Dealer How often did you use the dealer after purchase

[Peter 315]

I go for filters hyd , fuel and Hst.. I get oil filters from the wife's work.....

 

[Big Barn]

My family and now myself have dealt with the same Ford New Holland dealership through several buyouts, acquisitions and name changes over 70 years.

Over 40 farm tractor purchases and not including industrial tractors and farm implements later i still deal with them regularly for parts, service and warranty work. (albeit on a much smaller scale).

Many of the managers, salesmen and parts persons became lifelong friends. One of the head mechanics (who started his apprentice with them right out of school) came to work in our shop on the farm upon his retirement.

So I suppose my answer to the posts title is ......“Whenever necessary and exclusively”.


Your results may vary of course.

 

[dodge man]

In 12 years of owning a tractor I think I only took it in once, but I do often by parts and filters. A JD and Kubota dealers are within 10 miles.

A lot of us do our own repairs a maintenance. For us the service department is like doctors, we do not go to them often but when we do they better be good.

 

[RichZ]

The only tractor I bought new is my Kubota, and it rarely needs repair, but I buy all my fluids and filters from the dealer. I needed front tires, and he was actually the cheapest for them. One time I broke a belt just as I finished plowing snow and I went over to the dealer for a new one. He told me that he had a service call near me, so he came over and put the belt on for me, and just charged me for the belt. I gave the service guy a real good tip. A good dealer is good to have!!!! When you need them, you need them.

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

I pick up filters from them because the price is comparable to online. I do all my own work on everything, care, tractors, toys. Only thing I may have sent out is my injectors since I dont have the tools to rebuild and test them. I'll drop stuff at a machine shop if needed as well

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Pretty much never. My first LS was purchased from a dealer 550 miles away. Did my own 50 and 200 hour service, they shipped the filters to me. The second LS was from a different dealer, but now 650 miles away... same thing, they shipped the filters to me, only needed a hydraulic hose (my mistake, so not under warranty) they drop shipped it direct from LS parts.... cost me $20 less than buying or having one made locally. BUT, and a BIG BUT, I can fix or work on just about anything. That is where the big decision has to be made.

 

[DKCDKC]

I go to the dealer for filters and the occasional JD specific part - a lug bolt most recently. My JD 3038e was purchased in 2013 and has never needed any repairs... And I think I would attempt the repairs myself if it did.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

As a dealer, the one concern of going too far away is campaign or recall work. The notifications for these things go to the selling dealer. People who have bought machines from dealers hours away are likely unaware of the non-safety related updates to their machines. The dealerships who sold those machines are apt to ignore the manufacturers directive to do the updates because of the road time to run out to the unit.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

On both of my tractors, the dealer sent me the parts associated with the recall / service bulletin when it was issued. With one of them, they even sent me a check for the labor associated with doing it myself! I guess it really depends on how reputable the dealer is.

 

[paulfun9]

With my last purchase (Kioti) oil, filters only.