Parts prices

[Lil Foot]

While trying to find all the parts/seals/gaskets to rebuild my front axle, I shopped around and found these interesting variations.

Coleman Equipment- $550 shipped to me, complete parts, seals, gaskets, shipping.

Local Kubota dealer- $832 (10 dealerships in the state, all owned by the same family)

I called WKTP to price used parts (the 2 gears & a bearing) and was quoted $450 for the two gears, with the bearing thrown in for free. Coleman's prices for the (3) new parts are $111.91, $245.70, & $6.28- total $363.89, for those (3) parts.
So WKTP wanted $86.11 more for used parts than I paid Coleman's for new parts.

When I asked about the "bonnet stay", a brace across the lower front of the hood, I was told "my guys throw that sort of stuff away".

I expected the local guy's markup of 51% over Coleman, but I was really bummed about WKTP.

Axle thread:
http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21369

 

[Daren Todd]

I have priced some stuff through wktp before. Some stuff seemed reasonable. Some stuff they bumped there head before setting the price

 

[rentthis]

Darren, I have been banned for life from WKTP

 

[Lil Foot]

Darren, I have been banned for life from WKTP

Should we ask for details, or will our imagination suffice?

 

[Daren Todd]

Darren, I have been banned for life from WKTP

I want details


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[D2Cat]

I've purchased items from WKTP. One item I needed was a radiator with shroud, thermostat for the B7100 HST (which is a special puppy). Called and got availability and cost.

I looked around to see if there were any options, but found none.

Calling back to WKTP was a challenge. I called several time for two days. Third day got an answer. They had received a foot of snow and many were stranded without 4 wheel drive trucks. The gal who answered the phone went and looked on the other girls desk, then sold the radiator for $100 less then the quote the first one gave me.

I guess you need to call during a snow storm to get the best price!

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

Rebuliding my snowblower for this year after tearing up the main fan blade due to too much gravel last year. Bad operator, had to cut thru 1 bolt and busted a race from a bearing. Anyways listed parts i needed and a price comparison from Messicks and took it to my local dealer, where I bought it. Said he would match that price or beat it. He would call me when the parts came in.

 

[Lil Foot]

Said he would match that price or beat it.

When I asked for a discount or price match, the local dealer laughed at me.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

When I asked for a discount or price match, the local dealer laughed at me.

I got the same reaction once, I got thrown out the next time.

 

[olthumpa]

When I asked for a discount or price match, the local dealer laughed at me.

Same here. I guess that is why the funny looking man in the brown truck keeps stopping by.

I got the same reaction once, I got thrown out the next time.

Way to go Wolfman!

 

[sheepfarmer]

I got the same reaction once, I got thrown out the next time.

You didn't have Vixen with you, right?

 

[Lil Foot]

And another thing-
When I asked for a discount or price matching, they laughed and said that only municipalities or the US military (not individual veterans) got discounts- seems odd that organizations with virtually limitlessly deep pockets get a break, while the working sap gets reamed.

 

[rentthis]

I had a radiator go out and a customer kept going until the engine blew. I called WKT and they said they had a running engine from an identical tractor that was partially burned. The engine wasn't involved in the fire. I told them to send me the engine. It was supposed to be a low hour engine. For some reason, they said they had to sent the head to a machine shop to be checked because that's "just what they do". Then I found out that the running engine didn't include the head in the price quoted. Didn't matter because I needed the engine. When I got the engine, the center piston was damaged and the center section of the head had problems as well. The engine they sent looked almost exactly like other one I already had. The precomp chamber in the head was sticking down about the thickness of 2 single edge razor blades and scarred from coming into contact with something. It obviously had never seen a machine shop. WKT said they would send me a new piston and that the head SHOULD be fine. I ordered a running engine and got what I already had, a damaged engine. I called WKT and they denied any liability, questioned my integrity and said I had to pay a restocking fee and freight to return it. The total to me was in the neighborhood of $1000.00. I was told that they would never sell me anything else. They beat me to having said that. I rebuilt the old engine and now it runs fine. I figured that if I was going to rework and engine, it might as well be mine. I don't know how to post pictures but I have pictures of what they sent and I dare say no one here would consider it to have been a runner.

 

[BadDog]

And another thing-
When I asked for a discount or price matching, they laughed and said that only municipalities or the US military (not individual veterans) got discounts- seems odd that organizations with virtually limitlessly deep pockets get a break, while the working sap gets reamed.

You and I both know that our local dealerships are without a doubt one of the worst in the country, and they have managed to lock-in the entire region for Kubota/Bobcat to eliminate any competitive options. Most of the folks who work there could not care less, but there are a couple of decent people who work there. One gave me some "special" metric bolts that I really needed right away from the bin in the shop when I dropped by during late but normal business hours and EVERYONE else was gone. Ordering the same bolts would have taken 7 days and cost over $30 if it had not been him there alone (local Copper State couldn't even get them). Unfortunately there isn't even a good alternative locally for the general non-Kubota specific stuff like implements and such. Sure thankful for the age of internet-buying and home delivery.

 

[rentthis]

Russ, There are other brands in my area that are exactly as you describe. They have a take it or leave it attitude. My Kubota dealer is the exact opposite to me. I realize that I buy a lot more Kubota equipment that most folks and I'm sure that has a lot to do with my treatment there. The guys there always recognize my voice on the phone and treat me like family. Their parts man saves my bacon on a regular basis. He understands the importance of my getting that $25.00 part quickly because it may save a $2000.00 rental. When it comes to some others, I don't care what I do or how much, I leave wondering if I shouldn't have gotten change. With the internet as it is, parts are pretty easy to come by without hassle or even speaking to anyone. I use that approach, non Kubota, daily. If you ever need to order Kubota parts, call my guy. He ships parts and can possibly save you some money.

 

[Lil Foot]

One gave me some "special" metric bolts that I really needed right away from the bin in the shop when I dropped by during late but normal business hours and EVERYONE else was gone.

Wow, that's amazing. Closest I've come to anything like that was when my 14" bucket for the backhoe was missing a tooth cap, and I could not find the correct one anywhere. While picking up filters, o-rings, etc. at the dealer (before I knew better) I mentioned the tooth cap to the parts guy, and he went in the back, dug around & dumped stuff on the floor, making all kinds of noise for about 5 minutes, then came back with a tooth cap. He tossed it on the counter, saying "Here you go" & that "It had been laying around for about 30 years". It was new, but very rusty, & an exact match for what already had. I was tickled, and planning on giving him a big tip, until I got the bill & saw he had charged me $28 for it.

 

[BadDog]

Wow, that's amazing.

Well, for the complete story, I'm not entirely sure how much was really "he's just a nice guy and he could only do it when nobody was around". He did make some comment to the effect that he was already started in the end of day shut-down (whatever that may entail), so trying to figure out how to charge and run the bill may have been the prime motivator. Nothing remotely like that since, but I've never hit that "just before close" situation again either. But even if it was just too inconvenient to try to charge me, he could have just refused to provide service even though still a few minutes before official closing. That would certainly have been more in tune with normal service there. So whatever his motivation, I was very appreciative.

 

[bearbait]

I get contractor pricing now but I had to buy 3 tractors from them in order to get it.