Trouble in Texas

[wfphay]

About 6 months ago I bought a 5720 with cab and FEL. Since buying the tractor the dealer has dropped out of the Montana line and no longer carries them or services them. I checked with another dealer closer to home about some warranty repair work. I took it to his dealership for repair (AC and Power steering noise). One week later he called me and told me that he was puling out of the Montana line and would not service my tractor. He stated the reason he was pulling out was that the company was not reimbursing him for previous warranty repair. I checked with the next nearest dealer (2 + hours away). He said did not do major service work, but would send my tractor back to Ark. for repair. I asked who would pay for shipping he said he did not know. I asked about a loaner tractor while mine was away for repair, he said "I don't know."

I'm pretty fed up at this point. I think the little tractor is a fairly good tractor. but if you cannot even get warranty work done, what good is it? Also if dealers are pulling out because of lack of company support, what good is the tractor? If the company will not stand behind the product, I would have been better off not buying the tractor at all.

Any help or suggestions out there???

Dan

 

[Unclebuck257]

Where in Texas are you?

I've had absolutely no trouble at all with either warranty work or getting my dealer to take care of what minor problems I had at first with my 5740C. I haven't really had much at all wrong with my Montana tractor either!

If I'm not mistaken, haven't you continually stated that you've had this or that problem with your Montana? To be real honest with you, you actually seemed to have been negative on Montanas from the beginning of your posting about them in here. I've got to wonder why. It's not just what you're saying either, but the way in which you say it too.

 

[wfphay]

I am SE of Dallas. I bought the tractor from a dealer in McKenny, He has pulled out of Montana. I attempted to have the tractor serviced in Mabank, he has pulled out of Montana. I am currently working with the dealer in Sulfur Springs. I am not negative about the tractor. It seems like it is a good tractor. Its had a few problems, those are to be expected. I am runing into dealer support. I have been in large scale farming most of my life 2000 - 4000AC+ acres. I have run everything from 27 hp Fords to 8600 series JD's (Case MF, Cat and Kubota also) have not had company support problems ever, till now. I like the tractor, I'm not so sure about the company.

 

[Unclebuck257]

Try giving Cody a call at A-Tractor Shop in Springtown, Texas. Cody is the owner and is definitely a good man who knows tractors well. I bought my Montana from him and he's ALWAYS done right by me. I even had my neighbor buy a new Montana 5740C from him last year because I thought so much of him and Montanas. His Phone# is 817-221-1188.

Springtown is just west of Ft Worth and shouldn't take you that long to get there from your place, using the interstates.

Hope this helps.

 

[KrumpsBrother]

My local Central Texas dealer just pulled the plug on Montana also. Seems corporate was difficult to deal with from what I gathered. They sold a lot of Montanas last year.

KB

 

[Texasgreen]

wfphay

I had my tractor sent back to Ark. for a transmission issue. Montana took care of all of it. My dealer picked up my tractor and had Montana pick it up here in Baytown, TX to take to Ark. for repairs. It took Montana about three weeks to fix the problem in the transmission and return it to me at no cost to me. I did talk to my dealer about Montana and, after talking to them about how Montana is doing things. Well, lets just say that I have a good running 4940C with 113 hrs on it up for sale at this time. I'm selling it because of how Montana is running things now. I did visit my JD and Kubota dealers and they LOL at me and said "see you did come back to us". Only time will tell if Montana will make it.

 

[ahvatsa]

I finalized a deal last weekend on a M6040 (orange). I really wanted the 5740c and 4-5k in my pocket, but there are a couple of so. Tx. dealers who have also pulled out. The dealer I was dealing with had ONLY aged inventory. I wanted to compare apples to apples so the orange dealer had a 200cu" 6040 brought in for my wife and I to drive and compare. Truely though, IMHO, it was no contest. Had the dealer offered me the 5740c 27.5-28k instead of 29 and change (on the first visit) I would have bought it 10 days ago. Not trying to cause waves here! Just my experience.

 

[JoeinTX]

I'm all a fan of the little guys and short-lines, but, I wonder if Montana isn't facing some of the same problems that the others of the past have......Belarus, Zetor, Zebra, etc.


Montana came on strong over the last couple of years, but, this year especially it seems they are losing more dealers than gaining and having trouble getting the basic product to the customer and servicing it.

 

[Woodbeef]

Lately Montana has been handed a bit of a raw deal from their major tractor supplier LS. You can now get the very same LS tractors and loaders in three different colors. Montana Green,Landini Blue or McCormick Red. This along with the other clones from TYM and Farmtrac that they have always competed against. Being a pure tractor reseller is always hard on it's own,add in the aged inventory,death of JB,Arkansas Lawsuit,growing pains,etc.......

 

[Maka]

OK guys, I have stayed out of this but have to address some of the things posted here. Montana has had growth that is phenominal over the last few years. With this type of growth comes "growing pains" and yes, Montana has had some growing pains. We, as a dealer have been with them form the beginning. This was before they had any finance programs wholesale or retail, when there was only a hand full of dealers.

In this time we have seen tremendous and exciting things happen.

At the Jan. dealer meeting Montana upper management stressed to us dealers adding new dealers was now something they wanted to control and they wanted to focus more on building with the dealer network that exists and offer the best service available to them.

With this early growth Montana did get some dealers who really were not good for Montana. Yes, some were in Texas and some of those were really just trying to sell over the web, offer little service if any and some are now moving on.

I have sold 100's of Montana tractors, all in my service area and very rarely have any problems. We don't sell on the internet or ship around the country and if we have a customer with a warranty need we pick it up, fix it and return it free of charge.

Montana has always gotten us what we need and we appreciate the effort they put forth. Are they perfect? No, but they do a good job overall.

As for the person who Montana picked up his tractor all expenses and fixed it I say great for Montana and let that be a testament to their willingness to take care of their customers. I recall not a to long ago someone with a 4540 blew his engine after changing his oil and not tightening his drain plug. What did Montana do when his dealer took to long to rebuild? They sent a new engine and warrantied it (I would not have). Wow, customer service above and beyond.

I feel for you guys who have some dealers who basically are not capable but I think they will be weeded out soon.

Thanks,
Maka