RK Tractor reviews???

[Ford850]

As I understand it, Cabela's dropped their tractor line due to Bass Pro acquiring them. The same can be done at the manufacturer level between any of the tractor companies and at the dealer level as the 'bigs' continue to buy out the smaller dealers, so any brand is at risk. RK is thinking outside the box and doing a great job with their marketing and service so far. It seems like the only issues posted here come from people with other brands for some reason. It's funny that many of the naysayers are also the first to be on here asking where they can buy parts to bypass their dealer, and how many times have you seen the term "stealer" on here? RK has worked out a business model to provide what many are asking for, so I applaud them. I also applaud them for having someone on this site answering questions and communicating directly with the consumer. How many of us can say that about our favorite brand?

 

[TractorNH]

Tractor NH,

I think the Cabella issue is exaggerated. We need to be careful when equating warranty support and long term dealer support. If the #'s were as inflated as suggested, there would have been multiple class action legal actions.
Lexis Nexis did not reveal any class actions?


Do YOU personally know anyone affected by a failure to execute warranty support? No one wants to see their dealer cease operations. A question was posed to RK if they would provide parts for Cabella owners? The answer is affirmative.


No ONE likes what occurred w/ the Cabella situation, but at this point it doesn't serve anyone's interest to paint RK w/ that same brush. RK had NO connection to that relationship. Let's analogize and draw a correlation on a much more personal level.

Presume for a moment, a member of YOUR family committed a crime against society. Shall we ALL then assume that since this is YOUR relative, YOU are likely to also commit a similar crime? Is that fair?. Well it is not fair to RK either!!!

The warranty support issues with Cabella's tractors is well documented on this site. Did you actually read my post though? Did you see the part where I detailed the differences between RK and Cabella's? Here it is again because I think you missed the point....

I was thinking the same thing when you consider all the people who got screwed on warranty buying from Cabella's BUT I do believe there's a big difference between Cabella's and RK. Cabella's is more of a sporting goods store that happened to try selling tractors whereas RK is an actual farm type store. IMO that is a HUGE difference going into it because tractors seem like a good fit for the RK product line but it would still make the decision more complicated for me as well. Cabella's really had no business getting into the tractor business.

 

[majorwager]

Tractor NH,
Not going to belabor the point. There is NO basis to even raise the cabella issue in relationship to RK. If you believe in guilt by association, that speaks to a narrow mindset. I have read some whining posts on this site. I still maintain most are bitter that their dealer vanished. I believe warranty issues were resolved, the cabella sale did NOT occur immediately subsequent to the advent of tractor sales. Anyone who purchased tractors after Bass Pro announced they were exiting the tractor business KNEW the consequences. Point remains, RK should not be painted w/ the sins of another. If I knew your complete family history, and a skeleton jumped out, should you be held liable for the actions of another?. I tried to make this point previously, but you did NOT want to listen. The adage goes, can only lead the horse to water...?.

EDIT:
There are Oldsmobile and Pontiac owners that are angry with GM. Not because they suffered warranty issues, but because the now own a perceived orphan vehicle. These may be valid feelings toward GM but associating RK w/ the cabella matter is simply NOT relevant, without regard for any subsequent backtracking disclaimers why the issue was raised in the first place. It simply taints the entire discussion.,

 

[RK Tractor Guy]

RK Tractors has developed its own business model, and I sure don't mean to be argumentative, but be careful what you promise. Saying that your future pricing will be adjusted solely upon any changes to what your manufacturer charges you leaves decisions on price increases exclusively to your manufacturer. Doesn't that essentially put handcuffs on RK's bean counters? :laughing: It limits the potential for increasing profitability strictly to growth in volume of future sales.

Every other tractor brand is free to increase prices based in large part on demand, not just cost. And many have done that, as their reputation, cachet and brand loyalty have grown over the years. In a free-market economy, why would RK give that opportunity up? No one is expecting the family to run its tractor business as a public-service enterprise!

