Have you ever sold a tractor due to no dealer support?

[Lastkidpicked]

Have you ever sold or traded a tractor due to no dealer support? Meaning out of practicality. Not out of frustration or anything else.

Six years ago, we bought a brand new John Deere locally. Specifically went that route so that I could drive to get parts same day if something broke. And there are some repairs I'd be afraid to tackle, so wanted a local dealer for that.

Here's the timeline starting after the purchase (which we are very pleased with the purchase and we love the tractor).

1) Went to pick up extra keys for the tractor, just to have them around. Dealer handed me two keys and I thought I'd test the keys before putting them with my other spares. The keys didn't fit. No problem, the dealer swapped them out the next day.
But if I hadn't checked, I could have been in a bad spot thinking I had extra keys when I didn't.

2) The U-joint on the John Deere (Frontier) brush cutter gave out. I'd like to keep mowing so I call the dealer to see about picking up a U-joint.

"I have several in stock. $950"
"No, thank you. I just need the U-joint. Not the whole shaft."
"It doesn't come that way. We only sell the whole shaft with both ends. $950"
"I have the schematic and part number. I'll bring it in."

I brought in the part number and he found the U joint in stock. But ONLY because I brought the part number to him.

3) The kids called to report a hydraulic hose started leaking. I told them to take it off and carry it into the dealer for a new one. I forgot about this because they had it under control. A week later I find a Kubota (gasp!) box in my truck. Why is a Kubota box in my truck?

"Because the John Deere dealer said they don't stock hydraulic hoses. They told us Kubota makes hydraulic hoses and we should take it (the John Deere hose) to Kubota because they could make a hose in one hour."

They were right, by the way. Kubota made them the hose on the spot.

Sooooooo. . . .

We're not mad or upset in any way. This has been a great tractor and these are small parts that are expected to wear out over time. But I'm worried that if I really need something done that I cannot do, the dealer won't be able to do it either.

To put a finer point on it-- This tractor is running great. But we are thinking of trading it for another brand NOW, so if it breaks later we won't be stuck with a tractor that nobody can fix.

What do you all think?

 

[ruffdog]

There are good dealers and bad dealers, regardless of the make or product. This includes everything from mattresses, appliances, tractors, and cars.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

There are good dealers and bad dealers, regardless of the make or product. This includes everything from mattresses, appliances, tractors, and cars.

I agree. I'm not blaming anybody. Just wanting to be practical and not be stuck later on.

The good news is I can sell my tractor and get back almost everything I paid for it.

 

[kthompson]

I agree those can be aggravating issues but: they are small in the scheme of things. Not knowing your dealership and just wondering here: would you consider them a small, medium or large dealership? That location itself.
It sounds like a dealership that is on the smaller side or does not have that knowledgeable of parts people.

The last Kubota dealership I have bought from knew I had two Kubotas I bought elsewhere. Parts department for me was as maybe. Bought this one there, got to really know the parts person and he is totally great now. Maybe you need to make effort to learn the parts department.

Not having a hose in stock to me is not an issue. Here many shops including parts stores make hydraulic hoses while you wait. They do cost more but you leave with it. No waiting. Metal tubing hosing is different.

On the keys, glad you checked but again that should be something the buyer would do getting any key from any source. On the pto shaft, sounded like a person who either did not care or did not know. Sometimes you just have to act dumb or in my case normal and ask, you don't have the parts, to repair such and such? Well can you give me the part number so I can call other dealerships? Has worked for me.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

I agree those can be aggravating issues but: they are small in the scheme of things. Not knowing your dealership and just wondering here: would you consider them a small, medium or large dealership? That location itself.
It sounds like a dealership that is on the smaller side or does not have that knowledgeable of parts people.

Thank you for pointing this out.

The dealership started out as a mom and pop dealership. And I mean to the point where you would see the owner's family at the local school events.

They got bought by a bigger enterprise.
Then that got bought out by an even bigger chain.

You're right that these are small issues and we still love the tractor. I'm just nervous that five years from now, if something big breaks that I can't fix myself the dealer will not be able to fix it either. Then I'll be asking myself, "Why didn't you trade this off back when it had good value left in it?"

 

[ruffdog]

Get a service manual AND a parts manual. Be prepared the best you can and use the tractor.

 

[workinonit]

Interesting. I bought my 5310 in 2002 and within a year the dealership had handed out so many good deals on tractors they discounted themselves out of business. No biggie to me. I never buy a tractor because of a dealer. Especially if there is an outlet to get parts some other way. Parts for my track hoe I had to order and could have them next day. No dealer in sight.

 

[hosspuller]

I learned that you can get any Deere part from any Deere Dealer. I get my parts (Ag tractor & lawn mowers) from a large Deere Construction dealer that's close to me. The Ag dealer or L&G dealer are much further away. Even better is there's no shipping charge if I can wait on their regular twice-weekly parts delivery. I've stayed with Deere just because of parts availability. I wish New Holland were similar.

By your hydraulic hose experience, your dealer is a small operation. My construction dealer is quite adept at making hydraulic hoses. They also will service my tractor. I've seen AG tractors in their service bay. You may want to explore other Deere dealers in your area.

Also, Deere parts are on Amazon, E-bay, Craig's list, and Facebook.

