I'm sure I'm not the first person to say Dealerships are over priced.

[ultrarunner]

Voltage Regulator for BMW went bad... Dealer said $1300 to repair...

Bosch Regulator was under $40 and almost snaps into the back of the Alternator... Alternator stays in car and has easy access.

Brake specials are $550 per axle... do it myself using OEM and $140 per axle... and working slow 1 hour time plus ordering parts.

People are always amazed I like old Tractors, Cars and Trucks... not a lot of nonsense when it comes to keeping them running...

 

[plowhog]

The alternator went out in one of the planes I used to own. $1,600 for the part-- alternator only. It matched up to a Delco alternator that retailed for under $100. But the mechanic could not legally install the cheaper one as it did not have a "pma" number required by the FAA.

You gotta pay to play in aviation. That was fine when I used a plane to make money. Not anymore.

Just remembered. My Piper Malibu had an airstair door. The struts that held it open were over $1,000 per pair from Piper. Napa auto parts had an equivalent that worked just fine for $40 each, or $80 per pair. I almost always had mechanics do my maintenance, but I chose to install those myself.

 

[GamblerAcres]

If you go outside the dealerships, there is a precipitous drop in what things cost. I thought this was odd at first. I've even had a salesperson tell me what I wanted to buy was insanely priced. I don't understand what the dealerships are doing. They price things in insane ways for anything tractor related, like it is different than anything else. Its really the same materials, like a car. But for some reason they want to charge 3 or 4 times as much as one could find elsewhere. What is it in these dealerships, that think they can survive in a world that is now internet based and I can find things all over the US, at the same quality, for far less than what my local dealership is providing?
What is the nature of that dealership? Do they just think we are all, wealthy, small plot, idiots with too much money? I always go to the dealership first. And I am always disappointed by the numbers they give me. Then I find locals, not associated with the dealers, that will do the same work for less. Money back in to the local economy.

Didn't read the whole thread so this may have been covered already but tractor dealerships are no different than auto dealerships. They try to get as much out of you as they possibly can. They make the most on the idiots who blindly pay whatever number they initially quote, which is always outrageous. Any additional fee or service charge they tack on is ******** no matter what they say. The less information you give them the better. For example, Kubota offers a military discount. I didn't tell the dealers about this until the the final quote I agreed to pay because you better believe they would have tried to compensate for this by charging more elsewhere.

I'm the guy dealers hate. When I shopped around for my MX5200 I called 7 different dealerships and started getting quotes. Distance from you doesn't matter at this point in the game. All initial quotes were at least 32k with a loader and filled tires. Once you start pitting them against each other, the numbers magically fall. $700 for filled tires turns to $500, turns to $400...amazing! Keep going until they all flat out refuse to beat the lowest bid. Email them their competitors lowest quote for proof. Once you hear "I can't go any lower because I'll be losing money" then you'll know you're getting close, but not close enough because this is another BS line they use to get you to settle. Put your 'little boy on Christmas morning' excitement aside, be patient, and act like you don't care who you buy from. They all have a bottom line regardless of what options you want. Everything else is just fluff designed to line their pockets. Don't be fooled by "I'll go ahead and throw in a rear work light free of charge" because it's not free, you're already paying 10's of thousands of dollars.

I ended up getting my MX5200 w/FEL for $28,200 final price, out the door, tax free (ag status, another card to hold until the end), financed 0%. A significant improvement from 32k. Sure, they may be annoyed with you, but my dealers approval isn't worth $4000 to me. Don't fall for their BS salesman pressure tactics and you'll always find a better price.

Also, do your research and know every number of every specification on whatever model you're looking at. It's easier for them to manipulate you if you're not sure what you're talking about or what you exactly want.

This applies to all dealerships. Hope this helps

 

[swnoel]

I find it interesting when some say OEM parts are the same as the Chinese knock offs... you couldn't be further from the truth! Especially in the automotive industry.

 

[tomplum]

Much of the above sure seems like the way it is. BUT, if you want to have the dealerships around- you have to throw them a bone every once in a while. I can practically quote "dealership scripture" from the years I've spent in the business. They have to keep growing and be more creative to keep the doors open as consumers seek the goods and knowledge elsewhere.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Our best little GM dealer had one mechanic and another advisor/parts man/chief mechanic. It had one bay with fold back wooden doors. I helped work on my under warranty Sierra on ocassion. The old scottish owner, photocopied his business cards and cut them out with scissors! I miss this GREAT dealership. GM axed it in 08/9. I say F$%K those enormous money hungry cathedral style dealerships!.

I bet that owner didn't owe anyone a nickle (like me) and yet in this modern world, he's the one that got the axe!

 

[ultrarunner]

Our best little GM dealer had one mechanic and another advisor/parts man/chief mechanic. It had one bay with fold back wooden doors. I helped work on my under warranty Sierra on ocassion. The old scottish owner, photocopied his business cards and cut them out with scissors! I miss this GREAT dealership. GM axed it in 08/9. I say F$%K those enormous money hungry cathedral style dealerships!.

My Grandfather was in the business starting in the 1920's and people still recognize the name... every sales person that worked for him had their home address and telephone number on their business card... Dad took off the home address after Grandpa passed but kept home telephone.

I asked my Grandfather and he said a car is a costly purchase for many people and they want to buy with confidence and providing home address and telephone instill confidence...

Today... sales staff might last a week of a few years... the true career individuals are far and few between...

I remember my Grandfather taking care of problems out of warranty on his own dime... again I would ask why? He said being in business is more than just making a sale... it is building a relationship and most of his sales were to families with long histories going way back... local mechanics would also send over referrals and never expected or received a kick back... other than a bottle around the holidays...

In short... I would say it was long term thinking... guess this is why the business survived 75 years and could still be going but the next generation was into other things.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Nowadays, no problem to get a personal cell number. AND it goes straight to VM!

 

[pmsmechanic]

I find it interesting when some say OEM parts are the same as the Chinese knock offs... you couldn't be further from the truth! Especially in the automotive industry.

I disagree with this statement. I can have a 5.9 Cummins starter repaired for about $350. I can buy a new one from the dealer for around $600. I can buy a new Chinese knock off for about $110 on Ebay. So far the Ebay starters have given no trouble.

 

[kthompson]

I'm sure there is an aviation tax but don't all these parts have to be made to exacting standards? You don't just go grab a bolt and nut off the shelf and put it in an aircraft do you?

Know a certified aviation mechanic who knew a friend of mine who own a top notch machine shop. The friend who owned the machine shop offered to make him parts for much lower than he could buy through the aviation market. He talked about the steps required to meet the safety standards for a plane and also pointed out a part failure was not good.