Support your local dealer!

[BigAl]

Nope , I don't agree with all due respect. I was a tried and true Kubota man for many years . I think they build a great tractor . When it came time to buy a new one I headed straight down to my local Kubota dealer , who at the time was the biggest Kubota dealer in my state . Seems like with being the biggest dealer they would have some pretty fair prices ? WRONG !!! They cover a very large area and their prices average about 20 % more than other Kubota dealers . The owner let me know "real quick" that if I bought a new Kubota from any other dealer but her,and tried to use my new Kubota tractor in her franchise area , she would make the responsible Kubota dealer's life a living nightmare /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif ! She is good to her word . I talked with a few other Kubota dealers and as soon as they heard where I lived they let me know they could not help me /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif. They knew all about her .
So , there are other color tractors to choose from and after looking at different models and getting input from the good old boys here on TBN I found that a DK45 Kioti would also "fit the bill" real nice . So ,I headed to the Kioti dealer nearest me , a real nice guy who told me he sold in excess of 150 Kioti's a year and would give me the best deal anywhere on a new Kioti . I gave him my spec's on the tractor I wanted with attachments . He gave me a price /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Now , my Dad did not raise a fool for a son . I checked prices with a few of the good old Kioti dealers right here on TBN as to make sure it was a fair price . I supplied them with the same SPECS as I had given my local Kioti dealer so I could compare "APPLES TO APPLES" . OH YEA ! My local dealer was real close ! Only $8000 DOLLARS high! And that was on a 2003 model he had in stock . The other dealer quoted a 2004 model !!!
So the wife got a little vacation to Texas and I picked up my new Kioti Tractor while I was there . Yes, it was a 5000 mile round trip but I was needing to go Texas anyway, to visit family, so I just hauled a trailer with me .
Now before you start laughing and telling me "good luck" on getting it serviced or warranty work done locally let me add one thing . The Texas Kioti dealer, I bought from , let me choose a tractor repair shop for my warranty work in my area after I explained to him that because of distance ,I would not be having him do the warranty or service work . And yes, he "HAS" lived up to his word !
So buy Locally ? You bet I will ! As long as I am treated fairly . But I have "NO PROBLEM" traveling 5000 mile and saving $8000 dollars .
I tell people I look at life this way: " Think of me as an old Elephant who likes to get a peanut each day . One day a new trainer gets mad ,treats me bad and refuses to give me a peanut . 5 years later for no apparent reason I grab hold of that trainer and stomp him into mash potatoes.
The moral of the story : Treat me fair, treat me right and give me my peanut and I will be loyal and faithful servant or customer forever . Treat me wrong and sooner or later you will see my displeasure" . ! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Big Al
aka "THE ELEPHANT"

 

[InlineDieselFan]

BigAl,

that is just wrong with the local dealer!! Kubota needs to spank her behind, because of her, Kubota is getting a bad name and should lose business.

I shopped all around western Washington and the soon to be local dealer in Chehalis was the cheapest and the nicest. I was willing to pay more to help out hte local economy but I did not have to. The dealer is less than 20 minutes away, and they are happy to make house calls if you have a problem or question. So far no problems, and the questions have been answered in a little book called 'the owners manual.'

steve

 

[BigAl]

Yes, it did cost them ( Kubota) a sale . Yes , I took a gamble ( a small one ) on buying a Kioti that I did not know much about . And yes , Kubota lost a loyal customer for good . Kubota is a great tractor ,but they did back her business technique which makes them as bad as her ,in my book .
Big Al

 

[HayDR]

BigAL,
With the numbers that you are throwing out you did the correct thing. Some dealers hate the internet because it upsets their good old boy network. I've had manufacturers laugh at me but when we started taking market share away from them they wanted us to sell their products. I do not like to change horses but if needed I will. It is amazing how some dealers treat their customers. We would not last in our market because the competition is Keen here in the South, if we did not try to satisfy the customer.