Dealer How often did you use the dealer after purchase

[Peter 315]

I go for filters hyd , fuel and Hst.. I get oil filters from the wife's work.....

 

[Big Barn]

My family and now myself have dealt with the same Ford New Holland dealership through several buyouts, acquisitions and name changes over 70 years.

Over 40 farm tractor purchases and not including industrial tractors and farm implements later i still deal with them regularly for parts, service and warranty work. (albeit on a much smaller scale).

Many of the managers, salesmen and parts persons became lifelong friends. One of the head mechanics (who started his apprentice with them right out of school) came to work in our shop on the farm upon his retirement.

So I suppose my answer to the posts title is ......“Whenever necessary and exclusively”.


Your results may vary of course.

 

[dodge man]

In 12 years of owning a tractor I think I only took it in once, but I do often by parts and filters. A JD and Kubota dealers are within 10 miles.

A lot of us do our own repairs a maintenance. For us the service department is like doctors, we do not go to them often but when we do they better be good.

 

[RichZ]

The only tractor I bought new is my Kubota, and it rarely needs repair, but I buy all my fluids and filters from the dealer. I needed front tires, and he was actually the cheapest for them. One time I broke a belt just as I finished plowing snow and I went over to the dealer for a new one. He told me that he had a service call near me, so he came over and put the belt on for me, and just charged me for the belt. I gave the service guy a real good tip. A good dealer is good to have!!!! When you need them, you need them.

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

I pick up filters from them because the price is comparable to online. I do all my own work on everything, care, tractors, toys. Only thing I may have sent out is my injectors since I dont have the tools to rebuild and test them. I'll drop stuff at a machine shop if needed as well

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Pretty much never. My first LS was purchased from a dealer 550 miles away. Did my own 50 and 200 hour service, they shipped the filters to me. The second LS was from a different dealer, but now 650 miles away... same thing, they shipped the filters to me, only needed a hydraulic hose (my mistake, so not under warranty) they drop shipped it direct from LS parts.... cost me $20 less than buying or having one made locally. BUT, and a BIG BUT, I can fix or work on just about anything. That is where the big decision has to be made.

 

[DKCDKC]

I go to the dealer for filters and the occasional JD specific part - a lug bolt most recently. My JD 3038e was purchased in 2013 and has never needed any repairs... And I think I would attempt the repairs myself if it did.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

As a dealer, the one concern of going too far away is campaign or recall work. The notifications for these things go to the selling dealer. People who have bought machines from dealers hours away are likely unaware of the non-safety related updates to their machines. The dealerships who sold those machines are apt to ignore the manufacturers directive to do the updates because of the road time to run out to the unit.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

On both of my tractors, the dealer sent me the parts associated with the recall / service bulletin when it was issued. With one of them, they even sent me a check for the labor associated with doing it myself! I guess it really depends on how reputable the dealer is.

 

[paulfun9]

With my last purchase (Kioti) oil, filters only.

 

[Diggin It]

As a dealer, the one concern of going too far away is campaign or recall work. The notifications for these things go to the selling dealer. People who have bought machines from dealers hours away are likely unaware of the non-safety related updates to their machines.

At the very least, a reputable dealer would notify buyers of record and let them decide how, or if to proceed.

 

[Rmart30]

I did not buy my tractor in 2013 from my closest dealer. I bought it from one 60 miles away. Myself , or my tractor have not been in that dealership since the day they loaded it on the truck and sent it to me new. it hasnt been to any dealership in that time either. it required no warranty work.

I usually buy my filters from my closest dealer just because I pass by there every now and then and stop and pick them up a couple at a time. I would buy them online and have shipped if I could find reasonably priced shipping. (<$10) For that its almost not worth my time to make a special trip to my dealer. to pick them up.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Never.

I have a Kubota dealer about two miles from me. I negotiated and negotiated and negotiated on a new tractor from them in 1999.
They held fir on 100% retail for the tractor. That was the early days of the internet so I went searching on the internet.
I found a dealer in South Carolina that was willing to sell me the same tractor at about 8K less than the dealer near me wanted.
That included $1,000 shipping from SC to me but what I saved in out of state purchase coved that cost anyway.

I went back to the dealer to see if he could match the price and I told him I'd be willing to pay a little more because he was local.

He darn near laughed in my face so I bought the tractor in SC. Now remember these were the day's digital cameras were just coming out
and a one-megapixel camera from Nikon cost $15,000 others one-megapixel cameras were around $1,000.

I told the dealer what I wanted some custom options etc. To my disbelief without me asking the salesman sent daily updated with
digital pictures of the progress of my tractor. I was stunned, for me, this was something I could hardly believe was happening.

Tractor arrived on schedule in perfect condition. I worked it for 5 years and sold it for exactly what I paid for it.

Never ever went to the dealer. Never ever bought so much as a filter or oil from the dealer near me. Would make it a point to purchase
filters form the internet.

I've done the same thing with 3 other pieces of equipment. All purchased out of state much cheaper than anything local.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Similar story, that is why I bought the first one 550 miles away ( I did a road trip and picked that one up). On the second, it was still over $2500 cheaper after paying $750 to get it delivered 650 miles. The “ local “ dealer (still 100 miles away) actually told me “ you know there are a lot of tractor dealers around, you could probably buy one from them! “ . The next closest (250 miles away) would not return calls. It is amazing how some of these dealers stay in business.... wait a minute... because they overcharge the few suckers....eh... I mean customers.

