ASV/Terex is killing my business!

[Digdeep]

This is the package you would buy to replace both tracks, both sprockets and all the hardware and 48 idlers-

Tier 2 340404-290 PT-100G 20 track, rubber only $9,595

 

[redprospector]

Hey Red Prospector and anyone else West of Texas concerned there are no good dealers out here in the West FMI Sales has an excellent reputation with our customers I can give you 50 plus name of satisfied ASV/Terex customers that we have sold machines to. We are happy to reach out to you, even if farther away, if your local dealer is not or you don't have one. Yes there have been problems with both Terex machines and ASV machines especially in the Brush Grinding Business. But there has been just as many problems with Bobcat, Cat, JohnDeere, and every other manufacture that builds a CTL and their customers use it in the harshest environment there is. And there are good dealers and bad dealers for all manufactures Cat, BobCat and John Deere all run not walk when it comes to Brush Cutting and unless you're a Customer spending 100's of Thousands of dollars with them you probably won't get treated very well.
FMI is 1000 miles from Red Prospector and I offered to help. And there are many other good dealers out there. ASV/Terex gets the most comments on this because they have sold by far the most machines into the industry for Brush cutting. FMI has sold over 100 since we started selling ASV. Currently we have sold 3 PT 100G Forestry units into Brush Cutting one with 1600 hundred hours on it since October of 2010 and it did not work from Thanksgiving until April Because of our heavy snowfall and extreme weather. The second unit has been in our rental fleet with more than 500 hours since April with only a couple of down days to do updates.

Aw crap! I'm sorry, I was totaly out of line with that statement. I remember now that we talked on the phone. I guess I'm just frusterated because I was really trying to figure out a way to keep the new PT-100G. But when I looked for another dealer that I could use, the closest one was in Austin, Texas (600 miles from me). Terex's web site shows 0 dealers in Arizona, and there are 0 dealers between Austin Texas and Las Cruces New Mexico. It's not feasable to haul a machine 600 to 1000 miles to a decent servicing dealer, so I got rid of it.
I think that Terex needs to work on their dealer network so that people don't have to make the choice I did because there aren't any decent dealers in a reasonable distance. If another dealer opened within 300 miles of me I might..........might try another PT-100G. But they would have to be open long enough to have a share of the market, and their customers would have to really sing their praises.
So with that said; There are some good dealers in the Western United States. However, I was unable to locate any in the South Western States (not including Southern California, because I didn't look there :laughing.

Andy

 

[Heavyduty]

Wow! Sorry, I didn't realize it had been so long since I checked this thread.

No, I'm not getting out of the mulching business. I'm just switching brands of machines. I'm not saying that Terex doesn't make a good machine, I'm saying that the machine I bought was not a good machine. Out of 150 days that I activly owned the machine, it was in the dealers shop 60. That is what was unacceptable to me, and I think that a lot of that was the dealer. I got 0 customer service from them.
In my opinion anyone living West of central Texas should steer clear of owning a Terex compact track loader untill they get some decent dealers out here.

Andy

No problem, we all know how it is on keeping up with threads. :thumbsup:

It's good to hear your still in business and I hope you can keep the new machine busy.

 

[redprospector]

I'm sorry, I didn't think that there was a minimum engine horsepower requirement or machine model requirement needed on this site or forum to either make a comment or have "credibility". Does a tractor count? How about a skid steer? Having sold hundreds of machines at a Bobcat dealership? Common sense?

Please let me know what it takes so that I can "have some credibility on what I'm talking about". I was always under the impression that this was an all-inclusive web forum; even for those of us that own something other than a mulching machine.

No minimum horsepower requirement, or machine model requirement that I know of. But I don't think there is a requirement for me to swallow your crap either. Selling hundreds of machines at a Bobcat dealership doesn't neccessarily give you any credability, as most commissioned salesmen will tell you anything they think you want to hear to make a sale. I already told you what it would take, so I guess common sence is off the table.
You said that you didn't have to replace your tracks until you had 2000 hours on your machine. That tells me that you don't work your machine near as hard as I have to. If I get 1000 hours out of a set of rubber tracks I'm doing good, rollers don't last that long.
I suppose this is an "all-inclusive" forum. Even for those who don't own a mulching machine, but insist on telling everyone who does that because you own a RC-50 you know all about their machines. I'll tell you right now, on paper they look really good, in the field......eh.