We are Rural King. Our entire business is based upon offering the lowest possible prices. We do not have to be careful about committing to adjusting prices to move with our cost. Hard for people to believe, but if we sell something for a dollar and our supplier lowers the price to us, we drop ours. RK Tractors pricing will move accordingly. We have set our prices for RK Tractors, and once a year, they will move to reflect the price extended to us. For other products, We undersell Amazon. We are a retailer growing when others get smaller. We never borrow money. The same family that began the business still runs it, and our employees are co-owners. Point is, we are different, and the same approach that has us in our 58th year and prospering is applied to our tractor business. More Tractor. Less Price.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

OK RK Tractor Guy, I have a question...

"IF" I drive 400 miles (each way) to a RK store and buy myself a RK tractor and haul it home, then 2 months later it has a electrical or other problem, what are my options?

A. take it to my local TYM dealer to be fixed and you pay the bill?

B. you send a service truck to my farm and fix it at no expense to me?

C. I have to haul it all the way back the 400 miles to a RK store to be fixed, then come back that 400 miles to pick it up to bring it back home, all at my expense?

OR??

This is a serous question that I would like to know the answer to...

AND, thanks for answering questions on this forum.

SR

 

[Threepoint]

Threepoint,

As stated, it appears RK is in this for the long game. The conditions and variables you suggest are years down the road. Believe the objective is to first prove to the tractor buying community that they are committed to this tractor endeavor.[snip]

Majorwager, if we assume RK is in it for the long haul (and I would expect they currently hope to be), it's all the more reason for RK or any other seller in their first full year of tractor sales to avoid making such a firm, and unnecessary IMO, commitment: Not to raise prices in the future unless their cost from their manufacturer increases. :shocked:

"Our pricing will be adjusted once per year on Jan 1 based solely upon any changes to what our manufacturer charges us, but every brand sees annual price changes."

Maybe RK Tractor Guy didn't literally mean that, and he can tell us if not. It surprised me, though, which is why I replied. As Woody Allen said, "Eternity is a very long time, especially towards the end."

The rest of your points are additional reasons why it makes sense for RK to indeed be offering low introductory pricing right now, whether they choose to call it that or not. I would expect it as a matter of sound marketing strategy.

As to my original comment that prompted RK Tractor Guy's reply, it was that public uncertainty about RK's future longevity in the tractor market no doubt factored into their introductory pricing. Uncertainty about a new entrant is entirely understandable, and predictable. What would be odd would be if it wasn't taken into account.

 

[RK Tractor Guy]

Majorwager, if we assume RK is in it for the long haul (and I would expect they currently hope to be), it's all the more reason for RK or any other seller in their first full year of tractor sales to avoid making such a firm, and unnecessary IMO, commitment: Not to raise prices in the future unless their cost from their manufacturer increases. :shocked:

"Our pricing will be adjusted once per year on Jan 1 based solely upon any changes to what our manufacturer charges us, but every brand sees annual price changes."

Maybe RK Tractor Guy didn't literally mean that, and he can tell us if not. It surprised me, though, which is why I replied. As Woody Allen said, "Eternity is a very long time, especially towards the end."

The rest of your points are additional reasons why it makes sense for RK to indeed be offering low introductory pricing right now, whether they choose to call it that or not. I would expect it as a matter of sound marketing strategy.

As to my original comment that prompted RK Tractor Guy's reply, it was that public uncertainty about RK's future longevity in the tractor market no doubt factored into their introductory pricing. Uncertainty about a new entrant is entirely understandable, and predictable. What would be odd would be if it wasn't taken into account.

Don’t even know how to respond. Our pricing is not “introductory.” We are buying our tractors from the same company that makes most of Mahindra’s tractors. The difference is, we sell to tractor buyers and Mahindra sells to tractors dealers. We have cut out the middle man. We already make a nice profit, and see no reason to raise our prices. People are free to think what they want, but to declare that we are being anything but open and truthful about our future plans to pricing just seems a little unfair. Let us run our business and judge us for what we do, not what anyone thinks we will do.

