When you start a Kubota Min ex like this does the hr meter flash zero across the screen basically a screen test and then show the hrs? I assume it will show hrs running or not, but I speculate maybe the sales guy put the key in turned it on to see 000000 hrs flash on the screen for long enough for a human to recognize 0 and then claim 0 hrs. Not thinking 0 is way to low a number and why so many 0's but they are in sales not service or using it.
HR meter being so integrated into the display I suspect it has a self test diagnostic display, basically if one of the digits doesn't display a number you know it is failing.
Other possibility I suspect low is that the sales dude saw 0 RPM and mistook it for hrs, or some other 0 on the display... I snap shot of 0 would have been handy.