Expectation for New Tractors

[concord maple]

Been looking and comparing tractor brands the last two months and the kubota, mahindra, and JD that I have looked at, all new, have been very dirty and showed surface rust from sitting on dealers lots for a month or two. So I decided to see which dealer would get me a newer one direct from the factory. Well it showed up this week and I looked at it today and was very disappointed. Maybe worst with dirt and mud in cab then the ones that have been sitting out for a few months. Is this how they all arive at the dealers. The dealer did say they wash, wax, touch up, and detail before delivery. Thanks.

 

[Grateful11]

Been looking and comparing tractor brands the last two months and the kubota, mahindra, and JD that I have looked at, all new, have been very dirty and showed surface rust from sitting on dealers lots for a month or two. So I decided to see which dealer would get me a newer one direct from the factory. Well it showed up this week and I looked at it today and was very disappointed. Maybe worst with dirt and mud in cab then the ones that have been sitting out for a few months. Is this how they all arive at the dealers. The dealer did say they wash, wax, touch up, and detail before delivery. Thanks.

Are you visiting large volume dealers or small? Our Kubota dealer had sold 106 tractors in 6 weeks when we were over there a few weeks ago so not much rust growing up on his stuff. To me a tractor dealership shouldn't be much different from a car dealership and little spit shine here there goes a long way as far selling something. Smaller Kubota's like our come crated up and bagged up and my wife picked out the one she wanted assembled just for her, he had 4 just alike crated up.

 

[concord maple]

All three dealers are big dealers. I am disappointed in that I waited for this new one to come in and it was this dirty and mud and dirt in the cab.

 

[Grateful11]

Is dealerships lot paved? My wife won't allow dirt and mud to build up on her tractors and some of them are old. Sure they get dirty when being used but they get cleaned off soon after. I'm like you I don't understand why a dealer would want cabs with mud and dirt in them.

 

[creekbend]

When I purchased my Kubota L4400, it came in a crate and I watched the entire assembly process. It was amazing to watch and I was impressed. One technician assembled the tractor, from beginning to end, in around 1 1/2 hours. There was no visible rust anywhere.

 

[Bluegill2]

My Kubota L3800 was clean as a whistle and no rust. Had 14 hours and sold as used. Didn't take me long to get it dirty though. :thumbsup:

 

[ddb123]

My L3540 had sat out on the lot for awhile before I bought it. Had 0.9 hours and a little rust on the 3pt hookups. No biggie, it was gonna get rust anyway.

 

[WilliamBos]

​Ask the dealer to clean the cab, and touch the paint up on it for you. No big deal.

 

[CTW]

I can understand the disappointment aspect of it, after all it is a new product and should be presented as such. Not to say a tractor is something that will stay clean for long after you buy it but a consumer may look at this as a reflection of the dealer. If they don't care enough to present a product better than that, what else are they carefree about, service perhaps? Yes, the mind tends to wonder and when you're slapping down the big bucks you want to know that the person you're buying from is top notch and willing to go the extra mile, whether it product presentation or service after the sale the consumer needs that confidence and reassurance. Same rule applies with anything else you buy.

I was down around the Texas/Mexico border a while back and stopped in at tractor dealers in Donna, McAllen and Mission. Dealers ranged from 10 units to well over 100 and none of them had dirty or muddy cabs.

 

[jenkinsph]

All three dealers are big dealers. I am disappointed in that I waited for this new one to come in and it was this dirty and mud and dirt in the cab.

Curious what the weather conditions have been in your locale and is the dealers lot paved? In a busy dealership with lots of lookers it wouldn't take long to get mud in a new tractors cab. You mention that all three big dealers have this same issue with cleanliness and my experience with tractor dealers in general is they are concerned with presentation of their products. Most would wan't to make a good impression and will have a lot person to deal with these issues. I wouldn't expect the tractors to be spotless sitting on a dealers lot and most all dealers clean and detail prior to delivery. I know a relative who is so fastidious he can't use his tractor without fear of getting it dirty, he worries constantly about getting dirt on the pedals and steps, life is too short for those antics imo.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I would gladly take one that worked perfectly even if the guy that made sure of it had dirty boots or left smudges. I would be deeply grateful to him for his pertinent attention.
larry

 

[crazyal]

I think there's two different types of dealers. There's the one who sells equipment for farm use and then there's the other type that sells to home owners who are more accustom to buying cars. It's a lot of money and the dealers that understands their customers the best will be successful.

