Buying new machine dilema!! Feeling like a jerk, maybe not.

[gixxergary]

Long story short, my wife and I have been thinking about a tractor for the last couple of months. Did a ton of reading on this site, and decided on a Kubota B2650 with 60" quick attach bucket, and a bh77 backhoe. The local dealer, (15 miles away) has ordered one out, as we settled on a price. ( yesterday) Today, I get a quote from Barlow's, for considerably less. Not just the sales tax, but almost 1500 bucks less. Bottom line, Barlows would deliver it, for 2 grand less . If it was a grand, I would just suck it up and roll with the existing order, but 2k is hard to take. Im all for supporting the local guy, as eventually, I will need them to be there for me down the road, but 2 grand????? I asked the local guy to see if he can sweeten the deal, possibly on a new implement that we were going to buy in spring, but Im certain he wont get anywhere near the 2k in savings.
Hate being in this spot, and hindsight being what it is, I should have called Barlows first, but here I am.

All of that aside, after hours of reading, we sure did appreciate most of the info on this site, and were looking forward to our first tractor.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I just traded a B2620 FEL BH to Barlows with 73 hours and kept inside except for the73 hours . Did the 50 hours service at 50 hours. Will be a great tractor for someone for the $18000 he's asking. Get a neighbor to buy it and share delivery charge. The B's are fine tractors.
The Kubotas I've owned have never needed any service other than what I do while still under warranty and when off warranty any Kubota dealer or even other brand dealer should be anxious for your service business.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Why do you feel your on the spot when it's your dealer that gets tractors for the same price as Barlows and wants so much more of your money for the same tractor than Barlows who is even delivering it at a fair/far distance? Your dealer is the one that should feel on the spot with you knowing how much mark up he is charging you because Barlows doesn't sell them for no profit. He and I were discussing this yesterday as some tractor dealers operate like car dealers and charge so much more profit.

 

[ModMech]

This question of local vs not is one we think about in our home with each purchase. Assuming the purchase is not for a "commodity" that everyone can easily get from multiple sources locally, we have thought about this in two ways:

1) The dealership owner is simply greedy and wants to get as much $$$ out of your pocket into theirs as possible

-or-

2) The higher cost is due to localized differences (state income tax, city tax, cost of land/buildings, labor etc) and ALL the "extra" money you are paying STAYS LOCAL and is used to reinvigorate the LOCAL economy.

I know areas of Texas where you cannot get any mechanic to touch even a lawnmower for less than $75/hr and all dealers are over $150/hr! But the money does not stay there, it is sent "home", where ever that might be. So local conditions can, under some conditions, force items to be more in one location than another, even a few hundred miles away.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

I have a different take on this than the other responders. If I'm reading your post right, you agreed on a price and the dealer ordered the tractor for you. If that's the case, I'd suck it up and honor the deal I had cut with the dealer.

My honor and pride are worth more than the price difference you're talking about.

Plus, if you back out of the deal, what do you think is gonna happen when you take your Barlow's Kubota in to your local dealer for service? He might tell you to hit the road with your Barlow's Kubota.

And this is nothing against Barlow's. I'd be happy to do business with them. But I think you've already made a deal, and in that position I'd live up to the deal.

 

[rustyshakelford]

I have a different take on this than the other responders. If I'm reading your post right, you agreed on a price and the dealer ordered the tractor for you. If that's the case, I'd suck it up and honor the deal I had cut with the dealer.

My honor and pride are worth more than the price difference you're talking about.

Plus, if you back out of the deal, what do you think is gonna happen when you take your Barlow's Kubota in to your local dealer for service? He might tell you to hit the road with your Barlow's Kubota.

And this is nothing against Barlow's. I'd be happy to do business with them. But I think you've already made a deal, and in that position I'd live up to the deal.

The way I read it is he had them get the tractor headed that way before settling on a price. 2k is a lot of money. I'd let the dealer know what a competitor is offering and see how much they want to make a sale.

Brett

 

[lamarbur]

I have another take on this. Can the dealer possibly do better? probably some,, Everyone here is knocking the dealer for being two thousand higher, What about HIS cost of doing business. This was posted from somewhere in Wisconsin, I would think the dealers cost for heat in the winter, would be at least five times what Barlow would pay in Kentucky. My in laws owned a Chrysler/Dodge/ Jeep Navistar truck dealership for 61 years before he passed away and my mother in law eventually got out of business, She couldn't sell the property however it is now rented to a large RV dealer,, This dealer pays the town over $2300.00 in property tax,( each month), Yes, 28 thousand a year in property taxes, never mind electric, heat, workers pay etc,, There are always two sides to a coin. My biggest complaint with this site has always been why we in New England pay through the nose while Barlows in Kentucky kills us price wise,, It isn't JUST BARLOWS, there is a lot of business cost that most aren't thinking of. I've heard 8 hundred million times, if you don't like it, move,, We've done this too, and always came back because this is where home is,, Simple,

 

[TomSeller]

I asked the local guy to see if he can sweeten the deal, possibly on a new implement that we were going to buy in spring, but Im certain he wont get anywhere near the 2k in savings.
.

I'd see what he comes back with. How much time did you spend in his showroom? If not much, then you don't owe him much. If a lot, you have to decide how much he is worth.

This exists in almost every business. I recall going into a stereo store many, many years ago where the guy had nothing much more than a small cramped warehouse. I asked about a certain unit and he flat out told me to go to a big stereo store but "come back here and buy from me". I bought from the guy that took the time and had a nice showroom.

Don't get me wrong, $2k is a lot, but give the guy a chance, particularly since he already ordered the tractor. Also, why was Barlow's so late in getting you the quote?

 

[Al Mac]

While this local dealer is 2K higher than the lowest price you got. The lower price came after the deal was made and the unit ordered.
This is where the buyer didn't do his homework before the hand shake. Not a dealer problem and the buyer can back out if he really wants. Not my way of doing a deal as "I honor my word".

IMO , suck it up and stick with plan "A" . Put this in your lesson book under "do homework first". While this purchase will cost 2K extra this time, it will save you much more than 2K in the future as you will follow your lesson plan first.

This deal you will never forget when doing future deals. Don't dwell on it, learn from it.

Al

 

[gixxergary]

Im still waiting on their response. Ive offered to show me a great deal on a new implement instead, that we were going to buy in spring. His prices came back at what I could buy them for from anywhere. He just needs to get closer to the other price, and we will complete the deal and eat the rest. Like I said, a thousand bucks, ok, we can eat this. 2 grand, no. As for time spent, was his 1/2 hour of time worth 2k, not in my book.
As to the "homework" comment, all I have to say is, really????