What to do when Dealer Relations go bad????

dirtsculptor

New member

Equipment
Kubota M7060 and Case CX37C
Jan 20, 2022
4
0
1
California
I returned to the dealer that sold me my previous backhoe. I bought a M 7060 with all the bells and whistles for $65000.00, plus an additional fee for the insurance for a whopping $10,000.00: totally $75,000.00. My father bought a tractor from them, the grandad, I bought from the dad, and now the son. I love these guys. With dad, he was no push over, but fair and I really had no service issues, and we got along great.

So, new age era, I had bought a Case excavator from local Case dealer. It was delivered and broke at 2 hours. The angle blade was stuck, I lost a week or work, 100 bucks an hour. So, they fixed that. Then on another job, I was grading a parking lot, and was loading a small dump trailer with a 3' bucket, and I switched to a 12" to dig a trench, and the quick connect stopped working. I lost that job, another 5 grand, so 10 grand out of money due to defective new equipment. Although, I was frustrated, I did not want to tarnish the relationship, and I paid for the best insurance they had. The service guy gave me a ration of crap about a zirk, which the repair guy forgot to deliver, and I forgot also. When he left, I remembered the broken zirk called the dealer asked if her could turn the guy around to bring the zirk he forgot. The guy gave me a ration about that, and I simply stated, jeez, I've lost 10 grand, and I never gave you a ration. The service manager called me or texted me and stated, "quit badgering my employees," etc. He then stated he was "tired of going out of pocket fixing my equipment, and stated to find another dealer. I did, in Stockton and they are great.

So, when I bought the M7060, I think out the door was about $75,000.00. That tapped me out. However, I relayed the Case story to the owner (son) and told him that I buy equipment, and if it is a lemon or warranty work, that ticks off dealers who have to deal with it, and I don't want to lose a relationship with the dealer. Why, well I called another close Kubota dealer, and he told me warranty work had to be done by the selling dealership. So, that is not going to happen, because the circumstances on my purchase resembled the Case story.

So, they delivered an M 7060 12 spd with a 72" landpride hydraulic ripper. When I put it in the ground the first time, I drove about 6', and the box flipped up 90 degrees and broke the hydraulic ram, slamming the box into the PTO. Is the PTO damaged? I don't know. Without looking at it, the dealer said no, but it leaks. I have about 100 hours on the tractor, maybe a few more. I specified I wanted the same Gearmore implements, as I loved them and the 4n1 was awesome. The landpride 4n1 is useless for picking up logs, it is engineered unlike the same Gearmore that pick up huge logs with a good bite. Nevertheless, I trusted these guys, and they talked me into landpride.

They sold me an Hr72 box. When it broke, he was like, "what did you do?" So, assuming I did something. Well, if you look at this chart https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/default-source/lp-pdfs/06-m60-series-lp-implements.pdf it specifically states that this will damage my tractor not to use it, and that's what happened.

Also, the battery will not stay charged. I ordered the larger alternator, but not sure if I got it. I don't know how to tell, and I never got an answer from the.

His solution was to put the Gearmore that I originally wanted, he said was too large for the tractor, an 84" hydraulic box. I see people with it on these tractors. He told me this in an email, and I didn't read the entire email, and he was adding another $2000.00 for it, and I didn't see that. So, he delivered it, I put it on, then he mentioned I owed him another 2 grand. I took deliver in July, I think. It's March, the metal is still bent, the pto is covered in hydro fluid, and I'm putting fluid in the machine like candy. Don't get me wrong, I love the tractor.

I was a victim of the Caldor fire. I asked him if he was in the area could he move my equipment, he did gratuitously. I would have paid, but he said they were in the area. I did lose a bulldozer, not insured, and about 1/2 million in property or more on my 32 acre ranch. The 2000 bucks was a bit of a shock, and I sent him $500.00 explaining to him it was not part of the contract, and they should have financed it, but they wouldn't. I didn't get mad at all, whats the point right? I was pretty discouraged with life and the tractor was just adding to it dealing with what I thought were long time business friends.

