Has anyone had terrible Yanmar/Dealer Support Experience?

[SixSpeed5]

Hey Guys,

Bear with me, I am frustrated, but genuinely trying to figure something out. I am trying to figure out if I have had isolated experiences or if this is a widespread issue. Every time I have needed after-sales support its just been an embarrassment. Whether its parts, or machine questions, service etc I just have had the WORST experiences. My local dealer who I bought the machine from parted ways with Yanmar, and I have a new lawn-mower dealer finally, but its even worse. Been trying to get an IN-STOCK part that has kept my machine down, closing in on 3 weeks now. It seems like 1 out of 10 people I speak with at Yanmar actually has any actual answers. Asking the dealer? Forget it.

 

[Jchonline]

I am sure there are good Yanmar dealers out there, just like any other. There are supply chain issues in many industries right now, so it is hard to tell what is due to the pandemic fallout or what is just bad support.

Do you have another source to get the part?

 

[SixSpeed5]

I am sure there are good Yanmar dealers out there, just like any other. There are supply chain issues in many industries right now, so it is hard to tell what is due to the pandemic fallout or what is just bad support.

Do you have another source to get the part?

None of my issues with the tractor seem to be COVID related. I run a shop and issues arising from that seem apparent to me, and that I understand completely.

I think I learned today that this local dealer is just terrible XXXXXXXXXXXX but the support I have received from Yanmar during this 2 1/2 week ordeal has been disappointing. I did speak to someone named Rodger in Yanmar Parts who was able to finally get me some actual information, and make a recommendation for another dealer. They are unfortunately closing in on a 3hr drive from me, but I can have parts dropped shipped and maybe service if it was something I couldn't do for some reason.

 

[tractorred]

None of my issues with the tractor seem to be COVID related. I run a shop and issues arising from that seem apparent to me, and that I understand completely.

I think I learned today that this local dealer is just terrible xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, but the support I have received from Yanmar during this 2 1/2 week ordeal has been disappointing. I did speak to someone named Rodger in Yanmar Parts who was able to finally get me some actual information, and make a recommendation for another dealer. They are unfortunately closing in on a 3hr drive from me, but I can have parts dropped shipped and maybe service if it was something I couldn't do for some reason.

SixSpeed, This is the direct line to the service manager, Rickey Walker, at Yanmar, call him, he should be able to help you out especially since your tractor is down because of it, what is the part you are waiting for ? Also I have talked to Roger before and he does a good job getting results, sometimes his hand do get tied, 770 - 877 - 7751

 

[SixSpeed5]

SixSpeed, This is the direct line to the service manager, Rickey Walker, at Yanmar, call him, he should be able to help you out especially since your tractor is down because of it, what is the part you are waiting for ? Also I have talked to Roger before and he does a good job getting results, sometimes his hand do get tied, 770 - 877 - 7751

Thanks for the info, I have had a hard time finding the right people to talk to. I am glad I found Roger, I think I would have driven to Adairsville and helped myself to the part by now if it wasn't for him.

Was just waiting on a door handle (not critical) and a loader control cable (mine snapped internally, seems premature to me, 250HR), was right in the middle of a construction project on the farm here and really need the loader. I could take the loader off, even though it would be a pain (maybe could control with pliers/rigging down on the hydraulic valve), then I could at least mow. Not mowing for 3 weeks in the summer here in FL is dangerous. I kept hearing different timelines from everyone though.

 

[DavidL61]

The dealer that I bought my Yanmar yt347 from was pretty responsive with resolving my issues until they stopped selling Yanmar. Had them replace the seat and rpm/travel speed switch while replacing the recalled control stick wire harness. Seemed like the dealer had no issue getting the parts, but that was like 2 years ago.

Found another dealer near me that is working with Yanmar on my Regen issue. They seem to have more knowledge about Yanmar tractors then the last dealer.

So for I have no complaints with the dealers, but they are basically at the mercy of Yanmar.

