Dealer Issue

[12degreesnorth]

I brought my L3200 to my local dealer in CT to have a new BH77 backhoe installed. Dealer told me it's a 5-6 hour job, the hoe and assembly kit were ordered and arrived prior to tractor arriving at dealer, and I was told it would be ready within a week.

Week one goes by...nothing. Week two goes by...nothing. I call, service guy yells, "It's in the bay and we're working on it right now!" Week three goes by...NOTHING! I call again and am told, "We are waiting for a bracket that was not sent with the kit, should be done any day now."

Hearing nothing halfway into week 4, I call again and am told, "The bracket came in but when we opened the box it was the wrong one." I say, "this is B.S." and now I want some type of compensation ($ off or free service perhaps?). Dealer says, "It's not our fault factory sent wrong part, you'll have to contact Kubota corporate and take it up with them." Tractor is now done and "supposed" to be delivered tomorrow, over one month later.

Is it worth me complaining to Kubota about this and if so, what should I ask for? I realize "stuff happens" but I was without tractor for a month on an estimated 5-6 hour job. Dealer never apologized, never called me to explain situation, and basically blew it all off saying I needed to take it up with corporate. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Lil Foot]

Crappy customer service, for sure. I realize things go wrong, but they should have kept you informed, and certainly should have offered you some sort of concession. I would also suspect (with this kind of performance) that someone ordered the wrong part.
I would call corporate just to vent for my own sanity, if nothing else. Maybe, if you keep it civil, but upset, they will do something for you. It's worth a shot.

 

[1970cs]

Your salesperson should have been the one to step in. In our case in that situation we would have the part next day air in to make sure it's done in a timely fashion. That day in, the next day out. If planned properly even then a week total for the hiccups!

To me sounds like a song and dance! Are they an AG dealer and got caught in the harvest keeping the farmers up and running?

Pat

 

[lugbolt]

There is more to the story I am guessing.

What bracket was it? The BH77 only has 2 subframes in the kit, then a bracket that's bolted to the right subframe that holds the hoses. The subframe kit (BH4977 I think) should have had all of the stuff in it to put the backhoe on. That said, if a part is missing from the crate, that's not the dealer's fault. But lack of communication is. It's a good practice to tell the owner that a part was omitted by Kubota, and give the owner the option to wait or pick up & bring it back later when the part arrives.

Could have been a back order deal as well. I remember at one point I had to order the little hose connector bracket and it went to back order, but showed up within a few days-which was fast for a backorder, but still inconvenient.

Contact Kubota? Absolutely. They may be able to give you more information than your dealer did. Compensation? Good luck.

 

[NEPA Guy]

Excuses are like a**holes. Everyones got one and they all stink.

Get your tractor back and find a new dealer. Its difficult to find an honest business in general these days. I haven't had much luck with tractor dealers. Some are better than others but all seem to lack a certain level of professionalism and customer service skills. I think its just the nature of the beast.

GL

 

[12degreesnorth]

So I finally got my tractor back. 40 days later. 40 days to install a BH77 backhoe. The icing on the poop sandwich is that when the mechanic removed my 3 point hitch he put all the parts in the front end loader bucket. Not that big of a deal, but my tractor was outside at the dealer and the bucket filled with rain water...and then froze solid. The dealer then delivered my tractor back to my house with all the 3 point hitch hardware frozen in a solid block of ice in the front bucket!! I have photos.

I have since called Kubota North East Division (OH) and complained to them. Their representative said he was going to "look into it" and would get back to me. I also called the owner of the dealership and voiced my displeasure. He apologized, but offered no form of compensation when I asked. I'll have to wait and see what corporate will do, if anything.

The dealer is Rewitt & Sibley in Torrington, CT. Shame on them.

 

[BAP]

12degreesnorth, I would check closely to make sure they put all the three point hitch parts in the bucket. Make sure nothing is missing. Also have you run the backhoe yet to make sure it works properly? With the poor service you received so far, you want to make sure everything is right while you still have some hope of getting any mistakes corrected.

 

[Tooljunkie]

You should at the very least demand replacement of the three point arms or anything with moving parts that have been submerged for an unknown amount if time. Your top link and adjustable side link will likely sieze up.

