Trouble in Texas

gemini5362 · May 24, 2007

I agree with Maka. When I have dealt with Montana directly I have had nothing but good experiences. I bought my tractor from one of the dealerships that he talks about. They basically want to sell tractors and not worry about the customer after. At one time my dealer had several dozen tractors on his lot and had them right at the front of it. I went by there this week and noticed that I did not see one Montana out front. He might have them somewhere back in the back but I did not see them. If Montana is weeding out some of their dealers like Maka suggests I think it will be better for the brand in the long run.

JoeinTX · May 25, 2007

Nothing against Montana at all here. Like I said, Montana has made a lot of progress and it would be nice to see them stick as a routine player in the future.

But, like most start-ups, it seems that they may have signed-on a lot of marginal retailers initially to get the product out there for the buyer to see. Now, after a few years of having some of these dealers with limits, they are tightening up the guidelines and trying to weed the wheat from the chaff. Nothing wrong here either, it's business, but that will mean that some people will see their local "mom and pop" yard where they bought their rig now get shuddered. Hey, it's the same scenario that's going on with the major players like JD, CNH, AGCO, and so on.

J.B. Hunt built a profitable business not by running trucks all over the place all of the time for any reason for anybody. There were procedures to follow, hubs, and balance sheets. The same applies for the tractor business.

montanaman · May 25, 2007

This is my take on the situation.

I would have never taken on the Montana line if I was not able to repair tractors. I would have never taken on the Stihl line if I was not able to repair saws and trimmers. I would have never taken on Dixie Chopper if I wasn't able to repair mowers.

I have lost sales to dealers that give their inventory away because they do not understand the costs of running a business and they will not be there after the sale to provide any help at all. This in NOT just a Montana thing!

There are tractor buying guides out there and they ALWAYS stress to buyers to carefully check the service department. You have to dig deep when doing this because a clean shop may look good but it's no help at all if there is no one there that can fix things. My service area is not on site and that is something that I struggle with because some folks will assume that I don't do service. Most of my education and experience has been in diesel repair, hydraulics, welding, and machining and I honestly don't think there is a better person in my area to repair a tractor but some customers are so price driven that they will buy five states away to save a few hundred bucks rather that buying from a dealer who is in this for the long haul and who can exceed their service expectations.

I feel for anyone who bought a tractor and are faced with a dealer no longer selling them but that is a dealer problem, not a Montana problem. We have a shop in my area that sells a different brand every year and believe me, I have talked to folks who won't shop there because of future service worries.

When my first retailed Montana was delivered, that was the point of no return for me because I was obligated to both Montana and that customer.

People just don't think that way too often these days and as a result, there are Montana owners with service issues. It sure would have been best for everyone, me included, if these dealers never had the tractors because they let down their customers and they sure didn't help the hard working dealers who are here to stay.

Ken

Egon · May 25, 2007

Code:

I feel for anyone who bought a tractor and are faced with a dealer no longer selling them but that is a dealer problem, not a Montana problem.

I'm a little slow in understanding this statement. Are not the Dealers representatives of Montana?

montanaman · May 26, 2007

Egon said:
Code:

I feel for anyone who bought a tractor and are faced with a dealer no longer selling them but that is a dealer problem, not a Montana problem.

I'm a little slow in understanding this statement. Are not the Dealers representatives of Montana?

Yes and no. The problem is that the dealers do represent Montana but they are independant businesses. Montana has a say in part of what a dealer can and can't do and they are making an effort to weed out dealers that are not holding their end of the deal. Part of the reason that a dealer like me likes Montana is that I get a lot of freedom that a JD dealer will never have but it is up to me to represent Montana as well as I can. I have no problem with this because it is in my best interest to treat my customers the way they should be treated.

I guess my main point is that if a dealer can not repair tractors, they have no business being a dealer in the first place.

I also get paid for the warranty work that I do and I get the parts that I need when I order them so I think some dealers are using some excuses to help cover up for their lack of service.