So, my wife gave him the $500, and he said, "not to worry, take your time." Then another thing broke, and he said, "not till you pay the bill." So, I still didn't get mad, but I recognized an irony existed here. So, I sent this text:

" I realize this, I bought a tractor, I originally wanted a gearmore, but was talked into a part not designed for my tractor. Yet I feel at fault, as now I am in debt, on top of the $75000,00 debt I pay for a tractor that was built with the wrong part put on it, and it was paid for. I had no intention for this to occur. Yet, this has caused me a lot of problems with your company, I'm still trying to figure out how I did this to you guys. Very sorry it happened, I'll try to be better next time and not cause your company the problems I have caused."

Then he got angry or hurt and dumped me as a customer, which in the beginning I told him that was my biggest concern, and he replied, "you don't have to worry about that with us," and it took $75000.00 from me, and sold me a tractor negligently putting the wrong parts on it, and not just making it good when it happened. So, this is what I've been dealing with with two tractors, and mostly the problems are covid supply chain related probably. I had to wait months.

He responded with this statement:

"Hey Pat this is SO AND SO with SO AND SO KUBOTA tractor. I'd like to talk with you on the phone. I have trying to make sense of this last email that you sent. I got I got your your photo of your lower linkage that lower linkage is the standard equipment on the machine that you bought. There is no other lower linkage that you could buy. So whatever you did to been that I don't know I don't know I'm just I'm trying not to be I'm trying I'm trying to make sense of it. I'm trying to be yeah I just I think we should talk on the phone and maybe come to a resolved here with you know if you it it's I feel like there's a there's a lot of blame being put on as I feel like I've really tried to make things right. Whether it be you know picking up the machine to keep it out of fires arm or just all the help that I'm trying to assist you with over the years and that was a very passive aggressive email and actually kinda hurt feelings. So I don't know I'm not sure maybe we're meant to do business together to be honest with you. So anyway we we can call it a wash if you want. Don't worry about don't worry about paying back what you owe. It seems as though that... [end of transcribed message]."

The irony of me having to lose money on jobs, and they acting as if they are the only party to the contract, and their issues were de minimis compared to my loses. The new box scraper came with a zirk stripped, when I greased it it came off in my gun. I bought new ones and they just slip in. I used metric and standard. Also, the bar slipped out and disconnected, the quality control they have sux now. I remember ordering extra hydraulic fittings and the sent the wrong ones 3 times, and the service guy was very rude. I kept my cool until my email apologizing for their mistake, yes a bit of irony, but I should have been angry as heck. I really think they are shirking their responsibilities and need to put on their man pants and put the toddler toys away.

So, I'm a customer for over 20 years, and my father before me. Now, I can't get warranty work on my tractor locally. This is horrible. I just spent another 65k on a sawmill. I wonder if it will be the same thing. So far so good.

Any advice that could help would be great.
 

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fried1765

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Nov 14, 2019
7,843
5,066
113
Eastham, Ma
I returned to the dealer that sold me my previous backhoe. I bought a M 7060 with all the bells and whistles, including the insurance for a whopping $10,000.00. My father bought a tractor from them, the grandad, I bought from the dad, and now the son. I love these guys. With dad, he was no push over, but fair and I really had no service issues, and we got along great.

So, new age era, I had bought a Case excavator from local Case dealer. It was delivered and broke at 2 hours. The angle blade was stuck, I lost a week or work, 100 bucks an hour. So, they fixed that. Then on another job, I was grading a parking lot, and was loading a small dump trailer with a 3' bucket, and I switched to a 12" to dig a trench, and the quick connect stopped working. I lost that job, another 5 grand, so 10 grand out of money due to defective new equipment. Although, I was frustrated, I did not want to tarnish the relationship, and I paid for the best insurance they had. The service guy gave me a ration of crap about a zirk, which the repair guy forgot to deliver, and I forgot also. When he left, I remembered the broken zirk called the dealer asked if her could turn the guy around to bring the zirk he forgot. The guy gave me a ration about that, and I simply stated, jeez, I've lost 10 grand, and I never gave you a ration. The service manager called me or texted me and stated, "quit badgering my employees," etc. He then stated he was "tired of going out of pocket fixing my equipment, and stated to find another dealer. I did, in Stockton and they are great.

