Why is it so hard to buy a tractor?

[DavesTractor]

Dave's Tractor, with your attitude you should always do well. Wish you were located near me.

Thanks! BTW, I own a yellow Unimog with a Schmidt blower like I see in your avatar. Mine is a little newer, a 416 with the 20 speed. But since I'd have to drive to the mountains to find snow to blow, I removed the blower and I'm making this into a toy.

 

[dickfoster]

Thanks! BTW, I own a yellow Unimog with a Schmidt blower like I see in your avatar. Mine is a little newer, a 416 with the 20 speed. But since I'd have to drive to the mountains to find snow to blow, I removed the blower and I'm making this into a toy.

BTW Dave I had 15" accumulated up here yesterday. How many years is that in the flat lands, 15 maybe more?

 

[DavesTractor]

BTW Dave I had 15" accumulated up here yesterday. How many years is that in the flat lands, 15 maybe more?

We choose when we play in the snow. It is at our convenience.

This is 40 minutes from the house, our annual Dave's Tractor snow wheeling trip this Monday. 6 rigs, about 20 people. A good amount of snow, and a lot of fun. I suppose there is another 2-3 feet accumulation there in the last couple of days as we were at 6000 feet up by Lassen Park.

 

[Deere Dude]

When I bought my JD I bought out of state for various reasons, mostly financial.

The dealer that was 12 miles away always seemed cordial when I needed warranty work done 2-3 times. I didn't have a trailer at the time and they would have charged a pick-up and delivery fee for warranty work. But they were kind enough to let me use their trailer to haul my tractor to their shop and back. Now I feel kind of guilty for not getting the tractor there.

 

[jon edwards]

plowhog, sorry to hear about your experience. I tried to read through all these posts and only made it thru about half.

I just bought my first new tractor and it was the easiest purchase I have ever made. I had done a lot of tire kicking and window shopping, but I ended up buying from a local dealer in town. It was hard to get anyone to commit to a price, but I really educated myself online. When I bought mine the price they offered was so good I didn't negotiate at all. I got a better deal than I could find anywhere in the country.

Unfortunately I think your issues aren't with any brand, but with the salespeople Dealerships are just like people. Some are great to deal with and others are a pain. I just hope you get lucky and find a good dealer that wants to earn your business.

 

[Catman8]

OP- Ditto Ditto Ditto, trust me it's not you, we are all treated like this in California. Buy out of state, the quotes I received from trucking brokers to ship from MN to CA ranged from $2000 to $1500 I was lucky and the dealer recommended a trucking company they used and I only paid $1000 most likely because we cut out the brokers fee. Every salesman that I met acted like I was wasting their time and when you asked them questions you could tell they lacked experiance and knowledge about tractors. I wish I was more financially stable I would leave this state in a heart beat.

I shouldn't say all CA. Dealers are terrible because I had an excellent experience with Dave's Tractor, when I called their company I was shocked how polite and knowledgeable these people were and they listen to your concerns, if you happen to be near Red Bluff Ca. and stop into Daves Tractor you will be pleasantly surprised how they treat their customers. Talking to Rob was a breath of fresh air, he knows what customer service is all about, friendly polite and courteous.

 

[varmint]

I liked Dave's explanation of treating everyone as a potential buyer, worthy of your time and interest.

In the 70's, I was part owner of a high-end stereo store, located next to a Big 10 university campus. 95% of our traffic was, dah, college students and faculty. One afternoon, a large guy, obviously a farmer, came in. He was dressed in filthy coveralls, and wearing rubber boots covered in dried pig poop. You could smell him from 10' away. Since none of my staff jumped to serve him, I helped him. After about half and hour, he purchased what I had recommended, well over $3000 worth of gear (a lot back in the 70's) and when I asked whether credit card or check, he said neither: he was a hog farmer, and they deal with cash. A roll of bills emerged from his pocket, and after removing the $3000, it wasn't much smaller. Smelly, but sweet!

