I'm Done With Branson

[cpocobb]

I'm done with Branson. My tractor is going up for sale, and I'll never recommend them to anyone again. I love my tractor, but Branson has the most screwed up system for servicing their customers that I've ever seen. My 2 closest dealers couldn't supply me with a hydraulic filter without ordering it and charging ridiculous freight fees. They both have tractors on the lot, but stock NO parts for them. I could not even order parts at one of the dealerships - I was given the phone number for their "parts guy". I've emailed Branson USA twice asking for help, and they didn't bother to reply either time. There is NO REASON why I shouldn't be able to visit a dealer and buy consumable parts such as filters without paying shipping fees AND waiting on the parts! I don't really want to go green or (shudder) orange, but at least I will be able to keep the tractor running! By the way - I live within 50 Miles of their USA facility in Rome, Ga, and STILL can't get a response or any advice from them!

 

[kennyd]

No matter the brand, a dealer can make or break your experience. Good luck with your new ride!

 

[texasjohn]

bummer

 

[bobmisi]

If you really do love your tractor,like I love my Branson, there are many dealers who will ship you parts, and paying shipping is a small price to pay for owning a great tractor. NAPA also has, or can get all the filters. That would be the day I would give up my tractor, that I am happy with, to go to another brand which may be worse. The filters can even be bought on EBAY. Good luck...........

 

[2458n]

Same advice look to Amazon or E-bay. Find your local retailer for Wix filters. While I do favor buying local times are changing. Shipping is cheaper than running my big truck for small parts.

 

[travlitt]

Hate to hear of your experience with parts for your Branson Tractor. I am very well pleased with my dealer, he is also the distribution center for Branson and is located in Plainview Texas. He not only has a great inventory of consumable parts, he often will drop them off at my shop.
Can't get much better than that. Good luck on your next tractor.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have a Century tractor and use Branson for my parts. My local dealer is a scatter brain and never has anything in stock, he says he it's already on order or he is going to order it and it will be here on Thursday. It might be a couple of Thursday's or it might be the Thursday two months from now. You just never know. Half the problem is that he doesn't actually place the order, the other half is that Branson is terrible about supplying their dealers with parts. They are more into getting as many places to sell their tractors as they can, but only have a few true dealerships out there to service them. I've had fantastic luck with my tractor, but have learned that if I need a part, to try and get it at the local parts store, like Napa or ABC. Or I go online to Big Red's <B><font size="3">BRANSON TRACTOR PARTS</FONT SIZE><B> and order from them. They always get it to me within a week and their prices are very reasonable.

I've been looking at getting a cab tractor and I'd love to go with Branson, but their closest dealership is over an hour away and I have my doubts about the service I'll get down the road. You buy Branson for the great value you get for your money compared to the other brands, but you have to realize that you wont get the same level of support as you do from Kubota or Deere. Because of that, I'll probably buy Kubota for my next tractor.

Eddie

 

[Panik]

Give Mathis Trailer and Equipment Supply a call. (706-234-1807) They are new dealer (<1 year old) over in the Dykes Creek area of Rome. The owner has operated Dykes Creek Farm Supply for years and just recently opened a Branson dealership across the street from his original store. If you like your tractor it might be worth a shot. BTW I've got a kubota so I've got no vested interest in the dealership - just know of them from the the farm supply side of things. Good luck.

 

[oosik]

That's one of the items I figured out by checking the posts here on TBN before I bought my tractor. Its a 60 mile, round trip, to the Kubota dealer. I order consumables and they are dropped off at the driveway gate by the trucking company. A really sweet deal I've got with a fantastic dealership. I don't mind the shipping - it saves a lot of time & money this way.

