Experience at Kubota dealer - central Florida

[5030]

As usual, I researched all the tractors in the 3,000 to 5,000 lbs class, the attachments, and implements. After this, I decided to buy a Kubota MX6000 with everything I needed and some wants.

I went into the Kubota website and did a quote, printed it, and took that together with the NCHA id to the dealer.

With google in hand searched for Kubota dealers in my area, drove there, and arrived at around 11:45 am.
I was greeted by what I was later told, the CEO of the entire franchise.
Then I was handed over to one of their sales agents.
I explained what I was looking for. He took me to where they had a sample of the MX6000. I drove the tractor and got impressed by the turning radius and some of the features.
Then we proceed to go inside to work on the numbers.

I gave him the quote from the Kubota Website.
He immediately said they should be able to match or beat those prices, to which I was pleased, then said they might have everything on hand to put this package together.
I asked him if they honor the NCHA discount that is posted on the Kubota website, to which he replied, “Yes”.

Things were moving along. Then he told me that it would take him until 3:00 pm to finish everything for me and that he would send it via email.
I was okay with that and left the place to go home and pass by my bank to make sure everything was in order.

After some time, I decided to go back to the dealers and try to put the order in.
I arrived at 3:35 pm. To this point, I haven’t received anything from the Sales Agent, but I encounter him in the lobby.

He told me he hadn’t had any time to work on my quote.
I asked him if we could get it done now.
He said “yes” and proceeded to his computer.
At around 4:15 pm, I asked him if I could drive the tractor one more time. He gave me the keys and continued to work.
When I went back inside, he talked with one of his coworkers about things not being there and waiting for some orders, etc. Which, to me, was suspicious since he previously mentioned that they might have everything on hand, but I didn’t put too much thought into it.
Looking confused and a little nervous, he asked his coworker again about pricing, the cutting association discount, etc.

It took him until 5:00 pm to complete the quote. By then, the dealer was closing.
To my surprise, the pricing, in most cases, didn’t match at all the Kubota website price.
In some instances, he had a big marked-up.
For example, on the Kubota website, rear weights cost $326 per set; being that they weigh 103lbs each is a little more than what I would like to pay, but whatever,. A set of three is $978. But this sales agent is asking $2,834.25 for a 3 set rear weights…Just with this, I could tell something was off.
Something similar could be said about the cost of the FEL.
They bundle the price of the loader, the bucket, the rod level indicator, and the grill guard. On the Kubota web everything adds up to $6,698.00, their price before “NCHA” discount is $9,735.63.
The applied discount was not even 10%,

He got more nervous, told me he had to talk with his VP, etc.
He contradicted himself on multiple occasions.
Now I don’t feel comfortable buying anything from that dealer.

Part of me wants to go to war and try to get them to honor the right price and the 20% discount, but I'm sure that would destroy the long-term relationship.
I'm also thinking of exploring other options.

I will give it some thought, a close friend of mine had some issues getting the NCHA discount, but he got it in the end.

I'm not going to play the what if stuff except tp say that the prices on the Kubota 'build it' website are suggested retail prices. Any authorized dealer can sell them for more or less than the website pricing, always could. Most dealer I'm familiar with (2) sell below the website price but who does and who don't is entirely up to the individual dealer. and, because tractors are hard to get today, that my also impact the price.

One thing I'd never do is go to any dealer with the website printout in hand and put it in a dealer's face. I realize prior knowledge is a good thing but dealers in general don't like that sort of negotiation.

If I was you I would have sat down with them and came to a firm (from them) price and quietly compared it to the printout and then just decided if that dealer was right for your purchase or not.

Your relationship with them has already soured by the way you approached it and I'd be going elsewhere now. IOW, you already screwed the pooch as far as buying from them and that won't change now.

Just my opinion.

 

[nrosario]

Hello everyone,

Here's an update

I received a call from "that" Kubota dealer in which I talked with the sales agent and his manager.
They argued that the Kubota website doesn't reflect the current pricing. I pointed out the over-price issue of the rear weights and proceeded to ask the based price of the tractor,
The manager answered that the base price was $39k, then I countered by saying that his sales agent's base price was a little over $40,200.
I also pointed out that for $64k+ I should be looking at the M62 instead.
At the end of the day, I don't want to do business with them.

Per "WADFL" recommendation, I proceed to check another Kubota local dealer (thank you, sir)
The sales agent at this dealer has been very prompt, and, from my perspective, he seems to be a straight shooter.
I got a quote that is slightly less $$$ than what you get from the Kubota website.
So far, I haven't brought the NCHA discount situation to this dealer/agent yet.

