We have three JD dealerships within about 40 miles of me. Each has different ownership but none are a Mom and Pop business. The last one to be in my opinion was best thing to happen to it when it was bought be a larger company. Inventory was poor, attitude of owner was take it or leave it. Tried to do business there and it was a real turn off. Since have bought few parts from them, very good attitude and the workers I have met are all, believe this or not, local.
You have to realize there was a reason or many the owners sold. Maybe JD was pressuring them. Maybe they were tried of the business, poor health, no family to continue the business. There is many reasons. If it was good dealership no doubt they walked away with a good retirement.
No expert on any of brand but less take JD, NH and Case and Kubota. They have a large product line. Varying by company from lawn mowers to hundreds of hp tractors, combines, balers, planters. You get the point. Then there are some brands that only have from lawn mowers to say 60 hp compact tractors. Way way different in inventory of just tractors between say JD and Yanmar or Mahrinda. Same for the service and parts department and yes the mechanics and sales people. Not saying the small tractor companies dealers will not send a mechanic to your house, farm or ranch but the true farm tractor brands often have a full stocked truck and mechanic or more than one who are totally on the road mechanics. Totally different economics.
I am not throwing off at Yanmar but looked at them few weeks back for a 60 hp compact tractor. I also looked at LS and some consideration of Kioti and just chuckled at the newest Mahrinda dealership which is a use car lot here. ( I know there are many who love each of those brands, not brand bashing.) But Yanmar, JD and Kubota were only ones I really considered for MY reasons. You can take any of these brands and NO ONE other than JD and Kubota had more than a dozen tractors on their lot, the JD and Kubota dealership had at least 40 on each lot their product line is that large. The resources needed are so much different between many of the compact brands and the full product line companies it is beyond belief.
There is also the buying between the two. I could visit five different JD dealerships web sites and know the inventory on probably 50 dealerships. Some were within 60 miles of me and others couple of hundred or more miles away but no hours or days of searching. Not possible with the mom and pop dealerships. Also if they have what you want on one location most will move it to their lot for you with no price or obligation of signed contract.
Do I like to do business with locally owned business, sure do. I am a locally owned business and compete with the chains in my industry. We are like the brand who only sells compact tractors. Our product line is narrow and we do an excellent job there. We don't pretend to be anything else and will refer to other narrow line locals who offer product we don't.
Great news, we still have a choice in the USA on many things. We still are a very "blessed" Nation.
