MONTANA TRACTORS

[Muhammad]

Just as a reminder to all participants in this thread:

TBN does not allow defamatory statements or "bashing" against a company or dealer. It's not fair to the companies or dealers who may not be present on the forums to defend the accusations. As readers, we have no way to verify the information posted.

In cases like these, helpful discussions focused on solving problems tend to produce the best results for everybody.

We will soon have a new section that allows for a more structured place to rate your experience with your tractor, addressing things like build quality, reliability and dealer experience.

In the mean time, please refrain from using TBN as a complaint forum or spreading "ill will."

 

[redneckford]

Just as a reminder to all participants in this thread:

TBN does not allow defamatory statements or "bashing" against a company or dealer. It's not fair to the companies or dealers who may not be present on the forums to defend the accusations. As readers, we have no way to verify the information posted.

In cases like these, helpful discussions focused on solving problems tend to produce the best results for everybody.

We will soon have a new section that allows for a more structured place to rate your experience with your tractor, addressing things like build quality, reliability and dealer experience.

In the mean time, please refrain from using TBN as a complaint forum or spreading "ill will."

So how do we know if they a telling the truth if they are praising a product---Fair and Balanced----The Truth has to be Told---If not here some where--- Money talks and BS-----well go down the road!!!!

 

[ScottFarm]

I've had my 5740C for a little over a year. I love it. Just finished last cutting of hay today. Baled 21 rolls. I've put up close to 300 roles this year. I think this is a quality tractor. I like mine better than several other brands I've used Deere, Case, and Ford. Of these brands I liked all three, well maybe not the ford. So far Montana has proven to be a quality tractor.

 

[case1570]

Ok lets look at the facts. I asked you to prove me wrong. No one has!
I have a tractor that Montana said "we can and will support". Montanas words not mine. We have had these parts on order since July, with valid Montana dealers. I've gotten nothing! I also stated that the Montana tractor was a very good tractor, are you only hearing the bad. I also stated with no reservations the similarities that exist between Montana and farmtrac. Just facts. Prove me wrong. Are you a dealer who only wants people to post good things here. I need the parts and Montana has not gotten them. Prove me wrong. Crack pot? I have not called any names, I just want my parts. I have only stated facts here. You are name calling to discredit me when you can't disprove what I have stated.
PROVE ME WRONG!
Case

 

[Maka]

I don't need to Case but will make an offer down below. You are not a Montana owner, you are a FT dealer who is angry and clearly states you will cost Textron money. Hey, I don't blame you for being angry but come on, Montana did not do this to you.

Don't let your anger push you to potentially hurt another company who has absolutly nothing to do with any of that stuff. Montana has been a good company and supported their customers.

Lets look at it this way if Montana all of a sudden did pick up the support of some deadbeat company they just doubled or tripled their effort. You should be thanking Montana for their willingness to help you. You should be praising them for stepping up to the plate when they don't have to. You should go back to fighting the Farmtrac battle and not over making it look like Montana is the problem.

Why don't you PM me your name and location, dealer you are working with, the purchase order date and part numbers and I will see where things sit.

Maka

 

[redneckford]

Just fix the Darn Tractor----Thanks Guys you can work this out----But some personal has to be changed at that FINANCE COMPANY-----Just like on WALL STREET!!!! We need stand alone Finance companies in the equipment business----but we need them to be truthful and honest to ALL!!!!

 

[chh]

Why don't you PM me your name and location, dealer you are working with, the purchase order date and part numbers and I will see where things sit.

Maka

Well Case there is a deal you can't beat. Help with no strings.

 

[gemini5362]

Do you even own a Montana?