I also went to another dealer selling Red and Blue; I found what seems to be a great deal on a used 100+hr red machine with multiple accessories. It doesn't have the amount of HP I'm looking for, but I'm inclined to compromise and be done with the situation.
I was looking for a 40+ PTO hp, 3000lb+ bare tractor weight with at least 2,500lb loader max lifting capacity, but I might be getting a 37pto hp machine instead.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to be able to buy the Kubota MX, I drove multiple tractors, and I enjoyed the orange the most, but sometimes we don't get what we want but what we need to get by.

Buying a tractor shouldn't be painful at all. That is what we have car dealers for.

I greatly appreciate everyone's input.

Thank you

 

[nrosario]

I'm not going to play the what if stuff except tp say that the prices on the Kubota 'build it' website are suggested retail prices. Any authorized dealer can sell them for more or less than the website pricing, always could. Most dealer I'm familiar with (2) sell below the website price but who does and who don't is entirely up to the individual dealer. and, because tractors are hard to get today, that my also impact the price.

One thing I'd never do is go to any dealer with the website printout in hand and put it in a dealer's face. I realize prior knowledge is a good thing but dealers in general don't like that sort of negotiation.

If I was you I would have sat down with them and came to a firm (from them) price and quietly compared it to the printout and then just decided if that dealer was right for your purchase or not.

Your relationship with them has already soured by the way you approached it and I'd be going elsewhere now. IOW, you already screwed the pooch as far as buying from them and that won't change now.

Just my opinion.

I see your point of view, but I don't appreciate the part where you blame the customer for the entire situation.
I'm learning from my experience and the approach I took on this.

 

[5030]

I see your point of view, but I don't appreciate the part where you blame the customer for the entire situation.
I'm learning from my experience and the approach I took on this.

So it was the dealer? Don't believe so. The customer came in with his preconceived attitude. Not the dealer. Like I said, time to go elsewhere and deal with the next dealer on equal footing.

Don't care who appreciates what. I have no dog in the game. Just pointing out what is posted and nothing more. You posted it and I replied. Whether you appreciate it or not is irrelevant. Grown men can take being critiqued and value from it. You decide, not me.

You took the wrong approach. Take value from what I said at the next dealer as you have already burned your bridge with this one.

I said my piece and not going to joust with you. Have a nice day.

 

[ultrarunner]

When I was shopping I knew what I wanted and what I was willing to pay…

It really was a yes or no inquiry…

We always welcomed informed buyers ready and able to buy and strived to quote by next business day.

After too much wasted time with the closest two dealers I let my fingers do the walking and that is how I bought the BX… Maybe 5 minutes on the phone… ready to buy, availability and price.

The owner said he had the tractor still in crate, would sell it for my price and would be ready tomorrow afternoon…

I offered my credit card he said not necessary as he would hold it 24 hours and he did and I was there at noon with bank check which was on the same bank of the dealership…

 

[MossRoad]

The SF Chronicle is like that with mom...

The only way to get a better rate is cancel and wait for the call.

It's about $600 annually and is less than half the physical size...

I pay $52 per year for daily and weekend paper. One of the few perks I got when they 'retired' me back in 2017. The paper has been sold twice since then, but I've been given the same rate. Each time they sell it, I call in and renew my subscription before I think they get organized and realize I'm not a retiree of their company. I'm guessing they'll catch up to me some day. When they do, I'll no longer take the paper, and that will be a sad day for me. I've had a subscription since I had my first house back in 1985.

 

[MossRoad]

I pay $52 per year for daily and weekend paper. One of the few perks I got when they 'retired' me back in 2017. The paper has been sold twice since then, but I've been given the same rate. Each time they sell it, I call in and renew my subscription before I think they get organized and realize I'm not a retiree of their company. I'm guessing they'll catch up to me some day. When they do, I'll no longer take the paper, and that will be a sad day for me. I've had a subscription since I had my first house back in 1985.

Also, no more tractors for sale in the classified ads for the past few years. Hope that gets the thread back on track. Sorry for the side conversation.

 

[arrow]

Umm, because there are.

Yeah ok

 

[TimberFarm]

Yeah so let paint every business the same right?

Didn't say "every business".
But a good salesperson knows when a customer is naive.

 

[arrow]

Didn't say "every business".
But a good salesperson knows when a customer is naive.

and a good person as a salesperson, should diminish naivety and help to inform the individual.