 

[scdeerslayer]

Make sure you can easily remove the pins to remove the backhoe and that the boom lock works. Those were the two issues I had to send mine back to the dealer for. When you need to send it back keep the 3 pt pieces at home.

 

[lugbolt]

The 3 point hitch normally sits outside with the rest of the tractor, in the rain, snow, ice, wind, tornado, flood, hurricane, typhoon, sunshine, etc. Sitting in the bucket with water in it ain't gonna hurt it. If it does, so would rain or snow, or especially in the salt belt, the salted road snow/slush. Assuming one were to go to the dealer expecting a new 3 point hitch, there's a chance that they'll just laugh and show you the same door using the same examples. That's called borderline unreasonable. Grease the top link and it'll be fine. After all, that's why it has a grease fitting

 

[BAP]

The 3 point hitch normally sits outside with the rest of the tractor, in the rain, snow, ice, wind, tornado, flood, hurricane, typhoon, sunshine, etc. Sitting in the bucket with water in it ain't gonna hurt it. If it does, so would rain or snow, or especially in the salt belt, the salted road snow/slush. Assuming one were to go to the dealer expecting a new 3 point hitch, there's a chance that they'll just laugh and show you the same door using the same examples. That's called borderline unreasonable. Grease the top link and it'll be fine. After all, that's why it has a grease fitting

Maybe you park your tractor in a pond or river, but most tractors are parked outdoors but not submerged in water. There is a difference between being exposed to the elements and being completely submerged in water for an extended period of time. Exposure to water from periodic rain or snow will eventually effect the moving parts over a long period of time, but being submerged completely in water will effect them in very little time. I don't think it is unreasonable at all to be upset that his hitch was left in a bucket of water. I would be p**sed myself too.

 

[BWXT]

Maybe you park your tractor in a pond or river, but most tractors are parked outdoors but not submerged in water. There is a difference between being exposed to the elements and being completely submerged in water for an extended period of time. Exposure to water from periodic rain or snow will eventually effect the moving parts over a long period of time, but being submerged completely in water will effect them in very little time. I don't think it is unreasonable at all to be upset that his hitch was left in a bucket of water. I would be p**sed myself too.

I agree with this. That is unacceptable, especially since it was frozen solid! I keep my machine indoors and although I understand things get wet and dirty, extensive immersion in water/ice is beyond normal use.

To me, a week would be unreasonably long for an attachment install. 40 days! Id be calling the BBB. Thanks for the heads up on that stealership. I'll definitely stay away. There is a dealer in Orange, CT. called F&W Equipment on the Post Rd that I use for parts. Seem like good folks, although I've never dealt with them other than ordering maintenance parts. Very friendly and helpful.

 

[Ike]

If your toplink was sumerged in water it could be full of water and split wide open when on the tractor in freezing weather

 

[Tooljunkie]

If your toplink was sumerged in water it could be full of water and split wide open when on the tractor in freezing weather

If it isnt already damaged. Water freezing in an engine block will crack it,no different in the top link.

 

[Greenhead]

At first after reading all this I thought, putting a hoe on during harvest? Really?
But the dealer isn't an AG dealer. http://www.ruwetsibley.com/
You Sir were the victim of P!$$ Poor service. Plain and simple.
You have done what you could with the owner & corporate, and now you are going tell everyone you know and a few strangers about your experience.
Get on twitter, Facebook, (get your kid or the neighbor kid to do it for you).

A product is only as good as the dealers and Kubota knows this.
This particular dealer should stick to chain saws and lawn mowers as the Kubota is obviously WAY out of their league.
I'm sure someone from Kubota corporate reads this stuff (if they're as good as I think they are)... So tell your story!

 

[Boo]

I have discovered that even the nicest dealer you might run into will tell tall tales in order to appease a customer when business grows beyond capability. At that point, our desires for timely service becomes unimportant when weighed with workload from commercial customers. It is sad, but it happens.

The "wrong part" excuse is a favorite one for putting the customer off.

Myself, I'd find a dealer who is more concerned with honesty and keeping you informed. That type of dealer may also loan you a used machine to keep you working while yours is in the shop for a long time.