Never buy another Kubota

[ultrarunner]

I own various equipment primarily for my own use...

I really can't complain about any brand that I have.

It has been a little more of a challenge with Kubota simply because there are no longer any local Dealers... I ordered my last service supplies from Neil because I just didn't want to make a 120 mile round trip...

Some know I bought a used CAT D3 from my Deere Commercial Dealer and I use Peterson Tractor for parts...

I have never been treated so well for buying so little as I have at Peterson CAT. When I come in for a filter or need a hose... it's there or made while I wait... amazing how my local Dealer will have everything I need for a 30 year old machine.

Last summer, I was in the middle of a weed abatement job for family and had a hose go... called my Dealer and they made a new hose, had it on the counter for me an hour later with just my name...

Can't say whether it's the Dealer or the Brand... just saying Customer Service Varies.

 

[Coyote machine]

Here's 'de facts!:thumbsup:
OP bought from a distant dealer. Tractor seal went out. Op wanted to vent his frustration about the now local dealer(s) where he's moved closer to because he was not getting response he hoped for from one he took the tractor to for repair. He called rep, who told him to move to another local dealer. Op eventually decided to deal with an independent mechanic- HIS personal choice. Outcome yet to be determined.
Fact is: reality bites and some win and some loose. Is Kubota a bad company? No. Is there a lame dealership service dept out there? Possibly. It's all subjective, argument-able and mostly a waste of all our time to continue going on about this issue, which is being solved regardless of what we do or posture about.
Case Closed. Move on.
CM out.

 

[dodge man]

Coyote, look on the bright side, this didn't turn into an agrument on whats better R1's or R4's.

 

[PapaPerk]

Here's 'de facts!:thumbsup:
OP bought from a distant dealer. Tractor seal went out. Op wanted to vent his frustration about the now local dealer(s) where he's moved closer to because he was not getting response he hoped for from one he took the tractor to for repair. He called rep, who told him to move to another local dealer. Op eventually decided to deal with an independent mechanic- HIS personal choice. Outcome yet to be determined.
Fact is: reality bites and some win and some loose. Is Kubota a bad company? No. Is there a lame dealership service dept out there? Possibly. It's all subjective, argument-able and mostly a waste of all our time to continue going on about this issue, which is being solved regardless of what we do or posture about.
Case Closed. Move on.
CM out.

Amen brother!

 

[taborekle]

All this just really makes me happy about my local Kubota dealer, Hugh Guardiner and Son in LaPlata Md. Great Dealer.

I agree that a month is to long. While the op didn't take his tractor to the dealer to get-in-line, the dealer certainly should have pickup and dropoff service (at charge) to remedy that situation. I wouldn't think there's a tractor service operation in the country that can't retrieve a inoperative tractor and take it to their shop and return it afterwards.

It's unfortunate that the dealer got busy with 'business customers', and I understand how they should get -some- priority, but it can't be to the complete exclusion of their other customers. That's basically denial of warranty in this case.

Since many posts in this thread have indicated the trivial nature of the repair, I can't help but wonder if that was factored in by the dealer, "Hum, I'm going to make about $6 on this...", which is not good. Dealers (as we have seen in this thread), trade in not just time, parts and money on a repair, they also trade in good will and reputation. I think it's time that the OP sent a nicely worded letter to the regional rep and CC'd the owner of this dealership to remind them of that.

 

[Coyote machine]

Amen brother!

Ah yes, brilliant minds think alike!:laughing::thumbsup::thumbsup:

:
dodge man
Re: Never buy another Kubota
Coyote, look on the bright side, this didn't turn into an agrument on whats better R1's or R4's.

I could deal with that one! But a 'Which is better color orange' might not be so friendly:laughing:

 

[teg]

...the dealer certainly should have pickup and dropoff service (at charge) to remedy that situation...

I saw the dead horse's leg move... let beat him some more...

I don't think the (now) local dealer is going to try and do anything for him. I think the dealer is holding a grudge for not buying from him (although it sounds like the dealer was asking full price - or more:shocked

Does he have the right to refuse service? I don't know... it's his business :2cents:

 

[Pete6114]

I guess I am just an old German, but, why is the PTO seal leaking, that would concern me allot. More than the dealer issue. Was it a poor design, poor materials, improper assembly, doesn't give a warm fuzzy for Kubota.

HS

Wie gehts

 

[Pete6114]

I saw the dead horse's leg move... let beat him some more...

I don't think the (now) local dealer is going to try and do anything for him. I think the dealer is holding a grudge for not buying from him (although it sounds like the dealer was asking full price - or more:shocked

Does he have the right to refuse service? I don't know... it's his business :2cents:

One thing is apparent ....the local dealer pretty well made sure he's not going to sell anything to the OP. Not to mention his reputation may suffer too. Not a wise move.

 

[chopped]

ive had several tractors have seals go bad right off the bat and my dealer actually sent a truck to get it to fix it. I thought that was normal . He has since sold out to the big boys. So I dont get that service anymore.. Smaller is better for me

 

[Pete6114]

When i bought my L3240, a year ago...i went with a dealer further away, simply because of his reputation. May not have been the best price but i am taken care of . Didn't even get a price from the closer dealer. I will ask him sometime how he handles customers that purchased elsewhere....see what he has to say...got me curious now...