When I said it is a dealer problem and not a Montana problem, I should have been more clear. It is a problem with dealers not representing Montana the way they should but this doesn't only happen with Montana! As a dealer, I don't like to read this stuff because I have a great relationship with Montana and I get any help from them that I need. I also properly represent their products and back my sales with good service.

Ken

wfphay · May 26, 2007

I am quite sure there are good dealers out there that stand behind their product sales, service and parts. My hat is off to each of you. I appreciate what you are doing. In the meantime what are those of us to do who, in part bought into Montana because of local service, but now the service is gone? I spent $120.00 today on fuel to haul my tractor 2 hours away to find a Montana service shop (the closest one to me). The owner, Robert was great. He was very helpful and knowledgeable. However, I still spent $ on the fuel and the time to get there for WARRANTY WORK that should not have cost me a dime. I can do the work myself, but I shouldn't have to. I am not "down"
on Montana, I'm not complaining. I am just not use to spending my own money for warranty work.

Any suggestions???

n_willus · May 27, 2007

I have heard this story before, Just replace Montana with AgraCat. Its the same thing they did to people and dealers a few years ago under the agracat brand. Look who was left holding the bag then, not your friendly Agracat/Montana people up in Arkansas. I think this time they are looking for a buy-out rather than a bankruptcy

Unclebuck257 · May 27, 2007

wfphay said:
I am quite sure there are good dealers out there that stand behind their product sales, service and parts. My hat is off to each of you. I appreciate what you are doing. In the meantime what are those of us to do who, in part bought into Montana because of local service, but now the service is gone? I spent $120.00 today on fuel to haul my tractor 2 hours away to find a Montana service shop (the closest one to me). The owner, Robert was great. He was very helpful and knowledgeable. However, I still spent $ on the fuel and the time to get there for WARRANTY WORK that should not have cost me a dime. I can do the work myself, but I shouldn't have to. I am not "down"
on Montana, I'm not complaining. I am just not use to spending my own money for warranty work.

Any suggestions???

Unfortunately, the fact that you spent money on (expensive) fuel and your own time to take the tractor to another Montana dealer, isn't Montana's fault, in my opinion. After owning my Montana 60 days, the trips to the dealer for warranty work were basically, "on me". I have a choice, I can do what you did and trailer it there myself, or I can pay the dealer a fee (2 ways) to come and get it and then bring it back to me when the free warranty work is completed. I don't think using this as a complaint against Montana is quite fair on your part. I don't know of any other manufacturer's dealer that picks up and delivers either, and it's cetainly not a freeby if they do, beyond a certain point in time from the initial purchase date.

Be glad that you found a good dealer to handle your warranty work and go on. My dealer is one hour away from me, and has been from day one.

wfphay · May 27, 2007

I don't know what kind of farming you have been doing nor for how long. I have been it most of my life and have run all of the major brands. If I needed warranty service they would come and get the tractor or send a service tech at no charge. A local dealer even provides a loaner tractor while the customer has service work on his. This is just plain customer support. I have not found that with Montana in my area. Sure it cost the dealer something, it is not a "freebe" but it should cost the dealer, not the customer. Montana, like the others do, should back up their local dealers and reimburse them for anything they spend supporting the customer for warranty work. Montana was agressive in their sales, to stay in it for the long run, they are going to have to be just as agressive in customer support.

gemini5362 · May 27, 2007

I went by my dealer today and looked at his lot. A month ago he had at least 50 montanas today he has just one and I think it was a used one at that. I am wondering if he lost his dealership from Montana. Wen I bought my tractor a year ago he told me he was installing a service center and he never installed anything. The only parts he had for montanas was filters. I just checked the montana website and he is no longer listed as a dealer. I hope that Montanaman and some of the other dealers are right and that Montana is getting enough name recognition that they are starting to look at each individual dealer and see if they are the kind of dealer they want representing their brand. Even though my dealer is gone I saw new dealers in the northern part of the state.