Tractor Warranty

[HydroOp]

We have an unusual (I think) situation. This past summer, in mid-July, we bought a Kubota MX5100 to use on property 3000 miles away. We only get to spend time there for a few weeks each summer. The dealer is adding a canopy, remote valves, changing tires and making a few other changes. They agreed to hold it on their lot until next June when we return.

A couple days later (probably a couple days too late!) it occurred to me to ask when the clock starts ticking on the warranty. Answer: When we signed the sales agreement. I asked to have it changed to the delivery date. Answer: Corporate policy. The dealer recommended I appeal through Kubota's Contact Us web page. Kubota failed to answer 3 separate inquiries - no response whatsoever! - which was pretty disappointing.

The dealer said he'd work it through the regional rep. Many weeks later Kubota's response was that they'd sell an extended warranty at a discount. The tractor remains unready for delivery - tires haven't been replaced, canopy is not installed, etc - the dealer said they wouldn't even start working on it until mid-December.

I don't think the policy is reasonable. (I concede that I may have the unreasonable view.) The lack of communication and this policy have put me way off Kubota. If I had it to do over...

What do you think?

 

[seymojo536]

If I was you and had it to do over, I would have waited until next May to buy a tractor. Or maybe I would just have rented one for the short time I needed it each year.

 

[sailfast]

We have an unusual (I think) situation. This past summer, in mid-July, we bought a Kubota MX5100 to use on property 3000 miles away. We only get to spend time there for a few weeks each summer. The dealer is adding a canopy, remote valves, changing tires and making a few other changes. They agreed to hold it on their lot until next June when we return.

A couple days later (probably a couple days too late!) it occurred to me to ask when the clock starts ticking on the warranty. Answer: When we signed the sales agreement. I asked to have it changed to the delivery date. Answer: Corporate policy. The dealer recommended I appeal through Kubota's Contact Us web page. Kubota failed to answer 3 separate inquiries - no response whatsoever! - which was pretty disappointing.

The dealer said he'd work it through the regional rep. Many weeks later Kubota's response was that they'd sell an extended warranty at a discount. The tractor remains unready for delivery - tires haven't been replaced, canopy is not installed, etc - the dealer said they wouldn't even start working on it until mid-December.

I don't think the policy is reasonable. (I concede that I may have the unreasonable view.) The lack of communication and this policy have put me way off Kubota. If I had it to do over...

What do you think?

One word for you.

Cancel

 

[TripleR]

I think I would just cancel it and rent as needed.

 

[creekbend]

I think I would just cancel it and rent as needed.

I agree, but perhaps the OP has already put down a substantial down payment on the tractor. He did not state, whether he did or didn't, in his initial post. In this case, it may not be refundable. Just a thought?

 

[HydroOp]

Canceling would be tough - we've got a lot of money into it already. I could have probably done so as soon as I was told "Corporate Policy", but, assuming Kubota wanted good customer relations I thought this would be worked out favorably.

The idea of waiting to purchase until the start of our 2012 visit had occurred to us, but, there were some very good reasons for buying at the end of our 2011 visit to the property - not least of which was 0% financing. Also, with our time in Maine so short, we wanted the tractor and modifications positively ready to go on arrival in Maine.

Renting hadn't even occurred to me; in retrospect, a very good idea.

Out of curiosity I pulled up the Better Business Bureau's complaint statistics for 2010 (most recent data):
Tractor Distributors and Manufacturers - 162 complaints
Tractor Dealers - 7,531 complaints

+1 for 2011's manufacturer count.
I have no complaints about the dealer (Wescott & Sons in Gorham)

Thanks for your thoughts on the question.

Jeff

 

[BTI]

If you actually signed papers on it, financing etc, it is tough to shut it down.
In this world anymore things (especially money transactions) move at lightening speed.
This also goes for warranty registration, it gets the machine "off the books" and into sold unit status.
I know it seems like an easy thing to do but with money transfers it's sometimes very hard to put the brakes on.
You bought now to reap the benefits of the year end incentives....
The down side is that your warranty starts now.....
The up side is the dealer isn't charging you to store it.....

BTI

 

[blueriver]

Thats just the way it is ... warranty starts when the deal is done.

 

[DK35vince]

I'm taking Kubota's side on this one.
Warranty starts at the time of purchase. Their offer for a discount on an extented warranty is fair.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

You can't really have a senerio where warrenty does not start at time of purchase. He said she said about when a tractor goes to work just is not a workable policy. You should wait until you can take delivery to sign the papers. I'd see if they can unwind your sale and pick it up later if its that important to you. Really, you bought the best... you hardly need a warrenty on a kubota.

 

[Soundguy]

my opinion? and what it's worth ( -0- )

if the warranty started when the dealer had the machine ready for delivery, and they offerend a reduced price extendsed warranty.. I think that would be a fiar compromise.

not as much liability for them.. but still extended protection for the buyer... the extra cost is to cover the extra convienience of the deal.

JMHO

soundguy

 

[MF 1532]

The local Cat dealer will sometimes have a field full of new big money equipment setting in their inventory . He tells me it is sold merchandise ( mostly to the coal mines ) but they will not take delivery until it is actually needed . This way they buy more time on the warranty . The date they take delivery is the date warranty starts for them . I know my father -in -law buys a new combine or tractor , warranty starts the day it is brought to the farm , not the day it is bought and paid for .

 

[MF 1532]

The local Cat dealer will sometimes have a field full of new big money equipment setting in their inventory . He tells me it is sold merchandise ( mostly to the coal mines ) but they will not take delivery until it is actually needed . This way they buy more time on the warranty . The date they take delivery is the date warranty starts for them . I know my father -in -law buys a new combine or tractor , warranty starts the day it is brought to the farm , not the day it is bought and paid for .

But , as you know , it is best to work out those deals before you sign the dotted line or write a check

 

[TripleR]

I agree, but perhaps the OP has already put down a substantial down payment on the tractor. He did not state, whether he did or didn't, in his initial post. In this case, it may not be refundable. Just a thought?

I would at least try to get out of it even if it cost me a few bucks.

I just don't see an up side to owning over renting in this scenario due to storage, prep for storage, insurance etc.

I recently moved a tractor out to live with my brother on another farm as we used it so seldom, it was a PITA to keep it up in running shape. He didn't have one with a FEL so he will use it and it will be better for the tractor to be run than sit around all the time.

 

[sailfast]

Warranties are governed by the uniform commercial code and state law. I would contact the state attorney general's office. You may find it the transaction is not legally complete until you take delivery of the tractor.

 

[HydroOp]

Well, as always here on Tractor by Net, the wide range of backgrounds and experiences is showing up as equally wide ranging thoughts on my question. Thanks for taking time to consider the question.

BTI - Purchase was in July, so no year end incentives. If the dealer hadn't been willing to store it with no charge I would have had it delivered to a BIL living near the property.

MessickFarmEqu - I understand the point re: when it goes to work, but 5 months after purchase it is still sitting at the dealer awaiting tire changeout, canopy, remote valves etc.

Soundguy - I've also felt that when "ready for delivery" would be a decent compromise.

MF 1532 - Agreeing before signing - exactly - I wish I had asked the question a couple days earlier.

TripleR - At least from our financial perspective, there would be a significant cost. Renting probably would have been the way to go until we complete our move back to Maine, but it just never occurred to us.

Sailfast - Good thought - I'll make the inquiry.

Thanks all,

Jeff

 

[HydroOp]

After a poke from the BBB, Kubota called.

It has only taken 5 months to get a definitive answer on my warranty question.

Kubota agreed, in our unusual situation, that the warranty should start with delivery rather than with signing the dotted line.

Again, thanks to all who offered up their thoughts on my question.

Jeff

 

[Soundguy]

thanks for the update. many times we don't hear about the end results of some threads like this.

soundguy

 

[the6shooter]

It sounds more like the dealer not kabota, that dealer should have preped the tractor and delivered as promisses. It's the dealers fault and HE not kabota that should pay for the extended warrantee. I would have given the dealer 30 days to deliver as promissed....
david

 

[ModMech]

We have an unusual (I think) situation. This past summer, in mid-July, we bought a Kubota MX5100 to use on property 3000 miles away. We only get to spend time there for a few weeks each summer. The dealer is adding a canopy, remote valves, changing tires and making a few other changes. They agreed to hold it on their lot until next June when we return.

A couple days later (probably a couple days too late!) it occurred to me to ask when the clock starts ticking on the warranty. Answer: When we signed the sales agreement. I asked to have it changed to the delivery date. Answer: Corporate policy. The dealer recommended I appeal through Kubota's Contact Us web page. Kubota failed to answer 3 separate inquiries - no response whatsoever! - which was pretty disappointing.

The dealer said he'd work it through the regional rep. Many weeks later Kubota's response was that they'd sell an extended warranty at a discount. The tractor remains unready for delivery - tires haven't been replaced, canopy is not installed, etc - the dealer said they wouldn't even start working on it until mid-December.

I don't think the policy is reasonable. (I concede that I may have the unreasonable view.) The lack of communication and this policy have put me way off Kubota. If I had it to do over...

What do you think?

that sounds all too familiar....

Once KTC has the $$$, you are no longer imporant.

BTW, *most* manufacturer's warranty policies state the the warranty begins when "delivered to first retail user (customer)", and the miles, hours and time starts THEN, not when the agreement is penned.

Look at it this way, based on what is being recited by KTC, if you ORDERED a new tractor today 21 December 2011 and it was not in stock you would use up warranty time before the dealer ever received it!

Yea, that's reasonable and fair - not!