 

[sunnyside360]

Just curious if anyone has bought a new Kubota in recent months and received a survey from Kubota. I received a survey from KTC just yesterday for a new Kubota ZD331-72 purchased about 6 weeks ago. The survey asked primarily about the dealership so maybe Kubota is putting pressure on their dealers to improve and/or weed out problems. Just a thought.

 

[bigbull338]

i got the surveys a few weeks ago,but keep forgetting to fill them out an send them in.

 

[Pete6114]

I got the survey and send it back

 

[ultrarunner]

Surveys affect the bottom line with companies like BMW.

Favorable ratings translate into favorable allotments and incentives for the Dealership and sometimes to individuals... service manager and sales person.

The only downside is sometimes it is possible for a customer to get "Black Listed" not supposed to work this way and doesn't on warranty work...

 

[ModMech]

The issue, as far as I can tell, that the OP is most concerned with is that one dealer did not feel that it was necessary to assist this KTC Customer with a warrantable repair. At the very least, they did not respond with a transport cost estimate as they promised to do.

Folks, the facts are: Dealers are NOT FACTORY SOTRES, they are independant businesses and run by what is called "Dealer Principals", some have General Managers, many do not. The Factory has few tools and none are terribaly effective, to get any dealer to do any thing unless the dealer WANTS to.

The other facts are, a brand is only as good as it's weakest dealer, it is in NO ONEs best interest to allow poor dealers to remain in business. Poor performance of a single dealer in an area can take the market share for ALL area dealers down. The factory is in the business of SELLING, the dealer's are in the PARTS and SERVICE business. Anyone can sell to a customer once, but the SERVICE the customer gets, or does not, will make or break any future sales opportunities.

When every dealer figures out that putting their customers ahead of another dealers brand customers only hurts the BRAND, KTC might make some progress. Every OEM deals with this problem and it is a HUGE problem for the industry.

When shops are busy, all you can do is BE HONEST about the repair time and whatever you do, NEVER make a promise you cannot keep.

Most franchise agreements REQUIRE every dealer to perform warranty work when presented with it, but none require the dealer to take repairs in the order they arrived. Often dealers who are myopic in nature, place THEIR customers ahead of every other customer regardless of cause or good reason. This hurts the BRAND and no manufacturer wants their brand image damaged by this foolishness.

 

[Pete6114]

The issue, as far as I can tell, that the OP is most concerned with is that one dealer did not feel that it was necessary to assist this KTC Customer with a warrantable repair. At the very least, they did not respond with a transport cost estimate as they promised to do.

Folks, the facts are: Dealers are NOT FACTORY SOTRES, they are independant businesses and run by what is called "Dealer Principals", some have General Managers, many do not. The Factory has few tools and none are terribaly effective, to get any dealer to do any thing unless the dealer WANTS to.

The other facts are, a brand is only as good as it's weakest dealer, it is in NO ONEs best interest to allow poor dealers to remain in business. Poor performance of a single dealer in an area can take the market share for ALL area dealers down. The factory is in the business of SELLING, the dealer's are in the PARTS and SERVICE business. Anyone can sell to a customer once, but the SERVICE the customer gets, or does not, will make or break any future sales opportunities.

When every dealer figures out that putting their customers ahead of another dealers brand customers only hurts the BRAND, KTC might make some progress. Every OEM deals with this problem and it is a HUGE problem for the industry.

When shops are busy, all you can do is BE HONEST about the repair time and whatever you do, NEVER make a promise you cannot keep.

Most franchise agreements REQUIRE every dealer to perform warranty work when presented with it, but none require the dealer to take repairs in the order they arrived. Often dealers who are myopic in nature, place THEIR customers ahead of every other customer regardless of cause or good reason. This hurts the BRAND and no manufacturer wants their brand image damaged by this foolishness.

Well said.

 

[sunnyside360]

The factory is in the business of SELLING, the dealer's are in the PARTS and SERVICE business. Anyone can sell to a customer once, but the SERVICE the customer gets, or does not, will make or break any future sales opportunities.

I agree 110%. The most successful local tractor dealer (John Deere) is the biggest and best because of their parts and service department. They are well staffed with the best technical people and always work with a sense of urgency in getting parts and/or servicing equipment. Additionally, they are the only tractor dealer I know of that has vans to service equipment onsite. I can't say all the above about other green, red, orange and blue dealerships in the area.

 

[Turbys_1700]

I've read the entire post from beginning to end...

This one is entirely on the dealer not supporting his customer and getting Kubota into the act...

My dad sold for a dealer here in NC for over 30 years...

I'm not saying that they were perfect, but I know one gentleman that purchased a used tractor from them that had no warranty...

The unit had several thousand hours on it...

They took it in on trade and was told that the tractor was a good unit and used no oil...

When the purchaser started using the tractor, oil consumption was high...

The dealer rebuilt the engine and supplied the labor free of charge and only charged wholesale on the parts for the rebuild...

I know that in this instance the dealer went out of his way to make it right...

That dealer is no longer in business...

But that business was one of the longest running businesses in the county with their history dating back 150 years beginning in the mule trading days...

With this type of service, I can see why they stayed in business so long...

With the type of service your dealer is giving you, I can see a much shorter life span...

 

[houstonscott]

I would agree, after months of sitting of a dealer lot, all the seals would be dry, especially the PTO seal. Many because it never gets used on the lot, so they dry out and fail. Good dealers should have a schedule to exercise all the tractors on the lot monthly to ensure all the seals are kept lubed and including running the PTO.

HS