 

[RK Tractor Guy]

OK RK Tractor Guy, I have a question...

"IF" I drive 400 miles (each way) to a RK store and buy myself a RK tractor and haul it home, then 2 months later it has a electrical or other problem, what are my options?

A. take it to my local TYM dealer to be fixed and you pay the bill?

B. you send a service truck to my farm and fix it at no expense to me?

C. I have to haul it all the way back the 400 miles to a RK store to be fixed, then come back that 400 miles to pick it up to bring it back home, all at my expense?

OR??

This is a serous question that I would like to know the answer to...

AND, thanks for answering questions on this forum.

SR

The question is good and the answer is simple. We don’t sell our tractors to anyone not in reasonable proximity to an RK Tractors location. In the future, we will establish an “authorized RK Tractors service center” network that will open up the entire U.S. and Canada, but for now, we only sell our tractors to customers that live near our 45 RK Tractors locations. That way we can take care of our customer’s service needs.

 

[prof fate]

Our pricing is not low because it is introductory, our pricing is low because we buy our tractors directly from the tractor manufacturer, built in our brand and to our specifications, and then sell directly to the tractor user. Every other brand sells to a dealer first. That means our cost is much lower than that of the dealers we compete with. Our pricing will be adjusted once per year on Jan 1 based solely upon any changes to what our manufacturer charges us, but every brand sees annual price changes. We will always be far below anyone else.

As for whether we will be around in five years selling tractors, our company is a family and employee owned, American business began in 1960. We launched RK Tractors at seven locations in April 2017, ranked 14th of 14 under 60 HP tractor brands in the U.S. in unit tractor sales because we started at zero sales. We are at 40 locations today, and we will be at 60 locations by March 2019, and at all 115 Rural King locations in 2020. We won稚 reveal where we rank now in Sales other than say we have already passed many brands that have been around for 10 years or more.

We値l be around in five years, and 25 for that matter. We do understand why we need to keep sending that message though. All we can do is share our plans and stick to our commitments.

you may be around - who knows though. Sears has been around 100 years...but won't be much longer. Woolworth, Montgomery Ward are gone, kmart is nearly so. Longevity means little these days.

And you've sold tractors in the past - diff brands - and dropped them (for whatever reason, matter not). So you may do so again.

I'd add in that you are a dealer, just as Mahindra dealers are. Neither of you make the tractor, both sell it. YOu sell it via store - i'm assuming your workers are not paid commission, where i"m sure every dealer's sales people are paid a commission.

While it's not been stated, i'm assuming also your price is your price, my price, his price, etc. Where as Deere, Kioti, etc negotiate pricing.

 

[RK Tractor Guy]

you may be around - who knows though. Sears has been around 100 years...but won't be much longer. Woolworth, Montgomery Ward are gone, kmart is nearly so. Longevity means little these days.

And you've sold tractors in the past - diff brands - and dropped them (for whatever reason, matter not). So you may do so again.

I'd add in that you are a dealer, just as Mahindra dealers are. Neither of you make the tractor, both sell it. YOu sell it via store - i'm assuming your workers are not paid commission, where i"m sure every dealer's sales people are paid a commission.

While it's not been stated, i'm assuming also your price is your price, my price, his price, etc. Where as Deere, Kioti, etc negotiate pricing.

Sir, it is pointless to continue this exchange. We will keep a presence on the RK Tractors forum to answer the questions of people interested in our tractors and seeking information. You are free to think what you want, but you and anyone that reads your comments should realize that you have no basis of fact, only opinion. Suggest that you direct your efforts and comments on the brand forums that interest you, not one that you clearly seem to have a problem with. Our best to you.

 

[Threepoint]

Don稚 even know how to respond. Our pricing is not 妬ntroductory. We are buying our tractors from the same company that makes most of Mahindra痴 tractors. The difference is, we sell to tractor buyers and Mahindra sells to tractors dealers. We have cut out the middle man. We already make a nice profit, and see no reason to raise our prices. People are free to think what they want, but to declare that we are being anything but open and truthful about our future plans to pricing just seems a little unfair. Let us run our business and judge us for what we do, not what anyone thinks we will do.

