Influence on purchase: Dealer Support/Service

Jaeger · Oct 28, 2004

Hello,

I'm new to the forum but have learned a great deal in a short time. There are plenty of knowledgeable folks here at TBN.

I have a question regarding everyone's purchasing experience.

How much did the dealer's pledge of service and support influence your new tractor purchase?

Also how did the condition of the shop, showroom, and way you were treated effect your purchasing decision?

Comments please!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bob_Skurka · Oct 28, 2004

In order of the questions you asked: A lot. A lot. A lot. And finally, a lot.

But that is just my personal choice. I consider a dealer to be important. But I also refuse to pay a big premium to get a good dealer. So the dealer has to give me great service, has to have a fully stocked showroom, professional parts department, well staffed service area, and he has to give me a good price. Maybe not the very best price, but a very good price.

thcri · Oct 28, 2004

The condition of the shop was not so important. But the dealer represents about 99.9% for me.

I would not buy any color if the dealer was not friendly and showed that he cared about my purchase and the future.

murph

DanR67 · Oct 29, 2004

Jaeger -

I agree with murph - how you are treated during the negotiation / purchasing phase is likely an indication of what's to come when you have a service issue.

In my case, one of the "Big 3" dealers - technically the closest to my home by @ 10 minutes - seemed indifferent when my wife and I stopped by on a Saturday to compare models / features.

While I wound up going with the *smallest* (so less parts / inventory likely on-hand) dealer of the three I visited - I liked the way my wife and I were treated - and judging by the models on the lot - the dealer seems slanted to the homeowner / small business owner - rather than a large agricultural customer base. (We don't have a huge farm industry here in Mass / Northeast - I'm sure in other areas the dealers are just as likely to be helpful with the big $$ AG equipment as with subCUTs).

In a way I can understand - the dealer wants to maximize his profits - which is usually done through larger equipment (larger = more $$ & more expensive parts - works the same for all the big SUV manufacturers too). But for me as a customer - my CUT purchase was still a sizeable financial committment - and I was looking for a dealer who will be there for me over the long haul.

Maybe if I had a business that relied on the CUT - the "fastest / best equipped" service center would have played a larger role - but I don't mind waiting a day or two for a part (if needed - none so far) - so my lawn grows an extra inch... no big deal.

Just my 2 cents (or 3...4...? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Dan

sneaky_pete · Oct 29, 2004

The dealer's "pledge" and the condition of his showroom/shop meant nothing to me, but the personal recommendation of my neighbors meant a lot. When 3/4 of them all bought from the same dealer, I took notice and listened to their recommendation. I was not disappointed either.

Having said that, the dealer was very helpful during the sales process and gave me good advice. The owner of the franchise was the first person to greet me when I first drove on the lot and that impressed me also. So I might have liked them anyway without the recommendations of my neighbors, but I wouldn't have driven that far in the first place without it.

Pete

DavidJ · Oct 29, 2004

The deal is important but the dealer/service is even more important. The condition of the shop area is not so important to me as the attitude of the staff. I bought from a big AG dealer and have not regreted it a minute. The service manager and the salesman came to the house and performed my 50 hour service so they would know where I lived in case they needed to pick up the tractor in the future for service. I think that says a lot. They also deliver anything I buy to the house. I recently bought new a box blade and figured I'd have to pick it up but the salesman said not to worry he'd bring it to me at no charge. The amazing part of all this is that I live 50 miles from the dealership. Find a dealer as good as mine and you'll be very happy no matter what color you buy. As someone before said, talk to people around you and find out why they bought where they did.

sherpa · Oct 29, 2004

I am curious; I am also shopping for a new tractor and have visited several different dealers. How many times do you have to take a tractor back to a dealer? It’s not like a car with all the gadgets such as elect windows auto locking doors etc. Anyway you get the picture. I don’t see that much could go wrong. You also need to know I usually buy used with no dealer support or warranty. What is your opinion on this? This will be my first new tractor purchase.
Sherpa

Bob_Skurka · Oct 29, 2004

sherpa . . . I think a lot of it boils down to two different types of buyers. A tractor needs oil changes and filter changes on a regular basis. Some people have not problem doing those tasks, others want or need a dealer to do it. So that will divide buyers into 2 different groups right off the bat.

I do the occasional oil change, but I also send my tractor in every once in a while and have them do it for me. My logic is that they can go over the whole machine better than I know how to do it. I know enough to be a mechanical pain in the rear, but not enough to get myself out of trouble if I get in too deep. So I need a dealer as a back up.

As for what can break, well personally I've never had a major breakdown. But if you read through the forums you will find that EVERY brand has breakdowns, some minor and some catostrophic and many are under warrenty when it happens and many are not.

I think it depends on your personal comfort level and how much time you want to spend maintaining your machine. I've never changed the oil or a spark plug on my garden tractors, I always send those into the shop, they go in once a year, my dealer picks them up and drops them off. Messing with the little gas engines is more trouble than it is worth (BUT THAT IS JUST MY OPINION). But I will mess with the bigger tractors, FOR ME they are actually easier to work on than the GTs and I don't really consider messing with the diesels to be work. I guess it is what I am comfortable with? But I also know that if I have even a minor issue like an oil change, and if I am going out of town so I'm short on time, I'll have the dealer change the oil and filters and the tractor will be ready before I get back in town.

So you need to figure out your own comfort level, take a look at the time it takes and if you want to spend the time, see if you have the tools (I had to buy a full set of metric tools that I didn't own) and see if you have the skills to maintain your own tractor. Many have the skill but not the time, or the time but not the skill, some are driven to fix machines by a tight budget.

sherpa · Oct 29, 2004

I suppose you are right, I kinda like working on them. I have learn a lot from you folks in a short period of time about tractors. I have always worked on my own equipment including autos and motorcycles. When I got my 8N several years back it was fun learning how to do all that flat head motor work again. Now that I have the diesel kubota its all new to me but I have done some maintenance recently that I could not have done a year ago thanks to folks on this site.
Sherpa

demote · Oct 29, 2004

Sherpa,
Sounds like you should have no problem with doing it yourself. I intend to do my servicing but for my first 50 hr. checkup, I decided to let the dealer do it. I believe most dealers and/or manufacturers do it labor-free so you only pay for the materials.
Danny