Dealer prep oopsies

[looch]

I've found more than a couple and now I feel like I should be going over the whole thing. Nothing major, but if one of your main functions is to prep these tractors, I'd hope that the process would be well vetted.

1. Loader not seated properly - noticed it was off by about 2" measruing from the loader arm to the hood emblem. A couple of good heave's and it popped into position.

2. Couldn't engage the PTO - the seat belt coil was installed upside down preventing the PTO lever from moving into position.

3. MMM height control wobbling around and not staying at set position. Missing retaining clip that engages the cogs on the shaft to keep it in position. Dealer provided the parts free of charge.

4. Backhoe lines/hoses not routed according to spec. One of the steel lines was mounted 180 degrees off of standard and routed down through the backhoe frame making it impossible to make use of the storage clip. Loosened the fitting, rotated it, and rerouted the hoses.

 

[Jstpssng]

It's not just tractor mechanics who put things together wrong. I bought a used Stihl MS170 that never seemed to run right. I finally determined that the preformed fuel filter had been installed 180 degrees off, so that it was kinked and didn't allow the fuel to flow. I turned it around and it ran like a charm... until I blew up the engine.
(If you've read many of my posts about chainsaws, that seems to be part of a pattern.)

 

[nbking]

I had some loose bolts, and a leaky fitting for my third function, the salesman and I fixed those upon delivery.

 

[3Ts]

Delivered with underinflated tires and leaky hydraulic fittings. Not really a big deal so I took care of those, but something the dealer should have checked.

 

[oldballs]

I'll bet that my new purchase (B2650) a year ago takes the record. It went back to the dealer five times before the missing bolts, missing parts etc. were corrected. That dealer now has a new Service Manager, new assembly mechanic and a new secretary. During that fiasco, I lost my cool and apologized. The tractor has run perfectly the past year with about 100 hours clocked.....thank goodness.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[Grouse09]

I got lucky. My 2650 was zero-defects upon delivery. I did check everything and found nothing wrong. Now I am at 300 hours.

 

[coldsteelva]

I got lucky. My 2650 was zero-defects upon delivery. I did check everything and found nothing wrong. Now I am at 300 hours.

I had a single loose hydraulic fitting at the FEL manifold. It was weeping only under use. Since I only found that one item, it took me a bit to realize that I really hadn't missed anything and it really was the ONLY thing. I swore I must have missed something, but every bolt was torqued and marked.

I did have to remove the bolt-on front tie downs in order to mount the MMM (bought 1 year later). It took me a moment to figure out why I couldn't properly swing up the front mount of the mower lift. I keep the tie down brackets in a drawer in case I ever have a need to trailer my tractor.

 

[Shaneard]

My brother just started working at a Kubota dealer recently. They have him assembling new equipment and also driving the delivery/pickup rollback. He gets interrupted a lot while trying to do something, I can see how stuff would get missed.

 

[diesel85]

My brother just started working at a Kubota dealer recently. They have him assembling new equipment and also driving the delivery/pickup rollback. He gets interrupted a lot while trying to do something, I can see how stuff would get missed.

Exactly.

Although I don't assemble tractors, my main job is in IT as a network admin, and I can't tell you how many times I am trying to configure a new piece of equipment and I have to do it when no one is around so I can focus, so I can get it done the FIRST TIME correctly.

I'm surprised anything gets done right these days with all the distractions. Cell phones, other people, more demand (less pay), etc, etc.

What's even more perplexing is that the newer generation doesn't care if they screw up -- even multiple times.

 

[Industrial Toys]

My new ECHO saw seized up after ten minutes of use. Dealer put oil and gas in the thing and didn't grease the nose. I got it going again and didn't say anything, but it shows how lacking our world has become for getting the small details right. This dealer has sold thousands of saws!

 

[Jstpssng]

My new ECHO saw seized up after ten minutes of use. Dealer put oil and gas in the thing and didn't grease the nose. I got it going again and didn't say anything, but it shows how lacking our world has become for getting the small details right. This dealer has sold thousands of saws!

I haven't greased the nose in 30 years and have lost one tip in all of that time. I used to cut a lot of ice when I was beaver trapping, and didn't even run B&C oil; the ice made a good lubricant.

 

[ruffdog]

How much assembly has to be performed when setting up these tractors? I can understand adding items such as FEL, belly mower, blower, backhoe, but, what is involved with just the tractor? Are the wheels, ROPs, bodywork, 3pt arms installed? Years ago, I worked at a motorcycle/ATV/snowmobile dealership so I know they like to ship toys in tight packages. When we would get units from other dealers, we would first check how it was set-up.

 

[SDT]

How much assembly has to be performed when setting up these tractors? I can understand adding items such as FEL, belly mower, blower, backhoe, but, what is involved with just the tractor? Are the wheels, ROPs, bodywork, 3pt arms installed? Years ago, I worked at a motorcycle/ATV/snowmobile dealership so I know they like to ship toys in tight packages. When we would get units from other dealers, we would first check how it was set-up.