RK Tractor Guy, thanks for the comments. I never suggested you are not being open and truthful about your company's future plans for pricing. Nor do I have any reason to question your good intentions. It just surprised me that you really intended to commit now that any price increases in the future will be solely if your manufacturer increases your cost. But you've now doubled down on that, so I will take you at your word. :salute:

I also don't want to quibble over my use of the term "introductory pricing." It ordinarily is defined as setting low prices to enter a new market. That's how I meant it in this thread. But call your initial pricing whatever you wish. :thumbsup:

I understand that RK won't sell into my area, Northern Virginia, currently because you have no way to provide warranty support and service here. If and when that changes in the next year or two, and I have not yet replaced my smaller loader tractor, I may well revisit the RK37HST. And maybe by then you'll even have added HST Sensitivity/Linked Pedal as an option.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

The question is good and the answer is simple. We don稚 sell our tractors to anyone not in reasonable proximity to an RK Tractors location. In the future, we will establish an 殿uthorized RK Tractors service center network that will open up the entire U.S. and Canada, but for now, we only sell our tractors to customers that live near our 45 RK Tractors locations. That way we can take care of our customer痴 service needs.

SOOOO, I drive to a RK store with my pockets stuffed over full with hundred dollar bills and a empty trailer, and I can't even get anyone at the store to take them in trade for a tractor!

Now, that would be a FIRST for me!!

SR

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Happened to me once when i tried to buy a pellet stove. Visited store several times, picked the model i wanted. Went to buy and when they got my address they would not sell to me, because i lived 2 miles outside their service area. I didnt want their service, nor their install, but it didnt matter.
Ended up buying one from a local dealer (for less), picked it up and installed it myself, and service it myself. Still use it.

I will never buy from that original store ever, nor will i recommend them.

 

[s219]

The "no middle man" argument makes no sense. RK is the middle man -- they are the dealer. There would only be no middle man if TYM sold direct to the customer.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

TYM dealers have to buy their tractors from a distributor, (middle man) RK buys direct from the factory...

SR

 

[majorwager]

S219,

Believe you are incorrect SIR

How would TYM sell directly to the customer? Folks would get on a plane, go to korea, choose the tractor, then make their own arrangements to import this tractor into the USA. Sounds convoluted.

Or w/ a leap of faith, buy the tractor, through mail order, go through the import process, and have no dealer or factory support?

If an issue arose, how would it be resolved? If tractor was damaged in shipment or a warranty issue.? I have imported equipment from over seas.
It is a nightmare for individuals plus they do Not ship until goods are paid in full.

I don't wish to be rude but I am direct. Folks on this forum who do not run a business, not a sole practice, but have employees, a payroll, real property business address, (real property is legal term) seem to have no clue how providing sale of goods and services actually functions.


Someone must be the link between korea and the US consumer. TYM provides a portion of that function in conjunction w/ a dealer network. There is a significant cost associated w/ TYM's portion of the import responsibility, Bodies are Paid to perform that function. But this only applies to TYM brand tractors, There is no such support for RK tractors.

For TYM tractors, it entails a US Corporate structure that also must work with and support a dealer network, process orders, warehouse and ship imported tractors, stock and ship parts, Are you seeing the big picture here????

RK does all of this above. They are the importers, they are the tractor and parts warehouse, they are the tractor corporate presence on US soil. RK performs final tractor assembly, furnishes tires/wheels installs loaders/ BH and buys and sells the implements. The warranty is a cooperative agreement w/ factory.

RK buys from the factory and RK is the supply chain direct to the consumer. The only function of TYM is building the tractor, period

Very Appropriately, there is a current thread from a member on the construction equipment forum. He details the 10 weeks it took him to import a small crawler excavator from china, he details the hoops it takes to be an international importer. It is worth a read. Need customs broker, freight forwarder, bonded warehouse, and tons of US Government paperwork, with EPA and US Customs

Your perception of the process that RK follows to sell these tractors is likely very different than the actual facts. They, RK does NOT use any of the TYM supply chain that provides TYM brand tractors in the USA.

