 

[bspeedy]

What I just don't get is why do people stick with any brand after constantly getting kicked in the head by the manufacturer? Not singling you out on this, just trying to understand why one keeps going back for the same beating over and over?!

Same here. Fool me once...