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[sideskraft]

Well if they've been around they will likely stay around. Most of it is the feeling you get when you're talking to them. When I was shopping tractors some of them clearly were not interested, heck one of them never even got up from behind his desk so that spoke loud enough. While the dealer I choose said they delivered to my home and covered transportation for warranty work, others were done with you as soon as your tail lights cross the curb. It all adds up and eventually you get the warm fuzzies from some and nothing but cold and calculating from others so your gut will be your guide. Of course it never hurts to talk to other folks and have yourself a good look around the dealership at the service and parts departments etc. There is an old saying, service sells. Some know this others do not and tend to prey on suckers shopping for a rock bottom price. Another old saying is that you get what you pay for.

I totally agree Dick. My recommendation is to approach the service manager and see how welcoming he is -- ask some basic questions about the tractor you're interested in, ask about maintenance, etc. If he seems disinterested and aloof, walk away. Good managers (service and sales) truly care about customers and potential customers because they believe in the business ownership and feel like they have a stake in it. If the guy is just "punching in and punching out", it's just a job for him, and he could care less if his customers are taken care of. I remember when I first visited my local Deere dealership -- it felt like the typical used car lot. I couldn't get out of there fast enough! I'm very fortunate that my Mahindra dealer is top notch, especially the service manager and technicians -- they truly do care and are willing to go the extra mile to satisfy the customer.