Never buy another Kubota

[Baldyonthehill]

This note is to vent some steam as well as warn anyone considering the purchase of a Kubota. When I went to take off the front snow blower, I discovered the seal around my mid PTO was leaking. No sweat, I thought, since the tractor is under warranty. How wrong I can be!

The local dealership has been blowing me off for over a month. I have called the western area service manager, Phil Ingram, numerous times but just to get his answering machine. The only time he was courteous enough to return a call, he told me to take the tractor to a dealership further away. By the time I paid to rent a trailer to haul the tractor to the other place and factoring in the fuel for my truck, I could have a local tractor maintenance shop repair my rig.

If Kubota won't force their dealerships to do warranty work then why should we support their product? I have liked my tractor and the only prior complaint I had was the super sensitive seat switch that won't let my wife drive the tractor most of the time.

Hopefully others haven't experienced this poor quality of service.

 

[johnrex62]

Sorry for your troubles. Can't say I have had anything like your experience. I have had no trouble getting quick response from my dealer, even when my needs make him no money of any kind, even warranty reimbursement. He has been very eager to talk to me and make followup visits to my place for adjustments after the sale.

I have to say he has provided more and better customer service than any vendor I have ever purchased a product from.

I guess the big problem you are having is that this country is still free to screw up your business any way you see fit and not even your brand can mess with that.

 

[arsenix2001]

This note is to vent some steam as well as warn anyone considering the purchase of a Kubota. When I went to take off the front snow blower, I discovered the seal around my mid PTO was leaking. No sweat, I thought, since the tractor is under warranty. How wrong I can be!

The local dealership has been blowing me off for over a month. I have called the western area service manager, Phil Ingram, numerous times but just to get his answering machine. The only time he was courteous enough to return a call, he told me to take the tractor to a dealership further away. By the time I paid to rent a trailer to haul the tractor to the other place and factoring in the fuel for my truck, I could have a local tractor maintenance shop repair my rig.

If Kubota won't force their dealerships to do warranty work then why should we support their product? I have liked my tractor and the only prior complaint I had was the super sensitive seat switch that won't let my wife drive the tractor most of the time.

Hopefully others haven't experienced this poor quality of service.

Wow really? Why are you going to bash kubota when its a dealer youre mad at? Dealers can treat people as bad as they want, and thier repercussions are possible loss of franchise and loss of business. Ktc has very little control over how they conduct themselves. Thats like badmouthing mcdonalds corporation because juan forgot to hold the mayo on your burger. Its quite common to have long waits during the summer season. My dealer had me waiting 6 weeks for a repair once because they were swamped, and i have spent over 250k with them. Whats my choice... Go somewhere else.

 

[Diamondpilot]

This is a dealer issue, plain and simple. And as far as the service manager character, Phil Ingram, he sounds just plain incompetent. I do not think this is a Kubota issue, its a personal issue.

I have been down this road with 2 trucks. Tale of 2 trucks.

Truck one was BRAND A. Blown motor, transfer case out, and broken drive shaft/rear springs all before 35,000 miles took 6 months and lawyers to get them to fix it both times under warranty. Blown motor @ 20,000 miles, ripped out transfer case, twisted off drive shaft/broken rear springs @ 35,000 miles. I gave that brand a second chance 14 years later with awful results again. Will never own another of that brand.

Truck two was BRAND B. 2 trannys replaced by 68,000 miles. AC compressor, power steering pump, 6 cooling fans, ect. Truck was junk but dealer was awesome and would probably buy again.

But for now I have 3 good trucks, 2 Fords and a Nissan so why bother. What I am point out here is how they deal with issues will help you through a bad experience. Poor service leaves you scared for life. It did me.

Chris

 

[JoeinTX]

Gotta agree with most of the above. Kubotas are good rigs. They've proven themselves. Your problem is with the dealer and/or regional management. Let's make this Phil Ingram guy famous. Light him up. What's his number? I'll pile on and overrun his voice-mail inbox.

 

[Coyote machine]

FWIW, my personal experience is if you're not able to get through to the local dealer then write a detailed letter of your complaint to the manufacturer's headquarters and tell them what you expect, and want and when. Then see what they do.
Letters they have to deal with, phone calls leave no record.
Good luck- don't give up.