 

[cpocobb]

I appreciate all the comments and tips. I do get most of my filters at NAPA, and even got a JD dealer to find me a fuel bowl from his stock once. He went out of his way to help. I haven't been able to find a hydraulic filter that works as well as the Branson factory filter, though. Anyone who depends on their tractor as part of their income can feel my pain. It can get REALLY expensive to wait several days (or weeks) to get parts, and you can only put customers off for so long before you lose them. I guess my biggest problem is Branson's' seeming total lack of concern over the issue. They'll give just about anyone a dealership without regard for ability or desire to service the products and customers. And ignoring correspondence sent to their corporate HQ is terrible for your image. My 1st email simply expressed my frustration and asked for help with a solution. The 2nd named names and was specific as to my treatment by 2 of their dealers. Not a peep from them either time - not even a generic response!

 

[Gator6x4]

Most manufactures, including Red, Green and Orange will not respond to correspondence on parts. Parts supply is a Dealer responsibility. Hydraulic filters are something replaced every year or two. Plan your service so you can order and have the filter on hand when you do the service. If you are frustrated over parts not being shipped to your dealer, think how frustrated he is. A dealer is not in business to alienate people and drive away existing or potential customers. He is in business to sell, the more he sells the more money he makes.

Also most tractor dealerships in the US are independently owned business enterprises. Very few business owners today are willing to have from one half to a million dollars in a parts inventory with the fickle lowest price out there customers of today. Very few parts can be purchased cheaper locally than they can on line through internet sales. One can order parts cheaper even with the shipping factored in from Messick's than they can at a local dealer.

 

[cpocobb]

I hear what you're saying, Gator 6X6, and I do get my regular service supplies well in advance of scheduled service. My problem is walking into a dealership with a dozen or so tractors on the lot and being told they don't stock ANY parts - service or otherwise - for my tractor. I wrote to Branson asking for help, not asking for parts. Any response would have been better than totally ignoring me. That's simply unacceptable from a customer service standpoint.
Based on a response from Panik, I decided to give it one more try. Instead of calling, I visited Mathis Trailers and Equipment in Rome, GA. I spent a good while talking with Larry about parts and service, and left feeling much better. They had all of the filters I'll ever need in stock, along with most other regularly needed parts, and he assured me he could get most parts for me on a one or two day basis if I called him. I picked up some stuff I need now along with service items for the future, and feel I may have finally found a dealer who's in it for the long run. They are fairly new to the business, and expect to build their parts stock as time goes by. They also have a Branson trained mechanic! Thanks, Panik! I'll keep the Branson a little longer and see how it works out.

 

[oosik]

I don't understand how a dealer could expect to sell anything - tractor, truck, motorhome - when they outright admit they provide no parts or service for whatever they are trying to sell.

The only service I've ever needed in 32 years of owning two tractors is having the grapple & joystick third function installed on my current tractor. The Kubota dealer provided superb service in this case. After reading so many threads on TBN it is more than obvious how truly important good aftermarket service can be. Any unit can develop problems that require dealer service.

 

[blueriver]

Ha ... I needed a bolt for my JD .. Local dealer didn't have it ... A bolt ??? Geez it's not only Branson!! If you love the tractor find an alternative parts outlet!

 

[Panik]

Thanks, Panik! I'll keep the Branson a little longer and see how it works out.

Glad to help. Hope Mathis works out for you in the long run! Larry is good people! If its any consolation about your problems I run a kubota and have had service issues in the past so its not just Branson.

 

[Texasmark]

Hate to hear of your experience with parts for your Branson Tractor. I am very well pleased with my dealer, he is also the distribution center for Branson and is located in Plainview Texas. He not only has a great inventory of consumable parts, he often will drop them off at my shop.
Can't get much better than that. Good luck on your next tractor.

Ive had a couple of contacts with that dealer and agree with you. Back when I first bought my 6530 in '07 I had a problem with the AC idler wheel. The area rep happened to be up there that day who is the person I was looking for and between him and their serv. manager they fixed me up with everything I needed and had it in a couple of days; in warranty, no charge, no return required.

