MONTANA TRACTORS

[case1570]

The day Maka replied I was called and told I was 11 of 15 for the part. So I did not PM him. I thought I would give this dealer a week to come through. Today I have gotten the parts. I thank the dealer that was able to get them for me! I did not intend to defame anyone. As I stated the Montana tractors are very good tractors. I gave facts and my statements were based in fact and I intended my post more to inform other dealers(of all brands) to keep their eyes open. These tractors are all good but I believe the floor plan company forced us into a situation that has been nothing short of terrible. After I reread my post I can see how everyone read it different than I meant. I was not happy that it took 3 months to get a part and that anger came through in my post. I would like to thank Maka for offering to help even though he was upset, that my friends is the mark of a good dealer. Farmtrac dealers may have overloaded the Montana parts systems with their orders and that could be part of the problem with delays. I wish no ill will between farmtrac dealers and Montana dealers and if in my cause to inform other dealers I hurt someone I am sorry!
Case

 

[Tim C.]

Case, I don't see were you need to say "sorry" about this.

After the beating Farmtrac dealers took, one could only assume that all brands should receive the same consideration. Now we all know the policy and should expect it to be applied without preference to one brand or the other.

Tim

 

[redneckford]

I'm not worried at all. Montana has great products and excellent service.
No worries here.

Maka

I think Uncle Don was a Long dealer at one time and knew Bill Long personally!!! I'm pretty sure he knew J B Hunt also?? They made a business decision to stop handling those tractors---I would imagine that alot of things went into that decision---the level of uncertainty in the tractor business as a whole will make many dealers look at their hole cards. Mr. Carl just got on and airplane and left with a million dollars one time----He was tired of fighting all the corporate BS---Maka do not make that statement of no worries here!!! without full knowledge of the situation---You only know what you are being told----just like the rest of us---I do not want to start a panic nor do I want the customers to remain uninformed----Just like in the Banking business there will be alot of changes in the Tractor business in the next 5-10 years just like it was the last 5-10 years---Some Dealers and MFG need to be honest with the public---CHANGE WILL OCCUR!!!-----Look what happened to International, Ford,Oliver, White etc----No one is to big to fell---Ask Lehman Bros. We can only do the best we can---with what we have to do with--- no more no less!

 

[case1570]

I stand by the facts. I did not lie. Just trying to inform.
Case

 

[Maka]

Case, I am glad you got the parts. We have Montana to thank for this as well as the local dealer. If you meant it other than I took it then your explanation of that is sufficient.

Again, I am sorry for all the FT people who have had a struggle and sympathize for you.

If you need help I am happy to help you in the future, just let me know what I can do.

Maka

 

[redneckford]

I stand by the facts. I did not lie. Just trying to inform.
Case

Case as you well know some "Marketing People" can't stand the Facts---resembles the truth----But without a good marketing department all businesses will fail----some just do it more honest than others!!!! Glad the tractor is fixed and the customer is happy!!! Hope you loaned him/her that good dog you have while they were waiting?

 

[gemini5362]

I'm not worried at all. Montana has great products and excellent service. I know of a NH dealer right now who is close to going belly up, a MF dealer who already closed one of two stores and a couple of Kubota dealers on the coast who are in difficult times.

Montana had some folks (sellers, dealers or whatever) that quite frankly needed to go. They are gone or on their way out. I believe this strenghtens the organization and will overall be great on the whole. Like an injection for an illness. You don't like it but you do it because the long term affects are good health.

No worries here.

Maka

Maka thank you for the reasurance. I have owned my montana for three years. I think it is a great tractor. In the three years that I have owned it the dealer I bought it from has quit selling tractors, One new dealer lasted for a few months and what I have said before should be the perfect opportunity for a dealer has now dropped the montana line. There is now a 4th dealer that has started selling montana's The turn over in dealers is a little worrisome. I agree that there are some dealers that need to be gotten out of the mix but a tractor is a sizeable investment and if someone is looking at montana's they need to be somewhat sure of having a place for service. I understand that other dealerships are going under also but from a purely service point in my area, I would have no doubt that I could get a new holland or john deere or kubota worked on for a considerable length of time in the future. Montana does have a problem with their website that I noticed. if you go to look for a dealer it shows you the district. You click on your district and that only shows you dealers in that district. In my case district 8 and 9 border each other. When I call up district 8 it shows one dealer within driving distance. When I look at district nine it shows 4 or 5 dealers within reasonable driving distance. The web site should ask for your zip code and then show you all the dealers within a circle of your zip code not just the ones in your district.

 

[SESS]

All dealers of every brand need to listen to the words that the Farmtrac dealers have told. The words are nothing but 100% truth. We dealers had been told and believed that Farmtrac was a viable company and saw with our own eyes that things "seemed" good-then January 18, 2008 came along, the Farmtrac of North America doors closed, millions of dollars went missing and well we all know the rest of the story. What Case has been trying to say-is beware, look, listen, investigate-things are not always what they seem. Not just with the distributor but with the manufacturer, floor plan company, financing company, etc-it is all part of the big picture!!!!!! There is so much fine print in agreements for a reason, to cover the big guys behinds. If your gut does not feel right-there is a reason and listen to your gut! Montana has alot of very common threads with Farmtrac and we are trying to educate everyone. We Farmtrac dealers can say sincerely-we do not want anyone else to go through what we have experienced this year!!!! Failure can happen to everyone, but being informed as to a situation already experienced by a friend, can only help in the long run. Thank you.

 

[redneckford]

One major difference SESS----FarmTrac didn't have J B Hunt---his money--and his FRIENDS----There are still alot of issues that are disturbing----all is not right!!!!! There will be some more consolidation!!!

 

[gemini5362]

Maka did Montana open up the factory they were going to build somewhere besides springdale. I think it was North Carolina or somewhere like that. I noticed the inventory at headquarters was quite a bit lower than I have ever seen it when I drove by it the other day.