RK Tractor reviews???

[Threepoint]

Don稚 even know how to respond. Our pricing is not 妬ntroductory. We are buying our tractors from the same company that makes most of Mahindra痴 tractors. The difference is, we sell to tractor buyers and Mahindra sells to tractors dealers. We have cut out the middle man. We already make a nice profit, and see no reason to raise our prices. People are free to think what they want, but to declare that we are being anything but open and truthful about our future plans to pricing just seems a little unfair. Let us run our business and judge us for what we do, not what anyone thinks we will do.

RK Tractor Guy, thanks for the comments. I never suggested you are not being open and truthful about your company's future plans for pricing. Nor do I have any reason to question your good intentions. It just surprised me that you really intended to commit now that any price increases in the future will be solely if your manufacturer increases your cost. But you've now doubled down on that, so I will take you at your word. :salute:

I also don't want to quibble over my use of the term "introductory pricing." It ordinarily is defined as setting low prices to enter a new market. That's how I meant it in this thread. But call your initial pricing whatever you wish. :thumbsup:

I understand that RK won't sell into my area, Northern Virginia, currently because you have no way to provide warranty support and service here. If and when that changes in the next year or two, and I have not yet replaced my smaller loader tractor, I may well revisit the RK37HST. And maybe by then you'll even have added HST Sensitivity/Linked Pedal as an option.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

The question is good and the answer is simple. We don稚 sell our tractors to anyone not in reasonable proximity to an RK Tractors location. In the future, we will establish an 殿uthorized RK Tractors service center network that will open up the entire U.S. and Canada, but for now, we only sell our tractors to customers that live near our 45 RK Tractors locations. That way we can take care of our customer痴 service needs.

SOOOO, I drive to a RK store with my pockets stuffed over full with hundred dollar bills and a empty trailer, and I can't even get anyone at the store to take them in trade for a tractor!

Now, that would be a FIRST for me!!

SR

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Happened to me once when i tried to buy a pellet stove. Visited store several times, picked the model i wanted. Went to buy and when they got my address they would not sell to me, because i lived 2 miles outside their service area. I didnt want their service, nor their install, but it didnt matter.
Ended up buying one from a local dealer (for less), picked it up and installed it myself, and service it myself. Still use it.

I will never buy from that original store ever, nor will i recommend them.

 

[s219]

The "no middle man" argument makes no sense. RK is the middle man -- they are the dealer. There would only be no middle man if TYM sold direct to the customer.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

TYM dealers have to buy their tractors from a distributor, (middle man) RK buys direct from the factory...

SR

 

[majorwager]

S219,

Believe you are incorrect SIR

How would TYM sell directly to the customer? Folks would get on a plane, go to korea, choose the tractor, then make their own arrangements to import this tractor into the USA. Sounds convoluted.

Or w/ a leap of faith, buy the tractor, through mail order, go through the import process, and have no dealer or factory support?

If an issue arose, how would it be resolved? If tractor was damaged in shipment or a warranty issue.? I have imported equipment from over seas.
It is a nightmare for individuals plus they do Not ship until goods are paid in full.

I don't wish to be rude but I am direct. Folks on this forum who do not run a business, not a sole practice, but have employees, a payroll, real property business address, (real property is legal term) seem to have no clue how providing sale of goods and services actually functions.


Someone must be the link between korea and the US consumer. TYM provides a portion of that function in conjunction w/ a dealer network. There is a significant cost associated w/ TYM's portion of the import responsibility, Bodies are Paid to perform that function. But this only applies to TYM brand tractors, There is no such support for RK tractors.

For TYM tractors, it entails a US Corporate structure that also must work with and support a dealer network, process orders, warehouse and ship imported tractors, stock and ship parts, Are you seeing the big picture here????

RK does all of this above. They are the importers, they are the tractor and parts warehouse, they are the tractor corporate presence on US soil. RK performs final tractor assembly, furnishes tires/wheels installs loaders/ BH and buys and sells the implements. The warranty is a cooperative agreement w/ factory.