 

[tradosaurus]

Hello everyone,

Here's an update

I received a call from "that" Kubota dealer in which I talked with the sales agent and his manager.
They argued that the Kubota website doesn't reflect the current pricing. I pointed out the over-price issue of the rear weights and proceeded to ask the based price of the tractor,
The manager answered that the base price was $39k, then I countered by saying that his sales agent's base price was a little over $40,200.
I also pointed out that for $64k+ I should be looking at the M62 instead.
At the end of the day, I don't want to do business with them.

Per "WADFL" recommendation, I proceed to check another Kubota local dealer (thank you, sir)
The sales agent at this dealer has been very prompt, and, from my perspective, he seems to be a straight shooter.
I got a quote that is slightly less $$$ than what you get from the Kubota website.
So far, I haven't brought the NCHA discount situation to this dealer/agent yet.

I also went to another dealer selling Red and Blue; I found what seems to be a great deal on a used 100+hr red machine with multiple accessories. It doesn't have the amount of HP I'm looking for, but I'm inclined to compromise and be done with the situation.
I was looking for a 40+ PTO hp, 3000lb+ bare tractor weight with at least 2,500lb loader max lifting capacity, but I might be getting a 37pto hp machine instead.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to be able to buy the Kubota MX, I drove multiple tractors, and I enjoyed the orange the most, but sometimes we don't get what we want but what we need to get by.

Buying a tractor shouldn't be painful at all. That is what we have car dealers for.

I greatly appreciate everyone's input.

Thank you

Just met with my dealer the other day where I bought my MX5400 last year. He just sold an MX5400 HST no cab for $38,500. Didn't ask if there were any discounts such as NCHA.
I did use my NCHA membership last year and got an OTD for my MX5400 (Tractor/loader only) for $30,500.

 

[WADFL]

Glad I was able to help you get a quote, even if you end up buying elsewhere.
Where is this red/blue dealer you're mentioning?

 

[nrosario]

Glad I was able to help you get a quote, even if you end up buying elsewhere.
Where is this red/blue dealer you're mentioning?

Is located in Ocala.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I would really like to know how this all played out. OP did you get a tractor?

 

[nrosario]

I would really like to know how this all played out. OP did you get a tractor?

I'm in the process.
Will update everyone once finalized.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I'm in the process.
Will update everyone once finalized.

Thanks.

 

[Cahaba Valley Farm]

When I worked at the newspaper, they would offer promos and discount rates for all kinds of stuff. New subscribers. Pay by mail. Pay by the month. 6 month. 1 year. Senior discounts. All kinds of stuff. It got to the point that they had several dozen different rates. So you're getting the paper at X price as a new subscriber, but your elderly neighbor, whose been a faithful customer for decades is paying many times X for theirs. They find out and complain. So you give them a discount. Then they call all of their elderly friends and tell them to call and complain. Then they do. Then everyone starts. Eventually, they won't take the excuse that their neighbors are getting it for a one-time promotional price, and will eventually be paying the same price you are. That still doesn't sit with them, and they cancel.

They hired a company that came in and analyzed the rate charts, and ran it through an algorithm that accurately predicted that if they raised their rates on all of their customers, some would cancel, some would stay, but the ones that stayed paying the higher rates would offset the ones that cancelled at the lower rates. So you now have less product to produce and deliver to less people, which requires less raw materials, less electricity, less fuel and fewer delivery vehicles, smaller warehoused and fewer employees, all while still making the same amount of money. So go ahead and quit our product, we don't need you. That's pretty much what happened in almost the entire newspaper industry.

It's also what's happening in many other industries. They have it figured out that even if they raise their prices so much that people stop buying their product (whatever it is), enough people will keep buying it at the higher prices to offset any lost customers and sales.

Look around and see if you can find any industries that cannot sell their products right now.

...There's some logic to what you're saying here but I'm not sure this works in every business.

 

[Hayseed Andy]

If you are still looking, and are considering a green tractor, check out D & J Equipment in Altamonte. They are a real deal mom and pop dealership. I recently bought a tractor from them and was highly impressed. Best price of anywhere I looked. I had been in their shop before, however this time I bought entirely online and they delivered the machine to me.

 

[jeff9366]

Nothing about that quote makes any sense.
It only takes me 20 minutes to get to Sanford and I'm right beside FCE in Apopka. I can give you a contact in there if you want.
Going to send you a PM with a contact I have over at Crystal.
Even the FCE gentleman I know told me it's difficult to beat Crystal, and by my experience that is very true.

I have had two experiences of incompetent, uncaring tractor service at Crystal Tractor, Chiefland, Florida.

I sent a tactful letter of complaint to Crystal HQ, which was ignored.

 

[ultrarunner]

Been getting Deere ads in the TBN threads showing a total price and saying 1 hour at the dealer transaction time.

I thought OK let me click and the it says page not available?