So, when I bought the M7060, I think out the door was about $75,000.00. That tapped me out. However, I relayed the Case story to the owner (son) and told him that I buy equipment, and if it is a lemon or warranty work, that ticks off dealers who have to deal with it, and I don't want to lose a relationship with the dealer. Why, well I called another close Kubota dealer, and he told me warranty work had to be done by the selling dealership. So, that is not going to happen, because the circumstances on my purchase resembled the Case story.

So, they delivered an M 7060 12 spd with a 72" landpride hydraulic ripper. When I put it in the ground the first time, I drove about 6', and the box flipped up 90 degrees and broke the hydraulic ram, slamming the box into the PTO. Is the PTO damaged? I don't know. Without looking at it, the dealer said no, but it leaks. I have about 100 hours on the tractor, maybe a few more. I specified I wanted the same Gearmore implements, as I loved them and the 4n1 was awesome. The landpride 4n1 is useless for picking up logs, it is engineered unlike the same Gearmore that pick up huge logs with a good bite. Nevertheless, I trusted these guys, and they talked me into landpride.

They sold me an Hr72 box. When it broke, he was like, "what did you do?" So, assuming I did something. Well, if you look at this chart https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/default-source/lp-pdfs/06-m60-series-lp-implements.pdf it specifically states that this will damage my tractor not to use it, and that's what happened.

Also, the battery will not stay charged. I ordered the larger alternator, but not sure if I got it. I don't know how to tell, and I never got an answer from the.

His solution was to put the Gearmore that I originally wanted, he said was too large for the tractor, an 84" hydraulic box. I see people with it on these tractors. He told me this in an email, and I didn't read the entire email, and he was adding another $2000.00 for it, and I didn't see that. So, he delivered it, I put it on, then he mentioned I owed him another 2 grand. I took deliver in July, I think. It's March, the metal is still bent, the pto is covered in hydro fluid, and I'm putting fluid in the machine like candy. Don't get me wrong, I love the tractor.

I was a victim of the Caldor fire. I asked him if he was in the area could he move my equipment, he did gratuitously. I would have paid, but he said they were in the area. I did lose a bulldozer, not insured, and about 1/2 million in property or more on my 32 acre ranch. The 2000 bucks was a bit of a shock, and I sent him $500.00 explaining to him it was not part of the contract, and they should have financed it, but they wouldn't. I didn't get mad at all, whats the point right? I was pretty discouraged with life and the tractor was just adding to it dealing with what I thought were long time business friends.

So, my wife gave him the $500, and he said, "not to worry, take your time." Then another thing broke, and he said, "not till you pay the bill." So, I still didn't get mad, but I recognized an irony existed here. So, I sent this text:

" I realize this, I bought a tractor, I originally wanted a gearmore, but was talked into a part not designed for my tractor. Yet I feel at fault, as now I am in debt, on top of the $75000,00 debt I pay for a tractor that was built with the wrong part put on it, and it was paid for. I had no intention for this to occur. Yet, this has caused me a lot of problems with your company, I'm still trying to figure out how I did this to you guys. Very sorry it happened, I'll try to be better next time and not cause your company the problems I have caused."

Then he got angry or hurt and dumped me as a customer, which in the beginning I told him that was my biggest concern, and he replied, "you don't have to worry about that with us," and it took $75000.00 from me, and sold me a tractor negligently putting the wrong parts on it, and not just making it good when it happened. So, this is what I've been dealing with with two tractors, and mostly the problems are covid supply chain related probably. I had to wait months.

He responded with this statement:

"Hey Pat this is SO AND SO with SO AND SO KUBOTA tractor. I'd like to talk with you on the phone. I have trying to make sense of this last email that you sent. I got I got your your photo of your lower linkage that lower linkage is the standard equipment on the machine that you bought. There is no other lower linkage that you could buy. So whatever you did to been that I don't know I don't know I'm just I'm trying not to be I'm trying I'm trying to make sense of it. I'm trying to be yeah I just I think we should talk on the phone and maybe come to a resolved here with you know if you it it's I feel like there's a there's a lot of blame being put on as I feel like I've really tried to make things right. Whether it be you know picking up the machine to keep it out of fires arm or just all the help that I'm trying to assist you with over the years and that was a very passive aggressive email and actually kinda hurt feelings. So I don't know I'm not sure maybe we're meant to do business together to be honest with you. So anyway we we can call it a wash if you want. Don't worry about don't worry about paying back what you owe. It seems as though that... [end of transcribed message]."