 

[Baldyonthehill]

I would agree that this is a dealer issue IF the regional Kubota service manager did his job. I bought a Kubota because of their reputation and the reputation that a different dealership had that two of my friends had worked with. Unfortunately, I moved 400 miles away and the great dealership is out of the question.

Thanks for the advice on writing a letter as I'll certainly do that as well as contact the state Attorney General's office.

I reach the regional rep by calling 209-334-9910 and spelling his name on their directory. I do not have his extension number.

 

[Lightnsound]

I agree that it's a dealer issue and it stinks, but that's only one dealer. Don't lost faith in Kubota because of the dealer. My dealer is about 45 minutes away, but one of their guys lives five minutes from me. If I need something I just call the parts counter, pay over the phone with a credit card, and pick it up from the guy down the road that evening. There are good guys out there, just gotta find them.

 

[Uncle Wayne]

It really sucks when you don't get the service you need. Before you buy, it's just as important to research the dealers as it is the tractors. Sorry you're having so much trouble. Good luck getting it resolved.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Was this the same dealer that you purchased from? If not most give priority to local customers and commercial usually go to the top of the list during harvest time. Right now ours is swamped and the wait is a few weeks out. They have not even had the time to uncrate and prep new ones for the front line.

David Kb7uns

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Buy an expensive item from a FRANCHISED DEALER, which should be held to the standards of the corporation they represent....and it's EXPECTED that dealer will honor the warranty AS WAS SOLD TO THE BUYER at the time of purchase.

Supposedly, by the claims of thousands of Kubota owners, Kubota sells a complete package.....Product, warranty, service, and parts. Kubota and the dealer were willing to accept the buyers money, so they're RESPONSIBLE to deliver what they sold....1/4 of which is the warranty. Is Kubota/dealer willing to give back a chunk of the original purchase price? I doubt it.

Dealer won't honor warranty. In this case, the dealer IS "Kubota". Regardless of the fact that "Juan messed up the Big Mac", Kubota is the parent company. Kubota needs to step forward and deal with THEIR problem.

I've been down the same road with Woods, New Holland (when they were still "Ford") and with Chevrolet. Local dealer is allowed to sell products based on their products merits. That shouldn't give the dealer a right to back out of their OBLIGATIONS after they reaped the rewards of the product. And the parent company, while allowing their name to be on the dealers building, is responsible to hold dealers to a corporate standard.

Kubota EITHER has a good warranty, OR, they allow dealers to honor what they want, and NOT honor what they choose not to. I sure wouldn't be willing to pay for an open ended warranty that's only good at the whim of a dealership service writer.

A warranty that ISN'T honored, and the parent company is now aware of that fact WITHOUT willingly accepting their responsibility....they've dropped the ball and kicked it into the tall weeds....

 

[Monster5601]

When you buy a tractor you are buying the dealer's after sales support and if you don't do your research, what you are experiencing can happen.

A pivot pin on my backhoe bucket broke causing damage to the thumb, dipper stick, and bucket. My dealer order all new parts and had me up and running in no time. That is dealer support. He said that the pin should not have broken and nothing I did could have caused the pin to break, hence the support.

 

[arsenix2001]

Buy an expensive item from a FRANCHISED DEALER, which should be held to the standards of the corporation they represent....and it's EXPECTED that dealer will honor the warranty AS WAS SOLD TO THE BUYER at the time of purchase.

Supposedly, by the claims of thousands of Kubota owners, Kubota sells a complete package.....Product, warranty, service, and parts. Kubota and the dealer were willing to accept the buyers money, so they're RESPONSIBLE to deliver what they sold....1/4 of which is the warranty. Is Kubota/dealer willing to give back a chunk of the original purchase price? I doubt it.

Dealer won't honor warranty. In this case, the dealer IS "Kubota". Regardless of the fact that "Juan messed up the Big Mac", Kubota is the parent company. Kubota needs to step forward and deal with THEIR problem.

