Hi gvet, /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I live in Dallas, Oregon.
When purchasing my 4700 (plus attachments), I contacted 20 dealers within acceptable(to me) driving-distance along the I-5 corridor.
I explained that I was happy with the reputation/convenience of my closest dealer but was giving anyone who wanted to bid, a "shot" at my business, a package totaling somewhere between 30-40 thousand $. ( This let them know that the only chance they had, was to give me their best deal.) I told none of them what anyone else had bid, except my local dealer, after all the other bids were in.(Running back and forth, between 20 dealers with "The other guy said ..." only drives both you and the dealers crazy, and makes you look like someone whose only concern is "pinching" the last penny. This is not the kind of customer most dealers want to deal with about service or other matters in the future, and may actually DISCOURAGE them from making their best-effort at getting you for a customer.)
I got back (if I remember correctly) 14 replies.
3 or 4 politely refused to bid, suggesting I patronize my local dealer.(Maybe they were "nice guys", ...maybe they knew their bids would not be among the best in the marketplace!)
Of the remainig 10, I believe my local dealer was 7th lowest. The spread was not very wide, in terms of the % of the whole deal.
I ended up paying $500 more than the next best place (ALL things considered) and stayed with my local dealer (Fisher Implements, on HWY 22 outside Salem). (Note that this is less than 1 and 1/2 % of a $35,000 deal. So if one dealer offers you 15% off(for example), and the other offers 16.5%off, then it's probably factors OTHER THAN PRICE that determine the "best" place to buy).
They have worked with me in every possible way to meet my wants, during some lengthy /somewhat unusual outfitting of my tractor. In my opinion, the $500 was well spent. (along with whatever "extra" I may have paid on some additional things, since the basic-deal quote)
I know that I COULD have saved a few up-front dollars, ...but this decision was made with the "long-run" in mind.I have absolutely no 2nd thoughts about it, ...and to top it off, the dealer is only about 10 miles straight down the hwy.
No matter what you hear that someone ELSE paid, here on this list, or elsewhere, the bottom line is what will YOU have to pay?!
The only way to find out is to make your needs/situation clear to as many dealers as you would really consider buying from, ...have them understand/believe that you are SERIOUS about making a purchase (mentioning a time frame doesn't hurt, ...i.e. "within the next 2 weeks" gets more attention than "sometime in the future"), and see what they can do for you. The responses will let you know if any particular bid is "way out of line".
If you get a deal very-much better than your favorite dealer's, from someone else, you might want to give him a chance to "reconsider" before you leave him. But "bluff" threats to "take your business elsewhere" will only antagonize someone, and make you look foolish, if you fail to follow-through. They've heard all the "sharpen your pencil" remarks a thousand times, and have their own reasons for the limits they set on "dealing".
Establishing yourself as a knowledgable, serious shopper (do your homework on specs. etc), not an ignorant "patsy", and letting them know that you are not going "across the state" for a few dollars, but expect a good effort at a "competitive" price, should keep the atmosphere mutually-respectful.
In the end, you will just have to sit down with your bids, consider travel-distance, service, reputations (TALK TO CUSTOMERS), and make your decision.
PS: TBN is an EXCELLENT place to do a lot of that "knowledgeable shopper" homework.
Good luck! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
Larry