 

[blacktruck]

Hey Guys,

Bear with me, I am frustrated, but genuinely trying to figure something out. I am trying to figure out if I have had isolated experiences or if this is a widespread issue. Every time I have needed after-sales support its just been an embarrassment. Whether its parts, or machine questions, service etc I just have had the WORST experiences. My local dealer who I bought the machine from parted ways with Yanmar, and I have a new lawn-mower dealer finally, but its even worse. Been trying to get an IN-STOCK part that has kept my machine down, closing in on 3 weeks now. It seems like 1 out of 10 people I speak with at Yanmar actually has any actual answers. Asking the dealer? Forget it.

Hmm, similar story here. My disclaimer is the dealer I am referring to is in my home state and not my present location.
A few years ago I had an aggravating but not serious problem with my SC2450 (Cub Cadet/Yanmar). The original dealer I purchased it from went out of business a few years after I bought it . I actually liked those guys. They knew the tractors and were personable folks. Fast forward to the incident mentioned above. I called the local Yanmar dealer. They sell Yanmar tractors as a sideline to other products. I was away when my tractor was taken there. I was pretty sure I knew what the problem was but I just was not there. The dealer had it for almost three weeks and could not isolate the problem. In their defense, they only charged a couple hours labor but did not have a definitive answer to why it would shut off abruptly when being used. I had my SIL order or attempt to order the part from the dealer that I thought would fix it. No luck. Couldn't get one and didn't know where to look for it. I then the SIL go on Ebay and buy one there. I am not a fan of doing it that way but it worked. No problems in another 50-60 hours so far. I was not impressed with the local dealer in any way. I really like the tractor but the dealership is a little weak to me.

 

[SixSpeed5]

Well today I called my dealer (Since Yanmar says it was delivered on Monday) and they said the parts weren't there, and they said the tracking shows it only SHIPPED today (Thursday). Not sure why I even am bothering with this anymore. Just ******** information from both sources. This has been the process for weeks. I have probably 8 hours in phone calls invested at this point.

Anyone interested in a very well cared for YT359C, 250hours? I'm serious, won't own a machine that causes this much frustration. Looked at some nice Kubota M4's and John Deere 5 Series.

John Deere cares more about getting me service on a 30 year old piece of equipment than Yanmar ever will.

 

[blacktruck]

Well today I called my dealer (Since Yanmar says it was delivered on Monday) and they said the parts weren't there, and they said the tracking shows it only SHIPPED today (Thursday). Not sure why I even am bothering with this anymore. Just ******** information from both sources. This has been the process for weeks. I have probably 8 hours in phone calls invested at this point.

Anyone interested in a very well cared for YT359C, 250hours? I'm serious, won't own a machine that causes this much frustration. Looked at some nice Kubota M4's and John Deere 5 Series.

John Deere cares more about getting me service on a 30 year old piece of equipment than Yanmar ever will.

Precisely.
They build a good tractor and have supplied parts for so many manufacturers over the years so I believe the quality is good for those also. That said, all things mechanical will break at some point even on the most expensive piece of equipment. The corporate response makes a lot of difference in the outcome of a broken machine. This also applies to the local dealers. They are the face of the company whether they like it or not. It is not a crime to not have an answer to a question, being honest with the customer goes a long way in making a situation better. I like the Yanmar tractors but at this time, do not see me getting another one of their products for that reason. Customer service seems to be lacking from the company to the local dealers I have experienced in my area.

 

[SixSpeed5]

Precisely.
They build a good tractor and have supplied parts for so many manufacturers over the years so I believe the quality is good for those also. That said, all things mechanical will break at some point even on the most expensive piece of equipment. The corporate response makes a lot of difference in the outcome of a broken machine. This also applies to the local dealers. They are the face of the company whether they like it or not. It is not a crime to not have an answer to a question, being honest with the customer goes a long way in making a situation better. I like the Yanmar tractors but at this time, do not see me getting another one of their products for that reason. Customer service seems to be lacking from the company to the local dealers I have experienced in my area.

Well said.


I did get my parts today. I had to make the 45 minute drive down there (Friday)and literally help them look for the parts. They were there, I think, since Monday.

The parts guys were polite, but definitely not trained with Yanmar (and they admitted that) and made several errors during the whole ordeal.

