Grading Box Stores Vs Dealers

[micman32]

There have been alot of comments on here about buying at a box store. I believe purchasing a Lawn or Garden Tractor thru a dealer is the best way to go. I know the units are the same but you get so much more from going thru a dealer. They know the machines and will set them up properly. There is also service after the sell. Sooner or later something will require servicing and the Big Box Stores just don't service the units they sell.
I had a Craftsman that required servicing and they sent a repair man down to my home to perform the work. Thank goodness I had the extended warranty because they would have charged me $150 just for the service call not to mention the repairs performed.
I know the box stores lure prospective buyers in with low prices or financing offers but try too look beyond the initial sale and what it will really cost in terms of parts, service etc.

Michael

 

[Diesel-ME]

I doubt that most of the machines are the exact same SKU. Typically big box stores have "cheaper" versions of similar machines. If you do most of your own general maintenance and/or have a good independent small engine shop nearby AND are not worried about having to use the warrantee, then shop based on price/financing. Else the real dealers are the best choice.

In my area I know for a fact that the local Cub, Deere and Husqvarna dealers will NOT under any circumstances work on machines bought at the big box stores. Their official reasoning is that they don't have the staff to deal with equipment that they did not sell.

In any case, if you need a basic lawn tractor and the price and financing works for you buy it where you want to buy it. Take care if it and hopefully you won't need to avail yourself of warrantee related work.

Just do your homework 1st and don't assume that a full service dealer won't have a good machine at a competitive price (and financing too).

~paul

 

[JTKub]

..In my area I know for a fact that the local Cub, Deere and Husqvarna dealers will NOT under any circumstances work on machines bought at the big box stores. Their official reasoning is that they don't have the staff to deal with equipment that they did not sell.

That is odd. In the Buffalo NY area, atleast up to last year (dunno now, havent looked into it), all the JD 100 series machines sold by the Home Depots in my area had to be unpacked and setup by the local JD dealership that holds the contract prior to being sold on the HD floor. Basically HD contracts out the setup through a JD dealership. I also don't understand why a particular dealership would refuse to service one of their brand regardless to where it came from?!? That's a horrible business plan that will get you out of business in short order. None of the lighter duty machines are for me anyway, but IMO, it's good business to sell them at big box. Big box gets LOTS of traffic. Traffic = sales. If a dealership refuses to 'service' a big box bought machine, that's money they wont make.

Joel

 

[thatguy]

I know at a few Lowes/Home Depots I looked at here in Virginia, the JD's had a local dealership decal under the seat or on them someplace.. Also the box were you drop the warranty card shows the dealers name..

I assumed the machines were run through the dealer (or maybe even dealer stock) and therefore can go back to that dealer for any warranty stuff..

Brian

 

[JMorgan]

In most cases the Dealer can sale you the same unit as the box store can for the same price.Saying that, in of the year comes the big box wants to get rid of the units,because of the floor spaced needed for the Christmas stuff,so they discount them down to gain sell space. Now your dealer has the same unit, not being a title unit, ( like a car) and the model hasn't changed over the year you may be buying a unit that is a 2006 built or a 2007 built he may be able to discount it if he has had it on the lot for a long time. Most cases the dealer keep only a few ,do to cost,but can get a unit in from a central depot in a day or two.Honda Motorcycles have been doing that for years. Now for service: Your the dealer and you have a back log of work,your cust. that you sold the unit to six months ago need help and John Doe who got his unit down at the big box needs help. Who do you think will get help first??? Remember the six month cust. has proven he can put food on the dealers table before. John Doe put the food on the Big box table?????

 

[VA_Joe]

I doubt that most of the machines are the exact same SKU. Typically big box stores have "cheaper" versions of similar machines. If you do most of your own general maintenance and/or have a good independent small engine shop nearby AND are not worried about having to use the warrantee, then shop based on price/financing. Else the real dealers are the best choice.

In my area I know for a fact that the local Cub, Deere and Husqvarna dealers will NOT under any circumstances work on machines bought at the big box stores. Their official reasoning is that they don't have the staff to deal with equipment that they did not sell.

In any case, if you need a basic lawn tractor and the price and financing works for you buy it where you want to buy it. Take care if it and hopefully you won't need to avail yourself of warrantee related work.

Just do your homework 1st and don't assume that a full service dealer won't have a good machine at a competitive price (and financing too).

~paul

I think the JD issue was fixed a couple of years ago when JD was selling mowers with the "Scotts" label at HD. The dealers were extremely upset that JD was undermining them via the deal with home depot. The HD models were essentially cheaper tractors being sold at much lower prices than the premium, main line Deere products at the dealers.

Also, because the mowers were being sold as "Scotts by John Deere" vice "Scotts" they gave purchasers the false impression that the tractors would be fully backed by the same support network that made JD a premium brand. However - the dealer near me wouldn't touch them with a 59 1/2 foot pole (only had bad things to say about them). It took Deere a few years to figure out that this "arrangement" was not such a good idea. Today the "big box" sales are done in partnership with the local dealer (don't know what the profit sharing arrangement is - just that they no longer seem to mind). Both sell the same low end machines under the "L series" moniker.

