was the shipping painless?

[miles2go]

Aside from the cost, how painless was the shipping experience from VA to your home?

(Ever since having a family car shipped across country by a car transport service I'm leary of trucking services. My car-shipping experience was like combining the worst elements of dealing with used car dealers and van lines.)

 

[Phils]

Shipping was painless. WAITING was not.

PT specifies that it go to a loading dock. I have a client that owns a hardware store with a loading dock and he agreed that I could have it shipped there. When it arrived, they skipped the dock and loaded it directly to their stakebed delivery truck. I had expected to take it into my pickup from there but they insisted on taking it to my home, where I have a loading dock.

Of course, you may not give me much credibility. I spent almost a decade hauling cars, on a car carrier, cross-country for one of the major van lines.

Phil

 

[MossRoad]

Overall, I'd rate the delivery as a 4.9 out of 5. They said it would be there and it was. Couldn't ask for more. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Ours was shipped via OVERNIGHT trucking company. Some paint was rubbed off where the tie down straps were placed, but that happened to just about every body else's, too. Since the unit is made of plate steel, there is little they can actually damage. Heck, they could have beat it with a hammer and just chipped the paint! I called Power Trac and they shipped me some touchup paint about two days later. Here's a hint. If it is scuffed up a bit, just go to TSC and by some spray cans of gloss black and John Deere green. Almost perfect match and it is spray on, whereas the touchup paint from Power Trac was liquid.

The unit arrives with just fumes in the gas tank, as they are not allowed to ship it with fuel, so take a can of gas with you to the trucking company. They tell you this when you order, so it is not unexpected. I have to say that after reading here for about a year and seeing a unit in person before I ordered, I got exactly what I expected and was not dissapointed. I'd order another one if I needed it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[miles2go]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Of course, you may not give me much credibility. I spent almost a decade hauling cars, on a car carrier, cross-country for one of the major van lines.)</font>

Oops! [Removing my foot from mouth] Hope I haven't blown my invite to demo your PT. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Any idea how the PT is crated, tarped, or otherwise protected when shipped?

 

[Phils]

Nope, invite is still good as I don't do that anymore. Of course, my present job can make some people see red (others in my job, NOT ME).

The PT is driven on and off, and around the transfer terminals I have no doubt (thus the empty gas tanks at arrival). Implements are packed on pallets, as few as possible. My PT came with the brushhog attached and one pallet of the rest. Last fall I ordered the box blade and grapple bucket. They were on one pallet that we cut the bands on and then slid both into my waiting pickup.

Phil

 

[Carpenter]

No crate, tarp or anything else when mine was shipped.

My experience with Overnite was less than perfect. The shipping took several days longer than was promised (when I checked I found that my PT had sat on a dock in the Midwest for 3 days) and that it was unloaded and loaded several times. The result was most of the paint missing on the tub behind the right rear tire and a messed up throtle cable (I'm assuming from someone who didn't know what they were doing moving the PT) and an extra 3 days of waiting. You'd think for $1300 (1999) they could have at least been on time or not have damaged the shipment. I guess asking for both would be too much. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Fortunately I seem to be in the minority, so you'll probably do just fine, but when dealing with shipping you never know.

 

[DHS]

I picked mine up at an Overnite terminal. The PT and accessories were located inside the warehouse. I asked if they wanted to load it on my trailer. They said they did not know how to operate it and told me to load it but they would help with the pallet of equipment. Well, it was my first experience with the PT treadle. I tried to move slowly. I honestly did. As the PT moved faster I pressed harder on the opposite side of the treadle. That put it in reverse. At a rapid pace. After running into several immovable objects inside the warehouse I managed to drive it outside. Once outside in a large parking lot I became familiar enough with the controls to drive it on my trailer. It would not surprise me if Overnite no longer allows anyone to drive a PT inside their terminals. When I got home I noticed some scraped paint and the engine compartment cover was dented. I assume full responsibility.

Over all, it went well with no problems,

Dale

 

[pajoube]

Mine came on Overnight to the terminal. When I went to pick up it was sitting there with two pallets of attachments. Opened the pallet with the forks, drove up and attached the forks and then proceeded to load the pallets into the truck.
Everything went very smooth wiith no problems. Only had a few paint scraps.
PJ

 

[whiterabbit]

What about shipping costs?

I have come to the conclusion that a Power-Trac 1445/1460 is the best solution for my home building/maintenance needs on 20 acres mostly because I have very steep terrain CUTs can't handle. But I live in CA. Overnite is about $4500 for shipping from VA with implements. Even renting a Uhaul and driving myself is $4300 + 4 days travel with airfare/uhaualtruck/gas. This is alot of money to waste on shipping I could invest in another type of tractor locally, but locally I can't find anything that can handle slopes and handle general home maintenance tasks. Wish Power-Trac had a west coast distributor. I'd buy one today!

Anyone on the west coast find a way to make the PT shipping costs less painful?
Any suggestions for another type of tractor available in CA that handles slopes well? Anyone have a PT for sale on the west coast?

 

[tracdoc]

$4,500.!!?? Wow, that's quite a chunk of change, whiterabbit. It's really unfortunate that PT discontinued their dealer system. I think that they should at least have a shell enterprise west of the Rockies.

Anyhoo, not to steer you away from PT, but have you looked at the Ferrari line of tractors {HERE} ? They are sold in CA. They have a number of articulated models (like the Vipar AR) which were designed for hilly vineyard and orchard work. The Tigre 3100 is especially suited to steep terrain {HERE}

Another potential avenue (a bit on the edge, admittedly) is to become a dealer for the MultiOne line of articulated tractors. These are basically sophisticated PTs with more capabilities, more options, etc., etc. The East coast dealer is {HERE}. I personally think the MultiOnes are the bees knees.

Just a couple of thoughts to consider or dismiss. I still can't get over the price tag for shipping a 14445/1460 to the left coast. I guess when we retire to Mariposa, we'd better bring our PT with us.