The owner/manager though, wow. I asked if I could talk to him about my experience (exact words) and he got all fired up immediately and said he wouldn't spend one minute talking to me about it and literally closed the door on me. Don't be mad at me because you can't do your job....

Not sure how Yanmar picks these places. Just a lawn mower shop. They have been a dealer for over a year, no tractors on the lot. They have only sold one tractor and obviously, had no parts ordering experience prior to my purchases. Tractor was down for 3 full weeks.

At this point I am out of local dealers, and will be putting the machine up for sale. A product is only as good as its dealer.

 

[blacktruck]

You also sir, well said.

A few years ago I was working overseas as a Field Service Rep. We had no corporate, manufacturing or dealer presence in the entire country but I was there to support our defense products. I was it and I fielded question about every piece of equipment we had ever built and every service offered by the company. I was so far removed from the executive offices and other divisions that I had no input or anything similar to anything the company was doing. Being the only one there, I was the corporate face for everything that we did there and all over the world. I spent many nights looking for answers to questions out of my lane but as a representative for the company, I had to do it. I still work for the company and am proud to do that. I represent the company happily. Customer service is something a lot of large and small businesses seem to have no idea about. I enjoy the interaction with customers and helping them to solve problems. Apparently your local dealer has not bought into the customer service thing yet. Sad to see.
Keep us posted on what you do and what color you get. Dealer service is valuable when buying a tractor.

 

[DavidL61]

Well today I called my dealer (Since Yanmar says it was delivered on Monday) and they said the parts weren't there, and they said the tracking shows it only SHIPPED today (Thursday). Not sure why I even am bothering with this anymore. Just ******** information from both sources. This has been the process for weeks. I have probably 8 hours in phone calls invested at this point.

Anyone interested in a very well cared for YT359C, 250hours? I'm serious, won't own a machine that causes this much frustration. Looked at some nice Kubota M4's and John Deere 5 Series.

John Deere cares more about getting me service on a 30 year old piece of equipment than Yanmar ever will.

After Yanmar fixes my regen issue, I maybe doing the same in the near future.

 

[kthompson]

This thread is depressing to me. Last spring I really considered a Yanmar. Liked it better than the Kubota L6060 I compared it to and which did end up buying, btw my 3rd Kubota. The biggest reason I did not go with Yanmar just could not get comfortable with their dealerships and what I perceived as many were not true tractor dealerships but Yanmar was like having UHaul trailers or trucks. The dealer nearest me was a small engine dealer and a large one and thought they would be good but looking at back up to them first no one was within 100 miles, the other the tractors was parked there like UHaul would be at used car lot or such. Another reason was one person who was really complaining about his issues with his and lack of attention by the company.

What really set all this in my mind was I know a few real true tractor dealers who lost their product. Good dealers, great service departments but either the brand they were selling for years went away or bought by another company who preferred another dealer they had other brands there and so forth...would have thought Yanmar would have been tickle pink to have real life tractor dealers...but nope not one of them was approached by Yanmar.

 

[SixSpeed5]

After Yanmar fixes my regen issue, I maybe doing the same in the near future.

Do you know why your original dealer split ways with Yanmar? My original dealer parted ways as well, very soon after I bought my machine unfortunately. I know they got into a bit of a spat. Was the same issues as the new dealer I won't ever be going to again. Just communications between Yanmar/Dealer, Dealer Training, overall service.

 

[SixSpeed5]

This thread is depressing to me. Last spring I really considered a Yanmar. Liked it better than the Kubota L6060 I compared it to and which did end up buying, btw my 3rd Kubota. The biggest reason I did not go with Yanmar just could not get comfortable with their dealerships and what I perceived as many were not true tractor dealerships but Yanmar was like having UHaul trailers or trucks. The dealer nearest me was a small engine dealer and a large one and thought they would be good but looking at back up to them first no one was within 100 miles, the other the tractors was parked there like UHaul would be at used car lot or such. Another reason was one person who was really complaining about his issues with his and lack of attention by the company.

What really set all this in my mind was I know a few real true tractor dealers who lost their product. Good dealers, great service departments but either the brand they were selling for years went away or bought by another company who preferred another dealer they had other brands there and so forth...would have thought Yanmar would have been tickle pink to have real life tractor dealers...but nope not one of them was approached by Yanmar.

