Dealer JD Dealer Quotes From Website

farmlegend · Jul 9, 2006

Did the "Build & Price" per the JD website, clicking the option to forward the thing to a local dealer so they could contact me with a quote. JD corporate (through a 3rd party service firm) followed up a week later, asking if I'd been contacted by the dealer. Since I hadn't, I said so, and e-mailed JD corporate directly to tell them about it.

Then tried the same process, selecting another dealer. Same result.

The thing is, I'm a "live" customer who intends to buy a new tractor soon. This is pretty poor, I think. Makes me wonder about the two JD dealers nearest my farm, and if I'd better check out the NH dealer who's actually the closest dealer of all.

browns40 · Jul 10, 2006

Hi farmlegend,

I don't think you should get too worried based on "dealer connectivity" to internet sales; I would imagine they get a number of wild goose chases from browsers on their browsers

.

Face to face is the way to get it done anyway--and what people are used to (especially old, established farm based dealers).

Get an idea of ballpark ranges in your area, for the tractor, options, and attachments you want, then go visit the dealers in person, and start the buying process.

Also will give you a chance to see who appears sharp for service & sales.

farmlegend · Jul 10, 2006

Then why have the function on their website. Potential customers will get the idea that they're really not important.

If that website "build it" thing is dysfunctional, it makes John Deere look like a cheesy, amateurish operation. Damaging to their brand image. In comparison, virtually every automaker on earth has a functional "build it" program on their websites, and dealers promptly contact prospects that request quotes.

Heck, I WANT to buy a green tractor. But rest assured, if I get the same sort of indifferent attitude when I visit their dealership as I do when requesting quotes from their website, I'll write a check to the nearby NH dealer with a clear conscience.

aesanders · Jul 10, 2006

Deere is the only tractor company that has this feature and sounds like it is not working the way it should at this time. Probabably will be hard for some old time dealers to get caught up with the new computer age, but I would imagine over time it working very well. Again, maybe a little dissapointing now, but try the face to face approach before you write them off.

SFish · Jul 10, 2006

I had a good response on a quote request from the JD site. I am moving from West Virginia to California and sent specs on a 3320 to my preferred CA dealer. I was concerned that they wouldn't take the request seriously because I was so far away and I screwed up the additional notes field on the quote request. They responded in 24 hours with a complete spreadsheet, and I have been having a very good e-mail back and forth with them to get exactly what I want. This handy feature can work, but obviously JD has to stay on top of the dealers that are listed on their quote site. steve

dgl24087 · Jul 10, 2006

There's also a possibility that there are still dealers who do not use the internet. I ran into this issue when I reserved a U-Haul truck via the internet for a one way move, only to discover the rep that U-Haul sent me to had no idea I was coming to get a truck because he didn't have e-mail or internet. After much scrambling by the rep to locate a truck, I was on my way, 2 hours behind schedule.

gordon21 · Jul 10, 2006

Use the JD configurater to select all the goodies you want. Subtract 8% and go shopping. Your dealer should be within $100 of that new lower calculated price unless he has some leftover stuff he is dying to get rid of and then his price will be even lower. I recently went to my dealer and he had to special order a #7 backhoe. All he had in stock was a bunch of BushHog brand 3Pt hitch models. Same result. 8% off list and excellent financing to go with it. If your dealer wants MORE than 8% off list, go find another dealer.

While I was ordering a backhoe, I casually asked the price of a new 2006 gator HPX4x4. Same result. 8% off list. I was going to buy the 2006 Gator last month, but the backhoe won out. The new Gator will have to wait until September now that I have heard rumors about major upgrades to the 2007 models that include power steering and a power dump bed as standard equipment.

dubba · Jul 11, 2006

It really sounds like you want a NH. Why bother with green?

I'll write a check to the nearby NH dealer with a clear conscience.

farmlegend · Jul 11, 2006

dubba said:
It really sounds like you want a NH. Why bother with green?

Because that's my first preference, and they'll still get their shot when I walk in with checkbook in hand. In fact, I'd be happy not to consider NH at all, but I will not buy a tractor from a dealer who's got an indifferent attitude to my business.

The follow-through of these dealers on the quote requests has been, by any standard, disappointing. Both of the JD dealers I sent requests to have websites, by the way, so it's not like they aren't equipped to respond.

unreconstructed · Jul 11, 2006

JD is like any product--there's bad service associated with nearly everything. When I see something I want, I just keep working on it until I find someone who wants to sell it. Frustrating, but seems like that's the way it is. Have three dealers I go to--one for parts, one for sales, and the other when I forget something (its closest to one of my places).