 

[kenmbz]

I have my dealer coming out for my 50 hour service this week. See them at local fairs when they happen. I have a scut and am not an AG, but he treats me the same and always listens to me and gives advice. He has almost no business right now, so this service at least gets one of his people paid for the day.

 

[rScotty]

As a dealer, the one concern of going too far away is campaign or recall work. The notifications for these things go to the selling dealer. People who have bought machines from dealers hours away are likely unaware of the non-safety related updates to their machines. The dealerships who sold those machines are apt to ignore the manufacturers directive to do the updates because of the road time to run out to the unit.

That was my experience. My Kubota dealer did not advise me of several factory campaigns on the new tractor that I bought from him. His shop foreman told me about the campaigns after the warranty had expired. I don't know why he didn't bother to tell me; I did see the owner and my salesman several times that year when I bought oil/filters for the new tractor....or just stopped in to chat, since this was a new first year model and they seemed interested.

Although I live a an hour away, it is a local telephone call.
I like my Kubota and am glad to have bought it, but I don't like being treated that way and doubt I will buy a new tractor from a Kubota dealership again. I know I shouldn't tar them all with the same brush....or should I? After all, other brands may treat me better; and I'd like that....but I won't know until I try them.

I try not to even go there for parts, preferring to buy online. From Messick's for example.....
rScotty

 

[jjp8182]

Interesting variety of responses .....

The local dealer I bought my tractor from has been pretty good, and the location convenient as (for me) they are on the route between home and work and their prices have typically matched or beaten most of what I've seen online (even without considering shipping). Of course, it's also a multi-generation family owned/run dealership which seems to make the difference - as I'm sure does the fact they seem to hold/win a fair number of local government/commercial equipment and service contracts.

On the other hand the experiences I've had with some of the other local dealerships (particularly ones associated with a large regional chain) I'm just as happy to never do business with again as the few times I have had interactions with them in the past it's been equivalent to bad big box service without the lower prices.

...but paint color loyalty seems to serve them well as the chain has multiple dealerships within a 30-40 mile radius of my area.

 

[Cat_Driver]

I never understand businesses. I understand there is a point where you CAN'T sell a product given the difference in shipping etc. Seriously if a person has a legitimate price from another dealer for the exact same product why do businesses fail to meet or beat the other dealer with a person standing there saying TAKE MY MONEY PLEASE?

This has happened to me hundreds of times over the years. Several car dealers who have an unlimited supply of vehicles once they sell what they have they simply reorder another one yet they often times will not meet or beat other dealers.

When I purchased my 2019 F250 I was sitting in the dealers' office and I showed him the cash I had for the deposit. I told him I would like to support my local dealer and can he meet or beat the other dealer. Nope wouldn't come down from his $1,500 while the other dealer was offering 10K discount for the EXACT SAME VEHICLE.

I was in business for 30 years and I never lost a piece of business over price. If my customers came to me and said they had a certain price as a budget for my services I gladly accommodated them. If a customer said they got a better price could I lower my price I would do one of two things. I would either lower the price or keep my price the same but throw more product or service at them but either way, I always won the bid.

Funny side story:

I had one business that was always getting proposals from me for my services but over the years never ever selected me although I know I was giving a lot for the money I was asking. As usual in my business as other businesses, I was suspecting "kickbacks" from my competitor and the company asking for bids was just using me as I'm sure they were required to get more than one bid - but they would always select my competitor.

Finally, I went to see the job my competitor did for the budget I was asked to bid on and it was horrible compared to what I proposed.

So the next time I set a trap. They asked for a proposal and they said they had a budget of $5,000. Well, I sent them a proposal that was valued at $50,000 but my bid reflected the $5,000 budget they had.

Sure enough, they selected my competitor's bid of $5,000 over my bid of $50,000 value for $5,000. That was the 100% proof I knew I was being played.

Every proposal after that - I was not available to bid so I always respectively declined to bid.
RANT OVER

 

[sodamo]

I’ll admit it, Messicks and MI have been important to me.

 

[California]

I was going to say I've never been to the dealer for my two 40 year old Yanmars but I did have one experience: After buying my well-used YM240 (US version Yanmar) I looked in the (paper) phone book and saw the local JD dealer who had sold these back in the day, still had his Genuine Yanmar Parts display ad, in the Y section. So I went by to ask if he could provide simple stuff, brake shoes etc.

The service order writer was d----- unpleasant. He had gotten burned ordering parts from Yanmar-US that didn't fit on what turned out to be Yanmar-Japan unauthorized imports. Trying to return the parts for credit apparently got him warnings that he risked his franchise to sell anything from Yanmar-US if he ever did that again. For some reason he took out all his frustration on me as I tried to convince him that his dealership was likely the origin of my Yanmar tractor. The guy was really hot. No he wasn't going to provide any support.

My tractors - both from local Deere/Yanmar dealerships - are orphans. I haven't been back to the dealer in now 17 years. Hoyetractor has provided by mailorder the normal maintenance stuff to maintain these. Neither has ever seen a professional mechanic. Thankfully both are designed to be owner-maintained and that works fine.

I hope you guys with Deeres are getting better service than my experience.