 

[Jchonline]

Sounds like you are doing fine. Give dealer specific part numbers, go to Kubota for hoses…nothing major here. I was expecting a nightmare blown engine story with no replacement or something like that. I would just stick with your current machine and work through the kinks. That is unless you need a larger or different machine.

That said my Kubota dealer is a one stop shop. Everything I have needed they can provide. Unfortunately the closest dealer is 45 min away but my dealer is 1.5 hours. Same company but I would not give the closest dealer any business….revolving door they’re never the same people and they are clueless.

 

[hosspuller]

One more point... my machines vary in age... 1985, 1989, 1996, 2004, & 2015. Eleven years is current to Deere.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

I learned that you can get any Deere part from any Deere Dealer. I get my parts (Ag tractor & lawn mowers) from a large Deere Construction dealer that's close to me. The Ag dealer or L&G dealer are much further away.

Thank you for that reminder! And this saved us one time. We call our two dealers "John Deere Green" and "John Deere Yellow" (the construction dealer). Once the green dealership didn't have the battery we needed. We called John Deere Yellow and they said, "Come on down. We have four or five of them in stock".

I think I was just being a scaredy cat. It goes back to our younger days when we couldn't afford (money wise or time wise) to be broken down.

 

[Will S]

I agree. I'm not blaming anybody. Just wanting to be practical and not be stuck later on.

The good news is I can sell my tractor and get back almost everything I paid for it.

Yet what you are considering doing (selling the tractor you know and very much like), and buying an SOB (some other brand) tractor, which you may not be so lucky with it's reliability, is not practical.

To me, you're throwing money away on the off-chance that later, you will have a big problem with your tractor AND not be able to get it repaired. That is an unlikely scenario, IMO.

I say keep the one you have, and enjoy it.

 

[azbinder]

When I worked for the Kubota-New Holland dealer, we worked on green, red, yellow, plus our own brands. It all paid the same. I did have to haul a
JD 110 to the yellow JD dealer 90 miles away to have the transmission controller adjusted as it was something I wasn't comfortable doing. Didn't charge the customer for hauling because I needed to pick up some equipment at one of our other stores about 3 miles away. Sometimes you just have to do what is needed.

 

[Dftodd]

There are good dealers and bad dealers, regardless of the make or product. This includes everything from mattresses, appliances, tractors, and cars.

One of the Deere ag dealers I deal with cleaned house last year in the shop. Fired everyone out there from the service manager on down to the guy that swept the floor.

I just recently started dealing with them since they were down the street from one of my jobsites, had an emergency and needed a tech to perform a service regen on a piece of equipment that was mission critical to keeping a paper mill up and running.

The tech told me that when he started 9 months ago, there were machines torn apart all over the place. Parts were scattered everywhere and customers screaming to get their equipment back.

Tech said it was like having several puzzles all mixed together and then having to try and figure out what went with what.

9 months later they finally got all the mess put back together and back to their customers.

 

[dodge man]

Sounds lije you’re getting by just fine. Like a lot of people, if it’s a car, truck or tractor, you often find out you know more about it than the dealer parts guy.

 

[BX23S-1]

John Deere most of my life, until kubota beat JD`s price by quite a few thousand dollars with our last tractor purchase. And for us, the kubota dealer is alot closer to us, and we really like the kubota dealership. Family owned, into its second generation family has taken it over. It just made sense for us to put orange in the garage this time. Both of the deere dealers treated us like we were bothering them every time we went there for parts. They never had what we needed in stock at either deere dealership. Since owning the kubota, every time we needed something, they had it in stock. Knock on wood, our kubota has been trouble free since new in 2017. Sometimes when you jump ship, it may end up better in the long run. It surely is a nice breath of fresh air walking into the kubota dealer, and they call us by our first names. Not once, did that ever happen at any deere dealership we`ve experienced.

As for the OP. You do what YOU think is right, for you. For my wife an i, we`re very happy with the kubota brand. Hopefully prices will settle down soon, because we want to add another orange tractor to our home. As it stands right now, we have ZERO reason, or want, to ever by another john deere product.

 

[2manyrocks]

You already own the John Deere which is a quality brand with an extensive parts network. I don't think I'd sell it just because I didn't like my local dealer if there are any other John Deere dealers within a reasonable distance or if I could get parts within a week or two.

If it was an off brand dealer with thin parts supply, a bad local dealer and no other dealers within a reasonable distance, then I could see selling or trading for something with better support.

 

[WM75Guy]

Sounds lije you’re getting by just fine. Like a lot of people, if it’s a car, truck or tractor, you often find out you know more about it than the dealer parts guy.

Isn't that the truth. They hire a warm body with no practical experience. Just answer the phone, ask for the model number, type in the part name, and tell them the price and inventory status. He/she doesn't know what a u-joint is, much less the components of a drive shaft.

 

[John0829]

Just because it is a John Deere does not mean it must use John Deere parts. The parts you have talked about so far are universally replaceable. U-joints that will fit can be found many places, hydraulic hoses made up while you wait in many places also. I get many wear items from NAPA since they are closer, 15 miles vs 50 miles for the dealer, and have never had an issue. I would stay with the machine you say you are happy with and don't worry about what may never happen.

 

[ruffdog]

Locally, a good place to get a hose quick isn't even a orange, blue, green, or red tractor dealer, it is the fork truck shop.