RK buys from the factory and RK is the supply chain direct to the consumer. The only function of TYM is building the tractor, period

Very Appropriately, there is a current thread from a member on the construction equipment forum. He details the 10 weeks it took him to import a small crawler excavator from china, he details the hoops it takes to be an international importer. It is worth a read. Need customs broker, freight forwarder, bonded warehouse, and tons of US Government paperwork, with EPA and US Customs

Your perception of the process that RK follows to sell these tractors is likely very different than the actual facts. They, RK does NOT use any of the TYM supply chain that provides TYM brand tractors in the USA.

RK purchases the tractor from korea and they are on their own immediately following the sale. TYM may deliver tractors and parts shipments to the port in korea, Point of sale end there.

 

[majorwager]

RE: prof fatalist:
The RK Guy may be more reserved in his response but I have no such restraint.

You have assailed, disparaged, maligned and impugned RK and their tractor endeavors since they began a presence on this forum.

They are a very successful firm w/ a bright future. They are self-capitalized and growing rapidly.

You on the other hand, mr fatalist, are herein asked to directly point to any equivalent successful business venture that you personally began and operated that even remotely compares w/ a 100 store retail operation valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars? Status as a tenant on a girlfriend's horsefarm is not said equivalency.

Your claim to fame is having worked at 47 automotive and motorcycle dealerships, in between stints in food service, .and likely none regretted to see you move to the next.

When you have walked the walk then you acquire the privilege to talk the talk. All of your speculative criticism and negative chatter is just noise, and said negativity is further simply overbearing.

 

[ning]

Happened to me once when i tried to buy a pellet stove. Visited store several times, picked the model i wanted. Went to buy and when they got my address they would not sell to me, because i lived 2 miles outside their service area. I didnt want their service, nor their install, but it didnt matter.
Ended up buying one from a local dealer (for less), picked it up and installed it myself, and service it myself. Still use it.

I will never buy from that original store ever, nor will i recommend them.

Yeah, how dare they obey the regional stipulations that the manufacturers all subject them to!

FYI, the store you bought it from would've done exactly the same thing to someone outside of *their* area - that whole industry has geographical restrictions on sales; you won't find any dealers selling out-of-area on the internet either.

 

[ning]

TYM dealers have to buy their tractors from a distributor, (middle man) RK buys direct from the factory...

SR

TYM structure: TYM Korea (manufacturer), TYM USA (importer), Dealers, Customer


RK: TYM Korea (manufacturer), RK (importer), Customer

Let's play "spot the difference".
Believe it or not TYM USA is not TYM Korea, just like Honda USA isn't Honda Japan, etc. Closely related possibly, but they're their own profit centers.

 

[prof fate]

There is the manufacturer and the sales system.

The 'normal' way is teh manufacturer wholesales the item to a store/seller that retails and supports the item. SOME have distribution in the middle, some do not.

Ford makes vehicles, inde owned dealers sell them. You cannot but directly from ford.
Tesla has no dealers - you buy from the manufacturer only.

Beer and wine can be bought in a bar - or a distributor (in pa) or in a grocery store (many states). OR you can go to the manufacturer in many cases and buy it directly - from the winery or micro-brewer. It's rarely any cheaper BTW.

The savings that can be had from large purchases (as RK is doing with tym, or Avis/Budget/Enterprise do as well) is pretty simple to comprehend. Most any company will re-label and custom make something for you if you promise to buy enough of the item.

I have no way of knowing if the RK tractors are sitting ready to go in Korea and RK deals with the rest of it (import, etc) or if TYM delivers them to Port LA or someplace else.

We have no way of knowing what the deal is with TYM (cost, volume, etc) and what happens when things change (steel tarifs, other import duties, if TYM gets busy selling their own brand, if walmart wanted to say enter the tractor business). We also don't know if the RK/TYM deal is 1 year, 5 or 10 years.

My experience in retail is the store must sell at a profit what customers want. Today that may be Kenda tires, tomorrow may be Goodyear or Cheng Sheng. Each item is different - texaco will remodel/rebrand your gas station if you agree to sell texaco only for 10 years. Honda will give you a dealership if you meet their requirements - and if you fail they'll yank it from you in a heartbeat (other bike brands are less ****, but are as picky). When I worked for a yamaha/suzuki/ktm/kawasaki dealer we bought directrly from the manufacturer on all those brands...just as RK does. It's just RK puts their name on the item, so there is a bigger commitment.

