"Yeah, we used to sell those".

[GManBart]

As well as John Deere is doing (and Green tractors all over that county for generations) I just never expected that dealer to go out of the John Deere business.

For a number of years now, Deere has consistently been forcing the locally owned dealers out of business in favor of mega chains.....just the way it is. The way it's been described is that they can sell to the mega chain but still manage the dealership, sell the dealership outright, or close shop entirely. Many of the dealers like the one you describe simply refuse to go that route and close shop....sad, but true.

I won't suggest Deere doesn't make good machines, but the fact that they are the most expensive for any given size/power, and the way they've treated the family businesses is enough to make me take my money elsewhere.

We've also seen that Deere's strategy kills most chances to haggle for a better price because any dealer within a reasonable range is controlled by the same company and they have their prices set centrally. It's a mini-monopoly of sorts....

 

[KiwiBro]

I won't suggest Deere doesn't make good machines, but the fact that they are the most expensive for any given size/power, and the way they've treated the family businesses is enough to make me take my money elsewhere.

Part of our Antipodean disposition is to generally stand up for the little guy, the Aussie or Kiwi battler. Stand-over tactics by big corporates is abhorrent to many of us. I own a number of Stihl saws and almost exclusively use Stihl chain. Absolutely zero, nada, zip, nilch of it was bought from a Stihl NZ dealer because Stihl here bullied a store here who was parallel importing (perfectly legal to parallel import here) and they had to cease and desist selling Stihl gear or get sucked into a costly legal battle. That annoyed me to the point I will never buy a single Stihl product that goes through Stihl NZ here, for the rest of my life.

 

[forestcreature1]

NH dealers around here carry Mahidra for 'non-ag' machines.

 

[kneedeep]

In the farming industry, big corporations buy or lease thousands of acres hundreds of miles apart. Equipment is leased every year and a Planting crew will travel from farm to farm plowing, planting and harvesting, when that's done- everything back to dealer.
I know a Manager of one of these operations. He has 6 men, 4 BIG tractors with BIG tillage and planting equipment for each, 4 Highboy sprayers, 4 combines, 4 grain buggys, etc. They get new equipment from JD corporate (best lease terms) every year and travel farm to farm working. This crew farms almost 60,000 acres in 3 states along the MS River Delta. When service is required, local JD has to provide parts/labor 7 days a week. when they finish with a implement, it is dropped off at local dealer for corporate to pickup, recondition and resell next year. Hard to make money when that kind of corporate priority business is mandatory.

I can get parts for my Mahindra at any dealer. Most have a parts breakdown on their website for part numbers. I bought filters and small parts from different dealers and the cost is comparable with shipping being the difference. Local dealers around here seem to come and go. Nobody wants to build a business- looking to get rich I guess. I can find anything I need on line including tractors and equipment.

:confused3: