My experience of getting into a MF 1533

[jacobweaver32]

Hi everyone,
Just thought I'd drop a line. I just bought a new 1533 w/ loader, woods PRD 84'' cut rear discharge finish mower and a BHX80 woods scooper (16 & 9" buckets)..... i'm looking forward to getting my new 12 acre lot leveled and drained properly with my new toy. I payed bout 27k for the whole sha-bang.

I have a few comments I want to make about my experience of searching for a tractor...

I gathered most of my information at summer fairs the past two years, where the different businesses would have all the tractors an display and brochures to take giving specifications and what not.
I knew i wanted a ldr, a scooper and a mower but i didnt know how big or what brand. (Obviously i wanted the biggest for my buck).

I spoke with many of salesmen for all brands (i.g. case, boomer, kubota, kioti and even MF) which came off to me like retired or failed farmers trying to make ends meet by selling tractors. Most didn't know **** and treated me like I new much less. The part that irritated me is that they didnt know anything about the models they were selling. Many times I referenced their brochures and pointed out obvious flaws in what they were telling me. I was quite mad... it almost came to a point when i was just looking for a salesman i liked.... well almost.

So I was really quite convinced I was gonna go with a DX33/34 from Case IH. I liked the look of the tractor and a dealer was quite close. At this point I had never quoted a MF, but I was sure at the time they were gonna be out of my price range... similar to JD which I ignored completely cause yellow and green just annoy me and because the prices were way high for anything that looked like it was engineered since the 80s.

Basically, I went all the way through the approval process with the DX34 but backed out after I visited a MF supplier. Not that the salesman were much better at the MF place, but the price was about 2k cheaper and the 1533 is a larger tractor then the DX34. So, I was getting more in ever respect except HP... although HP at PTO was about the same.

That kindoff sums up my experience of the tractor market.... not particularly impressed with these sales departments considering the markup they are probably making.

If anyone has any comments to my post or tips for me with my new purchase... please post. If not obvious- I am a new user so keep the techtalk to just above ****** if you can.
Thanks!
BTW... I won't take delivery for another 2wks.

 

[JerryG]

The problem that you experienced with the salesmen seems to be across all brands and all states. With the Internet for customers to do research, the day of totally ignorant customers is over. You would think that dealerships would wise up to this and start requiring their sales people to know more about that they have to sell.
Which transmission did you get and what tires?
I am sure that you will enjoy using your new equipment. If you will fill out at least part of you bio. we will be able to answer any questions that you might have much better. A lot of things are regional as well as knowing where different types of dealers are for hydraulic, implements and such.
BTW, Welcome to TBN and Team Red.

 

[coolhl7]

my MF salesman owned the store with his dad. Noone but he sells the tractors. That is all he has done. he is very knowlegable and answer e-mails promptly. Thats what helped to sell me on my MF1540. I have only 16 hrs on it but all great fun. any problems post them here as well as ask your dealer.
best advice given to me is never get too comfortable in the seat. Do you have a barn with cement floor? if so try building dollies with heavy duty caster wheels for your implements. makes getting them on the hitch a cinch and storing out of the way a breeze.

 

[Kendall69]

Your experience is not rare, in dealing with sales people. Seems they just want to tell you naything and have you believe it.

Two incidents today alone. I went to a rental yard and asked the counter guy id he had any track loaders for rent, he stammered, stared, and then answered no, uh I don't think they make those. Then I suggested we take a walk out to his lot, and I I stopped and pointed to a track loader on his lot - I said " you mean this is the track loader you don't have?" - " Oh I forgot about that one"

Next stop I went to a high end irrigation store and asked for a a particular irrigation controller, that just came out ( mind you this is the local DEALER!!)
I gave him the model, showed him a picture, from the net, and went back to retrieve one.

Now I NEVER EVER trust anyone or anything in a closed container, you gotta show live and in person it's what I want. Sure enough even after he opened the box, then opened the unit he confirmed this was what I was showing him. Now I do wear glasses, but I aint blind. I asked hime it doesn't even look like the same thing " Oh yes it sure is"

The controller I wanted was a 32 station unit and he was showing m ea 16 station unit. So I asked, where do I connect the other 16 stations. Then and only then does he cry Uncle and get the big boss, who informs me first that what I was looking for was an OLDER unit, then decided to order one, when I explained it was listed in the mfg's web site as " NEW PRODUCTS"

How I get anything done now a days is beyond me.....

If it wasn't for the web and great research the consumers would be sunk.

 

[rvaitor]

The internet has changed a lot of things and certainly tractor sales people, store sales folks in general end up getting crunched. Some are better than others, but it's still tough.

I resist blanket chastisement of these folks. Maybe some of them are former farmers(certainly nothing to be ashamed of there) and maybe they are not the sharpest knife in the drawer but if they are honest I do the best I can with them.

Just like the neighborhood repair shop some of these tractor dealers especially the smaller ones have limited capital and do the best they can. I was talking to a Massey dealer over the weekend that is struggling with Massey, especially the Iseki units. They carry Mahindra and sold 110 Mahindras to 30 Massey's last year. Both good products but they are a Mom & Pop operation and do the best they can. I prefer this type of operation and am willing to consider their limitations as well.

I am liking Stihl's dealer program - they seem to be very protective of getting their product in good operations.

 

[jacobweaver32]

Hey thanks for some great feedback, I didnt think I would find a good tractor forum... but you guys are alright.
I updated my profile so there are some details there... I think my sig should work when I post this too.
Thanks for the suggestion on the implement dollys... that is a pretty good idea. I was wondering how I was going to handle the changing of mower deck to backhoe.... now I have a starting point. Unfortunately I dont have a barn yet... but thats goin in around may time I think.

I'll shoot some pics of the tractor and my lot when I get it..... and you can all see what a mess I have to start with hahaha.

 

[jacobweaver32]

I should be taking delivery sometime at the end of this week!!!

Ill post some pics of my wife getting pissed as I start digging holes in the yard

 

[dutchman56]

I have been looking at used tractors for about 2 years and my wife said just go buy a new one that has what you want. As I live in Ontario Canada acoss from northern Michigan I had been looking at kubotas The dealer keeps pushing HS trans and I want GS as the unit will be mainly for snowblowing 1 to 3 miles of camp road in winter. And he is not moving on price. I was told of MF dealer 15 miles south into States and went to se them. He seems to want to sell to me but we both had to do some homework on if i can get the 0% financing bying in the US and deliver to canada. Well now we know we can it has opened up his customer base. Just fine tuneing price and maybe in a couple of weeks deal can go though. It will be a 1552DynaQPS cab with FEL and front mount blower. And about 4 grand cheaper than a Kubota 4630.

 

[mark4Jesus]

I have been looking at used tractors for about 2 years and my wife said just go buy a new one that has what you want.

OOOOOh Weeeeee! Nothin' like gettin' a green light from the wife! Congratulations on the wife and the tractor! Send some pictures when it arrives. I believe that you will be happy with your Massey! Welcome to TBN also!

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

He seems to want to sell to me but we both had to do some homework on if i can get the 0% financing bying in the US and deliver to canada. Well now we know we can it has opened up his customer base. Just fine tuneing price and maybe in a couple of weeks deal can go though.


Can you expand on this a bit. How does it work getting the US finance package when you live in Canada? Did you have to get an US Export Permit?
What is happening at the CDN border? What about GST / PST? Is the dealer looking after all this or is it your problem?

Thanks