So, I'm a customer for over 20 years, and my father before me. Now, I can't get warranty work on my tractor locally. This is horrible. I just spent another 65k on a sawmill. I wonder if it will be the same thing. So far so good.

Any advice that could help would be great.
An "M7060 with all the bells and whistles, including the insurance" for $10,000.00?
That sounds like one smoking deal to me!
 

dirtsculptor

New member

Equipment
Kubota M7060 and Case CX37C
Jan 20, 2022
4
0
1
California
Ha, yeah I edited it, 10,000 was just for the insurance, the equipment was another $65,000.00 give or take.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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Is this a word for word reply from him?

"Hey Pat this is SO AND SO with SO AND SO KUBOTA tractor. I'd like to talk with you on the phone. I have trying to make sense of this last email that you sent. I got I got your your photo of your lower linkage that lower linkage is the standard equipment on the machine that you bought. There is no other lower linkage that you could buy. So whatever you did to been that I don't know I don't know I'm just I'm trying not to be I'm trying I'm trying to make sense of it. I'm trying to be yeah I just I think we should talk on the phone and maybe come to a resolved here with you know if you it it's I feel like there's a there's a lot of blame being put on as I feel like I've really tried to make things right. Whether it be you know picking up the machine to keep it out of fires arm or just all the help that I'm trying to assist you with over the years and that was a very passive aggressive email and actually kinda hurt feelings. So I don't know I'm not sure maybe we're meant to do business together to be honest with you. So anyway we we can call it a wash if you want. Don't worry about don't worry about paying back what you owe. It seems as though that... [end of transcribed message]."
 
Last edited:

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
11,423
4,909
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
1st, sure hope the dang 'black cloud' leave your area real soon, you've had enough grief.

this ....

he told me warranty work had to be done by the selling dealership.

...doesn't make any sense to me. Is Kubota USA saying that if you haul your machine across the continent and it breaks down, that the LOCAL Kubota dealer will NOT service it? You HAVE to have it hauled 3000 miles to the original selling dealer ?

THAT I'd look into PDQ..it smells 'fishy'.
 

mikester

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M59 TLB
Oct 21, 2017
3,556
2,022
113
Canada
www.divergentstuff.ca
What I see is a long, rambling rant from a guy who feels wronged by multiple dealers. My first impression falls under the 90/10 rule - 90 percent of my time getting occupied by 10 percent of the problems.
 
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skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,565
3,318
113
SW Pa
I dont know I am starting to think that a lot of dealers just want your money and will try to sell you what they have on hand.
A local friend bought 2 farm size Kubota's from the local dealer. And to be truth full they sold him a bill of goods. So many of the Kubota attachments they sold him did more damage to his tractors than he ever could have done other wise. And again the dealer was,, well what DID YOU DO?
But to be fare I think that a lot of sales people dont have a clue what farmers do and dont understand what needs they have. To many I think are focused on the sale and not the coustomers real needs. And are really only wanting to see sales, and not worried about return coustomers. Kinda like HD stealers
 
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SDT

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Equipment
multiple and various
Apr 15, 2018
3,255
1,042
113
SE, IN
I dont know I am starting to think that a lot of dealers just want your money and will try to sell you what they have on hand.
A local friend bought 2 farm size Kubota's from the local dealer. And to be truth full they sold him a bill of goods. So many of the Kubota attachments they sold him did more damage to his tractors than he ever could have done other wise. And again the dealer was,, well what DID YOU DO?
But to be fare I think that a lot of sales people dont have a clue what farmers do and dont understand what needs they have. To many I think are focused on the sale and not the coustomers real needs. And are really only wanting to see sales, and not worried about return coustomers. Kinda like HD stealers
Agreed.
 

