50 Hr service, I hate to complain, BUT!!

Anonymous Poster · Jun 8, 2003

I learned something that I want to pass on. I checked four dealers in my general area, within 1 hr of my home. (TresCrows thats where the 3hrs. comes from travel time to and from the dealers plus wait time for work to be completed)
I had an appointment sat morning at 7:30 with my local dealer about 15 min away to do my service, they were given the same specs as all the others, Oil and hydro change with filters, air and both fuel filters, they were also going to clean the deck and sharpen the blades all for a quoted price of $179.95 ( I made a mistake when I quoted $169 but I thought thats what they said at first ????) Any way, when I get to the dealers to have the work done I asked for conformation on work to be performed on the Bx. I wanted everything done plus the creep of the hydro checked as well as the brakes. ( they don't seem to hold very well) Well the 20 year old or so young girl that I assume is the service writer tells me all will be done and proceeds to rattle off what is included in the service. She leaves out one important thing, no hydro oil change. I told her I asked for the change when I scheduled the appointment and she quoted the price with a five gallon pail of Case super UDT. She said oh no thats not part of the service that will cost ya extra, then she had to go check with the mechanic to see how much. Turns out to be $25 to $30 more. I told her no thank you and as hard as it was I walked away without saying what I wanted to. $#^(&)(*_*&*%#%@#$ !!! I went inside to parts and was going to buy everything to do it myself today. I was so angry I told the man at the parts counter what had happened and that I would go somewhere else to get my parts, at that point I had had enough. Went and bought the parts at Newark Kubota and plan to do it myself today. Total cost for everything I need to do the service $73. Oh well I better get off this soapbox before I slip and break my fool neck. Lesson learned make sure they quote everything up front, I hate last minute add on's. Mark

heith · Jun 8, 2003

I thought you said you got a quote before you took it to the dealer,and if so, I'd have been pissed as well.I,m amazed they let leave all bent out of shape.A good dealer will work with people,even if the customer is wrong, customers aren't always right,you just try to make them think they are. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Anonymous Poster · Jun 8, 2003

Well Heith your right I did say I had a quote and I did give all the dealers the same spec's for what I wanted done, and I did write down their prices. That is why I made the original post on the diff in price. I made it very clear and left no room for dealer error in my requests. I wasn't thinking about them letting me go away mad, I do business local whenever I can since I have my own business in this area. The staff at the dealership knows me since I have bought equipment there in the past. I'm not trying to get over on the dealership, I just wanted what I asked for done at the price quoted. Mark

Anonymous Poster · Jun 8, 2003

Assuming your told the dealer that you were coming in for the "50-hour" service, they should have included the Super UDT in the quote to begin with...it's WRITTEN in the manufacturer's maintenance schedule that this is required for that service interval!

Fortunately, you have several dealers to..err...deal with. I'd rather drive a few more miles for honest business than patronize a firm that doesn't get it.

That being said, the 50-hour service isn't all that hard to do, but be sure you have a nice big catch basin for that hydro fluid...there is a LOT of it that is going to come out of that machine when you open up the drain plug!! I did my own 50-hour service on my BX-2200 and didn't have much problem, although the filters were on really, really tight. I expect I'll do the same on my BX-22 shortly, although my dealer's roving service van doesn't charge all that much for the labor and they take away the used fluids. I may be willing to pay for that to save time...which I don't have a whole lot of...

TresCrows · Jun 8, 2003

Look, take a deep breath. Get yourself one of those funnels from the auto parts store that has a long tube on it or make one with old piece of small diameter garden hose for the refill. There is a plastic cap back there under the top link and that is where the fluid goes back in. Yep, you will need a big catch basin or tub for the hydro fluid. After that job is finished get the engine oil and filter changed--easy enough. Grease the loader. Pull the deck and tilt it back and inspect the whole thing. Pull the blades and sharpen them on your bench grinder. You got one of those huh? Don't over do it, they are not scapels. Put it back together and grease the deck points. I think I changed the oil out of the MMM gearbox too. I did not change the fluid in the front axle until I took my BX swimming in the pond one day /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. Grease the hydro pedal and clean the gunk off the bottom side on the little bungee. Oh, I forgot, there is a screen in the hydro, back under the left side I think, carefully pull it out and don't loose the o-ring. Clean the metal shavings off the screen by rinsing it in a solvent. Hey don't forget to clean the airfilter. Wash the tractor, start it up--yep--she runs--that is about all they were going to do for it anyway /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. J

sandyc · Jun 8, 2003

It really is that easy! Except when you get a bit long in the tooth like me and forget to pull the strainer....I am debating whether to drain the hst or just trust luck and catch it with the next service......

gordon · Jun 8, 2003

Newark Kubota, Burke Kubota are both owned by the same person. I realize that it's best to deal local if possible but that can't always work out that way. Over the years I've been more than happy dealing with Burke equipment for my Kubota needs. But I can say the parts dept at Hoobers has done a good job for me when I've needed parts for my International cutters in the past.

Something to think about is to take a minute and give the service manager a call come Monday. Explain what happened and see what comes of it. Ya never know.

Good luck with the lawn business

Gordon

Anonymous Poster · Jun 8, 2003

Gordan you are right about Newark Kubota being a fine dealership. Thats where I went to get the parts to do the work myself. I'm not going to comment on the other dealers in the area but I will say that the trouble I ran into wasn't with Newark. Eric runs a great dealership in Newark Kubota. He has been of immense help in the past. So I'll turn my truck northward and still do business local. Mark /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Anonymous Poster · Jun 8, 2003

It seems pretty common for some dealers to neglect the hydraulic fluid change on the 50 hour service, mine included. I got a quote similiar to yours, but when I specifically inquired about the Super UDT my dealer said it wasn't necessary. I'll probably just do the 50hr myself. That way, I'll know it was done.

TresCrows · Jun 9, 2003

On both the 2410 and the BX I found only a few small flakes of metal on the screen. Yes, I think you can go a while, hate to waste that SUDT /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif but it would have been nice if you had remembered. Look, I am a professional mechanic and I happily poured my new oil into the engine only to have it go out the drain hole into the dirty oil pan /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. Well, at least I did not start it and drive it around with no oil in it like my neighbor did. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. J