Dealer Positive Comments on Puget Sound Region Dealers?

[welyell]

Didn’t have much luck in the greater Puget Sound region-didn’t like the sales folks at Washington tractor, the Yanmar dealer in Pacific was good but they just didn’t seem to move much on price ( same with the Yanmar dealers in Eastern Wa.). The LS dealer south on I5 didn’t give me a good feeling.

Had a great experience with an LS dealer further south ( where I ended up buying).

GSVette - How does it work when you buy a tractor from a "far away" dealer and then you need warranty work or just general repairs down the line? I know with a car you can just take it to any local "certified" dealer during the warranty period, does it work the same for tractors? After the warranty is up, do most shops work on any brand tractor?

 

[welyell]

Only done business with J and I in Olympia... no complaints.

ultrarunner - Does J and I keep a good size onsite inventory for those of us in the looky-loo stage?

 

[welyell]

My dealings with Kubota of Issaquah have all been positive for two tractors and lots of other stuff.
great from John Deere In Snohomish for many years as well but I no longer can afford to support JD.

Ricn

Ricn - Does Kubota of Issaquah have a decent sized onsite inventory for those of us in the looky-loo stage?

 

[ultrarunner]

ultrarunner - Does J and I keep a good size onsite inventory for those of us in the looky-loo stage?

It varies... the Olympia store always has some in stock... but not like some of the Dealers I have seen in other states...

Can't comment on Yelm location.

It helps to know exactly what you want as then the decision is price and availability...

Problem is without experience... how do you know?

The opposite is true also... lots of guys will say I should have gone a little larger... some will say I bought too large and other their tractor is well suited to the task.

My brother needed a tractor... he had some 8N experience years ago...

He called saying he found a new Kubota B... my thought is with 65 acres it is too small...

I moved him towards a L3800 and he has thanked me several times...

 

[ultrarunner]

GSVette - How does it work when you buy a tractor from a "far away" dealer and then you need warranty work or just general repairs down the line? I know with a car you can just take it to any local "certified" dealer during the warranty period, does it work the same for tractors? After the warranty is up, do most shops work on any brand tractor?

People are funny and personalities get involved...

I have know service managers/dealers penalize owners for not buying and then coming in for service... you stay at the bottom of the pile for warranty work... it does happen... with cars too.

Most Kubota owners don't need much warranty work... so it does help.

The closest Kubota Dealer works only on Kubota... keeps his guy busy assembling tractors and attachments… he does take in trades so there are few oddballs on the lot plus he tries to keep his grape growers happy with some specialized rigs... but, he does not solicit non Kubota work...

 

[Ricn]

Pretty good, yes. Lots of bx, B, L sizes. Their sales staff are pretty nice fellas, not the brightest apples but they have to sell lots of different stuff and have been good for us to work with. I just got a quote for the L4701 as we are thinking to trade up again.They sell and service all over the state so must be doing things right.

Ricn

 

[GSVette]

GSVette - How does it work when you buy a tractor from a "far away" dealer and then you need warranty work or just general repairs down the line? I know with a car you can just take it to any local "certified" dealer during the warranty period, does it work the same for tractors? After the warranty is up, do most shops work on any brand tractor?

I don’t anticipate huge issues-I spoke with a local shop prior to making my purchase. I probably won’t get priority of course but it is a risk I was willing to take for the deal I got.

I do the vast majority of my own work so it’ll only go in for warranty work of significance. Fingers crossed, won’t see any of that.

 

[welyell]

I don’t anticipate huge issues-I spoke with a local shop prior to making my purchase. I probably won’t get priority of course but it is a risk I was willing to take for the deal I got.

I do the vast majority of my own work so it’ll only go in for warranty work of significance. Fingers crossed, won’t see any of that.

I plan on doing the maintenance that I can, but since the diagnostic shop software is not available for purchase, makes it kind of hard.... That's one of the reasons I'm staying clear of the L60 series, too much electronics and in my experience with software/firmware/electronic interfaces, its usually the electronics that go first, especially the electronic fault detection circuits going bad and sending false fault signals

 

[Ricn]

My neighbors bought an expensive ford 550 still under factory warrantee from a dealer in Texas just before moving; then took it to our local dealer for warrantee repair only to be told it would be 2 months before they could look at it because they did not buy the truck there. They took it to another Ford dealer with my suggestion who is also local, they fixed the problem in three days no charge. - Dealers are odd sometimes and why I use the same tractor dealer and truck dealer for everything. Finding a good dealer is paramount to me and price is the least important item when I shop besides, most dealers will meet prices pretty close if they are asked. One thing about Kubota that is good; you can price tractors right on their website before going to any dealer for their sales price, works pretty good IMO but then if you think they don't deserve to eat like like all of us, you can always buy from Craigslist taking your chances.

Just last week we needed a new 5 foot heavy duty brush cutter so I called my Kubota dealer asking him to deliver one, well knowing the cost beforehand. My salesman said, if I wanted a really good deal he had a used one a year old just traded in with maybe 5 hrs use for $1600. - I jumped on it without even looking. Now this sales guy could have sold me a new one for much, much more as I was ready to buy but he took care of me because I buy from him on most everything from chainsaws to tractors and excavators, we trust one another. BTW- the mower hardly has a scratch on it and blades were like new still, very sharp.

Find a GOOD dealer, one who has been in business a long time and having a good shop out back, threat them kindly, know what it is you want and what in general the going price should be and the dealer will treat you kind as well.

Ricn


Ricn