LS Looks Good but Dealers and service?

[shooterdon]

Fried1765, I am ten years younger so might be in a little better shape but you make a good point. I had a Mercedes when I moved from the city to the middle of nowhere and wound up doing stuff on the car out of my frugality. 7 years ago the dealer rate was $136/hr and I thought that was NUTS.

Even with the local (10 miles is the closest) shop, charging $75/hr I have found myself doing smaller jobs to save money. Fixed income and I have more time than money.

Went out and spent over $200 on myself for Christmas as I needed larger wrenches and sockets for the LS. I can save a few dollars doing minor work on the LS if I need to...and will put the effort in. I had to drive to my neighbor 3 miles away to borrow sockets and wrenches to adjust the shoes on my new blower and felt like a dufus. I hate borrowing things.

Jeff is right on big heavy jobs, but not every task is like that. Do what you can do safely and leave the bigger jobs to the pros. As to the OP, making friends with the locals is a huge help. Most people in rural areas have or know people with tractors. They will help out if you are a decent fellow. Often at little cost or trading a favor. But where a dealer is indispensable is if you have an electrical issue with these newer machines. It can require a computer and software at times. My dealer came in at 9:00 one night to force a regen on my machine. He told me if I had waited another few hours it would have likely kicked in by itself but it was the first one and I did not know...lesson learned. BTW, he did not charge me for it and he is over an hour away. Sure is nice to have a dealer like that.

 

[Trillium Farm]

Here is a good "dealer" example;

I just bought a 61,000 mile 2014 Mercedes E350 Sport.
Took it in for a MB dealer "free inspection".
Recommended item: Spark plug change!
3.8 hours labor=$735.98 ($193.68/hr.) + parts + tax = $1034.89

6- long reach Platinum Bosch plugs cost $52.60 on internet w/free ship + $7.48 spark plug grease -Amazon.
Labor = free = mine... even at 79!
$60.08 v/s $1034.89 ?????
I steer clear of ALL dealers, if at all possible.
Dealer shop pricing and parts are absolutely insane! I would never buy a tier IV tractor.

You forgot to add the cost of a good the torque wrench for the spark plugs to do a proper job. (I've owned E350s) even then you come out ahead in price only!
The dealer tech might have looked and perhaps found something else that might have needed attention.
Still to each his own, I prefer to hire qualified, up to date technical experience, in the end I come out ahead in my book.

 

[nards444]

You forgot to add the cost of a good the torque wrench for the spark plugs to do a proper job. (I've owned E350s) even then you come out ahead in price only!
The dealer tech might have looked and perhaps found something else that might have needed attention.
Still to each his own, I prefer to hire qualified, up to date technical experience, in the end I come out ahead in my book.

Thats why I would never own a mercedes or BMW, regular maint is ridiculous. IF you live in remote areas like I do it makes it worse. Neighbor had a Mercedes every time it broke down it was a 2-$300 bill for wrecker one way to get it to the shop out of town.

 

[Diggin It]

The dealer tech might have looked and perhaps found something else to overcharge you for.

Fixed your post.

 

[Trillium Farm]

Thats why I would never own a mercedes or BMW, regular maint is ridiculous. IF you live in remote areas like I do it makes it worse. Neighbor had a Mercedes every time it broke down it was a 2-$300 bill for wrecker one way to get it to the shop out of town.

A german friend once told me (40 yrs ago) that the 3 pointed star on a MB stood for $100 for each point BEFORE thay open the hood. I ought to adjust that for inflation so let's make it $500+ today :laughing:

 

[paulfun9]

Thats why I would never own a mercedes or BMW, regular maint is ridiculous. IF you live in remote areas like I do it makes it worse. Neighbor had a Mercedes every time it broke down it was a 2-$300 bill for wrecker one way to get it to the shop out of town.

Over rated, over priced, built with an overly complex design and lots of cheep parts hidden inside that will cost a fortune in repair as the car gets older. Our BMW is by far the worst car we ever owned and the Benz wasn’t much better. Unfortunately when my wife decides she wants a new car you never know what she will bring home, I only hope she never brings one of them home again!

 

[3Lfarms]

I bought my 68hp LS in Idaho and I also live in Utah. Tractor spends most of its time in Cedar City UT, about 200 mi south of SLC.
I have needed warranty service twice. I just had the dealer in Idaho mail me the part both times and I changed them out. One was a hydraulic hose, the other was the throttle pedal. Easy peasy.

Paying an extra 6 or 7 thousand dollars because the dealer is close just isnt worth it IMO. You can buy a really nice tilt deck trailer for that money just in case you ever need to transport it to the dealer.

 

[fried1765]

I bought my 68hp LS in Idaho and I also live in Utah. Tractor spends most of its time in Cedar City UT, about 200 mi south of SLC.
I have needed warranty service twice. I just had the dealer in Idaho mail me the part both times and I changed them out. One was a hydraulic hose, the other was the throttle pedal. Easy peasy.

Paying an extra 6 or 7 thousand dollars because the dealer is close just isnt worth it IMO. You can buy a really nice tilt deck trailer for that money just in case you ever need to transport it to the dealer.

My philosophy exactly!
I live more that 100 miles from the nearest dealer for any tractor brand.
I LOVE my 20 ft. 14K equipment trailer ($4,400), for all sorts of reasons!

 

[shooterdon]

Over rated, over priced, built with an overly complex design and lots of cheep parts hidden inside that will cost a fortune in repair as the car gets older. Our BMW is by far the worst car we ever owned and the Benz wasn’t much better. Unfortunately when my wife decides she wants a new car you never know what she will bring home, I only hope she never brings one of them home again!

Owned an E Class for 19 years. 267k miles before totaling it hitting two deer. Service was expensive but rarely needed. Well worth it to me, but not now that I live in the sticks...closest dealer is 90 miles away.

 

[5030]

It is OK to suggest servicing a tractor at age 74, but at age 72-1/2 I find it impossible to loosen many tractor fittings. Recently had a piece of barbed wire in a front tire. Too hazardous to remove wheel/tire over dirt. Probably impossible to lift repaired wheel/tire onto wheel studs single handed. Called the dealer. Kubota mechanic was here in 24 hours.

When you have reached the mid-70s your Testosternone production is down and you are fortunate to have 1/3 of the strength you had in your 20s.
One is also fragile. Something that would produce a bruise in your 20s will break a bone in early old age, perhaps imposing severe physical limits for one to two years. Not worth it.

When I need tire service I call the tire shop and they have the service truck come out with a young buck that can muscle them around. My rears weigh about 700 pounds each and the fronts are about 400 and that ain't loaded either. They use a jib crane to dismount the rears.