Dealer hasn't worked out very well

Grandad4 · May 13, 2011

That's good to hear. Hope the two of you can have an honest, fair and calm conversation... maybe get things on an even keel. Always better to have a dealer who is your friend (or at least wants to work with you).

All the best wishes that it works out OK for all concerned.

sixdogs · May 13, 2011

You could offer some photos of right and wrong, maybe sent to him in advance and say this is what you expected to get.
Have iron clad docs that are crystal clear and it should work. Your entire argument must be supported.
Are part numbers stamped on frame parts for documentation? That would be nice.
Comments and supporting photos from owners of same setup as yours without the probs you have?

Now, folks don't like to be told they are wrong or to travel up the management food chain so be a nice guy and offer that this was a simple misunderstanding--which it was.
But you want a properly functioning and safe piece of interchangable-part equipment as Kubota has been widely-established to deliver.
He could just say that you have the right part so the photos and supporting documemts and comments can do the talking.
As an outside thought, you could have the right part that was incorrectly installed. Kubota uses shims and spacers here and there. Unlikely, but a thought,

These are just my personal opinions so do what you want. Opinions are easy for us with no dog in the fight. Keep us posted.

jlsmith · May 13, 2011

beppington said:
You don't make any money on warranty work?

Not as much as one would think. Sometimes its good and some times its not so good.

fredhargis · Jun 7, 2011

One more update on what has happened for those who might be curious. I had mentioned earlier that Kubota had called me....that was my last update. Since then my dealer has called several times, the last just this morning. I'm reading between the lines here (making this speculation) but I think resolving my problem had become a question of costs. Not how much, but who would pay. The dealer thought he was on the hook for a new BH frame and held off getting one. Kubota didn't want to admit there was a problem until my last letter, therefore not providing anything to the dealer. My last letter generated several communications between my dealer and the Torrance HQ where he did (he says) find out that there were some faulty BH frames, and Kubota has now "opened the purse strings" to fix my problem. He expects to have a proper BH frame early next week to put on my tractor. He (the dealer) also thinks I gave the local Kubota guy I had been dealing with a "black eye"...going on to say "that's just what the bast*** deserves". (!) In my last letter to Kubota I had asked for another party at Kubota to deal with, since the fellow I had been in contact hadn't done anything to help. In any case, I'm hoping to have my tractor be just like all the others shortly.

Grandad4 · Jun 7, 2011

Hope your next update advises the problem is solved!

crazyal · Jun 7, 2011

Keep us updated.

sixdogs · Jul 10, 2011

All fixed?

fredhargis · Jul 11, 2011

The tractor is at the dealer's as I type this; having the backhoe frame replaced with a proper one (I hope). I had mentioned to you that it was to go in a few weeks back, but that didn't work out (for him). I'm thinking it should be home in a day or two...then I'll know for sure. I'd go get it myself, but my trailer won;t haul the tractor when the FEL and hoe are mounted, so i have to wait for them to deliver. Thanks for asking, I had planned an update if this ever gets solved.

fredhargis · Jul 20, 2011

Yet another update. My dealer says he got another BH frame to replace mine and it was miss-made the same way my original frame is. With that he said the Kubota warehouse guys in Columbus went through their stockpile comparing them and found two frame that were different than the others, and these are the correctly made one. Supposedly they will be at my shop Fri, and the tractor is to have the installed "the minute they arrive". Good thing I'm being patient with this, cause ti's sure feels like the run around to me.