RK purchases the tractor from korea and they are on their own immediately following the sale. TYM may deliver tractors and parts shipments to the port in korea, Point of sale end there.

 

[majorwager]

RE: prof fatalist:
The RK Guy may be more reserved in his response but I have no such restraint.

You have assailed, disparaged, maligned and impugned RK and their tractor endeavors since they began a presence on this forum.

They are a very successful firm w/ a bright future. They are self-capitalized and growing rapidly.

You on the other hand, mr fatalist, are herein asked to directly point to any equivalent successful business venture that you personally began and operated that even remotely compares w/ a 100 store retail operation valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars? Status as a tenant on a girlfriend's horsefarm is not said equivalency.

Your claim to fame is having worked at 47 automotive and motorcycle dealerships, in between stints in food service, .and likely none regretted to see you move to the next.

When you have walked the walk then you acquire the privilege to talk the talk. All of your speculative criticism and negative chatter is just noise, and said negativity is further simply overbearing.

 

[ning]

Happened to me once when i tried to buy a pellet stove. Visited store several times, picked the model i wanted. Went to buy and when they got my address they would not sell to me, because i lived 2 miles outside their service area. I didnt want their service, nor their install, but it didnt matter.
Ended up buying one from a local dealer (for less), picked it up and installed it myself, and service it myself. Still use it.

I will never buy from that original store ever, nor will i recommend them.

Yeah, how dare they obey the regional stipulations that the manufacturers all subject them to!

FYI, the store you bought it from would've done exactly the same thing to someone outside of *their* area - that whole industry has geographical restrictions on sales; you won't find any dealers selling out-of-area on the internet either.

 

[ning]

TYM dealers have to buy their tractors from a distributor, (middle man) RK buys direct from the factory...

SR

TYM structure: TYM Korea (manufacturer), TYM USA (importer), Dealers, Customer


RK: TYM Korea (manufacturer), RK (importer), Customer

Let's play "spot the difference".
Believe it or not TYM USA is not TYM Korea, just like Honda USA isn't Honda Japan, etc. Closely related possibly, but they're their own profit centers.

 

[prof fate]

There is the manufacturer and the sales system.

The 'normal' way is teh manufacturer wholesales the item to a store/seller that retails and supports the item. SOME have distribution in the middle, some do not.

Ford makes vehicles, inde owned dealers sell them. You cannot but directly from ford.
Tesla has no dealers - you buy from the manufacturer only.

Beer and wine can be bought in a bar - or a distributor (in pa) or in a grocery store (many states). OR you can go to the manufacturer in many cases and buy it directly - from the winery or micro-brewer. It's rarely any cheaper BTW.

The savings that can be had from large purchases (as RK is doing with tym, or Avis/Budget/Enterprise do as well) is pretty simple to comprehend. Most any company will re-label and custom make something for you if you promise to buy enough of the item.

I have no way of knowing if the RK tractors are sitting ready to go in Korea and RK deals with the rest of it (import, etc) or if TYM delivers them to Port LA or someplace else.

We have no way of knowing what the deal is with TYM (cost, volume, etc) and what happens when things change (steel tarifs, other import duties, if TYM gets busy selling their own brand, if walmart wanted to say enter the tractor business). We also don't know if the RK/TYM deal is 1 year, 5 or 10 years.

My experience in retail is the store must sell at a profit what customers want. Today that may be Kenda tires, tomorrow may be Goodyear or Cheng Sheng. Each item is different - texaco will remodel/rebrand your gas station if you agree to sell texaco only for 10 years. Honda will give you a dealership if you meet their requirements - and if you fail they'll yank it from you in a heartbeat (other bike brands are less ****, but are as picky). When I worked for a yamaha/suzuki/ktm/kawasaki dealer we bought directrly from the manufacturer on all those brands...just as RK does. It's just RK puts their name on the item, so there is a bigger commitment.

