Should a new tractor come with a full tank of gas?

[nybirdman]

My $36k tractor (Kubota) was delivered with the fuel full,my $7k lawn mower(from a different dealer) was NOT.A friend also purchased the same mower from the same dealer and his had no fuel either.Poor business practices in my book.

 

[JethroB]

Got a full tank of diesel, but nothing else, unless you count the 8 large stickers advertising the dealership that I had to peal off.

Dealer stickers grrr. I spent 20 minutes yesterday with a hairdryer and WD-40 getting their‘s off. I told a car dealer once to get the sticker and front dealer plate off the new car or knock off $500.

 

[ruffdog]

Should it be full of fuel? I would say at least 3/4 full is sufficient but full is a nice sales perk. I still get hats and shirts from dealers...even ones I haven't bought from. I even get them from my friends that buy tractors so I have no shortage of hats!

 

[SmallChange]

Well this is timely. I just bought my first tractor and it was delivered yesterday with an empty fuel tank (no swag either, but that part doesn't really bother me). I told the dealer I was disappointed it was delivered with no fuel in it. He said in his 20+ years experienced he's never heard of a tractor being delivered with fuel in it. I thought that was BS. Seems I was right. This has definitely impacted my opinion of the dealer.

If you like, post the name of the dealer here, and we can all give him what-for. Then you can print it out and give it to him. It might change his ways! Especially if he then delivers a filling to you by way of making up for it....

 

[bigtiller]

All I got was the bill, half a tank of fuel, one key and some self promoting decals to remove.

 

[azbinder]

When I was selling tractors, they ALWAYS had the tank topped off. Also at least 2 keys with fobs and I would ask if they would like a couple of caps too. I would also give the buyer about a half dozen of my cards to pass out. You would be surprised how many people would contact me from giving out those cards. It really does make a difference when you treat your customers RIGHT. It's the LITTLE things.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

I can tell you exactly what happened, because I lived through it many times at the dealership level (although this was on the automotive side).

Everything is humming along fine, until somebody tries to make a name for themselves and creates a big presentation that goes like this:

"I can save this company $37,000 per year. If we sell 12 tractors a week, and it costs $60 to fill them up before delivery, then we are spending $37,000 in fuel on delivered tractors. If we stop delivering with a full tank of fuel then look at all the money we will save!"

This presentation always comes from people who do not work directly with our customers. They fail to realize that the $37,000 buys much more free advertising and good will than anything else they could do.

It really does make a difference when you treat your customers RIGHT. It's the LITTLE things.

Very well said.

 

[hube2]

Question for people that got empty tanks, how the H*** did they get it off the truck?

Isn't putting fuel in it part of the "dealer prep" that I had to pay for?

 

[ning]

Question for people that got empty tanks, how the H*** did they get it off the truck?

Isn't putting fuel in it part of the "dealer prep" that I had to pay for?

I suspect that "empty" in this case really means "mostly empty".

 

[npalen]

I would personally spend my time making sure that I'm cutting the best deal possible on a 20 or 30 or ? thousands of dollar tractor than a tank of "gas" or a hat, but then that's just me.

 

[JethroB]

Question for people that got empty tanks, how the H*** did they get it off the truck?

Isn't putting fuel in it part of the "dealer prep" that I had to pay for?

I want to know what the $125 documentation fee is supposed to cover. No registration, tag or title on a danged tractor. The owner’s manual maybe?

 

[nova3930]

I kinda hope the new tym does. Current hat is getting a little threadbare

 

[Cougsfan]

I forget if I got a full tank of fuel or not. I did get an armful of hats.
I bought a Honda Motorcycle recently. They didn't even put enough gas in it for me to trust riding to a station to get gas. The gauge was on empty and the fuel warning light was on. Yes it did change my perspective about the dealer.

 

[ljjhouser]

My Kubota had fuel and a hat for me and my wife and a replacement every year (hat that is).

 

[ning]

I would personally spend my time making sure that I'm cutting the best deal possible on a 20 or 30 or ? thousands of dollar tractor than a tank of "gas" or a hat, but then that's just me.

The point is, practically nobody considers fuel in the tank when cutting the best deal, so if fuel in the tank wasn't part of the deal and the seller provided it anyways, that's presumably a bonus.

 

[WM75Guy]

I never have to buy hats. Both my NH dealer and Kubota dealer will give me a hat if I ask for one. With my WM75 I got 2 NH hats when I ordered it and 2 more in the cab when it was delivered, plus a full tank of fuel. I have a plastic frame to put my caps in and either toss it into the washer with a load of clothes or put it in the dishwasher.

 

[ning]

I never have to buy hats. Both my NH dealer and Kubota dealer will give me a hat if I ask for one. With my WM75 I got 2 NH hats when I ordered it and 2 more in the cab when it was delivered, plus a full tank of fuel. I have a plastic frame to put my caps in and either toss it into the washer with a load of clothes or put it in the dishwasher.

If the hats have any organic matter you may want to skip the dishwasher; dishwasher detergent is designed to dissolve organic stuff, not just wash it.

 

[gstrom99]

My tractors were not bought new. The JD zero turn mower I bought last year was delivered (and full of gas). No hat though...

 

[East30]

My RTV-1100C came with a near full tank of gas. Worse thing ever.... When I bought it three years ago, they found one for me in Texas. Didn't get to me until December and outside temps were -20's. When I picked up up at the dealership it was already outside running, as they showed me the operation of the vehicle. Trailered it two hours north, so I topped it off on the drive. Took forever to get running. It was fueled in Texas before shipped to me!! But my top off of winter blend probably saved me from gelling. That was my very first experience with a diesel engine, thought I made the biggest mistake of my life that day. Finally got her started, and let it run all night, (no garage there) filled it up with a winter blend in the morning and never had an issue since.

 

[5030]

Never got a full tank with a new tractor but then mine hold 35 gallons anyway.