DavesTractor
Elite Member
Do you ever feel yourself about to climb up on the soapbox and there is a nagging feeling that you should let it go? Ah, one of those moments....
$12,965 MSRP for the tractor, $3569 MSRP for the loader, freight generally runs $250/unit by the truckload. $16,784 MSRP with freight. Sales price of $12,850 is below dealers real cost, perhaps he has stacked some rebates, volume bonus, truckload deals, cash rebates, etc., or maybe it has come due on his credit line and he is dumping it. It is hard to say, we do see this occasionally and it is hard to explain. Generally the sale is to an out of state buyer and the dealer will never have to service the tractor.
Some will ask "Isn't service profitable?". If you play by the rules it is. No free service calls, no free pick-up and delivery. Strictly enforcing warranty issues, basically cutting no slack and servicing in order of importance. Doing nothing if not paid for it.
But honestly, that isn't the way it happens. A customer deserves better. He trusted in you and you need to do what is right, even if neither the customer nor the manufacturer reimburses you. What about the three-point sway chain that the customer failed to snug up after switching implements? Yep, dropped in the mud somewhere. Covered by warranty? Not really. The battery that fails after 3 months, rare but happens. Do you send them to the Exide dealer like the warranty provides, or do you grab another battery and do the exchange yourself. You see, there are so many little things that a good customer deserves and a good dealer provides, but there has to be some gross margin to do so.
Some will say, quite adamantly, that I am out of line. Sales are sales, and service is service, never the twain should meet. But I really like selling to customers that expect and desire the best in both sales and service and do not mind paying a fair price to get it. Not a high price, just a fair price.
I better get off my soapbox! To the guy with the $12,850 2615G with loader, you did very well and you'll like the tractor.
$12,965 MSRP for the tractor, $3569 MSRP for the loader, freight generally runs $250/unit by the truckload. $16,784 MSRP with freight. Sales price of $12,850 is below dealers real cost, perhaps he has stacked some rebates, volume bonus, truckload deals, cash rebates, etc., or maybe it has come due on his credit line and he is dumping it. It is hard to say, we do see this occasionally and it is hard to explain. Generally the sale is to an out of state buyer and the dealer will never have to service the tractor.
Some will ask "Isn't service profitable?". If you play by the rules it is. No free service calls, no free pick-up and delivery. Strictly enforcing warranty issues, basically cutting no slack and servicing in order of importance. Doing nothing if not paid for it.
But honestly, that isn't the way it happens. A customer deserves better. He trusted in you and you need to do what is right, even if neither the customer nor the manufacturer reimburses you. What about the three-point sway chain that the customer failed to snug up after switching implements? Yep, dropped in the mud somewhere. Covered by warranty? Not really. The battery that fails after 3 months, rare but happens. Do you send them to the Exide dealer like the warranty provides, or do you grab another battery and do the exchange yourself. You see, there are so many little things that a good customer deserves and a good dealer provides, but there has to be some gross margin to do so.
Some will say, quite adamantly, that I am out of line. Sales are sales, and service is service, never the twain should meet. But I really like selling to customers that expect and desire the best in both sales and service and do not mind paying a fair price to get it. Not a high price, just a fair price.
I better get off my soapbox! To the guy with the $12,850 2615G with loader, you did very well and you'll like the tractor.