GeoHorn

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M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
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Texas
I got lost in the video and have no idea what it was supposed to represent other than a confused muddled video.
32 acres is not a “ranch”.
I don’t think it even qualifies as a farm.
Maybe a large yard.

The way to get what you want is to avoid being “sold” anything you don’t want.
Educate yourself,…talk to friends…. scrutinize reviews…. Insist upon only buying what you want and nothing else. Read the manuals. Operate it in accordance with them.

Warranty is part of what you buy when you buy it and demand it to be delivered in accordance with that warranty. It’s not “optional” for the dealer. It’s mandatory..they’ve already been paid for it up front.

Get a quote for service and pay only what you are quoted and only after the service is properly provided.

Always works for me.
 
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GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
11,423
4,909
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
re: 32 acres is not a “ranch”.

Depending on the location, it is if there's animals being raised/graised on it. It'd be a 'farm' if crops grown, with/without a cow or two.

Location and jurisdiction is key. At one time, you needed 10 acres minimum AND $xxxx made 'off the land' to qualify as a 'farm', for tax purposes. Fun fact, land is RESIDENTIAL, here near Hamilton,Ontario.You can apply for 'farm credits' though.
 

GeoHorn

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Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
6,040
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113
Texas
That was my poor-attempt at humor.. Sorry if it wasn’t evident, ..my fault.
Down here …from my youth…(a half-century ago)…. a ”ranch” was defined at 1,000 acres (approx) or more…anything less that involved agriculture was either a “farm” (if for sustenance or profit) …. or it was a “preserve” …especially if for tax-reasons or purely for entertainment.

(I recall that some comedians would characterize Texas as a place of oil wells and horses and that the typical home had parking-places in the living-rooms for the mandatory Cadillac.) :rolleyes:

Again,,….I apologize if my poor attempt at “humor” was poorly presented. :mad:
 

Chanceywd

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Kubota L2501DT BH77 VIRNIG URG60-CT 1950 8N
Mar 26, 2021
607
468
63
central ny
Here's a good video about dealerships in general - definately applies to tractor dealers as well
On the subject of motorcycles and manufacturers, As a good example of the Peter Principle, I knew this guy when he worked for Albany International in Homer NY. Somehow he wound up CEO of Harley Davidson. He couldn't excel as an Engineer at Albany but kept moving up and around until he resigned from HD. This is what we are dealing with with manufacturers too, paying bloated salaries and not standing behind product.


Maybe off topic,
 

Joisey

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Kubota L47 TLB
May 31, 2015
191
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43
Wild, Wonderful West Virginia
Not to defend Kubota, I admit that I do not have any of their equipment, which will change next year. However, their attitude I can say is parallel to Toyota when it comes to new vehicle set up and warranty work. From what I hear from reliable people, much the same can be said for the other big three auto makers.

"We have your money, now leave us alone" seems to be the common thread among stealerships. My writing to Toyota with an itemized list of low fluids on my new truck was answered with "this is between you and your dealer." Last Toyota I will ever buy.
 

fried1765

Well-known member

Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Nov 14, 2019
7,843
5,066
113
Eastham, Ma
Not to defend Kubota, I admit that I do not have any of their equipment, which will change next year. However, their attitude I can say is parallel to Toyota when it comes to new vehicle set up and warranty work. From what I hear from reliable people, much the same can be said for the other big three auto makers.

"We have your money, now leave us alone" seems to be the common thread among stealerships. My writing to Toyota with an itemized list of low fluids on my new truck was answered with "this is between you and your dealer." Last Toyota I will ever buy.
Arrogance seems to be all too common these days!
 
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GeoHorn

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M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
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Texas
Our Toyota Dealer won’t quit trying to service our car. Every 3 months I get another notice from them it has to “come in” for service (oil change)… and I‘m simply not going to drive 125 miles round-trip to waste an entire day sitting in their lounge just to pay them $178 for a full synthetic oil change …when I can do it here at home for less than $25 including the six pack of beer. (For some unknown reason the local WalMart last year had a clearance sale on Quaker State 0W20 Full Synthetic for $10/gal….so I bought all they had. (And the SuperTech filter is only $4.) I’m good for a couple years.
 
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