The concern maybe should be if your store stays, or does enough tractor volume to keep selling/supporting the tractors. We have 3 walmarts in our county and you find different items at each...and not all RK stores have tractors now - nor are they all likekly to have them IMO, and those that don't move enough of them will no doubt drop tractors from the 'shelves' in that store.

It's great to hear their rep on here answering questions and hyping his product.
HAving bought another brand 2 months ago and having looked at RK tractors, I can only comment on MY experience, what I got and what I paid. Is the CK3510HST a 'value' tractor? Kioti calls it that. RK calls their units, what, premium I think is the term RKGuy used. Other than telescoping rear links there is NO difference in features that I can see on their tractor and my tractor - and before financing the Kioti cost LESS, than the RK37HST. And I got cruise and link pedal - I don't believe they come on the RK unit.

I can also only communicate my experience with RK, with only one store, a new store that has been marketed by rk as the second largest in their chain. Prices on many things are impressively low, I've spent a good bit of money there. I've seen inventory and expecially service drop off tremendously, and their cashiers are amongst the least trained and knowledgeable I've come across in any big box retailer (and IMO they are just that).

Maybe they can build a rep for tractor service...I can't say, only question their statements on it as I've dealt with other big box retailers and if RK can do it, they'll be the first.

As to RKguy..geat you're earning your paycheck pushing the company line, but folks here should hear ALL opinions and experiences, as you said, it's an open forum - and not just a marketing tool for RK (or any other manufacturer).

As of last week I couldn't look at an RK37 open station at the store - they had none. THey had only 3 tractors, and I couldn't find info displayed or anyone to ask questions of. Not exactly how you have represented RK stores as being.

S219,

Believe you are incorrect SIR

How would TYM sell directly to the customer? Folks would get on a plane, go to korea, choose the tractor, then make their own arrangements to import this tractor into the USA. Sounds convoluted.

Or w/ a leap of faith, buy the tractor, through mail order, go through the import process, and have no dealer or factory support?

If an issue arose, how would it be resolved? If tractor was damaged in shipment or a warranty issue.? I have imported equipment from over seas.
It is a nightmare for individuals plus they do Not ship until goods are paid in full.

I don't wish to be rude but I am direct. Folks on this forum who do not run a business, not a sole practice, but have employees, a payroll, real property business address, (real property is legal term) seem to have no clue how providing sale of goods and services actually functions.


Someone must be the link between korea and the US consumer. TYM provides a portion of that function in conjunction w/ a dealer network. There is a significant cost associated w/ TYM's portion of the import responsibility, Bodies are Paid to perform that function. But this only applies to TYM brand tractors, There is no such support for RK tractors.

For TYM tractors, it entails a US Corporate structure that also must work with and support a dealer network, process orders, warehouse and ship imported tractors, stock and ship parts, Are you seeing the big picture here????

RK does all of this above. They are the importers, they are the tractor and parts warehouse, they are the tractor corporate presence on US soil. RK performs final tractor assembly, furnishes tires/wheels installs loaders/ BH and buys and sells the implements. The warranty is a cooperative agreement w/ factory.

RK buys from the factory and RK is the supply chain direct to the consumer. The only function of TYM is building the tractor, period

Very Appropriately, there is a current thread from a member on the construction equipment forum. He details the 10 weeks it took him to import a small crawler excavator from china, he details the hoops it takes to be an international importer. It is worth a read. Need customs broker, freight forwarder, bonded warehouse, and tons of US Government paperwork, with EPA and US Customs

Your perception of the process that RK follows to sell these tractors is likely very different than the actual facts. They, RK does NOT use any of the TYM supply chain that provides TYM brand tractors in the USA.

RK purchases the tractor from korea and they are on their own immediately following the sale. TYM may deliver tractors and parts shipments to the port in korea, Point of sale end there.