Maka

Maka, I own a montana I have posted on this thread and several others how much I like my montana and how good a piece of equipment it has been so far. I do however wonder about the dealer situation for Montana. I live an hours drive from Montana Headquarters in springdale. In the three years I have owned my Montana the three dealers within 100 miles of me have quit carrying Montana tractors. My dealer as I have said many times had a problem with honesty and for him to stop carrying them is no big suprise. He got out of the tractor buisness all together and now is selling used cars on his lot. Another local dealer was a machine shop that evidently had some space on their lot and started selling tractors. They were out of buisness before I had a chance to go check out their dealership. The third place that stopped selling Montana tractors is the one that worries me a bit. They are a big tractor and equipment dealership. They sell New Holland and there is a possibility that New Holland said something to them about it, but other New Holland dealerships locally are selling other brands of tractors besides New Holland. The dealership I am talking about is Williams Tractor in Fayetteville, Ar. One of the things that worries me about them dropping Montana is that they are only about 20 minutes from the Montana offices. They should have had a very desirable situation. Delivery fees should have been very very minimal. They could have one of their mechanics drive a truck home and stop by Montana on the way to work and pick up a tractor. Parts should have been a breeze. All they had to do was drive for 20 minutes to pick up any part they needed that Montana had in stock. Has Montana said anything to the dealers they have now about what is going on. I understand that CASE seems to have an ax to grind with Farmtrac and is making derogatory statements about Montana to do it. To be honest I am having trouble recommending buying a Montana to people I know simply because of doubts I have about how long they are going to have a dealer within a reasonable driving distance.

 

[Maka]

I'm not worried at all. Montana has great products and excellent service. I know of a NH dealer right now who is close to going belly up, a MF dealer who already closed one of two stores and a couple of Kubota dealers on the coast who are in difficult times.

Montana had some folks (sellers, dealers or whatever) that quite frankly needed to go. They are gone or on their way out. I believe this strenghtens the organization and will overall be great on the whole. Like an injection for an illness. You don't like it but you do it because the long term affects are good health.

No worries here.

Maka

 

[Tim C.]

I have typed and deleted over 10 different replies.

No matter how I worded them, I damaged the site, Montana, Farmtrac, their dealers, their customers, or others. As that was not my intention I deleted each and everyone in favor of these simple lines.....................

I applaud TBN for its interest in the quality and accuracy of the information posted here. I look forward to its editorial control in weeding out disinformation, slanderous comments, and other outrageous post toward companies and dealers.

Tim

 

[case1570]

The day Maka replied I was called and told I was 11 of 15 for the part. So I did not PM him. I thought I would give this dealer a week to come through. Today I have gotten the parts. I thank the dealer that was able to get them for me! I did not intend to defame anyone. As I stated the Montana tractors are very good tractors. I gave facts and my statements were based in fact and I intended my post more to inform other dealers(of all brands) to keep their eyes open. These tractors are all good but I believe the floor plan company forced us into a situation that has been nothing short of terrible. After I reread my post I can see how everyone read it different than I meant. I was not happy that it took 3 months to get a part and that anger came through in my post. I would like to thank Maka for offering to help even though he was upset, that my friends is the mark of a good dealer. Farmtrac dealers may have overloaded the Montana parts systems with their orders and that could be part of the problem with delays. I wish no ill will between farmtrac dealers and Montana dealers and if in my cause to inform other dealers I hurt someone I am sorry!
Case

 

[Tim C.]

Case, I don't see were you need to say "sorry" about this.

After the beating Farmtrac dealers took, one could only assume that all brands should receive the same consideration. Now we all know the policy and should expect it to be applied without preference to one brand or the other.

Tim

 

[redneckford]

I'm not worried at all. Montana has great products and excellent service.
No worries here.

Maka

I think Uncle Don was a Long dealer at one time and knew Bill Long personally!!! I'm pretty sure he knew J B Hunt also?? They made a business decision to stop handling those tractors---I would imagine that alot of things went into that decision---the level of uncertainty in the tractor business as a whole will make many dealers look at their hole cards. Mr. Carl just got on and airplane and left with a million dollars one time----He was tired of fighting all the corporate BS---Maka do not make that statement of no worries here!!! without full knowledge of the situation---You only know what you are being told----just like the rest of us---I do not want to start a panic nor do I want the customers to remain uninformed----Just like in the Banking business there will be alot of changes in the Tractor business in the next 5-10 years just like it was the last 5-10 years---Some Dealers and MFG need to be honest with the public---CHANGE WILL OCCUR!!!-----Look what happened to International, Ford,Oliver, White etc----No one is to big to fell---Ask Lehman Bros. We can only do the best we can---with what we have to do with--- no more no less!

