Travails in Buying a Compact Tractor

   / Travails in Buying a Compact Tractor #1  

Wildmikey

New member
Joined
May 17, 2009
Messages
17
Location
North Central PA
Tractor
Bobcat CT-122
As stated in an earlier post, I said I would discuss my travails on the road to purchasing a CUT. I have succeeded in that purchase but let me chronicle the journey.
Last year at the local AG fair, me and the MRS. agreed that it might be prudent to get a tractor to not only do the grass but to 1)landscape around the house we built in 2005; 2)move the large mounds of dirt as a result of building that house; 3)help remove snow from our driveway; and more recently, 4)grade and fill in ruts in driveway caused by recent torrential rains.
Around Nov. I began to look fairly casually, not kicking any tires but just browsing. I got my father-in-law's 'green' 4110 and found that it would fit in my shed easily. So it became the yardstick to be measured against, just for physical size. I looked at green, orange, blue etc. but never with any serious intentions until about Apr.
I went to the one local orange place, where the sales guy took great pleasure in rubbing my nose in the fact that had I bought in NOV. I would have saved $1200. I thought I had scratch them off the list. In an extreme weak moment, (and goading from my buddy), I went to an auction there last week where the same guy said to me, (with heaps of sarcasm), "So you're finally going to buy one this time?" Which prompted me to say, "Not from you I'm not."
The 2nd orange place, the sales guy never seemed available. He was never there on weekends, (some of us work from 6AM~4:30PM). I got 2 emails from him and that was it.
I went to the blue place where the salesman was cordial, but pounded on his calculator and quoted me a price that was too high for what I was looking for. Also, while looking, I wanted to know how difficult it was to do the consumer performed maintenance: changing oil filters, fuel filters, air filters, etc. As much as I liked the blue machine, their maintenance procedures disuaded me along with the price, (something to keep in mind when buying a machine like this).
I went to 'green' and told the man what I needed. He knew the dimensions of the 4110 and quoted me the MSRP. The biggest drawback was that the ROPS was not a foldover type, (this was for the 2305). When I told the sales guy that I needed either a foldover ROPS or one with that was less than 77", he said, "Well, you can take it to a welder and have them cut it down to size to fit for you." To which I responded, "Wouldn't that void the warranty by modifying a safety device?" Needless to say, he hemmed and hawed and he didn't want to answer but I already knew what it was.
Which leads me to my selection. I bought the 'white' one because the sales man was very respondant to my queries, asked me what I was looking for, followed up on questions, and the dealer has a good reputation for service. That cinched it for me. When I walk into any store, regardless of what item or service is being sold, I don't expect to have my 'behind' kissed, but I do expect them to show some appreciation for the fact that I am patronizing their establishment!
One shout-out here before I close, Neil Messick is a class act and followed up on my needs. My only issue is that his business was too far away. Had he been closer, I think we would have done business.
Anyone wanting personal insights to my thoughts and such can PM me.
 
   / Travails in Buying a Compact Tractor #2  
Sorry if this is dumb. But what tractor would I be buying these days if I went looking specificly for a white one?
 
   / Travails in Buying a Compact Tractor #4  
It never ceases to amaze me the lengths to which some sales reps / owners will go to, in order to tick off a potential customer. You have to wonder how they stay in business. In my case it was the "green" guys that actually paid attention, gave me several detailed written quotes and got the business. Considering I started looking at the $2,500 lawn tractors and bought a 3320 TLB I'd say it paid off for them.

Enjoy your new "white" tractor.
 
   / Travails in Buying a Compact Tractor #5  
Enjoy the tractor! You will love it.

I agree with cinderschnauzer, sales people can be the bane of one's existence.

Same story over and over and over, bad service experiences. My uncle used to say "I guess everyone is so rich they don't want my business".

Congrats on your tractor and finding a good dealer.
 
   / Travails in Buying a Compact Tractor #6  
I couldn't get the time of day from the local Green Guy... it was harvest time and he said he would get back to me in 2 weeks... I waited 2 weeks and 3 days and called him and learned he was on a 3 week vacation?

Anyway, found an Orange Guy that quoted me a price too good to pass and made the deal on the phone and then went to pick it up on a Saturday morning.

Things have changed a lot... No Orange Dealers in 3 counties now... or Green or Blue or Red???
 
   / Travails in Buying a Compact Tractor #7  
I would assume Bobcat

I was going to assume bobcat, but I havent seen a signifacant presence in my area. and dont hear much about them, kinda thought they were more construction specific with the TLBs.
 
   / Travails in Buying a Compact Tractor #8  
Just remember this one thing, and it applies to all companies. Large or small, white or orange. That one thing is that you are talking about people. People are the company. If your employees don't respect the customer then you have the choice to go somewhere else. And the perfect example of that is tonight at 8pm I went to Home depot to buy some hardware for a quick project I picked up today. I got there at closing and was just walking into the hardware isle for my $5 purchase when the lights went to half off and the annoucement came on. But the hardware isle reminded me politely they were closing. And I said I had a quick purchase and if he could help me for a minute. 4 minutes later i was done and at the checkout due to his assistance. There you go. People in action and I'll go to Home depot again because of this.

Steve
 
   / Travails in Buying a Compact Tractor #9  
Maybe a Cub??

Had a similar experience today....went to Ace hardware to see if I could repair a camper faucet/blown line (yea yea, didn't winterize) and the guy says "right down that isle" and walks away?? So I'm left wondering if it's repairable or have to replace...walked out, drove to Homey Depot, guy there explained the factory sawder job couldn't be repaired, had to replace, and showed me a few different faucets, which the one I bought worked out great.

So I'm thinking Ace is NOT the place......
 
   / Travails in Buying a Compact Tractor #10  
Yes, customer support and service really is what is important! It is kind of amazing that in the slow economy that we have, there are still very, very few businesses that put the customer first.:confused:
 

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