As usual, I researched all the tractors in the 3,000 to 5,000 lbs class, the attachments, and implements. After this, I decided to buy a Kubota MX6000 with everything I needed and some wants.
I went into the Kubota website and did a quote, printed it, and took that together with the NCHA id to the dealer.
With google in hand searched for Kubota dealers in my area, drove there, and arrived at around 11:45 am.
I was greeted by what I was later told, the CEO of the entire franchise.
Then I was handed over to one of their sales agents.
I explained what I was looking for. He took me to where they had a sample of the MX6000. I drove the tractor and got impressed by the turning radius and some of the features.
Then we proceed to go inside to work on the numbers.
I gave him the quote from the Kubota Website.
He immediately said they should be able to match or beat those prices, to which I was pleased, then said they might have everything on hand to put this package together.
I asked him if they honor the NCHA discount that is posted on the Kubota website, to which he replied, “Yes”.
Things were moving along. Then he told me that it would take him until 3:00 pm to finish everything for me and that he would send it via email.
I was okay with that and left the place to go home and pass by my bank to make sure everything was in order.
After some time, I decided to go back to the dealers and try to put the order in.
I arrived at 3:35 pm. To this point, I haven’t received anything from the Sales Agent, but I encounter him in the lobby.
He told me he hadn’t had any time to work on my quote.
I asked him if we could get it done now.
He said “yes” and proceeded to his computer.
At around 4:15 pm, I asked him if I could drive the tractor one more time. He gave me the keys and continued to work.
When I went back inside, he talked with one of his coworkers about things not being there and waiting for some orders, etc. Which, to me, was suspicious since he previously mentioned that they might have everything on hand, but I didn’t put too much thought into it.
Looking confused and a little nervous, he asked his coworker again about pricing, the cutting association discount, etc.
It took him until 5:00 pm to complete the quote. By then, the dealer was closing.
To my surprise, the pricing, in most cases, didn’t match at all the Kubota website price.
In some instances, he had a big marked-up.
For example, on the Kubota website, rear weights cost $326 per set; being that they weigh 103lbs each is a little more than what I would like to pay, but whatever,. A set of three is $978. But this sales agent is asking $2,834.25 for a 3 set rear weights…Just with this, I could tell something was off.
Something similar could be said about the cost of the FEL.
They bundle the price of the loader, the bucket, the rod level indicator, and the grill guard. On the Kubota web everything adds up to $6,698.00, their price before “NCHA” discount is $9,735.63.
The applied discount was not even 10%,
He got more nervous, told me he had to talk with his VP, etc.
He contradicted himself on multiple occasions.
Now I don’t feel comfortable buying anything from that dealer.
Part of me wants to go to war and try to get them to honor the right price and the 20% discount, but I'm sure that would destroy the long-term relationship.
I'm also thinking of exploring other options.
I will give it some thought, a close friend of mine had some issues getting the NCHA discount, but he got it in the end.
One of the few perks I got when they 'retired' me back in 2017. The paper has been sold twice since then, but I've been given the same rate. Each time they sell it, I call in and renew my subscription before I think they get organized and realize I'm not a retiree of their company.
I'm guessing they'll catch up to me some day. When they do, I'll no longer take the paper, and that will be a sad day for me. I've had a subscription since I had my first house back in 1985.