I might need to sell my 7710-II

[matt21]

Robert,
I own an automotive shop and coming from my own experience, if 5k is the agreed upon price, 5k is what you pay UNLESS they get it pre-approved by you BEFORE beginning the extra work. I understand you have a good relationship with the dealer and want to keep it that way, however that dealer is there to serve YOU, not the other way around. Coming from a legal standpoint all you have to do is pay the 5k and take the tractor with you. There is absolutely nothing that dealer can do about it except get kranky and refuse service to you, which if they know anything at all about running a business they would know they HAVE to keep the customer happy to stay in business. It all comes down to the fact that it's the dealer's fault. They made the mistake. If they are a loyal dealer they will admit that.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Thanks Matt, I want to talk to a lawyer first just to make sure I don't do something that will hurt me if they pushed back. Basically I want to be legal about this without the threat of court.

I almost have a couple pieces of equipment paid off (well by march they will be) so hopefully I will have the money to just toss on the table but right now money is still a concern until I am back to work.

 

[JoeinTX]

Robert, I'm having a hard time following here.

1-you turned the tractor over to this dealer with specified repairs to be done for a price point agreed upon.....$5000 or so.

2-this dealer then goes all out and replaces everything but the kitchen sink, not agreed upon, but they do it anyway.

3-this dealer expects you to pay for unwanted repairs not given explicit approval for by you before being done.


And you're worried about the dealer's feelings? It sounds like this dealer isn't too d@mned concerned about their relationship with you. Like many who have already posted, it may be time to bring the lawyers in on this or simply tell this dead-beat dealership to keep the darn tractor and be done with them.

Seriously, if they are going to try to screw around a good and loyal customer like yourself then they can't be trusted and you shouldn't give them another dollar or thought. Put it up for consignment sale on their lot and maybe have to pay a little out of pocket for the difference it will bring.

Move on, by a different color, and stop having to deal with them in the future.

 

[JSharp]

Ok, this may be blunt but...

Define "good dealer relationship" to me. A repair that was quoted at $5K becomes $13K. Then they try to low ball you to buy your tractor while they hold it ransom and charge interest on the bill. That's not a relationship, it's getting burned. I'd *never* have another piece of equipment serviced by them for one simple reason - They aren't trustworthy. If they get away with it once, you're now known as an easy mark and it'll happen again you can be sure of it.

Some people will treat you every bit as poorly as you allow them to. It's up to you to decide how well you'd like to be treated and take steps to make that happen...

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Guys, up until this point I have had great service. I have come in with my baler and had their top mechanics drop what they were doing to get me back up and in the field on the spot. I have came in as they were closing and the service manager stayed late to fix my pto shaft off my discbine so I can get back to the field again. I have been able to get any parts I need either right then or next day. I am friends with a lot of the mechanics and the one salesman as well as the parts lady. Up until this point I have had a great relationship here. Now the problem is the service manager is telling the manager he told me $9k for just the motor and not $900 so it is putting me against the SM and he isn't going to admit he screwed up this big.

Joe, I need to try and preserve some sort of a relationship with this dealer. This isn't something like I have just one or two pieces of equipment from this dealer. I have 4 Ford/NH tractors, a Gehl Discbine, NH baler, and a few other pieces of equipment. I can't just change brands and forget this dealer. My next closest NH dealer is an hours drive depending on road conditions.

Basically, if I can't come to terms on a settlement with the dealer I will hope the tractor sells and buy a new tractor elsewhere. Neil has given me a great price on another NH and I should be able to get most of my service parts from the local Case-IH dealer or ordered from Neil if I want to quit dealing with my local dealer. Right now NH makes the best tractor as far as what I am looking for (TN85FA). As for the 7710's replacement I don't know what I will do. I have been partial to the NH TS series as they are great tractors and new enough I won't have a lot of problems.

 

[flusher]

Basically, I agreed to a $5k repair and ended up with a $13k repair. They were suppose to repair the engine and replace the worn pto parts. Then ended up replacing the engine with a short block that cost over $5k for just the engine. Then add the $1300 for the pto work, a new turbo, oil pump and machine shop work for the engine and 60 hours of labor (they actually had more but reduced the hours billed because of how high my bill was). So if you really look at it I got screwed since I told them to go the cheap route and they went the expensive route anyway without my approval. I paid $15k for the tractor, there is no way I would have agreed to a $13k repair. But there isn't much that I can do right now as I don't really want to make this dealer mad as I run all Ford/NH equipment and the next NH dealer is about an hour away. So I keep trying to work things out with them in hopes of meeting in the middle over this.

Given your need to maintain a working relation with this dealer and since the management won't budge, you're stuck.

If it were me, I'd use my home equity to get my tractor out of the shop.

Since you're a real farmer (unlike myself who's doing my stuff as a retirement keep-busy project), perhaps there's a gov't program for farmers that can help here.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I have talked to my friends at Farm Credit and they do not have any programs. I looked at FSA and I can't find any programs to help a guy who isn't working and doesn't have adequate income. I don't want things given to me so I keep trying to find different ways to work this out but so far it is a cash on the table type of deal as I can't find anyone to help finace a solution (other then friends and I refuse to borrow money from friends).

 

[Renze]

Now the problem is the service manager is telling the manager he told me $9k for just the motor and not $900 so it is putting me against the SM and he isn't going to admit he screwed up this big.

Two parties claim the $8000 difference between the bill, and the agreed price: The dealer is fighting harder for this $8000 than you are...



....You are way too nice for the dealer. Play the game as HARD as they play it, and stop letting them think you NEED them !!!

 

[bigbull338]

oki ive sat here an read yyour complete post about the 7710 an the $13000 repair bill.about 14yrs ago we had a new motor put in our 7700 ford.the motor came new from ford.an they charged us $7000 for the motor job.you say they charged you $5000 for the motor.an put in a new pto.well the pto work would cost $3000 more or less.so your up to $8000 now.what was the other $500 for.your teactor is in great shape now.so why not tough it out an pay the repair bill.$18000 is pushing it for that tractor.when it was new it sold for less than $30000 without a loader.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

oki ive sat here an read yyour complete post about the 7710 an the $13000 repair bill.about 14yrs ago we had a new motor put in our 7700 ford.the motor came new from ford.an they charged us $7000 for the motor job.you say they charged you $5000 for the motor.an put in a new pto.well the pto work would cost $3000 more or less.so your up to $8000 now.what was the other $500 for.your teactor is in great shape now.so why not tough it out an pay the repair bill.$18000 is pushing it for that tractor.when it was new it sold for less than $30000 without a loader.

If you would have read my complete post like you said you would have read about the fact I am out of work till April and my comp checks do not even cover my current montly payments. I do not have $13k to pay and if I knew it was going to cost $13k I would have left the tractor in the barn till I could have fixed it myself or parted it out.