“Buy the dealer, not the machine” is outdated

[Tomo1]

I would absolutely pay more to support a local dealer. The Walmart mentality of shopping has destroyed so many small communities across our country. The same mentality has squashed our once bold and vibrant work ethic.

 

[Gord Baker]

When I was looking for a new tractor I kept seeing posts that you should be less picky on brand and more picky on your dealer. This is such antiquated thinking imho.
Buy the tractor that feels good and provides the best combination of quality and price, wherever and whatever it is.
Do you buy a car that costs 2 grand more from a local dealer because he’s local? I know I don’t.

The dealer is equally important.

 

[EddieWalker]

Before 2012, there might be some argument that Dealer Support wasn't a big factor in what tractor to buy if you could find parts for it online and you knew how to do your own repairs. But with Tier4 smog on bigger tractors, and everything being controlled by computers on all sizes of tractors, it's becoming almost impossible to fix some things on your tractor yourself. This trend will continue and become even worse. If you have a bad dealer, you're tractor experience will be horrible. If you have a good dealer, you will be much happier when you need him.

I think that the quality of your dealer is more important now then it has ever been before.

 

[North Woods]

Although you may have gotten the best deal from far away when it comes time to get ANY service, warranty or otherwise, my closest dealer has said "we will work you in. That should be about 6 months, subject to change." They are AH's but Kubota is not going to turn them down because they move product. They definitely take care of their own first and make no bones about letting you know it. YMMV

 

[Pleease]

I bought my subcompact Kubota from the closest dealer (15 minutes away) but had a proposal from a well-established dealer who sells everywhere (2 hours away) so I could make sure the local folks were competitive, and they did get within a couple hundred $, so I bought there.

Fortunately, so far I've needed to go back only for service (once) and when looking for suitcase weights (didn't have), and they were fine - friendly and accommodating. I doubt if they checked on whether I bought the tractor there when I took it in for service though.

As others have mentioned, if I needed to depend on a dealer more - farming/commercial use - I'd try to develop the relationship, starting with buying the tractor there.

 

[plumbyII]

When I was looking for a new tractor I kept seeing posts that you should be less picky on brand and more picky on your dealer. This is such antiquated thinking imho.
Buy the tractor that feels good and provides the best combination of quality and price, wherever and whatever it is.
Do you buy a car that costs 2 grand more from a local dealer because he’s local? I know I don’t.

A car is way different from a farm tractor. Have you ever tried to push a tractor even 10 feet? Have you ever called AAA to get a tractor towed? Consider how many systems are involved with a tractor - hydraulics, PTO, engine, transmission, and all the modern controls and interlocks (not to mention computerized controls). Every time I need to service my 80 horse New Holland it involves getting a 6000+ pound beast moved to the dealer or picked up. Low hours and shed protection are the most important factor.

 

[Tractor1234]

I feel like it really depends on the situation. Some customer naturally will need more service and attention than others. I work at a dealership now and we had a local guy that went to another dealer out of state to purchase the tractor and expects us to cater to his ever whim and I mean everything. We offer free onsite service and pick up in certain situations for customers that purchase tractors from us. Unfortunately this guy found that out and demands he gets the pick up and even though he has yet to spend a dime with us. We don't have a problem going out and doing the repairs or service on site this guy just doesn't wanna pay for it because he's local.

 

[clayhardock]

When I bought my tractor there were two Kubota dealers near me and one JD just a little farther away. Anytime I called the kubota dealer for parts they took 3-4 days to get back to me and had to
Order the parts. Both dealerships were very small and only had one parts guy. The JD dealer answered my request right then on the phone, often had the parts in stock and if not could get them in 2-3 days. Usually before Kubota even got around to calling me back. So when I needed a used tractor I made the choice to buy JD. I drove 12hrs to another dealer that had what I wanted. I do all my own repairs but get the parts from my local JD dealer. I go thru a few sets of filters,mower blades and various parts every summer. They always have the normal consumables in stock and parts not in stock are 2-3 days.
My neighbor has a Kubota zero turn and loves it and has never had it back for repairs. But only mows every 2-3 weeks.
Both make good units but everything breaks eventually and for me parts supply is an important consideration.

 

[swamphouse]

When I was looking for a new tractor I kept seeing posts that you should be less picky on brand and more picky on your dealer. This is such antiquated thinking imho.
Buy the tractor that feels good and provides the best combination of quality and price, wherever and whatever it is.
Do you buy a car that costs 2 grand more from a local dealer because he’s local? I know I don’t.

I purchased Kioti DK4710SE HST from a dealer about 2 hours drive away. I picked Kioti so I don't have to go do the dealer often or ever at all. I put about 300 hours on the Kioti within one year, it's been an amazing tractor with unprecedented 2700 lb FEL lift capacity, about 2700lb 3 point lift, pull push power, extremely comfortable two pedal forward reverse HST pedals. I was cutting some pine beetle damaged trees, I was able to cut a 14-16 inch pine tree, about 80-100 foot tall, lift it in the air and slice it with a chain saw and move away in about 20-30 minutes. Smaller up to 12" inch I would cut with a tree shear and move an entire away tree upright. Even though, it's been perfect, I don't have food plots here in Florida so I thing I would go with skid steer next time. I use our tractor for land management, forest thinning, debris removal. If I ever be in need for another machine, or thinking to upgrade I would go with lightly used Skid Steer like Kubota SSV65 or SSV75 with low hours and cab. It would do everything what tractor does just much quicker. Plus, you can buy front FEL PTO adapter to run flail mower or brush cutter on the front. Again if someone is looking for brand new tractor it is less expensive vs skid steer. For example I paid for demo Kioti DK4710SE with FEL, 72 inch bucket and 72 inch Box blade with rakes for $24K with full warranty, 2 years bumper to bumper and 6 six years powertrain which wasn't a bad deal, I think. I just wanted to share my experience and thoughts.

 

[CoyPatton]

While I willingly turn my own wrenches, I always encourage any new buyers to shop the parts department! If a new buyer does not have the ability to turn wrenches (knowledge to diagnose ids a huge factor in turning your own wrenches). This area differs greatly from the auto industry, in that the vast array of parts stores on every other corner do not venture into tractor parts unless the part also applies to a car application.
So while you may not have need of a service department, and for the first few years you may not need the parts department, there is one constant, if it has moving parts, sometime something is going to fail!! This also applies to implements! Sometimes you end up need brand specifics parts to get your machine back up doing the job and may not wish to wait on mail order (look at what has happened in the past year on mail delivery—all providers have had issues!)