It took me awhile to understand their marketing scheme but everything is through the dealer which reduces the workload at the POE. My dealer is 50 miles away also and very helpful. Phone call, credit card, UPS and wala....also they will drop ship directly from the warehouse (in Plainview) or POE to you without having to double ship and double charge for shipping from source to dealer to you. I had a RT door to my cab in 2-3 days from that warehouse. Had 7 in stock.......mower threw a rock at it. I had to help the UPS guy get it out of his truck.

Mark

 

[Farmert22]

I Hear ya on being done with branson. I have a 2400 with loader backho and all the goodies that I bought from my dealer here in wv . I have been trying to get him to order me a new 5220r for the past two weeks and he told me that they were not making the new models yet. I talked to a dealer in another state and he had one so I went back to my dealer to see if he could trade and get it for which he just told me go to them and buy it but I am not doing any warranty work on it. I explained I wanted to buy from him but he was mad I called another dealer. I even called the East Coast sales Rep Andy and asked if a Branson dealer could deny warranty work if the tractor was not bought from them and he told me unfortunately yes. I asked well what if I move and he told me Branson dealers are all independent dealers and they could deny. I have a new holland being delivered tomorrow. I wanted the branson too but not dealing with that BS

 

[kioskcarp]

I dont know how close you are to them but Coles equipment in Dalton Ga has had my business for several years. Just bought a brand new JD from them last month. They beat everyones prices and they sell Kubota and John deere. Ask for Larry. They also have a great shop manager. I had a problem with a 5045d and they fixed it over the phone. No charge...

 

[Farmert22]

So as I am standing in my local Branson dealer which I buy all my implements from because he is best pricing and servicing I get a call from the east coast Branson territorial manager (http://www.bransontractor.com/BransonTractors/files/fc/fc09e121-28f7-4e87-894d-95e8161e526a.doc) which he asked me not to use his name on here and began yelling at me about bashing the Branson tractor company. I let him know that I did not like the fact when someone becomes an authorized Branson dealer that they were not legally bound to do warranty work on a Branson tractor. I completely understand that if I bought a Branson tractor in another state but wanted warranty work done at my closest dealer that he puts his customers first before me but should be obligated to fix mine if there was a warranty problem even if it took me at very bottom of his list. My rep told me that he was sorry for getting mad and raising voice with me but really believes in the company and gave me his word that Branson would stand behind the warranty problems if something arose. In this world now a days a mans word does not hold water with me unless I personally know you. He also told me he was bending over backwards to try and find me the new model tractor and no other dealer would do that. I replied that the new holland dealer drove to Tennessee Monday to pick up my tractor and to Virginia to get me the loader and will deliver it tomorrow by noon. Which I think is awesome for a dealer to go out of his way and do on a 25k tractor when I have not spent any money with them yet. I am still going to buy a 8foot brushog 2950 6ft tiller 1850 7ft box blade 575 and a set of quick attach forks 850. Which is around $6,225 from my local Branson dealer. So I am not bashing Branson I loved my 2400 just needed something bigger but did not like the fact Branson don't have their dealers legally bound and covered in my opinion. I also told the rep I can and will say anything I want in this country because I am a service connected disabled vet and fought for his freedom of speech and mine. I am sure my other fellow veterans on here feel the same way.

MODERATOR
please remove the name Andy and replace it with East Coast Territoral Manager (http://www.bransontractor.com/BransonTractors/files/fc/fc09e121-28f7-4e87-894d-95e8161e526a.doc)PLEASE

 

[backintheday]

I know this is a couple months old but I had to chime in. I'm the guy who had many many issues with my BH, the dealer did the best they could to take care of me but branson dropped the ball several times. After at least 6 months ( it was 2 years ago so I don't remember the details) branson did make things right but I agree, corporate branson customer and dealer service is a joke. Also, the VP called me to apologize I told him, there is no way to get a hold of a branson rep if the dealer drops the ball, he agreed and had the email that you are talking about added to the website, but from what is being said it is no doing a thing. I love my branson tractor and dealer but corporate could make a few changes to improve service that wouldn't cost them a dime. I wish I could say I'll never buy another one but I don't think any other tractor has the quality that branson does.

My 2 cents....