The concern maybe should be if your store stays, or does enough tractor volume to keep selling/supporting the tractors. We have 3 walmarts in our county and you find different items at each...and not all RK stores have tractors now - nor are they all likekly to have them IMO, and those that don't move enough of them will no doubt drop tractors from the 'shelves' in that store.

It's great to hear their rep on here answering questions and hyping his product.
HAving bought another brand 2 months ago and having looked at RK tractors, I can only comment on MY experience, what I got and what I paid. Is the CK3510HST a 'value' tractor? Kioti calls it that. RK calls their units, what, premium I think is the term RKGuy used. Other than telescoping rear links there is NO difference in features that I can see on their tractor and my tractor - and before financing the Kioti cost LESS, than the RK37HST. And I got cruise and link pedal - I don't believe they come on the RK unit.

I can also only communicate my experience with RK, with only one store, a new store that has been marketed by rk as the second largest in their chain. Prices on many things are impressively low, I've spent a good bit of money there. I've seen inventory and expecially service drop off tremendously, and their cashiers are amongst the least trained and knowledgeable I've come across in any big box retailer (and IMO they are just that).

Maybe they can build a rep for tractor service...I can't say, only question their statements on it as I've dealt with other big box retailers and if RK can do it, they'll be the first.

As to RKguy..geat you're earning your paycheck pushing the company line, but folks here should hear ALL opinions and experiences, as you said, it's an open forum - and not just a marketing tool for RK (or any other manufacturer).

As of last week I couldn't look at an RK37 open station at the store - they had none. THey had only 3 tractors, and I couldn't find info displayed or anyone to ask questions of. Not exactly how you have represented RK stores as being.

S219,

Believe you are incorrect SIR

How would TYM sell directly to the customer? Folks would get on a plane, go to korea, choose the tractor, then make their own arrangements to import this tractor into the USA. Sounds convoluted.

Or w/ a leap of faith, buy the tractor, through mail order, go through the import process, and have no dealer or factory support?

If an issue arose, how would it be resolved? If tractor was damaged in shipment or a warranty issue.? I have imported equipment from over seas.
It is a nightmare for individuals plus they do Not ship until goods are paid in full.

I don't wish to be rude but I am direct. Folks on this forum who do not run a business, not a sole practice, but have employees, a payroll, real property business address, (real property is legal term) seem to have no clue how providing sale of goods and services actually functions.


Someone must be the link between korea and the US consumer. TYM provides a portion of that function in conjunction w/ a dealer network. There is a significant cost associated w/ TYM's portion of the import responsibility, Bodies are Paid to perform that function. But this only applies to TYM brand tractors, There is no such support for RK tractors.

For TYM tractors, it entails a US Corporate structure that also must work with and support a dealer network, process orders, warehouse and ship imported tractors, stock and ship parts, Are you seeing the big picture here????

RK does all of this above. They are the importers, they are the tractor and parts warehouse, they are the tractor corporate presence on US soil. RK performs final tractor assembly, furnishes tires/wheels installs loaders/ BH and buys and sells the implements. The warranty is a cooperative agreement w/ factory.

RK buys from the factory and RK is the supply chain direct to the consumer. The only function of TYM is building the tractor, period

Very Appropriately, there is a current thread from a member on the construction equipment forum. He details the 10 weeks it took him to import a small crawler excavator from china, he details the hoops it takes to be an international importer. It is worth a read. Need customs broker, freight forwarder, bonded warehouse, and tons of US Government paperwork, with EPA and US Customs

Your perception of the process that RK follows to sell these tractors is likely very different than the actual facts. They, RK does NOT use any of the TYM supply chain that provides TYM brand tractors in the USA.

RK purchases the tractor from korea and they are on their own immediately following the sale. TYM may deliver tractors and parts shipments to the port in korea, Point of sale end there.