Showroom Shock !

   / Showroom Shock ! #11  
Both my local Kubota dealers have bare lots, just 1-2 tractors already sold. I was up at one of them the other day to buy pallet forks (Land Pride, got the last set) and a Kubota QA bucket (they had 6 of those in stock, sort of surprising since there were no tractors to put them on).

Salesman said they have waiting lists 8+ people deep for all the tractor models they normally keep on the lot. This is a large regional chain with 8-10 stores and he said the stores are pooling their wait lists to help even things out across the region.

Despite the lack of inventory he said last year was their best year ever and this year is on track to repeat or beat it. So I guess they are still selling a lot of equipment despite the fact that there is no inventory. I guess units are flowing to customers without spending time on the lot.

I remember previously, both times I bought a Kubota, you could walk around the back lot of the dealer and see dozens of tractors in crates stacked 5-6 high. There was generally one of everything on the lot to look at and try out, and many more in the back crated up.

Maybe this new situation is forcing customers into an "order and wait" rather than going around and kicking tires before a purchase. Even though I am familiar with Kubota, I'd never order a tractor sight unseen, I still need to look things over, sit in the seat, and make sure it's a good fit for me. Paper specs can only go so far for me.
 
   / Showroom Shock ! #12  
Same thing around here. The somewhat local to me and only Kubota dealer here, used to have 20+ tractors in the yard. Now all he has is one or two used tractors. Once a truck full of tractor arrives, they send them directly to the shop for the PDI so those get delivered in the next couple days.

The exact same thing happens with all the other brands though.

I'm still waiting for this Kubota dealer to call me back as promised to check the two tractors I had to trade in and for a quote for a Kubota L3560 up till this day... This was back in 2017.
 
   / Showroom Shock ! #13  
Front Range Kubota here in Colorado is a bit better off, but not by much. 4-5 Grand Ls instead of the usual 30. Maybe 35 total machines instead of the usuall 100ish.
WTC Wickham Longmont, Fort Collins is also really low. Almost nothing on the lot that isn’t sold.
 
   / Showroom Shock ! #14  
Yes, pretty much the same everywhere. And people wonder why sales-guys don't call them back and are not treated with the customer care they deserve. It is a sellers market, not a buyers market. Not the time to be trying to buy a tractor. If I didn't need my tractor, I would be selling it. I bet I could get every penny of what I paid for it about 9 years ago. The local Kioti dealer here in Branson had 1 CK series on the lot. Nice female sales lady came out and talked with me. I mentioned I wasn't really looking to buy, I just wanted to see what they had, and she asked if I wanted to sell! It was a fun trip. she was very nice looking too!
 
   / Showroom Shock ! #15  
Had my Toyota truck serviced the other day at the dealer. I've seen mortuaries with a higher energy level than that place. Showroom bare, lot normally full of hundreds of cars now down to maybe 25 used ones. Salesmen staring at their computer screens.
 
   / Showroom Shock ! #17  
Tractor House is loaded with used ones of all makes but the asking prices are high and justifiably so. Most buyers want a pre 4 tractor because they don't want to deal with a common rail ECM controlled engine with after treatment.

I could get what I paid for (new) with both my Kubota's (M9's) but neither are for sale because it would cost a premium price to replace them and it would most likely be an ECM emission compliant unit and I have no desire to ever own one.

My open station, my dealer offered me 30 for it. I paid 18 and put 5 in it. Not for sale.
 
   / Showroom Shock ! #18  
Yes, pretty much the same everywhere. And people wonder why sales-guys don't call them back and are not treated with the customer care they deserve. It is a sellers market, not a buyers market. Not the time to be trying to buy a tractor. If I didn't need my tractor, I would be selling it. I bet I could get every penny of what I paid for it about 9 years ago. The local Kioti dealer here in Branson had 1 CK series on the lot. Nice female sales lady came out and talked with me. I mentioned I wasn't really looking to buy, I just wanted to see what they had, and she asked if I wanted to sell! It was a fun trip. she was very nice looking too!
Perhaps you should go there a few more times,..... just to "look".
 
   / Showroom Shock ! #19  
Buddy waited 4 months for his Silverado pickup because of the chip shortage and I see the chip deal is now having a trickle down impact on second and third tier suppliers as in they are cutting hours and laying off unnecessary people.

Fords just had a big no-no at the Flat Rock assembly plant (where the Mustang is built.

Gasoline storage tank sprung a leak and dumped 1500 gallons on gasoline in the city's storm sewers and there were evacuations and a huge costly cleanup. read that the cleanup alone will be in the millions and Fords is 100% liable. Bet someone got canned over that deal.
 
   / Showroom Shock ! #20  
Tractor House is loaded with used ones of all makes but the asking prices are high and justifiably so. Most buyers want a pre 4 tractor because they don't want to deal with a common rail ECM controlled engine with after treatment.

I could get what I paid for (new) with both my Kubota's (M9's) but neither are for sale because it would cost a premium price to replace them and it would most likely be an ECM emission compliant unit and I have no desire to ever own one.

My open station, my dealer offered me 30 for it. I paid 18 and put 5 in it. Not for sale.
While I agree that many, not necessarily most, buyers want a pre 4 tractor...many who need a tractor now probably don't care as much as you about the emissions hassle. The prices are high for all of the stuff. I cannot even get to test drive a tractor because there is nothing in stock...feels like 1960s USSR around here.
 
 
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