Kubota parts and supplies are RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE

[ovrszd]

I've ordered parts from Messick's several times. Was always the best price and very fast ship time. If you order before noon it generally ships that day.

 

[rScotty]

Tractors are designed to last for decades with minimal maintenance; which makes them sort of the oddball item in our consumption-based economy.

It will be many decades from now, but even a new tractor will eventually get old and require parts. One wonders what if parts will be available then? For lots of us who have older tractors, price pays second fiddle to availability.

Here's one parts test we can do today: Suppose your 1978 Kubota B7100 needs a transmission gear, head gasket, piston & rod, or 4WD front axle parts. Those were great little tractors, real basic & minimal electronics but quite expensive at the time. I still see lots of them in use. So are those Kubota parts still available from Kubota?

On our modern machines, I wonder just how useful a modern tractor is when it's computer goes out. Can it be still be used in some sort of "basic mode"? Or is it junk?

rScotty

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Tractors are designed to last for decades with minimal maintenance; which makes them sort of the oddball item in our consumption-based economy.

It will be many decades from now, but even a new tractor will eventually get old and require parts. One wonders what if parts will be available then? For lots of us who have older tractors, price pays second fiddle to availability.

Here's one parts test we can do today: Suppose your 1978 Kubota B7100 needs a transmission gear, head gasket, piston & rod, or 4WD front axle parts. Those were great little tractors, real basic & minimal electronics but quite expensive at the time. I still see lots of them in use. So are those Kubota parts still available from Kubota?

On our modern machines, I wonder just how useful a modern tractor is when it's computer goes out. Can it be still be used in some sort of "basic mode"? Or is it junk?

rScotty

They likely will be for decades, because its a very common tractor. Availability is mostly driven my machine populations. The business of parts is really a simple numbers game driven by computer algorithms.

 

[ovrszd]

They likely will be for decades, because its a very common tractor. Availability is mostly driven my machine populations. The business of parts is really a simple numbers game driven by computer algorithms.

Yep. I've saw that in car parts. A common part for a large manufactured number of cars might not be in stock. Simply because that part rarely fails.

 

[ultrarunner]

I have Model Ts from 1911, 1913 and 1915 plus numerous Model As from 1928-31 and virtually any part is available new... from engine blocks to bodies...

For a time I was still able to go to my local Ford Dealer for things like a new carburetor, points, etc...

 

[RickB]

I have Model Ts from 1911, 1913 and 1915 plus numerous Model As from 1928-31 and virtually any part is available new... from engine blocks to bodies...

For a time I was still able to go to my local Ford Dealer for things like a new carburetor, points, etc...

But I couldnt buy a fuel tank sending unit for my daughter’s 1984 Mustang in 2000.

 

[mike69440]

Just my take.
Some Kubota parts are priced like other tractor manufactures parts, Just plain and simple expensive, but that is how part pricing is structured 3x (Such a deal!) to 10x (typical) mark-up is common. Deal with it.
Availability is limited on low volume older parts also.
But when a little o-ring and gasket is $90 or a little spring is $126 the Markup is x100 or more. I say thank you for your time and walk away. Then I waste my time finding a commercial/industrial alternate or just don't fix it.

 

[Wagtail]

If your buying parts on Amazon at this point, your likely paying more than buying from a dealer directly. (we sell some on there). Amazon adds about 14% in fee's. Same with eBay, but they are 10-12%.

This is true... I read a recent article (sorry, I can't quote) which stated that, in 2018, eBay's 'cut' of the final sales price is now 10%. That would probably be before shipping is added, if at all.

Recently I required a new weather station... a simple device for inside/outside temperature. After Google research on what I wanted I went to both Amazon (Aus) and eBay, comparing price. A bit of a shock on the variances. So I went to the (Aus) manufacturers website and found that, even with shipping, it was less expensive than those two 'convenient' companies (Amazon/eBay). I received the weather station within 5 working days and it was tracked the entire time.

Amazon, eBay and such are an 'added to the cost' service.

 

[/pine]

I will stick by my assessment of previously mentioned causes for high priced parts...
...Rather than blaming issues that can be logistically eliminated I would find it much more believable if the term "compatibility" was used as an excuse...

Most anyone that has ordered OEM parts for an older (popular brand) tractor has had to deal with progressive part numbers...i.e., old part number has been replaced by another part number that has also been replaced with another number etc., etc...

IMO...On one hand it seems this should be a two way street...as designing newer model tractors to use parts than fit much older models would keep the inventory up and costs down...but on the other hand there is also the added cost of design engineering in newer models...

 

[Oldoak]

It's just great that we all have so many choices and we can either "walk with our feet" or "walk with our mouse".

Or stumble after having too many............:drink: