Time to find a new Bota Dealer

Junkman · Jan 9, 2005

Kubota USA can only do what Kubota Japan allows them to do, so I don't see things getting better for a very long time. Business practices in Japan are a world apart from the business practices in the USA. Unless Kubota USA gets complete autonomy, I don't see change on the horizon...

smittyd3 · Jan 9, 2005

I've been reading this thread for awhile. I hope you get everything "fixed" with your Kubota.

I have a new L3130 GST with a la513 loader. It came with the wrong quick coupler for the bucket and would let the tilt cylinder rods hit the boom when dumping the bucket. The dealer is going to bring me the correct quick coupler and install it. I have been waiting about a week as they are 50 miles away and I told them they did not have to make a special trip to replace it. I dealt with the older guy at the dealership, Mr. Sam, and he is a heck of a nice guy. I bought equipment for my Farmall from him when it was an International dealership. Just my opinion, but I think the older dealers better.

CajunRider · Jan 10, 2005

Since I am searching for a new tractor and Kubota is now the leading candidate, I read this thread with much interest. As it is now I am likely to buy a tractor about 100 miles from my local dealer. Thanks to all for an informative thread.

riptides · Jan 10, 2005

Funny how on one hand Kubota Japan, Japan in general is very technology savy. But then again, they are very personable. So I guess it is a culture clash with them. And I can see it, I work in IT but prefer to deal with people.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

jhbusa · Feb 9, 2005

I had the same situation with high end stereo equipment. I have worked with vendors for years. Here's how you get help 99% of the time:

Conversation with local dealer: We will NOT fix this, because you didn't BUY the tractor from us!!!! Sure we didn't have the tractor you needed and couldn't get it for months, but we still want to punish you for not buying from us. Do exactly what you did with Mr. Whitehead 

Conversation with Kubota (Atlanta): That dealer shouldn't refuse to work on your tractor, ESPECIALLY on such a critical safety recall as this. We will have the area representative to call you and help you resolve this situation. Sorry for the trouble you had. Perfect ... so far so good 

Conversation with Mr. Dwight Whitehead, local Kubota representative: You need to take your tractor back to the purchasing dealer for this an all future repairs, questions, and service. This dealership no longer wishes to have your business. Period. Here's where you take it further. You ask Mr. Whitehead for his bosses name. In other words, you escalate this through the chain of command until you get the CEO of Kubota America involved. I can guarantee you he will be interested in this and it will get attention. No area rep. wants their boss to believe they are delivering poor customer service. Be politically correct and professional at all times. In the larger cities, some news stations have consumer assitance broadcasts / clips pointing out your problem with a dealer. They work with you to get your issue resolved. If you are so lucky, a simple mention you are taking your issue to channel X, will get you LOTS of attention. The newspaper is always looking for news too /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif. Try the chain of command approach, I believe it will work well for you. 

Conversation with purchasing dealer 1 hr away: Sure we can fix it, but we are COVERED UP. It will be weeks before we can get to it, and then you will have to leave it.
 This is more BS, but you are at the mercy of the dealer here

PSDF350 · Feb 9, 2005

i am curious why any service dept. wouldn't want to do the work whether it was bought there or not. i have no experiance with tractors (yet) but i do with my autos and i have never had a single issue with warrenty or any other type of service. i go to get truck service it is hi david how you doing today. they know i didn't buy my $30,000 plus truck there, but are more than happy to have my business. so why would it be any other way at a tractor dealership/service dept.

ramon49 · Feb 9, 2005

Hi! I'm jumping in as I just went thru the (or lack of) Kubota chain of command within the last 2-4 weeks. Sorry! to say don't waste your time they are a bunch of arrogant non responsive peoples. Seems as a company gets market share they start to ShXX on their loyal customers.

