First experience with Kubota Warranties in 25 years, first bad experience with Kubota

[dalola]

It's a shame customer history & reputation are not taken into consideration. Based on your explanation, it is clearly a manufacturer issue. I'm surprised your dealer is not stepping up, if he is at all interested in keeping your business. 8 new tractors in 30 years is a good customer.

Let us know how this ends up.

 

[628pm]

I dont fault the dealer. He reported what he had seen, the rep made the decision. The money I’ve spent over the years compared to this warranty issue doesn’t seem like much. But if kubota treats their “valued” customers like they did me their customer base will decline. I’ve had the dealer send customers by to look at my equipment and ask questions about the equipment before a purchase. Guess I will have to add kubota doesn’t care about their “valued” customers when they have an issue.

 

[zoltanthegypsy]

Since we're telling warranty stories... this wasn't a Kubota product, but it was a Kubota dealer.

I understand that their go-to for something that is almost always operator error is operator error. My case it was the classic: bad gas.

Nearly new Honda generator would surge badly after running for a while. Service dept diagnosed - you guessed it - bad gas. They drained things, tanked the carb, ran it for a while, and presented me with the bill. Took it home and sure enough, at the next outage it surged. Crud. Took it back in, it wouldn't fail for them. Big Crud.

Before picking it up (in despair) I remembered that the owner of the dealership had a similar generator at his cabin. Asked him if he'd take mine with him next time he went, and run it for a while. To my surprise he did. And... after running it for an hour at mid-load, it started to surge.

He took it back to the shop, they replaced the carb/governor (which never fails according to the rep...) and before I even had a chance to ask, they refunded the previous service charge.

So, even when they make an assumption based on experience, the right dealer is willing to dig deeper and make things right. That's why I go back there (long drive) for Stihl, Honda, and Kubota stuff. Exceptional dealer.

Z.

 

[SDT]

I have a 2017 BX2680 with 208 hours on it. It is used to mow grass and minor other stuff around our place. Noticed earlier this year that the brake pedal would not come back to the "top". Contacted dealer they were extremely busy so I said we could do it later in the year, don't use the brake for anything anyway except for starting the tractor.

Well of course to see what happened they had to split the rear case on the tractor. The brake rotor looked like a car that had been run for 100000 miles with no brake pads. Dealer told me if the brakes are glazed it would not be under warranty. They had the service rep come in, he denied the claim saying it was operator error.

I've purchased 8 New Kubotas since the 1980's, I would think I would know not to ride the brake, especially when just mowing grass. I told the dealer that we don't even use the brakes, the ground is level. We have never hauled the tractor on a trailer until I took it in this time. So we don't use the parking brake either.

I told the dealer that it was either operator error or mechanical failure, and I know it was not operator error.

I then appealed to Kubota, took them about 6 hours to tell me that the rep reviewed the issue and the tractor and they stand by that decision. But they do value me as a customer.

Do you think they value me as a customer? I don't think so.

Never had anything bad to say about Kubota, but this has changed my mind, they are no more concerned about a customer than the tree outside my window.

For all of you mechanics out there what do you think?

Thanks

Recently, Kubota has become much more likely to deny warranty claims, often claiming operator error, even if such is not reasonably possible.

I recently had a claim denied for incomprehensible reasoning.

My suspicion is things are going to get worse rather than better.

SDT

 

[SDT]

I'd do everything I could to put it back on the dealer.

This one cannot be the dealer's fault.

 

[dragoneggs]

This one cannot be the dealer's fault.

Not dealer's fault but a good dealer would do better to try to work things out for a valued customer. Unfortunately it sounds like this was an unforeseen maintenance issue with no one realizing the damage being done.

If I was the dealer, I would work with the OP on a compromise enough to get him singing the good praises about me. Doing the opposite, the dealer risks losing other business. I know a few around me that are not thrilled with the local Kubota dealer and have taken their business elsewhere swearing never to return. Me, I have had a good relationship with them but haven't gotten into a sticky situation as described. No pun intended.

 

[Diggin It]

The part I quoted said the dealer delayed looking at it because they were too busy. They may have found the problem earlier and it may not have been denied at that point.

 

[dragoneggs]

The part I quoted said the dealer delayed looking at it because they were too busy. They may have found the problem earlier and it may not have been denied at that point.

Possible but I doubt that was the reason. Getting prompt service in the spring time is not as easy as fall/winter at least around here.

 

[628pm]

It was mutually agreed to wait on service since I didn’t use the brake anyway. But I thought it was covered under warranty.

I guess if you see something wrong with your tractor no matter how small while under warranty, get it to the dealer ASAP.

Lesson learned after buying 8 kubotas. Might not be color blind next time already switched to green on a utv. Couldn’t pass up this deal for a cab and hvac.

Oh well, love and learn. Xmas to all.

 

[rScotty]

Originally Posted by Diggin It
I'd do everything I could to put it back on the dealer.

This one cannot be the dealer's fault.

I'd say otherwise. I believe that it is ultimately the dealer's fault for a couple of reasons....

One reason is personal. I've been on both sides of the dealer/customer interaction, and it is my experience the dealer has a lot of influence on the factory rep's decision.

The other reason is simpler. It is that if the dealer doesn't agree with the rep, the dealer still has the power to make it right at very little cost to himself. There is absolutely nothing in the world that stops the the dealer from doing the right thing.

For example, suppose that the dealer does care, and that he believes that the manufacturer has some responsibility. The dealer could agree to do the labor if the customer paid for the parts - and then propose that solution to the factory rep. That is the type of resolution that could work for everyone. All it takes is considering how to resolve the problem unselfishly.

Otherwise we begin to distrust the value of the whole warranty system - a system which is one of the biggest things in favor of buying new rather than used. What happens when customers begin to question the integrity of the warranty? How much value does a warranty have when only the manufacturer has the power to decide if a warranty claim is allowed?
rScotty