I've been down the same road with Woods, New Holland (when they were still "Ford") and with Chevrolet. Local dealer is allowed to sell products based on their products merits. That shouldn't give the dealer a right to back out of their OBLIGATIONS after they reaped the rewards of the product. And the parent company, while allowing their name to be on the dealers building, is responsible to hold dealers to a corporate standard.

Kubota EITHER has a good warranty, OR, they allow dealers to honor what they want, and NOT honor what they choose not to. I sure wouldn't be willing to pay for an open ended warranty that's only good at the whim of a dealership service writer.

A warranty that ISN'T honored, and the parent company is now aware of that fact WITHOUT willingly accepting their responsibility....they've dropped the ball and kicked it into the tall weeds....

Gotta disagree, at least for now.... Op never said they wouldnt honor warranty... He just said he kept getting blown off. This could mean alot of things. Never said what tractor it was, if he purchased at said dealer or not. It seems like the dealer is being a deadbeat or was just too busy and he was expecting kubota to force them to make his tractor a priority and that just aint gonna happen. The dealer can work on things in any way/order he sees fit (right or wrong). So kubota advised the quickest resolution and told him to take it elsewhere. So at this point the dealer dropped the ball. And who knows, maybe kubota is reviewing them, maybe they are in hot water... But it doesnt happen overnight. Should they have sent goons with baseball bats down to force his tractor in? Maybe they dont want to because its a $$$ selling dealer. Who knows, too little info to put blame on ktc. At this point this is a dealer fail.

 

[BlacknTan]

This points up the fact that when tractor shopping, one is not just shopping color and price, but also the dealer, service and parts dept, et al.

 

[Ken]

It would of been nice to mention where the seal was located and how much of a leak. Just weeping around the shaft or oil pouring out because of getting damaged by the snow blower hitting the seal when lifted. and taking a chunk of the seal out.
Sounds like he expected the dealer to drop all other work and jump on his tractor to repair.
Is the tractor able to function or side lined until getting repaired.
Said was being put off by dealer. was a repair order made up and submitted or just a phone call. to some unknown person that answered the phone.
If has to be repaired quickly. Drop the tractor off trailer in door way of the shop. Sit in the show room and loudly talk to all of the customers, parts man and any other person in area
about how your being ignored. You will get attention .
Smile and the world smiles back.
Snarl when you have to,might get better service.
ken

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Gotta disagree, at least for now.... Op never said they wouldnt honor warranty... He just said he kept getting blown off. This could mean alot of things. Never said what tractor it was, if he purchased at said dealer or not. It seems like the dealer is being a deadbeat or was just too busy and he was expecting kubota to force them to make his tractor a priority and that just aint gonna happen. The dealer can work on things in any way/order he sees fit (right or wrong). So kubota advised the quickest resolution and told him to take it elsewhere. So at this point the dealer dropped the ball. And who knows, maybe kubota is reviewing them, maybe they are in hot water... But it doesnt happen overnight. Should they have sent goons with baseball bats down to force his tractor in? Maybe they dont want to because its a $$$ selling dealer. Who knows, too little info to put blame on ktc. At this point this is a dealer fail.

You said it....DEALER failed. DEALER is direct representative of Kubota (as a franchised dealer) Therefore, KUBOTA dropped the ball right along side their PAID representative. The Kubota rep failed when he sent OP in another direction. The CUSTOMER shouldn't be left in the lurch while Kubota tries (unsuccessfully) to get their act together.

How long IS an appropriate time to sit and wait for everyone else to figure out they SOLD a warranty without condition of "wait until we decide if we want to do something or not".

Kubota didn't "advise the quickest resolution"....They suggested the route of least involvement on THEIR part. Again, NOTHING in any Kubota warranty I've ever seen says you have to haul your tractor all over the country to shop for a dealer who'll honor what Kubota has already collected money for... Otherwise, Kubota should be selling tractors with a warranty that plainly states they'll honor it if they want, or tell you to go somewhere else if they DON'T want to do what they've already collected money for.