I, as well, liked the Yanmar best. Chose a 359c over the Kubota, Deere, Massey, TYM/Mahindra/Kioti/etc/etc. For its size, the cab was very comfortable, compact/maneuverable and yet strong, and the transmission was awesome. I thought the build quality was great, and it is awfully good. Just can't have small issues keeping a machine down for weeks.

I agree on the tractor shops as well, I know a few Yanmar could have approached, and maybe they did, but they didn't try hard enough. Ending up at the used car dealers and small engine shops ended up hurting more than helping I think. Yanmar would have done way better establishing a few GOOD dealers across the country and expanding from there, versus just having mediocre service all across the country.

Edit: Decided to include a little more.... What killed me during my 3 week process to get a simple part, is Yanmar knew from day one I was trying to get this part in a hurry. Talked to them, tried to get answers throughout the whole ordeal. Was always told someone would reach out to me, someone would be calling etc. It wasn't until 2 weeks later I finally got in touch with Roger in Parts and he informed me the part was only just ordered the day before, nobody at Yanmar prior had the wherewithal to check this. So it unfortunately isn't JUST the dealers, though that is the bigger issue by far. It should have been the dealer all along doing the leg work. I probably wasted (and I am not exaggerating, 10 hours of my time trying to get this part, between calls, messages, and driving back and forth from the dealer).

 

[MACflyer]

Sorry to hear about your experience. This was my biggest concern when I bought mine, and initially I made two trips to the dealer before they even had a Yanmar salesman around that could talk to me. That experience alone almost made me go with an orange machine. However, once I finally got someone there I've had nothing but good experiences fortunately. From the sale and delivery to parts they've been fast and friendly. They even have one of their service guys bring parts to my doorstep since he lives in the area.

 

[sa324owner]

It's disheartening to hear all the poor service experiences with Yanmar dealers. Thinking back, though, my local (at the time) dealer could have done a better job with customer service.

They delivered the tractor a week later than we agreed and one rear tire was 30lbs "light" on filling (which they never rectified). They were honest with me, I think, regarding the extended wait. It was springtime and there were tractors needing service, so my needs were put second. I understand that and I'm ok with it as livelihoods start to come into play. The gentleman that was our salesman was also the same person who delivered the tractor on a weekday evening. I got the impression he was being run ragged, so I didn't press any of the issues.

I fear the day my tractor might need warranty work. We moved and now live 80 miles from the nearest Yanmar dealer and 95 miles from the only dealer in my state. It likely just won't happen and I'll end up repairing it myself.

Sadly, I'll likely go with one of the popular colors for my next tractor/equipment purchase since there are 15 green and 10 orange dealerships within 50 miles.

 

[blacktruck]

Disheartening to be sure. I really like the SA424. In my years of owning a Cub Cadet/Yanmar, I have always thought the tractor well made and without issue save for the one experience with the shut off solenoid. They build a lot of things for a lot of companies but do not appear to have figured out customer service. I am at a point in my life when I value the ability to communicate with a knowledgeable person without delay is very important to me. I like the Yanmar products but dislike the what seems to be corporate philosophy of customer service and interaction.

 

[Williy]

Mike at K & S Tractor in Lubbock, TX when I
wanted a Yanmar generator its 120 miles from
me so save shipping he met me in a small town
50 miles from me. Just great service from these
guys! They always have an answer to help me
out with I have a question as they take the time
to explain what ever my question is.

willy

 

[blacktruck]

Mike at K & S Tractor in Lubbock, TX when I
wanted a Yanmar generator its 120 miles from
me so save shipping he met me in a small town
50 miles from me. Just great service from these
guys! They always have an answer to help me
out with I have a question as they take the time
to explain what ever my question is.

willy

That is an excellent illustration of how dealer personnel can change the dynamics of a situation of a customer needing parts or service. I think too often a lot of us feel we are so far removed from the company that whatever we do doesn't count. I will check the local dealers again when I go home to see if there are any perceptible changes. I like the Yanmar tractor but just have to find the right dealer to work with.