If you had it to do over again...

[davrow]

Davrow, do you only have one Kubota dealer in Riverside? Just curious as I know this is a pretty large area and from what I hear it is booming.

It is a huge, booming area, but it is primarily non-agricultural. And the only way to have acreage is to buy in the desert. So very few tractor dealers for compacts and subcompacts. The 3 Kubota dealers are all the same owners. Some JD and Cat, not geared to smaller tractors.

To shop multiple brands I had to go north to the Ag Expo in Visalia (300 miles?). There is really surprisingly little anywhere in Southern California.

 

[Teachu2]

My dealer is head and shoulders above the competition. Long time family-owned dealership, treats me like I'm important to them, extremely responsive whenever I've needed them, excellent parts and service. Even their competitors say good things about them. I'd buy from them again, whatever brand they were selling.

If I had it to do over, I'd buy an HST instead of geared.

 

[JDAOWNER]

I WANTED A TIER 3 TRACTOR SO SHOPED USED. LOOKED FOR A LONG TIME AND FOUND MY KIOTI. I WOULD LIKED TO HAVE A HST, BUT THE SHUTTLE DOES EVERYTHING I WANTED TO DO. THERE ARE SEVERAL DEALERS IN THE AREA ( 50 MILES OR LESS) BUT HAVEN'T NEEDED THEM YET. MINE ALSO WAS MADE TO ENTER FROM ONLY THE LEFT SIDE, I PUT A STEP ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND USE IT OCCASIONALLY, BUT I'M REAL CAREFUL ABOUT THE CONTROLS, AND NEVER WHEN FEL IS UP. ENDED UP WITH A 41 HP INSTEAD OF THE 33-35 I WAS LOOKING FOR, AND GLAD I DID. ONLY DRAWBACK IS WITH AG TIRES I CAN'T USE ON MY LAWN. WORKS GREAT IN THE WOODS.

 

[Atchuuu]

My dealer is head and shoulders above the competition. Long time family-owned dealership, treats me like I'm important to them, extremely responsive whenever I've needed them, excellent parts and service. Even their competitors say good things about them. I'd buy from them again, whatever brand they were selling.

If I had it to do over, I'd buy an HST instead of geared.

Forgot about that. I just got lucky as I found mine used with cab and HST. If it would have had the GST I would have gone that direction too. But now that I know what HST is like I will stick with it should I ever replace my tractor.

 

[SmallChange]

It's true, dealers can make a huge difference. I bought my used Kubota from a Kubota dealer 20 miles from here about 25 years ago and the dealership people just seemed angry -- at each other mostly, but still. Years later I came to think they took advantage of me for not knowing enough. I did go back to them more recently to look at possible purchases but they seemed to think of me more as an annoyance.

I talked to a NH dealer only maybe 10 miles from here and they treated me like I was important, and I bought from them, and remain really happy with them.

There were some other dealers in between these on the spectrum.

About my current tractor, I don't know that I'd do anything different. Still really like it. I was going back and forth about R1 versus R4, first I said R1 definitely, then I started thinking about how they tore up my gravelly clay driveway every spring and wound up choosing R4. Still don't know about that choice. It's not like I can hop back and forth between identical tractors set up with each to do a real comparison. And I still haven't tried snow yet, either.

 

[Atchuuu]

A bit off topic but TBN is full of stories about the importance of dealers. I presume some dealers actually get on TBN but clearly not enough of them. Customer service and a good sales staff is one of the most important things any dealer can do to grow their business. I believe it to be more important than price (within reason). If a dealer or their staff acts as though I am unimportant or a nuisance I will assume they only get worse once they get my money.

Had my local dealer taken the time to help me I most likely would have purchased a brand new Kubota. I all but said "take my money". The Mahindra dealer had much better service but the tractor just didn't fit me well.

 

[ovrszd]

Thats funny, me n Murph has not seen eye to eye on many things while we both have been TBN Members, but it was the first thing I though on the OPs first posting

Yeah me too.

Maybe buyers remorse?

I've never torqued a bolt or had one come loose, so I have no personal experience in that area to offer.

I drove 400 miles one way to get my Kubota. Have had zero contact with the dealer since. So I'm kind of an odditty in this blame game.

 

[murphy1244]

Hey Murph,

I actually have zero complaints about my machine. Any issues with the machine itself have been my fault, i.e. undersizing, not torquing bolts per manual, etc. All those things were within my control. I do have complaints about my dealer's service department and I wish I had taken that more into account when making my purchase. Again, my fault.

I thought I was pretty self deprecating.

P.S. Now I'm up to 3 posts.

My apologies for calling you out .. But I and others have seen people join TBN to just ***** about a dealer or their machine.

 

[ovrszd]

I WANTED A TIER 3 TRACTOR SO SHOPED USED. LOOKED FOR A LONG TIME AND FOUND MY KIOTI. I WOULD LIKED TO HAVE A HST, BUT THE SHUTTLE DOES EVERYTHING I WANTED TO DO. THERE ARE SEVERAL DEALERS IN THE AREA ( 50 MILES OR LESS) BUT HAVEN'T NEEDED THEM YET. MINE ALSO WAS MADE TO ENTER FROM ONLY THE LEFT SIDE, I PUT A STEP ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND USE IT OCCASIONALLY, BUT I'M REAL CAREFUL ABOUT THE CONTROLS, AND NEVER WHEN FEL IS UP. ENDED UP WITH A 41 HP INSTEAD OF THE 33-35 I WAS LOOKING FOR, AND GLAD I DID. ONLY DRAWBACK IS WITH AG TIRES I CAN'T USE ON MY LAWN. WORKS GREAT IN THE WOODS.

Well you don't have to yell about it!!!

