Shopping for BX23

[Allen2]

For the past 20 years I have gotten by on an 18 HP garden tractor, but my to-do list is getting out of control - a 400ft driveway to repair, gas line to install, french drains to put in, drainage pipes to replace, well you get the idea. I started looking into the compact tractors and fell for the BX23 as soon as I saw it. I just recently saw the 0% 36-month financing available and it pushed me over the edge. I intend to find a deal before the grass starts growing.
I live in southwestern PA just north of Pittsburgh. I have a Kubota dealer about 5 miles away that has been there since the beginning of time. However, when I went back there 2 weeks ago, he quoted me $18400 (plus tax) for a new BX23 with 54-inch mower deck. I bet a bunch of you can confirm this is a terrible deal even for this area. I am just starting to check into other dealers around the area, but they are all 20+ miles away. I intend to take my best deal back to him and give him a shot at it, but some of my acquaintances that have dealt with him say he will probably toss me out of the store.
So, can anyone offer advice on finding a good deal on a BX23? Has anyone bought from one dealer and gotten warranty work from a different dealer? Has anyone come across a good deal in the SW PA area, or even eastern OH and northern WV? Has anyone bought from out of state to avoid the sales tax? I hope I am not too annoying with all these questions. Any information will be very much appreciated.
Thanks.
Allen

 

[Volfandt]

That price sounds pretty high but unfortunately I don't know your area. I was told when I purchased my BX23 w/a 60" MMM back in Dec that there would be around a 4 to 6% increase for this year but that price is way way over that.

I highly recommend to get at the least one more price on it then go from there. From what I've been seeing here on TBN the BX23 has become a very popular machine and being such, it could command higher pricing now.

As I was told when I was shopping, go for the 60" MMM. The extra width pushes you out further around trees and other obstructions as well as it takes a bigger bite. I was originally going for the the 54" but after remeasuring my tight spots I found that the 64" (with deflector up) would fit so I went with the 60" and after my 1st cut with it the other day, I'm very happy with it's performance.

Good luck, I've been highly enjoying mine.
Volfandt

 

[KirkMcD]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I am just starting to check into other dealers around the area, but they are all 20+ miles away. )</font>

My dealer is 35 miles away. You can save thousands by shopping around.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue">I intend to take my best deal back to him and give him a shot at it, but some of my acquaintances that have dealt with him say he will probably toss me out of the store.
</font>

Allen,

I sent you a PM but now I am sure which dealer you are talking about... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

They treated me the same and did not get any business from me as the result. Sounds like nothing changed. Back when I was looking at a BX22 they were about 2K higher than the other nearby Kubota dealer that I ended up buying from.

I stepped up from the BX22 to a larger tractor, but there is no doubt that they would have been higher on that one as well. I was even dumb enough to go back and get a price on a BX2200 later...same treatment. Bought the BX from the same dealer as I bought my first tractor from.

Sounds like your acquaintances that have dealt with this dealer share my feelings. Ask yourself if you want to deal with this kind of attitude AFTER you buy, if you need some warranty or other work done...

I mentioned names in that PM...

Take a look at this site to get an idea of BX and B series prices

Not sure how up to date this site is these days, but I think it is pretty close to reality for our area...

 

[dholly]

I read a post recently by a dealer indicating that those prices were no longer current. Said to add about 3% for a B series price bump. In fact, that seemed fairly consistent with the dealer quotes and comments I received up here in NY during the past couple of weeks. If true, it's not hard to imagine the BX series suffering a similar hike.

 

[mhagerty]

Allen,

I was in the same position as you when I was looking for my BX2230. I have 3 dealers in my area, one pretty close (within 9 miles) the other two are within 40 miles of my home. I got prices from all three of them and they were all within $500 dollars of each other, so I figured that this range was the going price. When I posted the info here a member gave me a dealer’s name just outside of Albany (I live south of Boston). So I give him a call just to confirm the price that I was receiving from my local dealers. Now, I realize there are regional differences but his price was $3,000 less (including delivery, 220 miles to my house) than my local dealers.

Needless to say, I went with this dealer. We did have several additional calls as I had many questions for him, which he was happy to answer, some of the same questions you are asking. I’ve listed the dealer’s info below; his business area is about 250 miles, so if that works you might want to check him out.

Concerning sales tax, I did a little research on this, not legal stuff just some digging. If the dealer delivers the machine (at least here in MA) the dealer does not charge/collect the sales tax. You are responsible for sending the amount in to the state. I talked to the dealer about this and he confirmed it, he also explained that he has sold 30+ machines in MA over the last several years and no one has come back to him and told him the state came looking for the cash (he has asked ad he still services a bunch of these machines). Bottom line on this, it’s a risk, for me I think it’s a small and I’m willing to take it. If MA comes looking for it down the road then I’ll pay it.

Warranty work, this was my biggest concern; dealer told me that no dealer can turn you down for warranty work on your Kubota. If they do he said to call Kubota and complain. Well, I called Kubota to ask the question and they confirmed what the dealer told me, “no dealer may turn you down for warranty on your Kubota product”. However, you may be serviced “slower” than the dealer’s regular purchasing customers at peak times.

My dealer had some good suggestions to make this process easer, first, if you want to purchase any attachments after you receive your tractor you may want to purchase them at the dealer you want to service the tractor. This will accomplish a couple things, he’ll get to know you as a customer and he’ll see you spending some money at his dealership. When service issues come up you should be on solid footing with that dealer.

I my case I was lucky, before I made the purchase I called all three dealers and asked, “I purchased a tractor from another dealer but I would like to get it serviced when I need to at your dealership, is this a problem” All three of them answered pretty much the same, “we would be happy to service your tractor for you and hopefully show you how good our service is and maybe when your ready to buy again/upgrade we will earn you business”.

Sorry for the long-winded message but being a newbie I don’t have many opportunities to help members yet so when I saw your post I’d thought I’d share my experience.

Mike


The dealer I used,

Emerich Sales and Service
187 Valentine Road
Charlton, NY
518-399-8574

Ask for Jim Crane, I think he out until Friday.

 

[coveredbridge]

I'm in Central PA. My new BX1500 w/48" mmm and LA 181 FEL is being delivered Saturday, and the price I got (after getting two quotes) was right on the "good deal" price from this site, if that helps.



Take a look at this site to get an idea of BX and B series prices

Not sure how up to date this site is these days, but I think it is pretty close to reality for our area... )</font>

 

[jhb]

to: mhagerty

I live on the SS of Boston as well. I have not yet "talked" to any dealers, I stopped twice at the one in Wareham but the guy never seems to be in.

I am seriously considering a BX23 as well, and was thinking about goiing to NH, or the dealer in NY that advertises in the classifeds on this site.
Do you have any info to give about dealers to stay away from?

 

[AB4D]

Allen, I had a discussion with another person about this subject a couple days ago. He indicated to me that from a dealer (not sure which one) in Ripley West Virginia, he received a quote recently of 16,000 for a new BX23 with a MMM. I hope you find a good deal on a tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[aardvark]

Shop around a little. I think the $18400 is awful high for a BX23 with a 54" mower. I paid $16300 for a BX23 with a 60" mower in Sept 2004, and my dealer was happy to sell at that price, and has provided excellent service since then. Florida probably has different pricing than Pennsylvania, but still, I can't imagine it's *that* different. There are a couple dealers in the north east who seem to have good pricing, and frequent this website. Maybe get some quotes from them. Think about it this way, if someone was going to pay you $2000 to drive 40 miles round trip a couple times a year, for a few years, would you do it? I would.