I should be happy, but I'm not.

[Z-Michigan]

One significant reason I now own a Deere is that the Kubota dealer who had been very helpful up to a point failed to return two separate messages (one by phone, one left in person to another salesman there). Since I bought my JD, the Kubota dealer has been helpful with implements, so I don't think they actually got tired of me, but they dropped the ball big time, and I found an equally good tractor at an equally good price in green.

 

[swines]

So..here you are ranting, and moaning about this on an Internet web site. What have YOU done proactively? Nothing that I can see so far. Whenever I run into a situation like this I always write the owner of the business directly with a copy list at the bottom of the letter to the appropriate corporate people. This puts the owner on notice that the corporate sales people have been notified.

JD is weening down dealers, and bad sales experiences don't reflect well on the dealership - and may become a issue when the dealer is being reviewed by corporate.

I always make sure the letters are factual to a fault, with no name calling or invectives. I usually like to include a positive note at the end about the quality of the equipment, etc. and I'd like to purchase more from your dealership but I would not like a repeat of the buying experience.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't - but, I haven't sat passively by complaining to blank space. You'd be surprised at how many business owners have NO idea what it's like dealing with their staff. A letter to the owner can often result in a whole new attitude the next time you come in.

 

[crashz]

I would agree with swines here. It needs to be brough to the attention of the owner of the dealership and John Deere Corporate. Just as if you were to get exceptional service, poor service should not be ignored.

Now we don't know what price you agreed upon and that may be an issue. I've struck a deal once with a truck that was used and beat the dealer down to the point that they said they couldn't afford to clean and prep the truck and not take a loss. I knew what they paid for the truck in trade roughly and I know they still made money on it. But not if they prepped it! I agreed to clean and service the truck myself and got an 8 month old truck with very low miles for a great deal. This may not be the case if you paid the average selling price of that tractor.

 

[kude]

Please see Exiled's new post called "In Retrospect" and end this.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I dont know how much oil this thing will hold. 2 qts. did'nt fill it up. If I'd just assumed it was full I think I could have messed it up. Not to mention the buttholes where using it low on oil pulling a box blade. A big box blade at that.

I think you're alright on the oil issue. If it is the 4 cyl engine, it holds about 10 qts or so with a filter change. It takes about 1 qt to move it on the stick that much so you might have been about a quart below the "add" zone. They should have checked it and added some though. I would recommend that you just change it out fresh with JD plus 50 oil so you know exactly what you have in it and how fresh it is.

We have a 5420 and it's been a fine tractor although it sits a lot cuz I use my 4310 most of the time when I can.

 

[exiled]

What have YOU done proactively?

uhhhhh, I put oil and coolant in the tractor and got out there in the rain and mud and played around. I guess the forumes is just for the happy campers.
I have spoke to the manger I'm having trouble at the minute running down the owner and the rep for N. Al.
I'm not going to lie to anybody. I wont buy another thing from that dealership. I dont care if they are the only place on the planets that has a part that my tractor needs to run.
The low fluids was just icing off the cake. I really dont appreciate somebody wasting my time for no good reason but only to make me wait. I had to use 3 days vaction. I could have used 2 1/2 of those days doing some much needed work not waiting for some saleman decide its time for me to take my machine home. Its not like he was busy. If that was the case, I might have gotten ill but would'nt have taken it to heart.

crashz, I gave $14,500 for the tractor and loader, and another $2,433 for the cutter. That was exactly what they where asking for. I do not play the dealing game. If I agree w/ the price I buy it if I dont I wont buy it. I will not counter offer nobody's price. If someone asks what would I give. I dont beat around the bush. I tell them. Just like if I put something up for sale I have my price on it. I dont jack it up to allow dealing. I'm just a simple man. Either it is or it aint.
I'm confused. Did the saleman not imply he was going to clean, or check the tractor out, or even get the cutter hooked up so all I had to do was load it and leave? What does "I'll have the tractor "ready" for you first thing in the morning" mean? Surely to God it does'nt mean it'll be right here just like you see it now first thing in the morning. That doent make sense. I coul;d have taken it home tues, or thurs. I dont know if they made any money. I kinda doubt it.

Now this being said I like the machine. It has already proved to be more than my buddies MF 231, my bosses MF 431 and his loader doent even come close. I like it better than the MF 533 I almost bought. NHs and IH/Cases dx just dont seem to be any better for how much more they cost.
As far as the machine goes I;m glad I stuck it out and went. I wish it was a new 5303, but thats life. Theres still time.

 

[unreconstructed]

I think good service is getting hard to find no matter where or with whom you trade. I have had different experiences with the three John Deere dealers I have dealt with, none of them perfect, but with all three have only met one fella I cannot deal with.

I have been buying everything green the last three years from tractors to chain saws. I did this because of JD reputation for parts. I need parts because admittedly I fall down on maintenance due to a harried schedule. Anyway, the parts boys always get whatever little spring or bolt or nut I manage to loose off my many JD tools.

I think about 25 percent of the population are out and out Aholes so just by those numbers alone you are gonna hit a bad dealership.

If the boys you dealt with treat everyone the way they treat you, they will pay the price at some point.

The fella who made the comment about getting treatment commensurate with your clothing. That is true whether you are dealing with lawyers, bankers, or JD salesmen.

 

[gulfofmexico]

I have been to two Tri-Green dealerships and the JD dealership in Scottsboro to try and buy a new tractor. No one wants to sell a tractor. The salesman in Scottsboro wouldn't leave the internet long enough to show me a tractor. I stood on the lot at Tri-Green for 30 minutes waiting for the salesman to finish up with a customer. When he finished with them, he walked in and never even spoke to me.

Although I want a JD, I am now looking at a MF.

 

[exiled]

No one wants to sell a tractor. I am now looking at a MF.

I think thats the truth. I was at Tri-green today in madson looking to by a 265 mower, and a 547 baler. They would'nt give me the time of day.
Still I'm glad I got a green tractor. Before I bought this tractor I almost bought a MF. What saved me was cut-and-farm went out of busness. I did'nt know Haney switch over to MF untell Monday. My opinion green in the 45-99hp tractors is king.

 

[greggh]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry about your issues with the dealer. There have been many threads on the forum about dealers. The main thought of most is find a dealer that you can work with and not pay as much attention to the brand. I, like you bleed JD green. I just purchased a new 5203 in November, but I did not purchase from the closest dealer. In fact both dealers were very helpful and have good reputations, the difference in my case was price.

I hope you have better luck in the future and have learned a valuable lesson. Unfortunately, most lessons learned are not cheap, emotional lessons are expensive, just dealing with the anger and their mismanagement. The good news is that you like the tractor and have an opportunity to do different next time.