To be honest, I don't like you. When I first joined here my first post was trying to find out if anyone else was having similar problems with their PT-100G. You came in on this forum, and another with your infinate wisdom and did everything but call me stupid, I think you actually called me that but it's not worth my time to go back and look it up. So in all honesty, there is probably nothing that you can do that would give you any credability in my eyes. You're just another cheerleader.

Andy

 

[JustAnOp]

I guess this is only my third posting, but I will say that I love this website.
I've followed this exchange from the beginning. Redprospector I don't think Digdeep was calling you stupid. I think he was wondering why a guy would buy a machine, any machine, from another dealer and not his local dealer and expect his local dealer to be happy about doing work on it. For sure when your local dealer had never even worked on that type of machine. Did you even run the machine before you bought it for your contract? I don't know all of the specifics but it sure seems like you didn't help yourself too much. I've been around vegetation management for a long time running these machines. It is a very costly profession and understanding what a machine can and can't do, how much it will cost to run and replace parts and other things is very important. I'm sure others on this site besides Digdeep questioned your decision. Maybe Digdeep just said what others were thinking.

For what it's worth Digdeep is definitely a Terex cheerleader but we all have our favorite brand. I'm not defending him, but if you take away his favor for Terex he actually seems logical based on what I've read in his statements in other conversations about hydraulics and other machines and my own experience with running and working on our Asplundh ASV/Terex machines. You guys should just let each other alone.

Another thing. You live in a nice part of the country. I know where Cloudcroft is because I used to have a cousin that lived in Animas, NM decades ago and we did the touring thing through Roswell and Carlsbad and passed through Cloudcroft. Good luck with your Fecon. We have a couple in our fleet up here.

 

[redprospector]

I guess this is only my third posting, but I will say that I love this website.
I've followed this exchange from the beginning. Redprospector I don't think Digdeep was calling you stupid. I think he was wondering why a guy would buy a machine, any machine, from another dealer and not his local dealer and expect his local dealer to be happy about doing work on it. For sure when your local dealer had never even worked on that type of machine. Did you even run the machine before you bought it for your contract? I don't know all of the specifics but it sure seems like you didn't help yourself too much. I've been around vegetation management for a long time running these machines. It is a very costly profession and understanding what a machine can and can't do, how much it will cost to run and replace parts and other things is very important. I'm sure others on this site besides Digdeep questioned your decision. Maybe Digdeep just said what others were thinking.

For what it's worth Digdeep is definitely a Terex cheerleader but we all have our favorite brand. I'm not defending him, but if you take away his favor for Terex he actually seems logical based on what I've read in his statements in other conversations about hydraulics and other machines and my own experience with running and working on our Asplundh ASV/Terex machines. You guys should just let each other alone.

Another thing. You live in a nice part of the country. I know where Cloudcroft is because I used to have a cousin that lived in Animas, NM decades ago and we did the touring thing through Roswell and Carlsbad and passed through Cloudcroft. Good luck with your Fecon. We have a couple in our fleet up here.

Digdeep knows what he said, and what he insinuated. As far as I'm concerned PM's will stay exactly that.....Private messages. I won't make any bones about it. I don't like him. But you are right, so I will just let it be.

Now as far as why I would expect a local dealer to service a machine that I bought from somewhere else. Mostly because I talked to them, and they said that they understood my delima and would be happy to service it. Also when a dealer sells a machine in another dealers territory they have to pay a fee to that dealer for their transgressions. No, I didn't run that particular machine before I bought it. If I order a new Ford pickup, I don't get to drive the one I ordered before I order it either. I have owned an ASV in the past, actually thats what the Terex was replacing. I tried an 08 PT-100 that a friend owns before I bought the 11 PT-100.
You are right that I didn't help myself any, and the biggest mistake I made was to believe anything that a salesman said. I guess I am a dinasaur in this modern, fast moving world of business. But the minimum I expect from someone I am doing business with is what they told me. I don't go into a deal hoping that I won't have to sue someone to make them do what they said, I just expect them to do what they said.
I guess I don't understand the favorite brand thing so much. I've never cared what it said across the hood, as long as it gets the job done. I actually don't have two tractors of the same brand. I have Husqvarna, Stihl, Dolmar, Solo, and Jonsered for chainsaws, and a 1250 Vermeer chipper graces my front yard. So I really don't understand the brand loyalty thing. I'll guarantee none of those brands will be loyal to you.
I've put over 400 hours on the Fecon so far, and it's still going, so that's a good thing. It has actually paid for itself already.
Thanks for the compliments on our little part of the world. If you ever find yourself back in Cloudcroft let me know, I'd be happy to buy you a cup of coffee or something.