 

[jenkinsph]

I think there's two different types of dealers. There's the one who sells equipment for farm use and then there's the other type that sells to home owners who are more accustom to buying cars. It's a lot of money and the dealers that understands their customers the best will be successful.

I can agree with that to a degree^^^^,
but when it is three dealers with the same perceived issue then maybe it is the individualal who is at odds.

 

[Fordiesel69]

Our boomer only sat 1 - 1/5 months outdoors. It looked perfect. We took delivery without getting it prepped.

Rather we prepped it ourselves and put our own wax and such on it.

There is no doubt it will get scratches during use. However I know exaclty what you mean about stuff gettign flash rust & plastic fade.

We looked at the C230 / C235 Bobcat Tractors (dingdong from S. Korea) and quite a few of there bolts and nuts were VERY rusted. They were there for about 3 months. The Bobcat decal on one side of the hood looked more faded than the other.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

All three dealers are big dealers. I am disappointed in that I waited for this new one to come in and it was this dirty and mud and dirt in the cab.

Who are the dealers? It has been dry here but tractors do get dirty on the lots and even on the way to the lot. The dealers do clean and wax them before delivery though so when it arrives it is all nice and pretty. But it would be impossible for them to keep tractors clean on their lot 24/7 as the people looking at them hop in and out, the truck drivers hop in and out of them as well and unless they clean their shoes every time you will find dirt on them. Now if your experiencing extreme mud all over the tractors like it just came in from being stuck in a wet mud pit then I can see a problem but I am from WNY as well and have not seen anything like this. In fact almost all the tractors I have seen actually are pretty clean for being out on the lot.

As for rust, how extensive is it? Where is the rust your seeing? I know CNH use to ship their tractors with a oil all over them to protect them from the salt from the ocean during transport. The dealer then had to clean them in order to get it all off. The tractors were usually in great shape except for where they attach a loader or other implement and then you would see a slight bit of surface rust maybe forming on the bolts they tightened. Again, I have not seen anything on any of the lots around here that stood out and made me take notice.

 

[IndyIan]

Our boomer only sat 1 - 1/5 months outdoors. It looked perfect. We took delivery without getting it prepped.

Rather we prepped it ourselves and put our own wax and such on it.

There is no doubt it will get scratches during use. However I know exaclty what you mean about stuff gettign flash rust & plastic fade.

We looked at the C230 / C235 Bobcat Tractors (dingdong from S. Korea) and quite a few of there bolts and nuts were VERY rusted. They were there for about 3 months. The Bobcat decal on one side of the hood looked more faded than the other.

Hmm, I can't say I've seen a non cadmium plated fastener on the Kioti yet. Even the drain plugs are plated underneath the paint. Maybe under the hood there are some? What impressed me is they even plated the spring that keeps the fuel door closed... Why can't cars be put together like this.
Mine was fresh from the factory and only lived outside for a month or so until I got my shelter put up, so no rust that I can see other than the bucket.

 

[crazyangel]

Who are the dealers? It has been dry here but tractors do get dirty on the lots and even on the way to the lot. The dealers do clean and wax them before delivery though so when it arrives it is all nice and pretty. But it would be impossible for them to keep tractors clean on their lot 24/7 as the people looking at them hop in and out, the truck drivers hop in and out of them as well and unless they clean their shoes every time you will find dirt on them. Now if your experiencing extreme mud all over the tractors like it just came in from being stuck in a wet mud pit then I can see a problem but I am from WNY as well and have not seen anything like this. In fact almost all the tractors I have seen actually are pretty clean for being out on the lot.

I will second what Robert has described. I bought a Kubota this spring, and my experience matches his. I did notice some dealers being better than others though. The biggest dog in town seemed not to care as much, but generally speaking even their machines were pretty darn clean. I'm curious about who the dealers are too.

 

[whitedogone]

It's a tractor for God's sake. :smiley_aafz:

 

[art]

It's a tractor for God's sake. :smiley_aafz:

Not all people use tractors as farm tractors and not all farmers are the same either!

 

[Soundguy]

maybee he got one from another dealer and not the factory?