Quite a bit.

They are shipped on pallets.

Assembly is required, even without FEL, accessories, etc.

FWIW, assembly and PDI are two different operations.

SDT

 

[SDT]

I'll bet that my new purchase (B2650) a year ago takes the record. It went back to the dealer five times before the missing bolts, missing parts etc. were corrected. That dealer now has a new Service Manager, new assembly mechanic and a new secretary. During that fiasco, I lost my cool and apologized. The tractor has run perfectly the past year with about 100 hours clocked.....thank goodness.
Cheers,
Mike

I attempted to respond earlier but my response is not visible. Either I neglected to click "post" or my response was removed by administration. Going to find out now.

Manufacturers pay dealers for pre delivery inspection (PDI).

I know of no dealers who do not accept PDI payments but there are certainly dealers who do not perform the PDI work. Such dealers either assume that everything is as it should be as delivered or that the buyer will find things needing attention and complain so that the dealer can get paid again to correct such issues under warranty.

BTDT.

SDT

 

[Paystar]

My Kubota had a bolt not tightened in for the loader mount. I then discovered it was because they stripped it. and my loader joystick fell off because the bolts were not tight.

Bought a new Polaris. They charged me $90 for PDI. The water pump housing was leaking, you could barley move the gear selector because the clutches were out of alignment, and they put the hand and thumb warmer switches in backwards (low was high, high was low.)

And when I used to have my vehicles serviced at dealer I've had everything from getting them back scratched, the grills broke, oil fill caps missing, bolts missing and a hole through the floor of my new Jetta when they put the hoist through it, then denied it.

People just don't care anymore and no one held accountable. They all just want their money.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Bought a JD with standard transmission, gears would not shift. My Dad toured the Factory at Manheim and mentioned it to them. They had someone fetch a similar tractor from the lot. It would not shift gears either. Yeah, no one cares! Put it together, working or not and go home.

 

[looch]

I guess I've spent too much time in manufacturing. If I have to do any task more than 5 times I 5s and Kaizen the crap out of it. Being a Japanese company, I'm a bit disappointed that Kubota hasn't pushed that methodology up the chain. It shouldn't have to be about caring - you create a process and never stop improving upon it - to the point that mistakes are near impossible.

 

[Jchonline]

I've found more than a couple and now I feel like I should be going over the whole thing. Nothing major, but if one of your main functions is to prep these tractors, I'd hope that the process would be well vetted.

1. Loader not seated properly - noticed it was off by about 2" measruing from the loader arm to the hood emblem. A couple of good heave's and it popped into position.

2. Couldn't engage the PTO - the seat belt coil was installed upside down preventing the PTO lever from moving into position.

3. MMM height control wobbling around and not staying at set position. Missing retaining clip that engages the cogs on the shaft to keep it in position. Dealer provided the parts free of charge.

4. Backhoe lines/hoses not routed according to spec. One of the steel lines was mounted 180 degrees off of standard and routed down through the backhoe frame making it impossible to make use of the storage clip. Loosened the fitting, rotated it, and rerouted the hoses.

Actually the sales folks put together a bunch of this stuff. It isnt even a mechanic.

 

[RickB]

Quite a bit.

They are shipped on pallets.

Assembly is required, even without FEL, accessories, etc.

FWIW, assembly and PDI are two different operations.

SDT

I attempted to respond earlier but my response is not visible. Either I neglected to click "post" or my response was removed by administration. Going to find out now.

Manufacturers pay dealers for pre delivery inspection (PDI).

I know of no dealers who do not accept PDI payments but there are certainly dealers who do not perform the PDI work. Such dealers either assume that everything is as it should be as delivered or that the buyer will find things needing attention and complain so that the dealer can get paid again to correct such issues under warranty.

BTDT.

SDT

You contradict yourself by saying tractors arrive crated but dealers assume PDI is done at the factory. There are many PDI checks that are verifications of correct assembly at the dealership. Your suggestion of reimbursements to dealers for PDI time is fantasy as it relates to Kubota, Mahindra and New Holland. Simply not fact based, period. And suggesting a tractor dealer actively and knowingly sends out equipment with assembly and PDI deficiencies in order to increase customer complaints and boost warranty income is just plain stupid. Manufacturers warranty departments are staffed with folks getting paid to reduce bogus claims and they do not pay for faulty assembly or things they figure should have been corrected at PDI. Dealership service departments do not enjoy unhappy customers, or benefit in any conceivable way from having them.

 

[RickB]

Actually the sales folks put together a bunch of this stuff. It isnt even a mechanic.

Real dealerships have sales staff for selling and service departments for assembly, PDI, delivery and repairs.