Andy

 

[Bedford24]

Red have you checked different rental companies in your area? The problem with terex is to get a dealer to sign they claim they are going to be the only dealer in that area - then the sites they have more than one let's say to show different industries here is one that can get parts or do service Heavy Equipment Parts: Boom Trucks, Doosan Excavators Grove Cranes, Scissor Lifts, Earthmoving Skid Steer, Komatsu Telehandler Forklifts for Sale RSC also does terex and genie.. hope this helps. here is a map of their locations Heavy Construction Equipment & Rental in Utah, Florida, Texas California, North Carolina Louisiana South Carolina Montana Virginia Alabama Arizona We are testing Lug replacements now on our rental units before we recomend them - have machines in rental with less than 1000 hours with lugs peeling off like the were held on with rubber as think as an inner tube. They are called Larry Lugs - here is the site we ordered from Bair Products, Inc.. Haven't been on long enough to give you results? I just thought a solid metal plate to the outside should have been used to decrease pull through on the bolts though??? Hope this helps?

 

[redprospector]

Red have you checked different rental companies in your area? The problem with terex is to get a dealer to sign they claim they are going to be the only dealer in that area - then the sites they have more than one let's say to show different industries here is one that can get parts or do service Heavy Equipment Parts: Boom Trucks, Doosan Excavators Grove Cranes, Scissor Lifts, Earthmoving Skid Steer, Komatsu Telehandler Forklifts for Sale RSC also does terex and genie.. hope this helps. here is a map of their locations Heavy Construction Equipment & Rental in Utah, Florida, Texas California, North Carolina Louisiana South Carolina Montana Virginia Alabama Arizona We are testing Lug replacements now on our rental units before we recomend them - have machines in rental with less than 1000 hours with lugs peeling off like the were held on with rubber as think as an inner tube. They are called Larry Lugs - here is the site we ordered from Bair Products, Inc.. Haven't been on long enough to give you results? I just thought a solid metal plate to the outside should have been used to decrease pull through on the bolts though??? Hope this helps?

Thanks,
I'll look into the company in the links. They are in Albuquerque, so not too bad a drive.
I've been using Larry Lugs for a few years, I had good success with them.
Buying in small quantities they are a little pricey, but they beat buying a new track when just lugs will do.
The washers they use are enough to keep the bolts from pulling all the way through. When replacing lugs don't be stingy with the lugs. Grind off the ones that look to be good until you get back to where the rubber isn't de-laminated from the cords. You need at least one Larry Lug on rubber that's still stuck to the cords well on each end.
I've got an old track that has over 1/2 the lugs replaced with Larry Lugs. It has about 300 hours on the Larry Lugs, they are still fine but the rest of the track finally gave out. Even then the lugs can be reused.

Andy

 

[Bedford24]

Thanks! I will let our service department know. Good thought on the once you buy them you can keep reusing them. we only have about 3 hours on some we just installed and because the bolts feel on the outer tread our mechanic ground down to the thickest part of the track also to take the bolt heads out of the wear area on the outside.

 

[darynxbcoupe]

Hi Bill,
I just purchased a brand new pt 50 after 9 hours it has oil on top of number 4 piston they clame we put it on its nose which is false we have had injectors tested and the number number 4 was the best number 1 is stuck open and 2 ,3 are bad we have no warranty because they say we drove it up big hills which is wrong biggest incline measures 15 degrees so we are not impressed they say if you put it on its nose for 10 seconds your engine pretty much blows up any thoughts would be appreciatted