Joe

 

[Fordlords]

The arrangement with Deere dealers to provide set up and support for the box stores selling the 100 models does not hold true for Cub Cadet 1000/1500 models sold at the box stores. Like LBrown said in another post, they are often set up by a pimply faced high school kid and it is up to the local dealers to decide if they want to service them or not.

Best bet is to go in to the dealer with the box store price in hand if buying a Cub 1000 or 1500. I have noticed the box store prices (HD) for Cub Cadet look to be exactly $200 lower than the Cub Cadet list prices. (HD is spot on with Deere list prices.) If a dealer wants your sale and parts/service business, they should come down that amount knowing you have some leverage, at least with those models.

-Fordlords-

 

[JTKub]

..Also, because the mowers were being sold as "Scotts by John Deere" vice "Scotts" they gave purchasers the false impression that the tractors would be fully backed by the same support network that made JD a premium brand. However - the dealer near me wouldn't touch them with a 59 1/2 foot pole (only had bad things to say about them)...

I hate to go off topic on the JD thing, but the current JD 100 series machines are made by the same JD owned factory in SC that the Scotts brand was made by. Same factory, same product line. Name just went from Scotts to JD about 4yrs ago. Some of Scotts GT's were fine machines BTW. Heavy hydros, etc..

Joel

 

[VA_Joe]

I hate to go off topic on the JD thing, but the current JD 100 series machines are made by the same JD owned factory in SC that the Scotts brand was made by. Same factory, same product line. Name just went from Scotts to JD about 4yrs ago. Some of Scotts GT's were fine machines BTW. Heavy hydros, etc..

Joel

That was the funny thing - at the time HD was selling the Scotts mowers - the local JD dealer was selling identical riding mowers under the JD name. I forgot what they called them (it may have been the L series back then as it is today) - I just remember that he didn't like it when I asked the question.

In any case - both were at the bottom of the JD line-up and looking at them side by side - the LX and GT mowers were much better built units. For the money - the Scotts were a good buy - just didn't have a motivated support network to back them up.

My two cents.

Joe

 

[thcri]

My opinion would be not to buy from the big box stores. Yes you may be able to get a better price. But most of the Big Box Stores don't have service departments. So if you have trouble they send you to the local dealer or they take it them selves to the local dealer. If I was the local dealer and I knew I didn't sell it you would not be up on the top of the list of getting it fixed very fast in my opinion. I would be taking care of my customers first.

Again just my opinion.

 

[daTeacha]

MicMan, stick with Moore's, Shearers, Sterling Farm, or Ashland implement if you will be keeping your machine a while. Sterling has been great taking care of my 129, Ashland was very good when I bought my Case (better than Sterling), and Moore's was very helpful to me when I had a B7100 and needed some parts and such, too. I got my bush hog from them at the old store. I try to avoid WallyWorld, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. to keep our local economy healthier.

While you're at it, write a check or pay cash with the local businesses. Your plastic money costs the dealer about 2 or 3% off the top of any sale. The salesman may not care, but the owner will. If you must shop Wally's or Lowes down there in Millersburg, use your plastic there.

Don't forget about Keim's down in Charm if you need power tools, but you probably already know that.

 

[montanaman]

Just had a guy walk out of here a few minutes ago that was looking for a bolt for a Toro mower he bought at the box store. He had know idea where the local Toro dealer even is but he did say the box store could come and pick it up and they would get it repaired for him. Don't think that is the fastest way to get a broken bolt replaced.

I pointed him to a servicing Toro dealer.

What a lot of folks don't understand about the warranty is that dealers do not make money on warranty! I don't care if it's GM, Ford, Dodge, JD, etc.

No mfg of tractors or mowers that I am aware of pays for transportation and many selling dealers will pick up a warranty job at no cost to the customer if it was on something that you let them make profit on. This would exlude most lawn tractors and many compacts as there just isn't enough profit.

Also, the mfg sets both the time they will pay and the hourly labor amount they will pay for warranty work. If it takes a mechanic 4 hours to complete an engine change on a warranty job, you can bet the shop will be paid two hours and it will be two hours at a rate much lower than their posted shop rate. Also, the dealer will not, in most cases, get any parts profit. Add to that all of the paper work required to claim the money and in some cases expensive special ordered parts, and the dealer is not making money. In many cases, they are lucky if they break even.

I have yet to charge transportation on a tractor that I have sold needing warranty work but with fuel at $3.00 a gallon and profits lower than ever, that day is soon!

I am a small dealer who knows my product. I can help guide a customer toward the best product for their needs, do the proper PDI inspection on it, and deliver it for them better than any box store ever will.

I also do not sell a single brand that the box stores do because I don't need the headache.

That is not to say that I can't compete with them because I usually have better for less as long as a customer is looking at their better line of products. I sell Stihl chainsaws for about the same price that Lowes and Home Depot sell their premium line of saws. I also sell much better quality chain at a better price than their chain thats made in China.

Ken

 

[micman32]

DaTeacha,

I bought my Cub at Mast Sales (formerly known as Horrisberger Equipment) in Walnut Creek Ohio. They are about 10 miles from me. I know Keim Lumber in Charm very well!