 

[Musdalen]

I went into a Kubota dealer here two days ago. I was asked if I could be helped and I said I just wanted to talk about tractors and get a ballpark feeling for what they go for and what I might need. The guy was super helpful and while we talked, he put together a quote for what seemed to be about what I wanted. I was just tire kicking to get started and yet he went through setting up a real price, not some low-ball "estimate" and gave me a lot of what I think is good advice and information. I may not buy a Kubota in the end, but he definitely made it harder not too.

This morning, it will be the JD dealer.

 

[ProjectKing]

I think I would own a Kubota L6060 tractor today if the dealer was willing to deliver and could load the tires. I was ready to purchase. I really like the L6060 even though I was not *allowed* to start or test drive the one I finally found to sit in and try out. (This particular unit was sold to another customer, and I do respect the dealer was diligently caring for a tractor already sold, which I respect.)

The dealer who does not deliver did offer to find a 3rd party to deliver, and estimated a fee of up to $500. So they did make an effort. I asked if the driver would collect the final balance due when the tractor was delivered? The sales person replied the tractor must be paid 100% in full before it left the shop. So risk of delivery was on me. If the unknown person with the unknown transport rig hauling my fully paid for shiny new $60,000 tractor crashed, well .... that was a problem between him (or her) and me. I said I was not comfortable assuming that risk. The sales person replied: "they will have insurance, and we have insurance too." I said I am buying a tractor because I have tasks to do, and filling out insurance claim forms isn't how I want to spend my time. The deal died.

My experience with other brands has been about what I expect. Some dealers better than others, some faster or slower to respond, and some who sell professionally and some who bad mouth everything except what is on their lot. Not really different from dealerships of many other things, like cars, trucks, airplanes, whatever. Needless to say, it has been an interesting experience.

What kind of dealer can't deliver the tractors?! What the heck?! Where do you live anyway? Sounds like u are in the city or something.

The fact that a compact tractor costs $60,000 is the reason I called the L6060 a niche tractor. $60,000 buys a pretty good size farm tractor around here.

 

[paulfun9]

I understand what you are saying, but a good dealer does not need this. EVERY person that calls, emails or stops in the dealership ought to be treated as a buyer. As Messick has rightly stated above, the tractor industry tends to be not very good at customer service. That's a broad brush of course, guys like Messick and many others give outstanding service. When we started our dealership 16 years ago (and literally thousands of retailed tractors ago) I told my wife that if we just respond quickly and politely and treat people well we will distinguish ourselves from most of the competition and sell a lot of tractors.

If you send us an email for a quote, we may ask for your location before we quote you (in case you are 2500 miles away...we do value our time somewhat and do not wish to step on other dealer's toes), but we then quote you a tractor. Then we assume you are a buyer and ask when you want it delivered, or if you plan to pick it up or if you want to buy a trailer. And we sell a ton of tractors by simply assuming that if someone inquires that they are a buyer. And most are.

And the guy that comes in unshaven with a beat up pickup truck....he is often a cash buyer. Never assume otherwise. Treat all people with respect. I think there are quite a few dealers that share our way of doing business. You just have to find them.

I am the unshaven cash buyer in the beat up truck! I just wanted to say how happy I was to see this post. If you knew how many times I was cast to the side by a salesman who looked at me in my work clothes and my beat up worn out truck or jeep and must have thought there was no way I could afford to buy anything your head would spin!
I have a nice truck that would give a better impression but I don't drive it all the time and I shave and dress nice when I go someplace to do something nice with the wife or family but have no need to perform a show for society just so they think I have money. Besides driving that beat up truck and jeep around is costing me way less than having to pay for a nice shiny new one every few years an enables me to buy what ever else I want when I want.
However when I come to pick up my new toy I will bring my shinny truck (only because its my hauler) and a bag full of cash that wasn't wasted on things that I just don't need.