 

[case1570]

I stand by the facts. I did not lie. Just trying to inform.
Case

 

[Maka]

Case, I am glad you got the parts. We have Montana to thank for this as well as the local dealer. If you meant it other than I took it then your explanation of that is sufficient.

Again, I am sorry for all the FT people who have had a struggle and sympathize for you.

If you need help I am happy to help you in the future, just let me know what I can do.

Maka

 

[redneckford]

I stand by the facts. I did not lie. Just trying to inform.
Case

Case as you well know some "Marketing People" can't stand the Facts---resembles the truth----But without a good marketing department all businesses will fail----some just do it more honest than others!!!! Glad the tractor is fixed and the customer is happy!!! Hope you loaned him/her that good dog you have while they were waiting?

 

[gemini5362]

I'm not worried at all. Montana has great products and excellent service. I know of a NH dealer right now who is close to going belly up, a MF dealer who already closed one of two stores and a couple of Kubota dealers on the coast who are in difficult times.

Montana had some folks (sellers, dealers or whatever) that quite frankly needed to go. They are gone or on their way out. I believe this strenghtens the organization and will overall be great on the whole. Like an injection for an illness. You don't like it but you do it because the long term affects are good health.

No worries here.

Maka

Maka thank you for the reasurance. I have owned my montana for three years. I think it is a great tractor. In the three years that I have owned it the dealer I bought it from has quit selling tractors, One new dealer lasted for a few months and what I have said before should be the perfect opportunity for a dealer has now dropped the montana line. There is now a 4th dealer that has started selling montana's The turn over in dealers is a little worrisome. I agree that there are some dealers that need to be gotten out of the mix but a tractor is a sizeable investment and if someone is looking at montana's they need to be somewhat sure of having a place for service. I understand that other dealerships are going under also but from a purely service point in my area, I would have no doubt that I could get a new holland or john deere or kubota worked on for a considerable length of time in the future. Montana does have a problem with their website that I noticed. if you go to look for a dealer it shows you the district. You click on your district and that only shows you dealers in that district. In my case district 8 and 9 border each other. When I call up district 8 it shows one dealer within driving distance. When I look at district nine it shows 4 or 5 dealers within reasonable driving distance. The web site should ask for your zip code and then show you all the dealers within a circle of your zip code not just the ones in your district.

 

[SESS]

All dealers of every brand need to listen to the words that the Farmtrac dealers have told. The words are nothing but 100% truth. We dealers had been told and believed that Farmtrac was a viable company and saw with our own eyes that things "seemed" good-then January 18, 2008 came along, the Farmtrac of North America doors closed, millions of dollars went missing and well we all know the rest of the story. What Case has been trying to say-is beware, look, listen, investigate-things are not always what they seem. Not just with the distributor but with the manufacturer, floor plan company, financing company, etc-it is all part of the big picture!!!!!! There is so much fine print in agreements for a reason, to cover the big guys behinds. If your gut does not feel right-there is a reason and listen to your gut! Montana has alot of very common threads with Farmtrac and we are trying to educate everyone. We Farmtrac dealers can say sincerely-we do not want anyone else to go through what we have experienced this year!!!! Failure can happen to everyone, but being informed as to a situation already experienced by a friend, can only help in the long run. Thank you.

 

[redneckford]

One major difference SESS----FarmTrac didn't have J B Hunt---his money--and his FRIENDS----There are still alot of issues that are disturbing----all is not right!!!!! There will be some more consolidation!!!

 

[gemini5362]

Maka did Montana open up the factory they were going to build somewhere besides springdale. I think it was North Carolina or somewhere like that. I noticed the inventory at headquarters was quite a bit lower than I have ever seen it when I drove by it the other day.