After a miscommunication on the part of a John Deere dealer I trade with, I was made aware of the fact that Deere dealers are held to the corporate standards set forth from Deere inc, in regards to handling warranty claims. If Kubota wants to remain in consideration as a valid entity in the tractor market, they need to step up to the plate and do something other than tell the OP to "go somewhere else".

 

[TripleR]

Good grief, I had similar problems with a John Deere and would never have never advised against buying John Deere. I won't buy from the same dealer, but one tractor or one dealer are not "in my opinion" representative of all tractors or dealers of any brand.

 

[cdaigle430]

You said it....DEALER failed. DEALER is direct representative of Kubota (as a franchised dealer) Therefore, KUBOTA dropped the ball right along side their PAID representative. The Kubota rep failed when he sent OP in another direction. The CUSTOMER shouldn't be left in the lurch while Kubota tries (unsuccessfully) to get their act together.

How long IS an appropriate time to sit and wait for everyone else to figure out they SOLD a warranty without condition of "wait until we decide if we want to do something or not".

Kubota didn't "advise the quickest resolution"....They suggested the route of least involvement on THEIR part. Again, NOTHING in any Kubota warranty I've ever seen says you have to haul your tractor all over the country to shop for a dealer who'll honor what Kubota has already collected money for... Otherwise, Kubota should be selling tractors with a warranty that plainly states they'll honor it if they want, or tell you to go somewhere else if they DON'T want to do what they've already collected money for.

After a miscommunication on the part of a John Deere dealer I trade with, I was made aware of the fact that Deere dealers are held to the corporate standards set forth from Deere inc, in regards to handling warranty claims. If Kubota wants to remain in consideration as a valid entity in the tractor market, they need to step up to the plate and do something other than tell the OP to "go somewhere else".

I agree-dealers represent the manufacturer. If you bought this tractor from that dealer-the dealer must give you top priority within reason. I have had several issues with my little sub compact all under 40 hours but my dealer always took care of me even though they service CASE IH, Yammar, Cub Cadet and MF. The several problems I had with a brand new tractor were negated by the service from the dealer I bought it from.

At one point in time I even tried like **** to get the manufacturer to take the tractor back.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Good grief, I had similar problems with a John Deere and would never have never advised against buying John Deere. I won't buy from the same dealer, but one tractor or one dealer are not "in my opinion" representative of all tractors or dealers of any brand.

So who DOES represent Kubota? A New Holland dealer? And who does the Kubota dealer represent if NOT Kubota? (A; their competitors?) Their dealer network isn't responsible for ALL tractors....Just the brand(s) they sell. (or else they should PUBLICLY acknowledge BEFORE the sale the fact they don't plan on doing so)

I find it somewhat amusing the Kubota owners who've replied so far say it's OK for the parent company to allow dealers to decline warranty claims. Are you all that used to dealers telling you to go away when you have a problem?

The dealer refusing to man up ISN'T what would send me looking elsewhere....It's the KUBOTA employee who suggested going elsewhere who makes me question corporate protocol in a situation such as described.

The dealer drops the ball and then KUBOTA helps them hide it in the weeds....At any rate, the OP got NO help from the brand AFTER the brands FRANCHISEE provided no help. I wouldn't care if 99.99% of the remaining Kubota dealers invited me to their house for dinner....If I PAID for a warrantied tractor and then was refused service, followed by a brush off directly from the brand itself, I'd be looking at another color come next purchase. KUBOTA sold the warranty via a franchised dealer. It's their OBLIGATION to honor that warranty, and not through some exceptional method.

BTDT, and finished with New Holland as a direct result of a couple area dealers. It makes no difference whatsoever how well a NH dealer treats customers in another part of the world. If MINE is a terrible representative of the brand, I find another dealer. Then, If (when in my case) NH chooses to offer no assistance, I find another BRAND (and I did)

 

[Pete6114]

He has Warranty. Dealer service is not as it should be. Kubota has the obligation to honor it's warranty.

If that means a motivating call to the dealer or pickup the cost of getting the tractor to a further away dealer, so be it.

I don't blame the guy for being rightfully pissed.
Assuming there is a legit warranty issue and the dealer is being unreasonably difficult.
I have a good dealer...everything is well. But if i didn't, there are other brand choices