Ramon --- Southern California Market
PS: new tractor

Junkman · Feb 9, 2005

( i am curious why any service dept. wouldn't want to do the work whether it was bought there or not. ............................. I go to get truck service it is hi David how you doing today. they know i didn't buy my $30,000 plus truck there, but are more than happy to have my business. so why would it be any other way at a tractor dealership/service dept. )

Because the Ford dealer knows that to stay in business that he has to compete with all the other Ford dealers and hopefully you will purchase your next Ford from them. The Kubota dealers don't share the same thoughts or mentality. They feel that they have a product that you can't buy just anywhere and they should be in the drivers seat when it comes to service and sales. For the most part, they are living in the past and the future will just pass them by. I can see a lot of tractor dealerships going into bankruptcy at the present rate of how they do business and how they treat their customers. There are some good ones that will survive, but even they are going to either change in the way they do business or they will end up loosing sales. The internet is here to stay and just like all the other items that are sold on the internet, that the brick and mortar stores need to compete with, so will the tractor dealers need to compete if they are to survive. The days of making a killing on one sale are over....they just don't realize that yet. Last year, at the Woodstock CT Fair, there was no Kubota dealer represented. This is the first time that I can remember that happening. I was told that "they couldn't afford the price of admission." This speaks for the financial condition of the local Kubota dealerships..... loud and clear.... Junk

LarryRB · Feb 10, 2005

Last year, at the Woodstock CT Fair, there was no Kubota dealer represented. This is the first time that I can remember that happening. I was told that "they couldn't afford the price of admission." This speaks for the financial condition of the local Kubota dealerships..... loud and clear.... Junk

Don't know who told you this, and it doesn't matter.. My inlaws paid 1500 a year for 30 some odd years to have a large area set up.. I was tasked with bringing all the dumps/ tractors as in tractor trailer unit and all the Dodge trucks.. They always showed four or five cars too.. The new guy that has the dealership just finished the second year in the same spot and same price.. He obviously don't have IH truck, but he had 7 or so Dodge's and cars.. For the size of the area, the amount of vehicles one can pack in there, the ten free passes for employees, and four hundred thousand people that walk by in that week, 1500 isn't so bad for what you get.

JASTN70D · Feb 10, 2005

You know the most obvious error the dealer made with the statement everyone on TBN being liars and do not know anything about tractors it is clear he has never been on the site. This clearly shows were the diminished capacity lies. And obviously he is threatened by information. This is probably due to the fact that he has used the "I know better than you" tactic for his sales style.

The Internet is changing the tractor sales market drastically for the better as we speak. I think the dealer that is and has used the correct sales and service tactics will benefit and the ones that don't will change or die out.

The dealers that feel they can add to the customers buying decision through listening like Neil have also an interest in the use of the Internet and the education it affords potential customers and them selves. If he wanted to tell you what you need instead of ask I could see how information could be a threat. Instead he has used it in order to help his business help his customers and feels that along with other experience he has gained can be of great use to his customers. I think he should be commended for this not beat up for it. If you stand back and look at this from his point of view I am sure you can see that he feels an on-site visit to a dealership with there practice's would be beneficial. And that he may help clear up any misinformation or misunderstandings the customer may have gotten from other sources. One thing that is true of most people on this site is there experience is limited too what they own or have owned and the dealers they have used. A good dealer should have multitude of experiences and should feel that is a benefit to his customer. I know I would And as a customer I should try to use that experience along with the Internet info to help make an informed decision. A dealer who just tells you what to buy gains very little experience as to what people like and want. Equates to a Bad Dealer.!

And of course for a multitude of reason people end up with bad dealers it is always going to happen. But I can tell you that I have learned of some really good ones from this sight. And that may be its greatest value in the long run. As this post shows you can know what and if there are problems with your machine and even know what it needs to be fixed but it still can not get you over the hump of a bad dealer

I just wish I had a dealer like Neil.

And the Dealer that refused to do service. I am sure if the Kubota rep had a good customer service background. He would of and should of motivated $$ the dealer to make a customer happy. I see some bad practice's coming down to the dealer forcing the good ones to eat the manufactures lack of customer service. Does not sound like the team approach you would hope for. So the Kubota Rep needs beat up on this even more than the dealer and maybe on up the chain of command. It is the Manufacture that warrants the Machine. It is there responsibility to make sure you can get that work done in as reasonable manner as possible. Other wise they are in violation of law. I think most people would be stunned if they new about the Federal warranty act and the rights it affords the consumer. And if it is a safety issue I think it raises the bar much higher. Some one needs to yell louder!!

Sorry I used way over my allowance of 2 Cents on this one!