 

[ovrszd]

My apologies for calling you out .. But I and others have seen people join TBN to just ***** about a dealer or their machine.

Where??? Here????

 

[murphy1244]

Where??? Here????

Bwahahhahahahha!

 

[murphy1244]

Hey Richard! Got any idea how to wire up a stratocaster with noiseless pickups??????????????????

 

[ovrszd]

Hey Richard! Got any idea how to wire up a stratocaster with noiseless pickups??????????????????

No but I bet K0UA (James) does.

 

[murphy1244]

No but I bet K0UA (James) does.

Well if you see him send him over my way..

 

[Atchuuu]

Well you don't have to yell about it!!!

Hahahah or HAHAHAHAHAH whatever!

 

[ovrszd]

Hahahah or HAHAHAHAHAH whatever!

Dang it, wish I'd said that....

 

[MossRoad]

I've been having some trouble with my Kioti and Kioti Dealer, and been thinking back to when I bought my tractor. If I had it to do over again, I probably would have gone with a Kubota, not because of the quality of my Kioti, but because my local Kioti dealer has an awful service department compared to the local Kubota dealer.

A few other things I'd do differently:

- I would have sized up a model or two. I stayed under the 25HP mark, and in hindsight given my hilly terrain, I think the extra HP would have been helpful and worth the emissions stuff. I think I whiffed on this decision because I was going from a shuttle shift (19HP) to an HST.

- I would have wired my work light with a relay. I probably will actually do this one over.

- I would have checked the tightness of the nuts on my FEL mounts. They all backed out at about 15 hours and caused some minor damage on my new tractor even though the dealer claims they put lock tight on them all during install.

I'm sure a lot of people's Do-Overs are covered in almost every post, but I thought it might be interesting to collect them all in one place.

Hey Murph,

I actually have zero complaints about my machine. Any issues with the machine itself have been my fault, i.e. undersizing, not torquing bolts per manual, etc. All those things were within my control. I do have complaints about my dealer's service department and I wish I had taken that more into account when making my purchase. Again, my fault.

I thought I was pretty self deprecating.

P.S. Now I'm up to 3 posts.

The fact I can enter the Kioti from either side wasn't a factor in my purchase, but now that I am accustomed to it, I doubt I could ever do without it. On the topic of ergonomics, two pedal HST control was a big factor for me over Kubota's rocker pedal. It was one of the things that pushed me to go with Kioti over Kubota even with the knowledge that the dealer was lesser.

Can't have it all I guess (even though some of you seem to!)

No one said welcome to TBN! :thumbsup:

I bought factory direct. There are no dealers for my machine other than the factory in Tazewell, Virginia. No regrets on that. Simple machine, easy to service, great parts support via phone and fast shipping if ever needed.

Local dealers for other brands were a mix of warm and fuzzy VS run away fast. Wasn't brand specific.

We downsized to a tiny machine for maintaining our properties after the huge, used machine we had knocked out the large jobs first. I don't regret that. In fact, I am very happy with buying a working beater, beating it some more, and selling it once the tasks were done. I think it would be hard for a first time owner to properly pick the exactly correct machine on the first swing without getting some seat experience first hand.

My machine is very ergonomic for me. It's more like a cockpit, feet in the footwells. I can enter from either side. Forward is on right toes. Bassackwards on left toes. ROPs is in front of the operator. Makes a great hand-hold on side hills. Steel canopy. The quick attach allows 15 second implement swaps from the seat. Powered implements require a couple hydraulic hoses. All attachment out front where I can see them. Destroys the weeds and brush before you run it over. Power angle snowplow on the FEL arms can lift snow 6' high.... anyhow, I have no regrets on this machine either.

Really, about my only regrets are not taking math more seriously, and never playing baseball on a school team. :laughing:

 

[atsah]

I've been having some trouble with my Kioti and Kioti Dealer, and been thinking back to when I bought my tractor. If I had it to do over again, I probably would have gone with a Kubota, not because of the quality of my Kioti, but because my local Kioti dealer has an awful service department compared to the local Kubota dealer.

A few other things I'd do differently:

- I would have sized up a model or two. I stayed under the 25HP mark, and in hindsight given my hilly terrain, I think the extra HP would have been helpful and worth the emissions stuff. I think I whiffed on this decision because I was going from a shuttle shift (19HP) to an HST.

- I would have wired my work light with a relay. I probably will actually do this one over.

- I would have checked the tightness of the nuts on my FEL mounts. They all backed out at about 15 hours and caused some minor damage on my new tractor even though the dealer claims they put lock tight on them all during install.

I'm sure a lot of people's Do-Overs are covered in almost every post, but I thought it might be interesting to collect them all in one place.

A bad dealer can make a good tractor look bad.. I wouldn't buy another Massey because the dealer support I have received is about as bad as it gets and Agco was no help at all.. You are not alone..

Same thing here BUT this poor guy is losing money by the day because of it..

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...erating/417003-massey-ferguson-nightmare.html

 

[AllByteNoBark]

Have not had my Kubota long but so far the only thing I would change is to buy it sooner!

 

[Kwehme09]

My apologies for calling you out .. But I and others have seen people join TBN to just ***** about a dealer or their machine.

Much appreciated.

I am sure most people start in these forums because they have a problem. I am not going to go searching forums just to type about how happy I am with my tractor. Forums are a good resource, and usually resources are needed for an issue. It'd all about how your approach it. I started this thread because the only thing better than learning from your own mistakes is learning from someone else. It's cheaper that way.

It's all about approach. I can either blame my dealer, or blame myself for going to a crappy dealer. Or I can blame my tractor, or blame myself for buying a crappy tractor (once again. I love my tractor... I am just speaking generally now).

Thanks to all who have welcomed me to the forums. Happy to learn from you all.